Should I never net below 1200 calories?

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shatteredsmile
shatteredsmile Posts: 20
in Health and Weight Loss
If MFP says that I should eat 1200 calories to lose weight, do I want my food calories to equal 1200 or my net calories? So I should eat back the calories that I burned off? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of working out? I'm confused.

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  • amselby81
    amselby81 Posts: 150 Member
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    I don't really know. I remember in Weight Watchers we were told to eat extra points to keep the body properly fueled. If there's too big of a difference between calories eaten and calories used, the body will actually burn less since it thinks it's starving. But I don't think exercising is every in vain. It keeps the heart pumping and it keeps the metabolism up.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
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    MFP sets you up at a deficit, exercise or not. If you exercise, you should eat v back some or all of those calories.. or your net will be unhealthfully low. Your body needs fuel..even when you're losing. If you don't eat enough, it can lower your metabolic rate and make losing even harder. Besides,. 1200 gals is not a lot of food. If I exercise, its good for me....AND I can eat more, and still lose. Win-win.
  • volume77
    volume77 Posts: 670 Member
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    i did 1200 for so long ... i didnt add exercise but i do have a fairly active job... i also do low carb and i can tell you from expereicne i can eat more cals and still loose on low carb... if you do stay at 1200 id suugest upping your cals every now and then so your body doesnt get used to that number the human body is super complex though... it never ceases to amaze me so i never have a clear answer about how weight loss actually works. all i know is the calorie in / calorie oout theory is completely wrong. ;)
  • shatteredsmile
    shatteredsmile Posts: 20
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    So should I just stop over complicating this and just eat what calories MFP says I have left, whether they are extra from exercising or not?
  • Nerdy_Rose
    Nerdy_Rose Posts: 1,277 Member
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    So should I just stop over complicating this and just eat what calories MFP says I have left, whether they are extra from exercising or not?

    yes.
  • fluffeesquirrel
    fluffeesquirrel Posts: 63 Member
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    Everyone on here is going to have a different opinion, but, because MFP already includes a calorie deficit and I personally don't think anyone should ever eat below 1200, I think you should.

    You've entered the biggest debate of all time on MFP: whether or not to eat your exercise calories back.
  • TinaS88
    TinaS88 Posts: 817 Member
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    So should I just stop over complicating this and just eat what calories MFP says I have left, whether they are extra from exercising or not?


    Make sure you net is at least 1200. Stick to this for a while and see what happens. If it's not working try eating more or less. 1200 is just an estimate for an "average" person. Doesn't apply for everyone exactly.

    Also, if you are exercising a lot, I think you should def. be eating more than that!
  • shatteredsmile
    shatteredsmile Posts: 20
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    I usually burn about 300 cals daily through exercise, if that information helps.
  • pattyg1821
    pattyg1821 Posts: 81
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    no you shouldn't eat below 1200. I have a question for you? In your profile pic on the right you if thats you, you look really fit and this also plays an important role on how many calories your consume. If you are active you need to be eating more then 1200 so you wont be burnning muscle instead of fat. Just think about this ,most things are based on a 2000 calories in start from there and if you minus 300 calories burned that means you would need to eat 1700 calories but everything is different on how many calories needed.
  • shatteredsmile
    shatteredsmile Posts: 20
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    Noooooo that picture is definitely not me!!!! Hahaha I wish
  • Vansy
    Vansy Posts: 419 Member
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    I net below 1200 regularly. Not on purpose. but I'm already eating 5 meals a day (averaging about 1600 calories a day); so if I run/walk/do insanity I net around 1000 or 1100 -- I don't eat more because by the time I think I should it's already 8PM and I'm going to bed.
    I'm certainly not starving myself -- actually feel like I eat MORE than enough.

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