What happens if I don't use all mt calorie's ?

Siobhan108
Siobhan108 Posts: 80 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am sort of new to the site and I have a problem getting in all my calorie's. I exercise almost every day and I wonder if I need to use those extra calorie's I gain from my daily exercise. I have a hard time just getting close most days without the added ones. I eat 4-5 small meals a day, but I have never been a big eater, I gained my weight by drinking Pepsi 5-6 times a day. I have not had one since Sept and last week even gave up Diet Vernor's ( a ginger ale ) . Anyone know if it will be a problem, I heard somewhere that if you don't eat enough your metabolism goes crazy. Thanks

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,421 Member
    Eat. Just do it.

    Here are 15 pages of links explaining why.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again


    Eat full fat stuff instead of lowfat stuff. Have a handful of nuts, and log everything using a measuring cup and a digital food scale.

    It's pretty hard to get 63 lbs overweight without knowing how to eat.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    If you don't eat enough you will struggle to get all the nutrients your body needs for health.
  • Siobhan108
    Siobhan108 Posts: 80 Member
    Thanks for the sites. I will read them one at a time and hopefully that will answer my question.
  • parallax693
    parallax693 Posts: 40
    I've read from other postings that you need at least 1200 calories per day (usually more) in order to lose weight. How many calories are you allowing yourself per day? I am at 1450, but I don't bother with the extra calories I earn from exercising. I don't exercise that hard. Maybe later if I get hardcore I would consider eating those calories back. I started by using the mayo clinic calorie calculator to see how many calories I need per day just to exist (based on age and weight and activity level), and then decided how many lbs I wanted to try to lose per week (1 lb per week would be fine for me), and subtract that amount my daily resting calorie amount, and that is what I am working with. Some days I have less, and rarely I go over. I hope that helps. Other people might have other methods.
  • SerenityPhoenix
    SerenityPhoenix Posts: 12 Member
    I'm no expert, but I am under the impression that if you do not eat enough calories you will either A) gain weight or B) hit a plateau. Try Peanut butter, Jiff is like 250 calories just for 2 Tbsp and it's a great source of protein. You can get the mini packs that are great for snacking - no measuring required. I also use Scooby's free BMR calculator (MFP calculations seem to be way to low) to help me find how much I should eat. Here's a link to it if you need it: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    Good luck!
  • whitneyps7
    whitneyps7 Posts: 409 Member
    Eat. Just do it.

    Here are 15 pages of links explaining why.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again


    It's pretty hard to get 63 lbs overweight without knowing how to eat.

    like that wasnt rude at all..........
  • zivkovichka
    zivkovichka Posts: 3
    If you do not eat enough calories your body goes into starving mode and instead of burning calories your body will store them for "better days" as fat. You'll slow down your metabolism, which means that your weight loss will be even more difficult to achieve, and exchanges of essential nutrients and fiber in your body will slow down. So you will not lose weight, you'll just starve.
  • allie491
    allie491 Posts: 91 Member
    It makes a difference if you are under say 25-100 cals every day or under 500 calories everyday. Cutting your calories too low will slow down your weight loss.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Just make sure you're netting to your BMR at minimum. If you net between BMR and TDEE, you will lose weight and do so safely. If you are struggling to get your calories up, eat some calorie dense foods like nuts, avacado, cheese, etc. You don't need a whole lot to give you a big bump in your calories and you don't feel like you're stuffing your face with a bunch of food.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,421 Member
    Eat. Just do it.

    Here are 15 pages of links explaining why.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again


    Eat full fat stuff instead of lowfat stuff. Have a handful of nuts, and log everything using a measuring cup and a digital food scale.

    It's pretty hard to get 63 lbs overweight without knowing how to eat.
    like that wasnt rude at all..........
    [/quote]

    I'm just saying, I was 55 pounds overweight and at one point I felt like the OP did. But there are thousands of foods on this planet, and it's not difficult to get up to your intake recommendation.
  • JulieBulie10
    JulieBulie10 Posts: 3 Member
    This is a great question, and similar to one I was going to ask. I do hope you have found the answers you needed?

    I'm similar, in that I wondered if i HAVE to eat the extra calories I have earned through my exercise??

    For example, my GOAL is 1200 cals/day

    I have earned extra calories by doing aerobics and a bike ride making my TARGET 1800 cals

    However, I have only eaten 1530 cals today. Do I really REALLY need to eat more to hit the 1800? Or is it ok to 'bank' these calories as I'm at least above my minimum??

    Thanks in advance,

    JB
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    This is a great question, and similar to one I was going to ask. I do hope you have found the answers you needed?

    I'm similar, in that I wondered if i HAVE to eat the extra calories I have earned through my exercise??

    For example, my GOAL is 1200 cals/day

    I have earned extra calories by doing aerobics and a bike ride making my TARGET 1800 cals

    However, I have only eaten 1530 cals today. Do I really REALLY need to eat more to hit the 1800? Or is it ok to 'bank' these calories as I'm at least above my minimum??

    Thanks in advance,

    JB

    Not if you are not hungry and ate at least a part of it....
  • stepherzzzzz
    stepherzzzzz Posts: 469 Member
    Eat. Just do it.

    Here are 15 pages of links explaining why.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again


    Eat full fat stuff instead of lowfat stuff. Have a handful of nuts, and log everything using a measuring cup and a digital food scale.

    It's pretty hard to get 63 lbs overweight without knowing how to eat.

    It's not hard at all when you get a lot of your calories from liquids. I've never been a big eater, I usually take in about 800 calories a day and a fair amount of those come from Pepsi, yet I managed to get up to16 pounds overweight. If I have no Pepsi I'm down to about 500 calories a day, usually less than that.
  • Siobhan108
    Siobhan108 Posts: 80 Member
    Well I really want to start by saying THANKS for all the ideas.

    I do eat enough calories, I try every day to get close to my regular allowance, which is around 1400, but then you add the 300+ for work out's and I can't get those extra ones in. I think I eat pretty balanced meals, oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, or scrambled egg with veggies, WW cheese and crackers for a snack , soup and salad , or a sandwich and salad for lunch and meat or fish , veggie and potato for dinner. I use butter on my potato , and I have fruit or something in the evening for a snack.

    I was not trying to give the impression I was starving,,,,sorry.

    Thanks again

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