Should I burn MORE than I eat?

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  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
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    I think if you're getting 1200 as your MFP goal it's probably better to use the "start at your TDEE" method, unless you believe that non-obese people really can't aim to lose 2 lbs/week, which to me is ridiculous.

    Say on a day without intentional exercise I burn 1700. I want to aim for 2 lbs/week because I am 30 lbs. overweight. That would put me at 700 calories a day, which is too few. So MFP puts me at 1200 and says "Sorry! You can't lose more than 1 lb/week! No matter that you're willing to eat a healthy 1200 calorie diet AND burn 500 calories a day in exercise! You have to eat that 500 calories back, which sets you right back to my conservative goal of 1 lb/week for you!"

    I just believe that there's nothing wrong with eating 1200 and burning 2200 if you've got the fat to burn and you're comfortable at that level. Most of us would probably prefer to say eat 1400 and burn 2000 but even THAT is outside of the MFP boundaries, according to the 'rules' people post about having to eat back.
  • jsquash
    jsquash Posts: 19 Member
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    You have your MFP set at 1200 calories to lose weight, so thats what you have to net. If you burn 1000, and you didn't eat any of those calories back you would only be netting 200, and that's not enough fuel to keep your body going. If you don't exercise at all, you eat 1200 and lose weight. If you burn off 500 calories, add that to your 1200 for the day and you can eat up to 1700 calories in that day and still lose weight. You would still be netting your 1200 calorie goal for weight loss because you used those extra 500 calories up. You have to eat them back, your body needs food to fuel itself. 1200 is the number your body needs when it does nothing. You have to give it back any extra calories you burned up, especially when your net calories are so low to begin with. You are going to plateau and go into starvation mode quickly if you only eat 1200 calories and don't eat any of your exercise calories back.
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
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    You ever see the movie 'Poltergeist' - the way the house implodes and dissapears up it's own bottom into an ethereal point of light at the end? Yeah, eat more or you'll end up like that house.
  • graelwyn
    graelwyn Posts: 1,340 Member
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    I find this rather disappointing. After you posted that topic asking to guess your weight, and spoke of the training you do, I had thought you were inspiring and had a great body, but evidently you are not doing things in an inspiring way at all. In fact, it is downright unhealthy, and you know this I think. Why ruin a perfectly good body by essentially starving it?
  • amymarie8709
    amymarie8709 Posts: 329 Member
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    My BMR is 1310....I eat about 1770 on off days and almost 2000 on workout days......and I'm still losing weight.....EAT MORE!!! FUEL THE FIRE!!!
  • kaylarachellee
    kaylarachellee Posts: 201 Member
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    I find this rather disappointing. After you posted that topic asking to guess your weight, and spoke of the training you do, I had thought you were inspiring and had a great body, but evidently you are not doing things in an inspiring way at all. In fact, it is downright unhealthy, and you know this I think. Why ruin a perfectly good body by essentially starving it?



    I have been eating some of the calories. I have been really confused by different posts.
  • graelwyn
    graelwyn Posts: 1,340 Member
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    I find this rather disappointing. After you posted that topic asking to guess your weight, and spoke of the training you do, I had thought you were inspiring and had a great body, but evidently you are not doing things in an inspiring way at all. In fact, it is downright unhealthy, and you know this I think. Why ruin a perfectly good body by essentially starving it?



    I have been eating some of the calories. I have been really confused by different posts.

    Does a car engine run on nothing? no. When it moves, it burns fuels, and needs refilling and that is how your body works. You workout, you are burning the fuel and leaving your body empty of the things it needs to run properly. Netting this little, you are basically doing the equivalent of eating nothing at all. Why? because you are burning off everything you eat, and not replacing it. If you exercise, you need to eat. I exercise, and I eat 2000 calories + per day. My weight has not gone up. So if you want to lose weight still, you need to go to fit2fatradio, or somesuch, calculate your TDEE (the calories you burn including your exercise) and eat 500 below that. Or you set mfp to lose 1/2 - 1Ib per week, and eat what it sets as your goal after you have logged exercise. You are putting a real strain on your heart by doing all this working out and not eating enough to cover even your basic functions.
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
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    Does a car engine run on nothing? no. When it moves, it burns fuels, and needs refilling and that is how your body works. You workout, you are burning the fuel and leaving your body empty of the things it needs to run properly.

    Imagine your car gas tank was so over-full your mechanic said to make it lighter or else. Would it make sense to drive off a gallon a day and then go to the gas station and put a gallon in once a day? No, you need to create a deficit to make the 'tank' smaller. It doesn't matter if today's drive burns up 'today's gas' or last January's. You have too much gas. Quit topping off. (Don't fast but don't think your BMR distinguishes between today's intake and your stored calories, either. It doesn't.)
  • Justkeepswimmin
    Justkeepswimmin Posts: 777 Member
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    WOW! You are not eating enough. You should be NETTING AT LEAST 1200 calories. Most people will say you should be netting your BMR which is probably more than 1200.

    You are not giving your body any fuel with what you are doing. Please eat! You must eat to lose weight and be healthy. You are going to get a ton of feedback. Get ready.


    I ate 1,200 calories.... If I ate my exercise calories back... I would be eating 2,400 calories... which would be hard to eat!!

    Yes...yes it is..isn't it great!!!! I love how I get to eat and I've lost like almost 60 lbs. YAYYYY
  • Justkeepswimmin
    Justkeepswimmin Posts: 777 Member
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    WOW! You are not eating enough. You should be NETTING AT LEAST 1200 calories. Most people will say you should be netting your BMR which is probably more than 1200.

    You are not giving your body any fuel with what you are doing. Please eat! You must eat to lose weight and be healthy. You are going to get a ton of feedback. Get ready.


    I ate 1,200 calories.... If I ate my exercise calories back... I would be eating 2,400 calories... which would be hard to eat!!

    Yes...yes it is..isn't it great!!!! I love how I get to eat and I've lost like almost 60 lbs.

    YAYYYY You'll hear a LOT of different takes but I use the system of eating my exercize calories. It works. Period. It works. It works from a calories in calories out standpoint and it works from a psychological standpoint. Just also focus on making sure you know what you want to do with your break up of fat/protein/carbs or you'll feel like a bloated slug if you carb up too much.
  • shalomabeth
    shalomabeth Posts: 63 Member
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    im so confused i burned close to 1200 but at 2400 do i need to eat more calories set by mfp or can i leave it as is
  • emma_louise_23
    emma_louise_23 Posts: 25
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    I am really confused about BMR it says mine is 1780 and i eat upto 1300 calories per day but how much do i have to burn with this BMR to lose weight? its soooo confusing lol :)
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    I am really confused about BMR it says mine is 1780 and i eat upto 1300 calories per day but how much do i have to burn with this BMR to lose weight? its soooo confusing lol :)

    Actually you will lose weight eating your BMR and doing no exercise, as the moment you move, walk, sit, brush your teeth you burn more than BMR. It is suggest to not eat less than you BMR to lose weight.

    Just living if you are sedentary you will burn 2136/day with no exercise. So all you have to do is eat less than 2136 on non-workout days to lose weight, on days you workout you could eat even more and still lose.
  • skyestevenson00
    skyestevenson00 Posts: 3
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    Soneone help me!! My recommended intake to lose weight is 1200 calories, but if I go to the gym I usually burn around 300-500 calories. But that would make my NET calories like 800, and I know I shouldn't have less than 1200 net, but then what's the point in going to the gym if I just eat to make it back up to 1200?? So confused!!! Someone help me :(
  • thrillhouse69
    thrillhouse69 Posts: 9 Member
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    i just started last week and have had limited experience dieting. i am a man and weigh 180 pounds. Last week i was burning 800 to 900 calories a day working out and eating 1600 calories (except saturday night where I did not work out and ate and drank 2700 or so), so on most days i was eating 700 net calories. I know realize I need to eat more based on this forum (thank you). My question is that in the first few days last week I lost 2 pounds and since then have gained a pound back. In addition to my intake being insufficient for my boddies needs, did I also sabotage my weight loss and if so why?

    Thank you all for your help
  • eliseofthejungle
    eliseofthejungle Posts: 113 Member
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    Does a car engine run on nothing? no. When it moves, it burns fuels, and needs refilling and that is how your body works. You workout, you are burning the fuel and leaving your body empty of the things it needs to run properly.

    Imagine your car gas tank was so over-full your mechanic said to make it lighter or else. Would it make sense to drive off a gallon a day and then go to the gas station and put a gallon in once a day? No, you need to create a deficit to make the 'tank' smaller. It doesn't matter if today's drive burns up 'today's gas' or last January's. You have too much gas. Quit topping off. (Don't fast but don't think your BMR distinguishes between today's intake and your stored calories, either. It doesn't.)

    The point is that even if the car isn't moving as long as it's running (ie, as long as you are alive) it's burning that fuel. The only time you are not burning any calories is when you are dead. The car burns fuel every minute of every day, not just the extra gallon that was used driving that one time. Your body isn't the equivalent of a parked car that is turned off, it's the equivalent of an idling car. What would happen if you went outside and started your car up and let it run in the driveway...then drove around to burn extra fuel....then came back and kept it running in the driveway...repeat... and never put any more fuel in it? It would use all of the gas and STOP RUNNING. The difference being, obviously, that you can't stuff a sandwich into a person who has starved to death and expect them to come back to life.
  • sammypoo79
    sammypoo79 Posts: 1
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    I am having trouble getting in 1200 calories
    A day. I am trying to eat healthy foods ( low carb.)which of course
    Have low cals. Any suggestions on food ? I love working out
    But only eating 1200 cals I don't think it's healthy
    To exercise .... The whole calorie eating and burning confused
    Me I guess that's why I can't loose weight. My mind
    Immediately thinks eat less to be skinny can someone
    Please help me ?? Thanks in advance
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    I am having trouble getting in 1200 calories
    A day. I am trying to eat healthy foods ( low carb.)which of course
    Have low cals. Any suggestions on food ? I love working out
    But only eating 1200 cals I don't think it's healthy
    To exercise .... The whole calorie eating and burning confused
    Me I guess that's why I can't loose weight. My mind
    Immediately thinks eat less to be skinny can someone
    Please help me ?? Thanks in advance

    This thread has been done for over a year...

    that said low carb does not = low cal, fat is the highest caloric macro, if you are low carb you should be high fat, high protein. Eat meat, nuts, seeds, nut butters, oils, etc.

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