Help! Are my calorie calculations wrong

Ajlal1
Ajlal1 Posts: 3
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,

I am gaining weight and don't understand why. I consume NET calories that equal 1200 cals per day. But my intake without subtracting excersise can be as high as 3,000. Sometimes I work out for three hours a day or more. But I am still gaining weught. I use the calories extimator on the machines I work out on to determine how mayn calories to subtract from my net calories. Can anyone tell me why I am gaining weight? It is so hard to eat 1200 calories a day, I rely on excersise to give me more calories so I can feel full. I guess what I want to know is should my net calories really be 1200, or should I consume 1200 regardless of excersise? Maybe 3,000 calories a day is just to much despite my vigorus excersise. Any thoughts?

Replies

  • peachyxoxoxo
    peachyxoxoxo Posts: 1,178 Member
    If you are exercising you should probably be eating more than 1200 calories, but I'm guessing the machines are telling you you've burnt more calories than you actually have. Maybe think about getting a heart rate monitor so you have a more accurate idea of how much you're burning off. You would have to be doing quite a bit of exercise to "earn" back 1800 extra calories.
  • Ajlal1
    Ajlal1 Posts: 3
    Thanks for the advice. Maybe I should get a heart rate monitor. I sometimes do three straight hours of eliptical training. At level 8, and entering in my height, weight and age they tell me I burn about 600-700 calories per hours, depending on how fast I work the machine. It is so frustating watching my weight fluctuate like it does. I rock between 125 - 132 pounds. Every time I get down to 125 I gain weight again, even though I eat and excersise the same... Part of me feels like even if I excersise like crazy, my metabolism is slow and isn't burning that many calories.
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
    Thanks for the advice. Maybe I should get a heart rate monitor. I sometimes do three straight hours of eliptical training. At level 8, and entering in my height, weight and age they tell me I burn about 600-700 calories per hours, depending on how fast I work the machine. It is so frustating watching my weight fluctuate like it does..
    You really should get a HRM-I don't know about your gym's treadmill and elipticals but mine would tell me I was burning at least 200-250 more than what my HRM tells me (and I trust that more than a random machine)Good luck!
  • questiontheanswers
    questiontheanswers Posts: 170 Member
    Like peachy said, you might be getting an inaccurate calorie burn from the machines - your best bet really would be a HRM as that's the most accurate estimation of how many calories you've burned. The machines at the gym tend to be a little high and the calorie estimates on MFP are usually extremely overinflated.

    Just curious as to why the 3-hour workouts? Your body needs rest. There is such a thing as over exercising, and that might be part of your issue.

    Good luck!
  • Ajlal1
    Ajlal1 Posts: 3
    Whyy would excersising too much cause weight gain though? Thats a concept I don't understand well.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Whyy would excersising too much cause weight gain though? Thats a concept I don't understand well.
    a sore muscle is a swollen muscle and swelling means fluid retention.
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