Am I incorrect?? I hope so...

krom862
krom862 Posts: 46 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I don't know why, but I just can't seem to wrap my head around what to eat back calorie wise and what not to. This is my understanding: I should not go over a 1,000 calorie deficit. Right now, with no exercise, I am eating at a 770 calorie deficit, when I exercise, I calculate the difference between the 770 and 1,000 and deduct that, then eat the remaining calories...is that correct? Today for instance, I swam for an hour and a half, and burned 1134 calories, which means I should eat back 904 calories --- which would put me at eating a total of 2,654 calories?????? that seems ridiculously high. Help~!

Replies

  • krom862
    krom862 Posts: 46 Member
    And, I meant that I hope NOT as far as whether I was correct or not...I really don't want to eat that much!
  • peachyxoxoxo
    peachyxoxoxo Posts: 1,178 Member
    Before I answer, what is your daily calorie goal? I'm a little confused about your calculations and such.
  • krom862
    krom862 Posts: 46 Member
    Sorry, I meant to include that --- my daily goal is 1750.
  • peachyxoxoxo
    peachyxoxoxo Posts: 1,178 Member
    Alright, does that 1750 account for an activity level?
  • mamagooskie
    mamagooskie Posts: 2,964 Member
    yes technically you should eat that much.....or at least 50-75% of the amount you burned through exercize in addtion to your 1700 ish you started with.

    If you don't want to eat so much don't work out so much. Or find higher calorie foods to use up the calories but not seem like tons of food.

    I only wish I had your problem......I do however eat 2200 calories a day on average and love it, but 400+ more every day would be awesome!!
  • krom862
    krom862 Posts: 46 Member
    I accounted for a light activity level
  • krom862
    krom862 Posts: 46 Member
    Wow --- 147 lbs lost! That is amazing! I am actually just swimming with my daughter, so I'm not really working out per se, I am still shocked by how many calories swimming burns. I guess I will just use days like today to eat a little more of what I enjoy without feeling guilty.
  • mamagooskie
    mamagooskie Posts: 2,964 Member
    Wow --- 147 lbs lost! That is amazing! I am actually just swimming with my daughter, so I'm not really working out per se, I am still shocked by how many calories swimming burns. I guess I will just use days like today to eat a little more of what I enjoy without feeling guilty.

    EXACTLY!!! On these days go have a dessert or something higher cal that you can't always indulge in. On those light workout or non workout days you'll wish you had them!!!
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    My goal when I'm losing is about net 1600-1700/day and sometimes I'll burn up to 1500 calories in a workout (a long run) and I eat them back... 3000 calories in a day is a lot to eat. It's REALLY important to try and eat some of those before you work out if your big workout is going to be later in the day. I usually do mine first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, but if I do it later I sometimes am just too full to make up all the calories... and I'm not even really that clean an eater.

    I actually find it difficult on rest days to stick to 1700 or so. My average intake for weight loss is 2100-2200 calories/day. For maintenance it's 2500-2600 on average.
  • krom862
    krom862 Posts: 46 Member
    Some days I have no problem with the 1700, some days I am starving still at the end of the day, but ya 3,000 is an awfully lot to hit. I have a feeling I could do it though if I really ate what I wanted, ha.
  • peachyxoxoxo
    peachyxoxoxo Posts: 1,178 Member
    Okay, if the 1750 already accounts for some activity I wouldn't eat it all back. But like the other poster said, probably eat back 50-75%. Enjoy getting to eat more!! :)
  • frhenderson
    frhenderson Posts: 32 Member
    Before you go and eat back all those calories, make sure your burn estimate is right. I have a heart rate monitor and it's hard for me to burn more than 350 calories during an hour in the pool doing some laps and treading water the rest of the time (I make a point of not touching the bottom of the pool). MFP would have me enter 500-550. Not saying your calorie burn isn't accurate, but it's worth checking.
  • cyclerjenn
    cyclerjenn Posts: 833 Member
    You do high calorie burn like I do so here is what I do.
    I try to eat about the around same number of calories every day, about 1800 - 2200. Then I don't eat back my workout calories. The reason, on my long workout days, I can burn as much as 5000 calories biking, running and hiking. No matter how much I try I will never be able to eat all that but on days that I miss a workout, I only burn my TDEE which is 1696. So I'm over some days and under other days, but it balances out in the week.
  • krom862
    krom862 Posts: 46 Member
    Thank you everyone! I need to get a heart rate monitor for sure. I am pretty sure that burn rate is accurate though, but I think I will just err on the side of caution and only eat back about 30%, which puts me just over 2,000. I feel better about that...although I would LOVE to eat the remaining, haha

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