using work out calories

godsgirl70
godsgirl70 Posts: 6 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I need help! I have always struggled with weight and was tested for slow metabolism, which came back as under normal. I had already lost 37 pounds when visiting a nutritonalist by eating 1200 calories per day. However, I was told by the nutritionalist to eat between 1500 - 1700 calories. I knew with my body type, I would not lose weight consuming that many calories.

I stuck with my 1200-1300 calories and have lost 66 pounds to date. But, it has taken me over a year to lose this amount. Many of the stories I read on those who lost 100 pounds did so in a year. I'm wondering if I do need to eat more calories.

I read that anything under 1200 can shock your system, and your body holds on to fat by going into starvation mode. If I am eating 1300 calories, but burning 400-500 at the gym, that would put me at 800-900 net calories. I've only been using this MFA for 2 weeks, and it keeps adding my workout calories burned to what I need to consume.

Does anyone really use these burned calories or do you just ignore them and stick with the 1300 calories per day?

Thank you!
:wink:

Replies

  • opaquewhite
    opaquewhite Posts: 58 Member
    I struggle with this whole equation all the time! But when it really comes down to it, I just try to eat only what I need. I'm set at 1400 calories a day and on days I exercise I might eat more, but only if I feel I really am still hungry. I was never able to stick to the 1200 calories myself, especially if I'm exercising.

    My head spins when I try to work all this out mathematically, so I'm choosing to just do what feels right for my body. Losing 66 lbs is amazing though, way to go!

    You could always try to up your calories for a week or two and see how it suits you. Everyone is different, so it's really hard to know what's exactly right until you try it.
  • norrisski
    norrisski Posts: 1,217 Member
    I follow my basic calories and don't add any for workouts even though MFP does. I am currently consuming 1000 calories per day or less no matter what MFP says I can have.
  • cephlove
    cephlove Posts: 11 Member
    You say you lost 66 pounds in a little over a year. I believe the suggested rate for reasonable, sustainable weight loss is 1 pound per week. You seem to be losing faster than that, so I don't think you have anything to worry about.
  • lcyama
    lcyama Posts: 209 Member
    first of all, 66 pounds a year is over a pound a week, and is nothing to sneeze at! congratulations on your success!

    if you're succeeding by eating 1200-1300 calories, then i would stick to that while it is working for you. play around with it a little to see how it affects you (energy- and weight-wise) -- it might help you understand your own calorie needs better.

    i am hypothyroid and am always struggling with my metabolism. i try to eat five small meals a day. as far as eating exercise calories, sometimes i do and sometimes i don't -- it depends how tired or hungry i am, and how intense the exercise was.
  • danib09
    danib09 Posts: 7
    Listen to your body. if you feel the need to consume an additional 400-500 (and you've already burnt that much at the gym) then definitely go ahead! Often when I do a big session in the gym First thing in the morning, I need the extra calories during the day to keep me going otherwise my energy stores will be depleted early on (from my workout) and i'm exhausted By 3pm. However if you've got a pretty easy, non-active day ahead you may not need to consume the extra cals.
  • ashmatt24
    ashmatt24 Posts: 6 Member
    I agree that listening to your body is best. I personally eat my "workout calories"! But, another tool I used in the past did not add what you burned in work outs to your food allowance. I lost weight with this program for quite a while but when I started doing very intense interval workouts I became fatigued and was not as focused. So, for me, if I'm really working out hard I need to up my calorie intake accordingly in order to feel fit and healthy rather than tired and unfocused. If you can eat the 1200-1300 and feel able to function then I don't think it's a major deal. Maybe discuss with your physician?
  • tjah32
    tjah32 Posts: 18 Member
    First of all, CONGRATS on the 66 pounds! It may feel like far less then others have done, and like you have far more to go, but that is still a HUGE accomplishment. Go to the gym and try to life a 66 pound weight and see how far you've come.

    In terms of eating work out calories, there does seem to be some debate on this. I generally eat about half of what it says I burned, but like others have posted above, listen to your body. If you honestly don't feel hungry, then don't eat! As long as when you do eat, it's nutrient rich foods, high in protein, fibre, lots of fruit and vegetables, etc, etc, then you still know you're giving your body what you need even if your caloric intake is slightly less.
  • 1holegrouper
    1holegrouper Posts: 323 Member
    Firstly, I don't think starvation mode is a real thing. But, with the easy extra weight lost things do need to become more strategic and your results will take longer the closer you get to ideal weight.

    As we lose weight our metabolism slows down since there is less body to 'maintain'. When we fast our metabolism slows down to conserve energy. When we sleep it slows down to do the same. When we want our metabolism to speed up without weight gain we need to make our body 'high maintenance'. That is, due to new challenges you are bringing to your body with exercise while at the same time controlling your calorie intake your body needs to become more efficient at burning the energy you let it take in so that you can perform the new demands you are asking it to do (exercise). These demands are not just burning exercise calories. They are also an increased need for tissue repair while you rest. The better your nutrition is (cutting the junk) the easier it will be to maintain calorie discipline and the better you will feel.

    I would first calculate what your true BMR is. That is the calories you burn just for basic function (at rest). Let's say this is 1,300 calories. (I would bet its higher) Then you need to just add the calories you burn with exercise. This is important both psychologically and physically and helps prevent all sorts of bad things to happen. (unwanted intense cravings, energy loss, immune system suppression, etc.) Once you develop this plan its always a good idea to run it by your doctor just to make sure that all health parameters are being considered and consulted. Doing things too fast just invites burnout and injury. This is more important now that you have lost a good portion of weight.

    As long as you are accurately measuring the calories you take in and the calories you burn (these are common and easy mistakes to make) then you will lose weight with this plan and do so at a rate that is healthy and rewarding.

    PS; you can only get by with not adding exercise calories for so long. Eventually you will burn out. So, why start things that way.

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