How many calories should I eat?

irismoon
irismoon Posts: 83
edited September 20 in Food and Nutrition
Okay so I know I want to loose about 5 lbs a month. I'm currently at 172 lbs and my lifestyle isn't very active. I'm disabled so I don't get out much and the only real activity I get is when I exercise and remind myself to get out. I work out every day for at least 30 mintues by either playing wii fitness games(cardio style games) or an exercise dvd. Some days I exercise even more from other things, but those are my two biggest. I know I still need to exercise more, but I'm working on it.

The thing I'm confused on the most though is how many calories should I be eating? I've got my goal set for 1200 calories a day if that was a day without exercise or something, and most days I work off about 600-700 calories according to this site. So that adds to about 1800-1900 calories a day, but I'm not sure if that should be right. How do I know what my body needs? I know I don't want to eat too few calories as I know my body will store the fat, but I also don't want to eat too many calories. I'm planning on reading more about calories so I know how to figure this out, but I'd like to hear what you guys know and what has working you ya'll. So....

What do you do? What do you suggest?

Replies

  • claire76bear
    claire76bear Posts: 9
    Hi , I have just joined the site this week too and have the same question. I know our body needs atleast 1200 to function the daily grind and if we do exercise we can eat to replace those calories.

    Today I have had three meals , loads of fruit and a treat of a homemade slice of cake but because I did a high intensity dvd and tone I've now got about 600 cals to make up ....but I can't eat anymore. So like you I'm confussed by all this calorie jargon!!
  • clairebear82
    clairebear82 Posts: 60
    The way that MFP sets calories, is based on net calories excluding exercise. So if you are allowed 1200, you should eat that many at least, and with exercise, it means you can eat more food (the amount of calories you burn with exercise), but I tend not to.

    As long as you stick within 50 calories of the limit per day, your body should lose weight, to maintain weight equals around 2000 calories a day without exercise.

    Hope that makes sense.
  • mbowen
    mbowen Posts: 16
    Hi, I don't eat all of my exercise calories on most days, but sometimes I do. I listen to my body. If I am hungry I eat. I eat every 2-3 hours. I just monitor my portions and what I am eating. I figure that if I am hungry than my body burned off the calories. I also drink alot of water so I am not dehydrated and that helps fill my stomach at times too. I think if you are burning that many calories during exercise and 1200 does not seem like enough eat some of your exercise calories.

    Good luck!
  • dogmeat
    dogmeat Posts: 83
    If your calorie deficits run too low (often through not eating your exercise calories), your hunger signals might get messed up too. Nuts are a healthy, calorie dense way to bring up your daily totals without too much stuffing.

    Not eating away your exercise can give you some short term gains, but also will lead to lowered metabolism and plateaus, in the end defeating the entire purpose.
  • irismoon
    irismoon Posts: 83
    Alright thanks for what you guys have said. I guess I'm just worried because I used to read things like that if you body gets less than 1400 calories a day, your body will think it's starving. I just worry I'm doing something wrong.

    I think I'll stick to about 1400 calories a day and leave my goal at 1200 + exercise. If I get 600 calories from exercising, I just won't use them all if I'm not hungry.
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