Confused newbie....

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RacheUk82
RacheUk82 Posts: 70 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Ok, So I guess this may have been asked a million times before, but I cant seem to find the specific answer in search....

I am 5'4, A Nurse, so on my feet most of the day. I am 204lb. (oh the shame!) My TDEE is 2340, so I set my intake at 1800 to loose weight..... still with me?

I am doing 45-60 mins of cardio at least twice a week, and some lifting in there too, If I log this, it adds to my calorie intake.
I know the whole debate on eating back your exercise calories, but that would take me back to 2000kcal ish, and I just cant eat that much! and with working shifts I don't always have time to eat.

My average daily intakes since logging around 1000-1300 before exercise, Guess what I want to know is should I be eating my TDEE regardless? I have it in my head to loose weight, you eat less and move more, but MFP seems to say move more eat more?
Sorry if I have opened up an age old debate, but I just want to know what I should be doing to keep my body healthy and loose all my junk!

Please help..... feel free to add me if you wish.
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Replies

  • LaLouve_RK
    LaLouve_RK Posts: 899 Member
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    Seriously, the eating back your calories thing is getting on my nerves. You are hungry, you eat. period.
    We were all very active until after our teenage years and we never ate back our 2000 or 3000 calories we burned per day!! We are
    still alive.
    I was even very sporty, and never ate that much.. except every weekends or 2 weekends when there was a family dinner... All this until I have turned 25 and got in an unhealthy relationship, ate my brains out and kept my butt on the couch.

    The point of exercise is to burn some calories to keep them off and lose weight.

    Of course, don't burn 2000 calories and eat 500!!!
  • bhealthy2012
    bhealthy2012 Posts: 3
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    I think you set a goal for your daily calorie intake that would allow you to lose with out any excercise, then if you exercise you are just burning off more. That allows a little splurge if and when you really want it. For me I do better if i just stick to the base number of calories every day. Good luck...
  • fludderbye
    fludderbye Posts: 457 Member
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    i try to eat a min of 1200 cal every day- the extra work out calories- if i am hungry i eat - something healthy I try not to eat junk but it happens LOL- if i am not hungry i dont eat- try adding dairy, peanut butter, nuts etc- high in calories but good for you-
  • jlyoung913
    jlyoung913 Posts: 4 Member
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    Maybe I can help to better explain this concept. Your goal is to eat 1800 calories a day. Lets say you are going out to your favorite restaurant for dinner and know that you are going to go over the set 1800 calories for that day (nothing wrong with this) exercise helps to allow you to have that incredible meal and stay within your calorie range. In a way exercise and moving lets us eat more through the day - I sometimes feel very restricted by my calorie level and get moving if I want to eat more.
    I dont think I like the term eating back our calories - it is better to understand that your body has depleted so much while exercising and you need to replenish somethings through eating. Much like as a nurse you give various electrolytes to a patient and or D5 you need to give yourself those things through food. Eating post work out will help you to hydrate and rebuild broken down muscle.
    If you really want to lose a healthy amount of weight each week I would suggest sticking as close as possible to that 1800 calorie number. Eating 3+ meals a day will also help. When we do not feed our bodies we tend to hold onto everything we give it as the body is not sure when it will get food again. Sorry this is long but I hope that it helps you!!!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I think your TDEE is higher than 2300 if you are on your feet all day. I work a desk job, same height and 210 pounds, and my TDEE is 2500.

    Having said that, 1800 calories is not a bad place to start because I doubt your TDEE is more than 2800. (not counting any exercise you may do above and beyond your normal daily activity) Try it and see if it works for you.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Seriously, the eating back your calories thing is getting on my nerves. You are hungry, you eat. period.
    We were all very active until after our teenage years and we never ate back our 2000 or 3000 calories we burned per day!! We are
    still alive.
    I was even very sporty, and never ate that much.. except every weekends or 2 weekends when there was a family dinner... All this until I have turned 25 and got in an unhealthy relationship, ate my brains out and kept my butt on the couch.

    The point of exercise is to burn some calories to keep them off and lose weight.

    Of course, don't burn 2000 calories and eat 500!!!

    Actually, I'm sure that we ate our exercise calories when we were kids. I know I did. I was a healthy weight back then.
  • LaLouve_RK
    LaLouve_RK Posts: 899 Member
    Options
    Seriously, the eating back your calories thing is getting on my nerves. You are hungry, you eat. period.
    We were all very active until after our teenage years and we never ate back our 2000 or 3000 calories we burned per day!! We are
    still alive.
    I was even very sporty, and never ate that much.. except every weekends or 2 weekends when there was a family dinner... All this until I have turned 25 and got in an unhealthy relationship, ate my brains out and kept my butt on the couch.

    The point of exercise is to burn some calories to keep them off and lose weight.

    Of course, don't burn 2000 calories and eat 500!!!

    Actually, I'm sure that we ate our exercise calories when we were kids. I know I did. I was a healthy weight back then.
    Oh yeah.. I was a walking skeleton.... :grumble:
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Ok, wow. I just saw your diary. You aren't eating 1800 calories. Instead you are starving yourself. Eat! Please eat your 1800. If you don't eat enough, it puts stress on your body, increases cortisol, other abnormal hormone levels, slows your metabolism, not to mention making yourself miserable and ready to give up on trying to lose weight.

    I started at 263 and lose 2 pounds a week on 1800 calories. Please eat. It made me sad when I looked at your diary. :flowerforyou:
  • samheron1993
    samheron1993 Posts: 2 Member
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    hi i am new to this but i need to ask do you add fruit and veg to your calorie counter i doubt you do because its good calories but just to be shore i am asking who ever can help me
    thank you
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    MFP does not include exercise in its calculations so when you do exercise, you need more calories for fuel or else you are creating too much of a deficit.

    You are set for 1 pound a week loss at 500 calories a day. Eating 1800 would result in 1 pound a week. If you also exercised 500 cals off, that may be too much of a deficit. In your case perhaps not, but for people who do not have a lot of weight left to lose it would be too great of a deficit.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    hi i am new to this but i need to ask do you add fruit and veg to your calorie counter i doubt you do because its good calories but just to be shore i am asking who ever can help me
    thank you

    Yes, log everything. They are calories and all calories count.
  • Amanda_Gx6
    Amanda_Gx6 Posts: 320 Member
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    I don't see the point in eating back the calories. After I have a nice sweaty cardio session I drink 14 oz of 1% TruMoo Chocolate milk. I eat dinner after I work out ( I work out after work ) because I get nasty heartburn if I do before. I fully intend to save those "extra calories I've earned" for my wine night with my girlfriend or takeout night with my family. Don't shove food down your throat just because you have the extra calories. Good Luck and keep on keepin on! :drinker:
  • BossBich
    BossBich Posts: 65 Member
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    Very well said!!!!!!
  • BossBich
    BossBich Posts: 65 Member
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    Seriously, the eating back your calories thing is getting on my nerves. You are hungry, you eat. period.
    We were all very active until after our teenage years and we never ate back our 2000 or 3000 calories we burned per day!! We are
    still alive.
    I was even very sporty, and never ate that much.. except every weekends or 2 weekends when there was a family dinner... All this until I have turned 25 and got in an unhealthy relationship, ate my brains out and kept my butt on the couch.

    The point of exercise is to burn some calories to keep them off and lose weight.

    Of course, don't burn 2000 calories and eat 500!!!
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    Options
    Ok, So I guess this may have been asked a million times before, but I cant seem to find the specific answer in search....

    I am 5'4, A Nurse, so on my feet most of the day. I am 204lb. (oh the shame!) My TDEE is 2340, so I set my intake at 1800 to loose weight..... still with me?

    I am doing 45-60 mins of cardio at least twice a week, and some lifting in there too, If I log this, it adds to my calorie intake.
    I know the whole debate on eating back your exercise calories, but that would take me back to 2000kcal ish, and I just cant eat that much! and with working shifts I don't always have time to eat.

    My average daily intakes since logging around 1000-1300 before exercise, Guess what I want to know is should I be eating my TDEE regardless? I have it in my head to loose weight, you eat less and move more, but MFP seems to say move more eat more?
    Sorry if I have opened up an age old debate, but I just want to know what I should be doing to keep my body healthy and loose all my junk!

    Please help..... feel free to add me if you wish.

    Being on your feet is not necessarily the same as burning loads of calories or being active even tho it absolutely is tiring on the legs, how many steps do you take each shift? Some nursing staff do loads but others are classed as sedentary or don't hit the recommended 10,000 a day.
    http://www.nursezone.com/Nursing-News-Events/devices-and-technology.aspx?articleID=15631
    http://allnurses.com/first-year-after/how-many-miles-508073.html
    http://uk.prweb.com/releases/2012/6/prweb9608933.htm
    There was also a small informal UK study which I cannot find a link to where the nurses did not manage 10,000 steps, it was chefs who walked the most IIRC. I imagine the department/ ward is much of the wide variation.

    Do you not get any breaks on your shift or are you just not taking them? Given you are in the UK you have a legal right to a break, resting and eating should help you be more productive and help avoid mistakes. Are you not even drinking anything? Stuff like smoothies and blended soups can be very nutritious and are easy to drink/ eat. You don't have to go to the canteen and eat a junky full meal (have worked in UK hospitals!).
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    I don't see the point in eating back the calories. After I have a nice sweaty cardio session I drink 14 oz of 1% TruMoo Chocolate milk. I eat dinner after I work out ( I work out after work ) because I get nasty heartburn if I do before. I fully intend to save those "extra calories I've earned" for my wine night with my girlfriend or takeout night with my family. Don't shove food down your throat just because you have the extra calories. Good Luck and keep on keepin on! :drinker:

    Because you might be creating too much of a calorie deficit which could be unhealthy and not result in the weight loss you want.

    Please learn how MFP works.
  • akaMrsmojo
    akaMrsmojo Posts: 762 Member
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    Personally, I exercise so I can eat more. It is my motivation. It is the best way to go. I love food and to not eat would never work. Plus I need my energy to get through my workouts. You will burn muscle if you do not eat the proper calories. Starving yourself will not work and you will lose motivation and go back. Reward yourself, you worked hard to do it. The weight loss comes, I promise.
  • Amanda_Gx6
    Amanda_Gx6 Posts: 320 Member
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    I'm a newbie too, how did you post a message on messageboard? I can't figure it out
  • Amanda_Gx6
    Amanda_Gx6 Posts: 320 Member
    Options
    I don't see the point in eating back the calories. After I have a nice sweaty cardio session I drink 14 oz of 1% TruMoo Chocolate milk. I eat dinner after I work out ( I work out after work ) because I get nasty heartburn if I do before. I fully intend to save those "extra calories I've earned" for my wine night with my girlfriend or takeout night with my family. Don't shove food down your throat just because you have the extra calories. Good Luck and keep on keepin on! :drinker:

    Because you might be creating too much of a calorie deficit which could be unhealthy and not result in the weight loss you want.

    Please learn how MFP works.

    But eating more just because you can and not hungry is idiotic. I am learning how MFP works, I'm new not stupid. I thought it was only supposed to be positive things not snappy unnecessary remarks. I didn't appreciate that.
  • bubblybabeuk
    bubblybabeuk Posts: 216 Member
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    Hey hunny just had a little look at your diary and you not eating anywhere enough to lose weight. The absolute minimum you should be eating is 1200 calories a day otherwise your body will lose to start with but then stop because your body will go into starvation mode. If MFP has set your daily allowance at 1800 then you should be eating 1800. I don't always eat my exercise calories back, only if I am hungry, though I do always have a post workout snack including nuts especially after lifting weights.

    I appreciate that as a nurse its not always possible for you to grab 3 meals a day, so make sure that you have healthy snacks, fruit and nuts for example with you so you can always eat something. In a job like yours is about planning your food ahead of time.

    Good luck xx

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