SO Confused

holliwood97
holliwood97 Posts: 138 Member
in Food and Nutrition
can some of the people on here that have lost alot of weight tell me what to do??... i have read on here that you have to eat your calories (which seem low) according to the treads on here. that you have to eat food to lose food. that if you go too low in calories that your body will start to slow your metabolism and you lose less... so if you eat higher calories you will lose more..as long as its under some TDEE number... im getting confused... have people just gotten on this MFP and eatten the amount that it says and done fine...?

i just done want to eat to small amount. i realize this is a process... my calories per day is 1360

thank you

Replies

  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    I think everything you need to know you will find in this group:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/10067-eat-train-progress-

    Specifically this about your calorie targets:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    And this about exercise calories:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    I'm having a difficult time understanding exactly what you're asking about your calorie limits, but those threads have everything you need to know to figure out the answer. I will check back on this thread if you have further questions you want to clarify. Hope that helps.
  • CkepiJinx
    CkepiJinx Posts: 613 Member
    What did you set your goal at for pounds to lose in a week? Also what setting did you choose for life style I.e sedantary, light active etc..? These two things will make a big difference in the calories MFP gives you..

    I started with well over a hundred pounds to lose so set my goal to 2 lbs per week. I set my life style to light active as I am on my feet for work.

    As I lost weight my calorie allowance went down when it got to a number I felt was too low I changed my goal to 1.5 lbs per week and it gave me more calories.

    As you only have 50ish pounds to lose I would set my goal to 1 pound per week if you have it higher.
  • Pixi_Rex
    Pixi_Rex Posts: 1,676 Member
    Do the MFP calculation... eat those calories... exercise... eat those calories and you will lose weight.

    Pretty easy once you get the hang of it start looking at your macros and stuff like that. Don't let all the information confuse you one step at a time and you will get it - promise.
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
    Your confused? You should try reading what you wrote!

    If you have your MFP settings entered correctly, then yes, you an just follow the numbers set by MFP and you will still lose.

    If you haven't got much weight to lose, don't set your weight lose goal too aggressively, you'll be fine.
  • dreamlyes
    dreamlyes Posts: 8 Member
    I am a little confused too I have heard from ppl on here to eat your exercise calories and also others have said just the opposite!! Some have said not to eat exercise calories and if your eating your calories burned you won't lose weight. Also they said ~"what is the point of burning calories if you are going to eat them all back?"

    I just started a few days ago and already wondering if I am doomed!:frown:

    lol ~ I figure if I don't go below 1200 calories and don't go over 1500 plus burn 200 exercising then I should lose weight??? Right?

    Like for instance my goal it says is
    ~1200 calories
    ~ my food intake today it says is ~1796
    ~ exercise ~206
    ~ my net is ~1590.

    Yeah I went over my goal by 390. So how much in calories should I be eating ? My food and my exercise calories would make it 1406 calories.

    So then since I went over by 390 I should really only be eating the 1200?

    Now I am confusing myself :P I know this is easier than I am seeing it. I just can't get my mind wrapped around it atm.
  • Topher1978
    Topher1978 Posts: 975 Member
    Do the MFP calculation... eat those calories... exercise... eat those calories and you will lose weight.

    Pretty easy once you get the hang of it start looking at your macros and stuff like that. Don't let all the information confuse you one step at a time and you will get it - promise.
    This. It has 30lbs of working right right here!!
  • Topher1978
    Topher1978 Posts: 975 Member
    Eating back exercise calories is what is making me successful. I am consistently losing weight, and am comfortable. Since December 16th, I have lost 14.6 lbs. I eat what I want, but stay under a net calorie intake of 1650 (sometimes I eat over 3000 calories, and still keep my net below 1650.) Rarely, I do go over. I am set at a 950 calorie deficit. I may go to a 500 calorie deficit soon, though. MFP calculations have it right. I love it!!
  • holliwood97
    holliwood97 Posts: 138 Member
    thank you for all your responses. sorry about the confusion. i should have tried spell check before i posted. :) basically from what i have read (on some posts) if you dont eat enough calories that your body's Metabolism will slow down to a "starvation rate" .(you will lose weight). but if you keep your calories slightly higher your metabolism will run at a higher rate. (not slip into stavation mode) and you will burn more calories... so they are saying you can eat more and burn more Eat more because your metabolism is burning at a higher rate. the My Fitness Pal suggested calories... its 1360 a day. plus any calories i would burn at the gyn or whereever. i started at 231 with light activity.... i was wondering if people were losing wight just follwing the suggestion of the calories from MFP and excersise and following the macros. eventually. thank you all for your help i apprecite the feed back

    Holli
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
    At 1360 a day plus exercise cals you will lose weight yes.

    You will probably also lose weight at 1700 + exercise cals, just not such a large amount each week.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    thank you for all your responses. sorry about the confusion. i should have tried spell check before i posted. :) basically from what i have read (on some posts) if you dont eat enough calories that your body's Metabolism will slow down to a "starvation rate" .(you will lose weight). but if you keep your calories slightly higher your metabolism will run at a higher rate. (not slip into stavation mode) and you will burn more calories... so they are saying you can eat more and burn more Eat more because your metabolism is burning at a higher rate. the My Fitness Pal suggested calories... its 1360 a day. plus any calories i would burn at the gyn or whereever. i started at 231 with light activity.... i was wondering if people were losing wight just follwing the suggestion of the calories from MFP and excersise and following the macros. eventually. thank you all for your help i apprecite the feed back

    Holli

    Yes people lose weight with both methods, read around some more threads and you will see that. You can also lose weight by starving yourself, plenty of those with disordered eating do sadly. The difference is how fast you lose and how much fat compared to muscle or water you lose, weight loss =/= fat loss.

    Remember that most methods rely on you accurately reporting your weight, your activity level and choosing a sensible goal so they are a guesstimate. Too many people overestimate what they burn, underestimate what they eat and want to lose two pounds a week despite not having much to lose. If you want best results make everything as accurate as possible, actually measure your activity level with a pedometer or heart rate monitor. Get your bodyfat tested by calipers or a medical grade machine. Sedentary is anything up to about 6000 steps a day so you can be sedentary yet exercise.
  • holliwood97
    holliwood97 Posts: 138 Member
    wow. great info thank you!!!1
    :smile:
  • holliwood97
    holliwood97 Posts: 138 Member
    Eating back exercise calories is what is making me successful. I am consistently losing weight, and am comfortable. Since December 16th, I have lost 14.6 lbs. I eat what I want, but stay under a net calorie intake of 1650 (sometimes I eat over 3000 calories, and still keep my net below 1650.) Rarely, I do go over. I am set at a 950 calorie deficit. I may go to a 500 calorie deficit soon, though. MFP calculations have it right. I love it!!



    how do you eat over 3000 and keep you net below 1650? anyway thank you for replying. feeling more comfortable now after reading eveones feed back :)
  • holliwood97
    holliwood97 Posts: 138 Member
    Eating back exercise calories is what is making me successful. I am consistently losing weight, and am comfortable. Since December 16th, I have lost 14.6 lbs. I eat what I want, but stay under a net calorie intake of 1650 (sometimes I eat over 3000 calories, and still keep my net below 1650.) Rarely, I do go over. I am set at a 950 calorie deficit. I may go to a 500 calorie deficit soon, though. MFP calculations have it right. I love it!!




    how do you eat over 3000 and keep you net below 1650? anyway thank you for replying. feeling more comfortable now after reading eveones feed back :)
  • holliwood97
    holliwood97 Posts: 138 Member
    thank you!!!

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