Too much exercise and not enough calories?

amandamiller1985
amandamiller1985 Posts: 11
in Health and Weight Loss
I am 27 and weight 136.6lbs and MFP calories are set too 1200. My exercise routine is usually the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred with 5lbs weights and I alternate Jillian Michaels butt and thighs dvd and 6 week 6 pack abs and they are both slightly over 30 minutes. Sometimes I will hit the gym for 30 minutes before doing the 30 day shred. Lately I have started to notice I hardly have any energy to complete the 2nd dvd workout. Should I up my caloric intake or should I try eating a bit of something before I work out. I am afraid if I up my caloric intake, I will gain weight. And while I am not overweight, I do have unwanted fat on my upper thighs, stomach/waist area that I am trying to get rid of so I can start wearing a swimsuit again. I have already lost 2 inches off my hips since I started doing the 30 day shred (I am starting Day 7 tomorrow of Level 1). Basically, what are some good healthy pick me up foods that will keep me fueled through my workout and after.

Replies

  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    Are you netting 1200 calories by eating back your exercise calories? If not try doing that. MFP has already set your weight loss deficit which is why you're daily goal goes up with exercise.
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    The title of this post answers the question - too much exercise not enough calories

    1. 1200 calories is quite low so you want to be eating back at least 1/2 to 2/3 of your exercise calories
    2. With exercise it is quality not quantity. Half an hour of a good intense workout is better than 1 hour of plodding along. If you don't have the energy on a particular day, skip the second DVD.
  • SenseiCole
    SenseiCole Posts: 429 Member
    i'm on 1200 cal, I do eat back some of my cal earnt

    I always make sure I have protein every meal and snack

    i do
    1-2 karate classes
    1 hiking, orianteering or walk
    6 session at the gym

    every week, i hope this helps

    anyone can add me
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    The title of this post answers the question - too much exercise not enough calories

    agreed.

    given your weight (unless you are 2foot tall) you dont need such a large deficit and should be eating back ALL your exercise calories.
  • amandamiller1985
    amandamiller1985 Posts: 11
    What does that mean 'I should be eating back all my exercise calories'? Is it basically what it is implying, if I work out for 50 minutes and burn such and such calories, I have to eat that many calories back?
  • mfortin
    mfortin Posts: 1
    YES! So if you burn 300, eat 150-300 more calories that day.
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
    you can't say 1200 is low just randomly. You need to take the persons TDEE in to account.

    my TDEE is 1470 -20% puts me under 1200 calories.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    work out your TDEE with all the exercise you do, and then take off 10%. you only want to tone up, so you dont need a massive deficit.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    What does that mean 'I should be eating back all my exercise calories'? Is it basically what it is implying, if I work out for 50 minutes and burn such and such calories, I have to eat that many calories back?

    yes. that is how MFP is set up to work.
  • RonandDi
    RonandDi Posts: 120 Member
    There are a lot of people that would say I don't eat enough for how much I burn exercising. But for the past 7 months I've been able to get up every morning and do a little more than I did the day before. And I feel great doing it. All this and I very rarely net 1200 calories a day, a lot of the time I don't hit 1000. I'm not saying that everyone should do it, but not everyone "has" to eat back all the exercise calories. Listen to your body, if your exercising starts to suffer, eat more.
  • HotrodsGirl0107
    HotrodsGirl0107 Posts: 243 Member
    you can't say 1200 is low just randomly. You need to take the persons TDEE in to account.

    my TDEE is 1470 -20% puts me under 1200 calories.


    How is it that your tdee is so low? Your profile says you are a runner and why with 5 pounds to lose at such a large deficit? Tdee-20% is usually for people who are overweight and still have a good bit lose.
  • amandamiller1985
    amandamiller1985 Posts: 11
    Alright so I googled TDEE and found a TDEE calculator and it says my TDEE is 2246 and I subtracted 10% and the difference is 224.6. So that is my deficit, the 224.6? That is how much I should be eating back in my calories? And I should be eating 2246 calories a day? That seems like a lot, I am only 5'6 and wanting to lose like 5 to 10lbs and tone up. Sorry I am making this hard, I am new at calorie counting and I want to get serious about losing the fat and not over eating.
  • drefaw
    drefaw Posts: 739
    So you should be eating about 2000 cal/day ... that will put you at about 1/2lb a week loss .....

    1750 cal/day would put you at 1 lb a week loss .....
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    There are a lot of people that would say I don't eat enough for how much I burn exercising. But for the past 7 months I've been able to get up every morning and do a little more than I did the day before. And I feel great doing it. All this and I very rarely net 1200 calories a day, a lot of the time I don't hit 1000. I'm not saying that everyone should do it, but not everyone "has" to eat back all the exercise calories. Listen to your body, if your exercising starts to suffer, eat more.

    Good for you but the OP has said that her exercise and energy levels are suffering so the advice in this thread is directly targeted to her circumstances.
  • amandamiller1985
    amandamiller1985 Posts: 11
    I hate saying this but IDK if I can eat that many calories, lol. I have a hard time eating 1200 some days, other days I am ok. I love food, don't get me wrong. I work 2nd shift and to be honest, the last thing I want to do before I go to work is stand a cook a meal, but I guess I really need to start preparing my meals beforehand if I want to get serious.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    I hate saying this but IDK if I can eat that many calories, lol. I have a hard time eating 1200 some days, other days I am ok. I love food, don't get me wrong. I work 2nd shift and to be honest, the last thing I want to do before I go to work is stand a cook a meal, but I guess I really need to start preparing my meals beforehand if I want to get serious.

    if yo udont think you can eat 1200 calories, what are you going to do when you get to maintenance?
  • RonandDi
    RonandDi Posts: 120 Member
    There are a lot of people that would say I don't eat enough for how much I burn exercising. But for the past 7 months I've been able to get up every morning and do a little more than I did the day before. And I feel great doing it. All this and I very rarely net 1200 calories a day, a lot of the time I don't hit 1000. I'm not saying that everyone should do it, but not everyone "has" to eat back all the exercise calories. Listen to your body, if your exercising starts to suffer, eat more.

    Good for you but the OP has said that her exercise and energy levels are suffering so the advice in this thread is directly targeted to her circumstances.

    And did you read the last part of my post?
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    There are a lot of people that would say I don't eat enough for how much I burn exercising. But for the past 7 months I've been able to get up every morning and do a little more than I did the day before. And I feel great doing it. All this and I very rarely net 1200 calories a day, a lot of the time I don't hit 1000. I'm not saying that everyone should do it, but not everyone "has" to eat back all the exercise calories. Listen to your body, if your exercising starts to suffer, eat more.

    Good for you but the OP has said that her exercise and energy levels are suffering so the advice in this thread is directly targeted to her circumstances.

    And did you read the last part of my post?

    I really just didn't see what your post was adding to the discussion as the OP had already stated that her exercise is suffering. Why not just cut the unhelpful bit about how you under-eat and feel fine (obviously not relevant to the OP's situation) and edit the last sentence to read "listen to your body, eat more"
  • RaineyLaney
    RaineyLaney Posts: 605 Member
    All you have to do is listen to your body and it sounds like it is telling you what it wants, but you are not listening to it very well.

    If you feel weak, tired, dizzy, headache etc. then EAT more
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
    Amanda, if you can't eat 1200 calories how did you become overweight?

    (Incidentally I wouldn't class you as overweight, but I know poeple have different bones etc. so you can't ust make assumptions based on weight)

    If you mean you can't eat 1200 calories by sticking to low fat foods, salads, grilled chicken etc. then add in some nuts (25g is around 150cal depending on type) cheese (YUMMMMMMM), avocado, oily fish etc. If you don't like those then eat icecream. Or something else you have been denying yourself to lose weight. If you are filling up on salad then eat less of that and more of the protein and fruit.

    OP - eat back all your exercise calories unless you are too full/not hungry. I look at my calories across the week, and try to et 100-200 under through the week to have a bit extra at the weekend. as long as my total for the week hits the average then that is fine - my body doesn't care what day of the week it is.
  • funkythreads2004
    funkythreads2004 Posts: 51 Member
    I exercise a lot and was starting to feel ravenous all the time, and had stopped losing weight. Somebody on here suggested i up my calories by 100 a week. I was on 1400, so because i didnt entirely believe what they had said i only upped it by 50, and another 50 the following week. Strangely enough i didnt feel starving and my energy levels went up. Every time i start to feel lethargic and hungry I add 50 calories. Im now on 1650 calories a day and am still losing weight. I only have a few pounds to go, so need to find a calorie level to simply maintain rather then lose weight now.

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