how much do you really eat?

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Aweymouth
Aweymouth Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My daily caloric intake is set for 1200 calories but if I workout it goes up because I earn more calories to eat. Do I try to stick with the 1200 calorie original goal or do I try to get as close to the adjusted calorie goal as possible? I ask this because for the last 2 weeks I've been eating 1200 - 1400 calories within if not under my daily goal and I haven't lost anything :-( Needless to say slightly frustrated.
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  • kr1stadee
    kr1stadee Posts: 1,774 Member
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    My opinion, you need to eat more than 1200 calories a day, regardless of exercise. Set your weight loss goal to 0.5 - 1 pound per week. Eat those calories. Exercise calories are debatable, but I eat half (MFP may overestimate my burn).

    I have 40+ pounds to lose and I'm at 1 pound per week and it gives me just over 1400 calories.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
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    I net around 1200, I eat between 1500 and 2300.
  • julesxo
    julesxo Posts: 422 Member
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    I would eat more. I eat around 1800 a day when I work out and around 1400 when I don't.
  • agggie550
    agggie550 Posts: 281 Member
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    MFP says i should eat about 1850, with my work outs I eat almost 3000, and net about 1500. I have only been eating like this for the last week, but I am starting to notice a real difference. I always thought the eat to loose thought process was a load of crap, but my body seems to respond very well to the increased healthy calories.
  • Crankstr
    Crankstr Posts: 3,958 Member
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    1200 is prob too low.

    I eat 1500 on days i do nothing, and around 1800 when I work out.

    2 weeks isnt much, give it some time
  • altinker
    altinker Posts: 173
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    I eat about 1400 to 1500 calories a day, but I have also been working out between 30 minutes and 1 hour most days. I have a hard time with just 1200 calories. I lost a pound last week.
  • WIChelle
    WIChelle Posts: 471 Member
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    Mine is 1200, 1500, 1200. 1500, 1200,1500, 2400 for the week ideally but i tend to go a tad over on the lower days. I guess that would make my average around 1500. I can't do any cardio due to working around an injury so my exercise is strength and pilates.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    I net around 1200, I eat between 1500 and 2300.

    This. Almost exactly!
  • AprilRN10
    AprilRN10 Posts: 548 Member
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    Look into BMR and TDEE....In between those numbers would probably be best.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    MFP already calculates a deficit into your daily allowance. If you burn more than expected, you should eat back those calories. You will still have that deficit. That said, if you are using estimates for your calorie burns, they are often overestimated. I only ever counted 2/3 of the calories.
  • Sujit8383
    Sujit8383 Posts: 726 Member
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    2500-3000 , my tdee is over 4000...........:smile::wink: :laugh: :happy: :tongue:
  • emmajewson9
    emmajewson9 Posts: 1
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    I set mine at 1200 but felt it was too low. So upped it to 1400 and i do eat the extras I earn from exercise too.
    So far its working. If you starve yourself your body witll hang on to food you have to put fuel on the fire to help it burn!!
  • BackTatJIM
    BackTatJIM Posts: 1,140 Member
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    Right now 3,000 cals a day.... I maintain at around 2,750 a day ...so if I was trying to lose weight I would be eating around 2,200-2,400 a day
  • jamers3111
    jamers3111 Posts: 495 Member
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    Did you set the cals to 1200 or did MFP? I was trying to eat 1200 cals for months but I wasn't seeing results... I recently upped my cals to 1400 with only eating 20% of what I burn and I have noticed an amazing difference! I have so much more energy to workout more and longer! Plus I don't have half the cravings I used to! Just a thought but do what's right for you :)
    I say if you're eating 1200 and burning 300 I'd eat at least half those calories back BECAUSE you are at a large deficit already and your body needs fuel to keep going.
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
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    2,000 per day average. More on lift days, a little less on rest days. My TDEE is 2,200-2,400 most days.
  • MariaAkeroyd
    MariaAkeroyd Posts: 96 Member
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    I am set at 1200 as well and it has been working. Just give it some time.
    Feel free to add me if you would like to look at my diary.
  • Noor13
    Noor13 Posts: 964 Member
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    2800 at the moment-I am bulking
    Maintaining at 2600
    Slightly below TDEE minus max10% if I wanted to lose
  • NatashaB8
    NatashaB8 Posts: 202
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    I eat about 1700-1800 and more on days I lift and workout.

    Depends on your height and weight and activity level.

    I am 6ft and was 177lbs when I started and MFP put me on 1300, waaay too low! I was having dizzy spells so upped my calorie intake and I have still been losing :)
  • damiannikodem
    damiannikodem Posts: 77 Member
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    My target is 1440 (set by mfp), I eat 1300 most days (every although twice since starting MFP I have gone to 1700. )


    Exercise between 350 and 700 almost every day., my BMR is close to 2100. Losing weight consistently so i'm not that fussed.

    Never really hungry, but thats because ive swapped meats around a bit ( I eat a lot of meat and egg white) so even though my meals are pretty large they end up being fairly low cal.
  • icmuse
    icmuse Posts: 263 Member
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    You might not be eating enough and your body is holding on to the resources.

    Check this out:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

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