Wife vs. Husband Debate

XoXoLJFitness
XoXoLJFitness Posts: 48
edited January 9 in Health and Weight Loss
Quick question/debate in the household and I was wondering what those of you on MFP thought to add to our discussion:

If I eat my 1,200 calories a day is it healthy to burn 1,000 calories at the gym each day I work out (five days a week Monday-Friday) or will this have a negative impact on my body?

If not a 1,000 calories how many should I burn to start showing results?

Thanks!

Replies

  • Camille0502
    Camille0502 Posts: 311 Member
    I think it's healthy to burn it, but you should eat it back. So if you are set at 1200 calories but burn 1000 in one day, you should eat 2200.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    I think you are forgetting that you burn about 2000 calories just by living.

    If you eat 1200, you have a 800 calorie deficit. If you burn your 2000 + 1000 at the gym and only eat 1200 you suddenly have a 1800 calorie deficit which is probably "too big".
  • emtjmac
    emtjmac Posts: 1,320 Member
    I lost my first 70 pounds by not eating back my exercise calories but I do eat most of them now and I think that's a healthier way to go. I mean, try it for a couple of weeks and see how you do but give it time because if you're eating at 1,000 calorie deficit all the time you are going to gain some weight back in water I think.
  • Jfearn64
    Jfearn64 Posts: 353 Member
    I agree, if you are eating only 1200 calories and burning 1000 for exercise you are seriously under eating and can really mess up your metabolism where it will become extremely difficult if not impossible to lose weight.
  • Bobby__Clerici
    Bobby__Clerici Posts: 741 Member
    I think it's healthy to burn it, but you should eat it back. So if you are set at 1200 calories but burn 1000 in one day, you should eat 2200.
    ^^^^^^^^
    THIS
    Both under-eating and overeating is a prescription for failure.
    Don't be that person.
  • fihealth
    fihealth Posts: 165 Member
    Netting just 200 cals a day is a shock to your body and it will try harder to hang onto calories because of such a massive deficit. One to two pounds weight loss per week is the recommended rate to avoid eventually going into starvation mode. Input that rate of weight loss and your exercise and you'll see how many cals you need to consume. You don't have to eat up all your exercise calories but try to maintain a more moderate deficit so as to avoid a boomerang effect! :)
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
    if u only eat 1,200 a day it is not a good idea to burn 1k calories in the gym.. u either need to eat more or workout less.. defecit is too large.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    netting 200 calories a day. I don't even know if the kids in Africa I see on tv are eating that little.

    Were are you getting the 1200 to start with?

    Figure BMR and TDEE, eat under TDEE. I'm sure someone is going to post a great link soon.
  • arcticfox04
    arcticfox04 Posts: 1,011 Member
    Eat back what you burn.
  • artickb22
    artickb22 Posts: 411 Member
    I usually do not eat back my exercise calories...but I go with listening to my body. If I get hungry I will eat something else and therefore eat some of my exercise calories back. I'm by no way going to starve myself. I think this is something that is so different for everyone. I do well with just snacking on healthy proteins if I get hungry.
  • Crankstr
    Crankstr Posts: 3,958 Member
    so what side of the debate are you on?
  • mollylouisesnow
    mollylouisesnow Posts: 2 Member
    You should eat back whatever you burn, it'll help your body lose weight alot more!
  • Lovestoscrapbook
    Lovestoscrapbook Posts: 295 Member
    I think it's healthy to burn it, but you should eat it back. So if you are set at 1200 calories but burn 1000 in one day, you should eat 2200.

    If your body goes into starvation mode, this will defeat the very purpose you are working towards. Eat back your exercise calories.
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
    I go to the gym on weekdays Monday through Friday. I don't eat all the calories back, but if I want a cheeseburger, i'll eat it! I never eat all my exercise calories back and I'm losing weight!
  • MCproptart
    MCproptart Posts: 92 Member
    I had good results eating back about half of the calories I burned. I have plenty of excess calories hanging about, and am making sure to stay hydrated. Also, I was making sure to do lots of protein & veggies, plus some vitamin C. I fell off the wagon a bit for the holidays, but I am trying to get back to it. Burning 800 ish calories and eating around 1600 per day total was a great formula for me at between 225 & 250.

    I imagine once I'm just "overweight" and no longer "obese", I'll eat back 2/3 of my calories, and once I get close to my goal I'll be able to eat them all back.

    Everyone's body is different, though, so I guess you can just try various suggestions for a week or two at a time & stick with what works. :)
  • C00lCountry
    C00lCountry Posts: 282
    I agree with most posters.
    If you eat 1200 and burn 1000.
    You should eat back most of the burned calories.
  • RatherBeFishing
    RatherBeFishing Posts: 61 Member
    I never eat back what I burn and I am having great results. I don't know why people on this board always say that. The idea is create a deficit either through working out or eating less. The reason why don't go below 1200 calories a day is because its hard to get the nutrients your body requires. Working out does make you magically not get the nutrients from your food. At 1200 calories and day and burning 100 calories a day I think you will get worn out quick and feel ran down all the time.
  • monstergirl14
    monstergirl14 Posts: 345 Member
    It's always best to eat back your exercise calories if it's at such a high deficit, much like what you're aiming for. You run the risk of slowing down your metabolism if you aren't feeding it enough, which basically makes it grab onto your body fat and cling onto it for dear life. I could see you getting results, but also when you're at the point of maintaining it might come back to bite you in the bum since you'll technically be eating a lot more calories..
  • girlonabikedc
    girlonabikedc Posts: 111 Member
    Eat it back or gain it back. Your choice. Your body needs fuel. It can't run on empty tank forever.
  • sdumma
    sdumma Posts: 126 Member
    I agree, if you are eating only 1200 calories and burning 1000 for exercise you are seriously under eating and can really mess up your metabolism where it will become extremely difficult if not impossible to lose weight.

    /\ This :smile:
  • corneredbycorn
    corneredbycorn Posts: 267 Member
    Anecdotal evidence and all, but I wasn't eating them back for a while and I was irritable and grumpy and always tired. I upped my intake by a mere 300 calories and feel way better, so much so that I'm considering upping it another 200. I'd rather lose weight slowly and feel good while doing it.
  • ChrisC_77
    ChrisC_77 Posts: 271 Member
    I agree, if you are eating only 1200 calories and burning 1000 for exercise you are seriously under eating and can really mess up your metabolism where it will become extremely difficult if not impossible to lose weight.

    Not only that, but if you are calorie deficient too much for too long, you can lose bone density. You should truely find out the lowest you can eat in the safe range. Maybe aska doctor or nutrition expert. It is different for everyone. It sounds like to me you are eating to few calories.
  • Maidofmer
    Maidofmer Posts: 908 Member
    a lady I met at the gym a few years ago told me that she would eat 1200-1800 and burn off half. it worked for me for a while till I got a job and stopped working out
  • mgobluetx12
    mgobluetx12 Posts: 1,326 Member
    I never eat back what I burn and I am having great results. I don't know why people on this board always say that. The idea is create a deficit either through working out or eating less. The reason why don't go below 1200 calories a day is because its hard to get the nutrients your body requires. Working out does make you magically not get the nutrients from your food. At 1200 calories and day and burning 100 calories a day I think you will get worn out quick and feel ran down all the time.

    No offense, but you've lost 4lbs since October. I wouldn't say these are great results.
  • flarge
    flarge Posts: 47 Member
    Eat it back or gain it back. Your choice. Your body needs fuel. It can't run on empty tank forever.

    So true. I had a friend who didn't eat enough while on a vigorous workout regimen and when she got pregnant she BLEW UP. It's been over a year now and she is still very overweight. Her extremely restrictive diet did a number on her metabolism.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    ...If I eat my 1,200 calories a day is it healthy to burn 1,000 calories at the gym each day I work out (five days a week Monday-Friday)...
    No.
    ...or will this have a negative impact on my body?
    Yes.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html
  • BonaFideUK
    BonaFideUK Posts: 313 Member
    Are you seriously saying you're going to try to survive on 200 calories a day? It'll probably destroy you.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    Quick question/debate in the household and I was wondering what those of you on MFP thought to add to our discussion:

    If I eat my 1,200 calories a day is it healthy to burn 1,000 calories at the gym each day I work out (five days a week Monday-Friday) or will this have a negative impact on my body?

    If not a 1,000 calories how many should I burn to start showing results?

    Thanks!

    So many threads on this, it's gone over on a daily basis if you run a search. Net above your basal metabolic rate which is the amount your body needs even if you were in a coma, eat enough calories from healthy wholefoods to supply a balance of all the nutrients your body needs for health and function, remembering when you exercise regularly your needs are substantially increased perhaps even doubled depending how active you are in daily life and how hard you are working out.
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