Is my 1,200 a day calorie diet good? help, im confused!!

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Okay, i hope someone can answer my
question because i have been trying to
find an answer but still end up confused. I
use my fitness pal and my calorie goal is
1,200 (thats what they put for me) Im 19, 159 pounds and 5'0. My BMR is 1539. i work
out around 4-5 times a week. I normally
burn 600 calories by working out. Okay
heres where my confusion starts: since
im working out almost everyday, do i eat
more than 1,200? What i have been doing
is eating 1,200 calories a day and if i work
out, i will eat the remaining amount of calories so that my net amount will be at least 1,200. ill eat some of the calories back or
else i would starve. Can i still lose weight
this way? Im remaning at my goal and
working out so im just confused on
whether i can remain there or have to up
my calories!

Replies

  • Sujit8383
    Sujit8383 Posts: 726 Member
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    u r dng ri8.........eat n workout in such a way that ur goal remains arnd 1200............asat:smile:
  • osualex
    osualex Posts: 409 Member
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    If you're burning 600 cals, eat at least half of them back if you're going by MFP's calculations (or even 3/4), and if you have and HRM, eat all of them back. You should be on the right track. You're right, you WILL starve if you don't eat the calories back!
  • EmmaKarney
    EmmaKarney Posts: 690 Member
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    if you read this thread

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    It should explain why, even though MFP suggests 1200 calories for some people, this is almost always too low.

    You should never eat below your BMR.
  • SusanDoesIt
    SusanDoesIt Posts: 73 Member
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    Definitely eat at least part of them back, but trial and error will tell you what's the right level.
  • babyyalexx
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    Yea i actually have an HRM! So it tells me exactly how many calories i lost while working out (: I make sure to eat as much of those calotoes back because if i dont, i wake up in the middle of the night starving! I committed that mistake once so never again
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
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    if you read this thread

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    It should explain why, even though MFP suggests 1200 calories for some people, this is almost always too low.

    You should never eat below your BMR.

    ^^^THIS. Check out IPOARM and eat the food! You don't want to damage your metabolism. :heart:
  • babyyalexx
    Options
    Yea i actually have an HRM! So it tells me exactly how many calories i lost while working out (: I make sure to eat as much of those calotoes back because if i dont, i wake up in the middle of the night starving! I committed that mistake once so never again

    Yes i have an HRM so it tells me exactly how many calories i have burned!! I try to eat all of them back but if im not that hungry, just some!
  • EmmaKarney
    EmmaKarney Posts: 690 Member
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    I am one week into upping my calories since reading IPOARM.

    I gained a pound!

    I don't care!

    It's all part of the plan....
  • Markguns
    Markguns Posts: 554 Member
    Options
    Okay, i hope someone can answer my
    question because i have been trying to
    find an answer but still end up confused. I
    use my fitness pal and my calorie goal is
    1,200 (thats what they put for me) Im 19, 159 pounds and 5'0. My BMR is 1539. i work
    out around 4-5 times a week. I normally
    burn 600 calories by working out. Okay
    heres where my confusion starts: since
    im working out almost everyday, do i eat
    more than 1,200? What i have been doing
    is eating 1,200 calories a day and if i work
    out, i will eat the remaining amount of calories so that my net amount will be at least 1,200. ill eat some of the calories back or
    else i would starve. Can i still lose weight
    this way? Im remaning at my goal and
    working out so im just confused on
    whether i can remain there or have to up
    my calories!

    -- The simple way to explain it is; 1200 is you NET calorie goal, so if you burn more calories by exercising you need to eat to reach your NET cal goal of 1200.
    -- I eat back at least 60-75% of them, just to help cover any errors in estimating exercise calories burned. I am always under the end of the week on my net calories which is easy to see on the mobile app. Sometimes I go over on a day, but for the week I'm still under or at my NET calories goal, so that's Ok. Look on the reports under Nutrition, the first option is Net Calories. This is a common confusion, hence the thread below. :bigsmile:
    Read this thread for more details:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
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    I am one week into upping my calories since reading IPOARM.

    I gained a pound!

    I don't care!

    It's all part of the plan....

    Yep, just keep doing your thing, Emma. The fat does come off. You probably know this already, but if you take measurements and photos, you'll have a more accurate picture of what's going on with your body composition than you will by simply checking the scale.
  • EmmaKarney
    EmmaKarney Posts: 690 Member
    Options
    I am one week into upping my calories since reading IPOARM.

    I gained a pound!

    I don't care!

    It's all part of the plan....

    Yep, just keep doing your thing, Emma. The fat does come off. You probably know this already, but if you take measurements and photos, you'll have a more accurate picture of what's going on with your body composition than you will by simply checking the scale.

    Yeah I just started tracking BF% and waist measurement too so I'm not disheartened by what the scale says.

    But I already can tell my clothes are looser fitting - which in a weird way kind of sucks cos it means I have to spend ££s buying new jeans!
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
    Options
    I am one week into upping my calories since reading IPOARM.

    I gained a pound!

    I don't care!

    It's all part of the plan....

    Yep, just keep doing your thing, Emma. The fat does come off. You probably know this already, but if you take measurements and photos, you'll have a more accurate picture of what's going on with your body composition than you will by simply checking the scale.

    Yeah I just started tracking BF% and waist measurement too so I'm not disheartened by what the scale says.

    But I already can tell my clothes are looser fitting - which in a weird way kind of sucks cos it means I have to spend ££s buying new jeans!

    Well, new jeans aren't cheap....but you're achieving what you set out to do. And who doesn't love new jeans? :wink:
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
    Options

    Another good link! :flowerforyou: