Still trying to figure out this calories thing

faely

My calorie goal per day is 1600 which is approximately 500 less per day to equal 3500 or 1lb drop per week. What I don't get is if I workout and burn 1000 calories, am I really supposed to eat those 1000 calories back? I've done activities that burn 2000 calories in a couple hours, which brings my calorie goal for the day up to 3600 which seems insane so I still try to stay within my normal calorie goal. But, I've not lost any weight for months, other than when I've been ill. To my way of thinking, not eating back all the calories I burn is still a deficit so I should still be losing...right? :embarassed:

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luckyjuls

Are you counting every calorie by measuring?
Do you wear an heart rate monitor while you exercise or are you going by machine estimates?

Those things are the main components that might be holding you back, as some have the tendency to underestimate their calories and overestimate their exercise.

For example, if you eat 1600 calories (accurate) and workout 1000 (inaccurate) and eat back 1000 calories, you will have less of a deficit than you think. Let's say you are burning 700 instead of 1000 but still eating back all your calories. 1600- 700=900. Then you eat them back: 900+1000= 1900 calories, 300 over your goal. So it's all about accuracy. And it's best to overestimate what you are eating and underestimate what you are burning in your diary. Have some cushion for that kind of discrepancy always.

However, if you are measuring your workout calorie expenditure accurately as well as your food calories and not eating back any of your calories, your body is probably not getting enough calorie wise and is in starvation mode. 1600-1000=600 calories+0=not good over the long haul.

mrsmarit

My calorie goal per day is 1600 which is approximately 500 less per day to equal 3500 or 1lb drop per week. What I don't get is if I workout and burn 1000 calories, am I really supposed to eat those 1000 calories back? I've done activities that burn 2000 calories in a couple hours, which brings my calorie goal for the day up to 3600 which seems insane so I still try to stay within my normal calorie goal. But, I've not lost any weight for months, other than when I've been ill. To my way of thinking, not eating back all the calories I burn is still a deficit so I should still be losing...right? :embarassed:

First of all how are you calculating your calories? Is it what MFP assigned or is it your TDEE - 15 or 20%?

If you are using MFP you should be eating back your exercise calories. If using TDEE minus your percentage then you shouldn't. If you are using TDEE make sure your activity level is correct.

Second how are you calculating your exercise burn? Are you using a heart rate monitor or going off of MFP?

If you are using MFP their calculations for exercise burn are HIGH. If you are using that I would recommend a heart rate monitor to correctly gauge your exercise burn. If you are using a heart rate monitor and really burning that much during exercise then you do need to eat more.

If you eat too low then this can cause a weight loss stall. Without seeing your diary it's hard to give advice on your eating.

faely

The 1600 daily goal was set by my nutritionist last year when I was not active at all. I have since joined a gym and am more active than before but I still sit in an office all day long without much opportunity for anything other than walking for 10 minutes so I have not changed my lifestyle settings to Active.

I'm still unclear what TDEE is and how to calculate it.

I plug my workouts/activities into different websites and apps, MFP and Noom are a couple, often err'ing on the side of caution and selecting low intensity. If they're generally close to each other in calories burned I use that amount. I do not have an HRM except a little app on my phone but I don't know how to use the information it gives me. (but I am considering purchasing a BMF if I ever get the money).

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faely

Thanks - sorry if I was unclear about something in the beginning post, don't really know what all I'm supposed to be looking at lol

What's the .8?

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Calliope610

Thanks - sorry if I was unclear about something in the beginning post, don't really know what all I'm supposed to be looking at lol

What's the .8?

The .8 = TDEE * 80%, which means you will be eating at a 20% deficit. TDEE keeps you maintaining your current weight. Eat more than TDEE = weight gain. Eat less than TDEE = weight loss.

faely

Also would you suggest using "Little to no exercise (desk job)" or "Light exercise"? because I do go to the gym twice a week so far and try to get a few hours in during the weekend of varying things like gardening or walking, etc.

jacksonpt

It depends. When you calculated the 1600 daily cals, did you factor exercise into your activity setting? If so, then no you don't need to eat them back. If not then yes you should.

Common sense say that regardless, if you are eating 1600 and burning 1000, you should be eating at least most of them back.

faely

It depends. When you calculated the 1600 daily cals, did you factor exercise into your activity setting? If so, then no you don't need to eat them back. If not then yes you should.

The 1600 daily goal was set by my nutritionist last year when I was not active at all.

Common sense say that regardless, if you are eating 1600 and burning 1000, you should be eating at least most of them back.

Yes it does but what I see is my app telling me to eat 3600 calories when I have a very active day, which just doesn't make sense to me because I'm trying to lose and everything around us tells us 3600 calories is too much; but as someone else pointed out, that's logic, which doesn't work here.


Thank you all for your advice : )

faely

So, using the "light activity" the calculator gave me 3043 TDEE. 80% = 2434. Eat that every day? Even on the days I don't work out? Crazy!

jacksonpt

It depends. When you calculated the 1600 daily cals, did you factor exercise into your activity setting? If so, then no you don't need to eat them back. If not then yes you should.

The 1600 daily goal was set by my nutritionist last year when I was not active at all.

Common sense say that regardless, if you are eating 1600 and burning 1000, you should be eating at least most of them back.

Yes it does but what I see is my app telling me to eat 3600 calories when I have a very active day, which just doesn't make sense to me because I'm trying to lose and everything around us tells us 3600 calories is too much; but as someone else pointed out, that's logic, which doesn't work here.


Thank you all for your advice : )

You should probably check wiht your nutritionist, but from what you've said I'd guess the 1600 doesn't include exercise and you should be eating them back.

Do you understand how/when your body loses weight? It's when there is a calorie deficit. So if you are eating 3600 cals but burning 4000, you're still in a deficit and still going ot lose. By eating all those cals you're doing 2 things - 1) helping ensure the weight loss is healthy and relatively sustainable, and 2) fueling your body for muscle repair, the next workout, etc.

jacksonpt

So, using the "light activity" the calculator gave me 3043 TDEE. 80% = 2434. Eat that every day? Even on the days I don't work out? Crazy!

Yep, assuming your numbers/settings you use in the calculator are reasonable.

faely

You should probably check wiht your nutritionist, but from what you've said I'd guess the 1600 doesn't include exercise and you should be eating them back.

Yes, when she set my calorie goal it was at a 500 cal per day deficit, so she must have used a TDEE of 2100 calories, and no exercise factored in, because I wasn't doing any really. I had lost 50 lbs before I went to see her, with just diet change, and had plateaued so I went to her for some guidance. I'm still not losing, following her 1600 cal goal or not.

By eating all those cals you're doing 2 things - 1) helping ensure the weight loss is healthy and relatively sustainable, and 2) fueling your body for muscle repair, the next workout, etc.

Now that makes perfect logical sense to me.

I will try what the calculator gave me - hopefully will have some better results since I've added activity as well.

Yep, assuming your numbers/settings you use in the calculator are reasonable

I left off half an inch of my height but other than that it's all correct :laugh: