Consume extra calories or no?

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frompster
frompster Posts: 27 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Just want a general consensus.

I have been eating 1600-1700 calories per day. I earn back 500-600 calories from my cardio exercise. I never eat them.

Should I? Do you? Why or why not?

Thanks :glasses:

Replies

  • Maridar
    Maridar Posts: 164 Member
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    I try not to eat my exercise calories because I want to see results fast:) I think as long as you have a balanced diet, carbs, protein and greens you are fine.
  • frompster
    frompster Posts: 27 Member
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    Everything is very balanced. Always VERY under on carbs. I've just been paying attention to my body. If I feel like I need to eat the calories, I do. If I don't, I don't. Always selecting something healthy when I need to eat them.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    My rule of thumb on this is to make sure I'm at least netting my BMR. If I've hit that but still have calories left but am not hungry, then I don't worry about it. If I've had a big calorie burn that day (doesn't happen too often, mostly on my occasional 6 mile run days), and my net is still below my BMR of 1370 or so, I make sure I bring the net up to at least that level for the day. Easy to do with a tablespoon of peanut butter and few squares of dark chocolate most of the time. :bigsmile:

    I have set up my calories and macros according to the info in this post: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Great info in there, and has been awesome for fat loss for me!
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
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    I try not to eat more than half of them back because I don't trust the calorie counts for either BMR or exercise. All the numbers we're given are estimates, and I want some wiggle room.
  • frompster
    frompster Posts: 27 Member
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    Here's the numbers. I'm so confused.

    (**Lots of numbers ahead**): I'm still loosing inches but not as many pounds.

    I checked my BMR and it is 1,997. Using the Harris Benedict equation (BMR x 1.375), my maintenance calories would be 2,745.

    Following the guidelines of reducing by 20% to show weight loss, I should be consuming 2,196 calories per day.

    Currently, for the last week or so, I have only consumed 1,500 per day. 2 days this week I netted less than 1,000 calories after exercise.

    Here is the website that I used for BMR, Calorie in-take and guideline information (for this post) -- http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/


    Trying to understand what my body is doing...
  • demorelli
    demorelli Posts: 508 Member
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    Seriously try not to net below 1200 on a regular basis! Also you probably shouldn't go under your bmr for more than a month or two and maybe give yourself a break and eat just above it for a couple weeks.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    Yes, I always have, otherwise my calorie deficit would be too large.
  • frompster
    frompster Posts: 27 Member
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    This week I upped my calories. I have been eating around 1600 on non-workout days, and around 1800 on workout days. I dropped 2 pounds. Guess it's true. I wasn't eating enough!
  • 1newcat
    1newcat Posts: 75 Member
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    This Thread was really helpful, thank you! I have been raving a really hard time consuming over a thousand calories which is really not good given 1 earn usually another4-600 from working out. I've added a couple herba life shakes recently, so hopefully that will help and I'll see better weight loss results.
  • victoriannsays
    victoriannsays Posts: 568 Member
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    you shouldn't eat below your BMR. You are netting too few calories.

    Eat TDEE-20% Don't worry about what MFP has calculated for you.

    I usually eat back by exercise calories if I'm hungry. If I'm not I don't force myself.
  • AMBlass
    AMBlass Posts: 161
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    I never eat my calories back. I don't think most people burn as many calories as they think from working out, so I don't even factor it in. I just aim for my 500 calorie deficit number.
  • frompster
    frompster Posts: 27 Member
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    you shouldn't eat below your BMR. You are netting too few calories.

    Eat TDEE-20% Don't worry about what MFP has calculated for you.

    I usually eat back by exercise calories if I'm hungry. If I'm not I don't force myself.

    OMG according to TDEE-20% I am supposed to be eating nearly 2200 calories per day!
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    you shouldn't eat below your BMR. You are netting too few calories.

    Eat TDEE-20% Don't worry about what MFP has calculated for you.

    I usually eat back by exercise calories if I'm hungry. If I'm not I don't force myself.

    OMG according to TDEE-20% I am supposed to be eating nearly 2200 calories per day!
    I'm envious. :smile:
  • Goal_Line
    Goal_Line Posts: 474 Member
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    If you are not hungry don';t eat them back. If hungry eat. I lost 57 lbs following this rule. In MY experience concerns about "starvation mode" are over blown.

    I do suggest you get plenty of protean and suppliment your cardio with resistance training to conserve as much muscle as you can.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
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    If you are not hungry don';t eat them back. If hungry eat.

    Yup. If you don't need the extra calories and your body feels good, don't add anything more. If you are hungry and feel drained, use them. Best part is you will lose weight either way if your calorie target is met.

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