Exercising while eating under 1500 calories?

Voca_Star
Voca_Star Posts: 140
in Fitness and Exercise
So today for exercise I did about 40 minutes of rope jumping. Most of it was at a moderate pace, but I'd occasionally go really fast/hard at it. This site says I burned roughly 370 calories doing that. I've only ate about 1300 calories when my goal (counting exercise) is about 1600.

I'm afraid this will put my body into starvation mode! :((

Should I eat another 150 - 200 calories just to be safe..?

Replies

  • fallonrhea
    fallonrhea Posts: 388 Member
    I think you should be okay. If you're hungry - then I think it would be worth eating a small snack, but if you're not - I don't think there's any reason that you need to force calories into yourself.

    Also, unfortunately, MFP drastically underestimates the number of calories burned for most exercises :-/ I was surprised once I purchased my heart monitor. Just something to keep in mind :)
  • utes09
    utes09 Posts: 561 Member
    Starvation mode does not happen in one day. It's a long period time at a huge deficit. MFP already gives you the deficit you need to lose weight, so yes eat back your calories.
  • kim233110
    kim233110 Posts: 4 Member
    I am no expert, but I always eat the calories I have "earned" by exercising. In my experience you still will lose, and won't put your body in starvation mode. Good luck on your journey!
  • Christophalon
    Christophalon Posts: 8 Member
    Are you hungry? If yes, certainly eat, there's no reason not to as you are way under your your goals. I am exercising on a 1500kcal diet and ignore the cardio implications any strength work but do eat back any cardio calories. I do, however, have quite short term goals to get in shape for my winter sport. In general, I wouldn't recommend exercising on such a calorie intake as you are likely to burn muscle in that workout rather than fat (or at least at a terrible ratio). Muscle burns fat even when resting.

    On any given day, it probably doesn't matter, but overall, unless your workout is mostly strength and the protein ratio of your food is approaching the body-builder range (35%+), exercising on an over low calorie diet is not efficient (you will still lose weight) and has terrible mental health implications. At least eat up to and around you goal amount without exercise on most days.
  • amsohs85
    amsohs85 Posts: 166
    Many people on here will eat their recommended daily calories and then eat back half the calories they burn. I'm sure someone will come on here after i post this and warn you not to do this because they claim that in order to lose weight you should always stay under your daily number (the number of calories before exercising). But remember you need to have enough energy and stamina to maintain a regular workout schedule plus enough nutrients for your body to be healthy!!

    So the calculation many use is: eat to your daily goal before calories burned...then add additional calories around half of what you burned. If your daily total is 1400 and you burn 300 calories then you should be able to eat back 150 calories and still lose weight. I've even seen people who eat back all their calories and continue to lose weight. Once again this is what i've seen many succesful members post regarding their weight loss experience. Good luck!!
  • bsharrah
    bsharrah Posts: 129 Member
    Let your body decide. I think most people over estimate, or use devices that over estimate, their calorie burn so don't go just by the numbers. If your body feels like it needs fuel, fuel it, but eat good food. If you don't feel you need the extra calories, don't eat just so the numbers add up, or because people preach eating back calories.

    The trick is to learn what your body is telling you. There is a different feeling associated with "feeling hungry" and needing the extra fuel.

    Keep in mind a healthy weight loss average is 1-2 pounds a week. If you are doing this on average, you are eating enough. If you are not, you are eating too much. If you are averaging more than 3 pounds a week, you are not eating enough and it will eventually take its toll. Don't buy into the crap about muscle weighs more than fat and you could still be losing even if the scale doesn't move. You are not building muscle on a deficit. Sorry to bust so many bubbles, but the scale don't lie (many will disagree, but that don't make me wrong, just unpopular).
  • alli_dalli
    alli_dalli Posts: 22 Member
    I think that if you are genuinely really hungry (not just "ooh, I fancy something to eat") then your body is telling you something. But then I am a fat ***** who doesn't seem to be losing an awful lot of weight!
  • spoonful
    spoonful Posts: 200 Member
    Jumping rope is really hard. I think it is more than that. You could eat a little protein to replenish if you wanted.
  • spoonful
    spoonful Posts: 200 Member
    Let your body decide. I think most people over estimate, or use devices that over estimate, their calorie burn so don't go just by the numbers. If your body feels like it needs fuel, fuel it, but eat good food. If you don't feel you need the extra calories, don't eat just so the numbers add up, or because people preach eating back calories.

    The trick is to learn what your body is telling you. There is a different feeling associated with "feeling hungry" and needing the extra fuel.

    Keep in mind a healthy weight loss average is 1-2 pounds a week. If you are doing this on average, you are eating enough. If you are not, you are eating too much. If you are averaging more than 3 pounds a week, you are not eating enough and it will eventually take its toll. Don't buy into the crap about muscle weighs more than fat and you could still be losing even if the scale doesn't move. You are not building muscle on a deficit. Sorry to bust so many bubbles, but the scale don't lie (many will disagree, but that don't make me wrong, just unpopular).

    She didn't say she wanted to build muscle. Besides, protein builds muscle, not green ink.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    You'll be fine. Don't worry about it.

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