question about calories?

cherio256

Ok I am set up to eat 1200 calories a day to hopefully lose 2 pounds a week. I understand that I am supposed to eat back my exercise calories. Is it the same thing to A. eat 1200 calories with no exercise or B. eat 1400 calories and burn 200 exercising?
whats the difference?
also, if I want to eat alot at one meal, like going out to eat, is it ok to eat like 150 calories for breakfast, 200 for lunch and then the rest for dinner?

NJL13500

Ultimately it is about NET calories. So, yes, eating 1200 calories with no exercise is the same as eating 1400 with 200 calories of exercise.

Exercise will help you with so much more than just eating extra calories. I use it for stress relief and to help my heart and muscles.

You will see great debate on the boards about whether or not 1200 calories is enough for anyone. Even when I set my net calories at 1200 I almost always ate between 1500-1800 depending on exercise. It helped keep my happier, more satisfied, and helped me get through my workouts.

You have to do what works for you, but I would advise to try and get at least a little bit of exercise in and eat more. It's easier to get essential nutrients in when you have more to work with.

Good luck!

angleu

MFP is set up to work with you eating your exercise calories back. It's better to exercise and eat more then to not and eat less..Why would you want to eat less lol? I do recommend buying a heart rate monitor so you really know what you are burning, MFP will not be accurate like your own body will

Also, please don't think that you will actually lose 2lbs every week, it just doesn't work that way. Some weeks you will lose .5lb some maybe 2. I think 1200 is super low anyway..

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912914-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013 or you can check this out

ApexLeader

they are basically the same, although you improve your health better through exercise and eating back the calories, so B is better for you. you can also potentially increase your metabolism with consistent exercise to where your body is burning a significant amount of calories throughout the day even at rest (more than without exercise and not gaining those effects).

jessicawrites

First thing: MFP seems to start almost everyone at 1200, which is not necessarily an ideal number. Brace yourself there for some critical feedback, and try to be open to raising calories if 1200 isn't working, especially if you're feeling very hungry/cranky or seem to be stalling in weight loss.

That said: yes, 1200 and no exercise vs. 1400 + 200 cals worth of exercise works out to the same "net calorie" value, since the exercise burns or "negates" some of the calories you eat. My sense is it's better to exercise since that way you build strength and stamina, which diet alone isn't going to do.

I'd tend to recommend against eating very lightly throughout the day followed by a large meal, mostly because I'd get very irritable! If you go out to eat, try ordering a salad instead of fries, or eating half the portion served. You can keep a meal at a reasonable number of calories by making just a few substitutions and being mindful about what you order.

Good luck!

violinkeri

OP yes, eating 1200 with no exercise = eating 1400 and burning 200, in the eyes of MFP. The idea is to maintain a deficit.

I am going to summarize what people are going to respond:

1: Search the forums for Roadmap by Helloitsdan and calculate your BMR and TDEE-20%. You should always eat >BMR and <TDEE to lose weight.
2: If you have less than 50 lbs to lose, you should set your goals to 1 lb or 1/2 lb a week, not 2.
3: 1200 is an unsustainable diet. I've done it, its awful, and I coudlnt do it.

For me, personally, I use a slightly different calculation but it works out very similarly as the TDEE/BMR model. I am currently losing close to a lb a week eating the maintenance calories for my goal weight of 140 lbs--1500 calories. Convert your goal weight to kg by divinding by 2.2, then multiply by any number 25-30, and this provides a range of the calories it takes to maintain that weight.

To me, this mentally helps me because its like dressing for the job you want, not the job you have. it is helping me learn what habits i will need to have when i reach that weight.

If you change what you do, make sure to stick with it at least a month no matter what before deciding whether or not its working. Then, if its not working, tweak the numbers and find your sweet spot.

Good luck! Feel free to add me if you need moral support

cherio256

I guess I'm going to keep exercising then. I know its better for my body and I'm trying to do this the right way and keep it off. I am not having problems keeping my calories low. Its actually hard to meet my calories. like ususally I have either cereal or oatmeal for breakfast, which is like 160-220 calories for breakfast, then a turkey sandwhich and chips for lunch which is like 360 calories maybe a 100 calorie granola bar and that leaves plenty for dinner.

tkvlandette

This is a great post. I just went to a support group meeting with the nutritionist from my bariatric surgeon's office last night. I am a month out from surgery and wanted to know how many calories I should be getting. He said between 600-800 for all bariatric patients. I asked if that was net calories, and he said no, we don't do that. Talk about confusing. When I work out I burn, on average, between 200-400 calories. If I'm only eating 600-800 and burning that much, then technically I'm only getting about 400 calories a day or less. Surely that's not enough to sustain my body!! Guess I'll have to discuss this with my doc when I go in on the 19th. What do you guys think??

stefa711

This is a great post. I just went to a support group meeting with the nutritionist from my bariatric surgeon's office last night. I am a month out from surgery and wanted to know how many calories I should be getting. He said between 600-800 for all bariatric patients. I asked if that was net calories, and he said no, we don't do that. Talk about confusing. When I work out I burn, on average, between 200-400 calories. If I'm only eating 600-800 and burning that much, then technically I'm only getting about 400 calories a day or less. Surely that's not enough to sustain my body!! Guess I'll have to discuss this with my doc when I go in on the 19th. What do you guys think??

You're the exception, not the rule.

What your doctor recommended is likely what he recommends to all of his patients. Regardless of what category of obesity you currently fit into, you have a lot of weight to lose so 600-800 will work for you now. It's likely that once you get to a closer-to-normal weight range your doctor will increase your calories to somethign sustainable.

SDHudgins1976

This is a great post. I just went to a support group meeting with the nutritionist from my bariatric surgeon's office last night. I am a month out from surgery and wanted to know how many calories I should be getting. He said between 600-800 for all bariatric patients. I asked if that was net calories, and he said no, we don't do that. Talk about confusing. When I work out I burn, on average, between 200-400 calories. If I'm only eating 600-800 and burning that much, then technically I'm only getting about 400 calories a day or less. Surely that's not enough to sustain my body!! Guess I'll have to discuss this with my doc when I go in on the 19th. What do you guys think??

Under a doc supervision, and short term, you should be ok.
From what I understand about the surgery, you will need to take in less calories post surgery... though I don't know why exactly...

That being said my doc had me do 600-800 for a couple months. This was three years ago, and I'm just now interested in trying to lose weight again. I felt bad all the time and had no energy. Something I personally would NEVER recommend to anyone even if the doctor says to do it. My husband didn't want me messing with it at all. I think he really likes the 1600 I'm doing now because I'm not a raving lunatic person all the time.