Calorie Question

NYCDutchess
NYCDutchess Posts: 622 Member
edited September 20 in Food and Nutrition
I've noticed some people trying to make sure they get their calories in, isn't it better NOT to eat ALL of your calories if you want to loose weight? I don't mean starve or even shave off half, but leave some off if you don't feel the need to eat them?

Replies

  • kellykat
    kellykat Posts: 180 Member
    The calorie deficit is already figured into your goals. If you go back a few pages you will see a lot of similar posts with the answer to your question that has a lot of good content that would be beneficial to read.
  • carrieberrie
    carrieberrie Posts: 356 Member
    For some people eating all their calories and even their exercise calories works for them. But for me and probably for many others it doesnt work. Just do what works!
  • NYCDutchess
    NYCDutchess Posts: 622 Member
    For some people eating all their calories and even their exercise calories works for them. But for me and probably for many others it doesnt work. Just do what works!

    I'm trying to find articles about this. I don't understand it. I'll "google it" lol.

    I did notice that most people when working out, have to up their protein a lot.
  • NYCDutchess
    NYCDutchess Posts: 622 Member
    Wow! 110 views lol...2 posts.
  • emtink
    emtink Posts: 387 Member
    hi dutchess! back in the day i found this post really helpful:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • suziblues2000
    suziblues2000 Posts: 515 Member
    Just want to let you know that there is a TON of info about this subject here. I'm not sure how to find it, do a search I guess. Plus, you should FOR SURE read the posts in the beginning for new people, it has some info about that too.

    WELCOME!
  • sheri3762
    sheri3762 Posts: 159
    HI Dutchess! I know, this is a tough one because everyone is different so just figuring out what works for you is the hard part. Once you find what works, you'll need to re-evaluate every so often and tweek it because changing things up on a regular basis regarding your food and excercise helps keep you losing and avoiding that awful plateau! I've learned an awful lot from this site so continue to read posts, it really does hep!! All I can do is tell you how I do it, mabye my experience will give you some ideas to try and see if any of them work for you.

    I started out at 1200 calories. (weighed a little over 200 pounds but I'd lost 12 pre-starting here). Anyway, that worked great for awhile because I was excercising too, but after about 4 weeks (and learning that I was not eating enough for all the excercise I was doing) I hit a plateau. I upped my calories a bit and starting losing again. I had to do this a few times in order to continue losing. Eventually, with my busy life and never knowing exactly how much excercise I was going to get in, if any, I had to make changes because I would try to eat on the lower end of calories, but if Ihad a great workout, I'd have sooo many calories left to eat in the evening, that wasn't working either. I ended up going to a calculator site and figuring out what I burn daily, including all my activiites and my excercise. I then cut mmy calories per day 100 from that. Now I have MFP set at 1540 calories a day. I don't actually eat exactly that amount each day, but I average that amount times 7 each week. I zig-zag a lot. (That means I may eat 1300 calories one day and 1800 the next, 1500 the following, etc.) I've found, for me, this works best with my schedule. I never have to look at my numbers to see if I'm over or under or how many excercise calories I eat each day. There are lost of differet ways to approach this.

    I will tell you from my experience, 1200 calories a day is the lowest number you should take in. Of course, I'm sure there are many people out there who eat either that amount or a little under and do fine too. It depends on you, your size, and what your body needs. I will say tho, that there are many people here that are eating well over 1200 calories a day and are losing consistantly!! Hope I've helped a little bit!! good luck!!!!
  • sheri3762
    sheri3762 Posts: 159
    OOPS! Error in my number of calories I cut per day from my total burn each day says 100, its actually 1000! I should have read it before posting!
  • carrieberrie
    carrieberrie Posts: 356 Member
    Wow! 110 views lol...2 posts.
  • carrieberrie
    carrieberrie Posts: 356 Member
    For some people eating all their calories and even their exercise calories works for them. But for me and probably for many others it doesnt work. Just do what works!

    I'm trying to find articles about this. I don't understand it. I'll "google it" lol.

    I did notice that most people when working out, have to up their protein a lot.


    I just think of the Biggest Loser. They eat 1500-2200 calories a day and they workout for 4-6 hours a day.
  • NYCDutchess
    NYCDutchess Posts: 622 Member
    hi dutchess! back in the day i found this post really helpful:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    This is VERY helpful!! Thank you!!!
  • NYCDutchess
    NYCDutchess Posts: 622 Member
    HI Dutchess! I know, this is a tough one because everyone is different so just figuring out what works for you is the hard part. Once you find what works, you'll need to re-evaluate every so often and tweek it because changing things up on a regular basis regarding your food and excercise helps keep you losing and avoiding that awful plateau! I've learned an awful lot from this site so continue to read posts, it really does hep!! All I can do is tell you how I do it, mabye my experience will give you some ideas to try and see if any of them work for you.

    I started out at 1200 calories. (weighed a little over 200 pounds but I'd lost 12 pre-starting here). Anyway, that worked great for awhile because I was excercising too, but after about 4 weeks (and learning that I was not eating enough for all the excercise I was doing) I hit a plateau. I upped my calories a bit and starting losing again. I had to do this a few times in order to continue losing. Eventually, with my busy life and never knowing exactly how much excercise I was going to get in, if any, I had to make changes because I would try to eat on the lower end of calories, but if Ihad a great workout, I'd have sooo many calories left to eat in the evening, that wasn't working either. I ended up going to a calculator site and figuring out what I burn daily, including all my activiites and my excercise. I then cut mmy calories per day 100 from that. Now I have MFP set at 1540 calories a day. I don't actually eat exactly that amount each day, but I average that amount times 7 each week. I zig-zag a lot. (That means I may eat 1300 calories one day and 1800 the next, 1500 the following, etc.) I've found, for me, this works best with my schedule. I never have to look at my numbers to see if I'm over or under or how many excercise calories I eat each day. There are lost of differet ways to approach this.

    I will tell you from my experience, 1200 calories a day is the lowest number you should take in. Of course, I'm sure there are many people out there who eat either that amount or a little under and do fine too. It depends on you, your size, and what your body needs. I will say tho, that there are many people here that are eating well over 1200 calories a day and are losing consistantly!! Hope I've helped a little bit!! good luck!!!!
  • NYCDutchess
    NYCDutchess Posts: 622 Member
    Just ate a Oat & Honey packet. I usually just eat one bar a day, but I ate them both. I'm sooo under what I should be for calories right now! lol...feels weird to just eat!! lol.
    Thanks for all the tips.
  • kicklikeaGIRL
    kicklikeaGIRL Posts: 867 Member
    Just ate a Oat & Honey packet. I usually just eat one bar a day, but I ate them both. I'm sooo under what I should be for calories right now! lol...feels weird to just eat!! lol.
    Thanks for all the tips.

    Thats how I felt when I first started really getting back into exercising... I didn't have as much of an appetite. But, now however, with the amount of exercising I am doing...my body needs a lot more fuel. I eat all of my exercise calories,, at least within 10%. I am constantly hungry now, and its because my metabolism is going crazy and I'm burning a lot more calories throughout the day because of all the exercise & strength training. With strength training your body burns a lot more calories even AFTER you are done with the exercise! How great is that!! After a while you'll notice you'll start to get more hungry, so listen to your body and eat more. Your body needs the fuel to keep going. If you deprive your body of the fuel, your body eventually will start "eating away" at your muscles. Where, you actually want to build muscle and keep it because muscle burns fat! Yippie!! Hope that helps...its kind of off topic. But, I figured I would let you know that once you start to really exercise and work your body you'll definitely need the extra fuel to keep yourself going!! Don't be afriad to eat your exercise calories though! Have fun!
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