Feedback from successful people about exchanging calories

Cincypsych
Cincypsych Posts: 116 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hi
Started about 2 weeks ago. I am at 1200 calories per day and I earn about 550 calories per day (through FitBit). I am not eating my additional calories. Clothes feel good: scale not moving as much as I want.
Feedback please?

Replies

  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    I assume you realize this is very unhealthy, yes?

    If not: it's unhealthy, and you should stop.
  • Cincypsych
    Cincypsych Posts: 116 Member
    I assume you mean that it is unhealthy because I am not eating enough? Your opinion is that I would have more success by eating the additional calories I earn?
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    A healthier approach would be to eat back your exercise calories. You don't have a lot of weight to lose. There's no reason for you to be netting 650 calories.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    I assume you mean that it is unhealthy because I am not eating enough? Your opinion is that I would have more success by eating the additional calories I earn?

    Yes. You are pushing your calorie deficit way too high. Too large a calorie deficit is bad for you in all sorts of ways including loss of lean mass and overall metabolic distress.

    Keep your caloric deficit no greater than 500.

    How many calories does your Fitbit usually say you've used at the end of the day?
  • Achilleez
    Achilleez Posts: 7
    Find out what your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is. www.iifym.com has a BMR calculator you can use that is quick/easy and fairly accurate. Your BMR is the amount of calories you will burn each day just from being alive, or rather the amount you would burn if you were in a coma. You want to eat a little bit over your BMR or adjust it so that each day you are in a deficit of about 500 calories. That would put you at about a pound a week in fat loss, which is a healthy amount to lose each week. Also, I recommend a decent strength training program so that you can ensure that the weight you are losing is in fact fat and not muscle. Muscle burns fat, remember that and good luck to you :)
  • IsleEsme
    IsleEsme Posts: 175 Member
    HI there. I've been here since last August. While on my journey I've had weeks where I was really under on my cals. Off week, not hungry, busy...whatever. Those weeks I LOST NO WEIGHT. Despite being 400-800 a day UNDER on my cals. The weeks that I eat it all including my exercise cals I lost weight. I'm completely serious. A little about me-Mom of 3, married 16 years, work full time, gym daily, here for life. Basic simple everyday person. I have learned lots from MFP, one of the more important rules is that you NEED to eat to loose weight. Lots of great choices out there. Go eat! Hope that helps.
  • NatashaHepp
    NatashaHepp Posts: 2
    MFP is set up to give you a 500 calorie deficit everyday, so by eating 1200 calories you are already running a deficit of 500 to help the weight loss process. By not eating back your other calorie deficit of 550 calories you are running a deficit now of 1050 (I've been there too where I didn't eat my calories back and watched the scale stay). Even though you eat alot more on days you work out that hard, around 1750, It's worth it as your body needs the energy back or it literally isn't getting enough fuel for the demand you put on it. It's okay, I've had days of eating 1670 calories (when 1200 was assigned pre-exercise), 1578, and 1600. I've still lost weight when I weighed in each morning after. It may seem like alot, but MFP knows how to keep you losing!
  • dani_1977
    dani_1977 Posts: 557 Member
    It's unhealthy because 1200 is low anyway ... subtract your burn, you are really low.

    I would try start eating back as many cals as possible from your workout. I would start only adding 100 cals back the slowly adding the rest in.

    You have to feed your body for it have energy. You also have to feed your body so it will release the fat.
  • Cincypsych
    Cincypsych Posts: 116 Member
    How many calories does your Fitbit usually say you've used at the end of the day?


    It usually says I have burned about 2200 to 2400 calories per day..
    Thanks for your feedback....
  • sprintto50
    sprintto50 Posts: 410 Member
    The whole point of the Fitbit and MFP is to tell you, with some accuracy, how many extra calories over the 1200 that you can eat. Any less than that, for any length of time is harmful and will ultimately result in less weight loss over time. Why starve when you can eat? Be patient.
  • Cincypsych
    Cincypsych Posts: 116 Member
    Thanks, this helps.
    I will start eating more!!
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    How many calories does your Fitbit usually say you've used at the end of the day?


    It usually says I have burned about 2200 to 2400 calories per day..
    Thanks for your feedback....

    Then you want to be eating 1700-1900 calories per day minimum. This will create your ~500 calorie a day deficit.

    What's your height/weight anyway? If you don't have much weight to lose, you're well advised to eat an even smaller deficit, like 300.
  • IsleEsme
    IsleEsme Posts: 175 Member
    Thanks, this helps.
    I will start eating more!!

    I just want to add...is that YOU in your avatar? (hey, it could be your fav golf person :)) If that is you, I think you are perfect! Woman to woman the person in that picture doesn't need to loose any weight.
  • khall86790
    khall86790 Posts: 1,100 Member
    I eat 1200 calories per day and burn 400 through exercise. So I then eat 1600 calories per day so my net is 1200 calories. If you are following calorie guidelines from MFP (which typically is 1200 or something else that is quite low in comparison to other guidelines) it is designed so you eat back your exercise calories. Otherwise your net is below 1200 and that is not enough, which is why you may have received little warning messages after completing your food diary for the day saying you are under what you need to be, starvation mode, etc.
  • Trilby16
    Trilby16 Posts: 707 Member
    Hi
    Started about 2 weeks ago. I am at 1200 calories per day and I earn about 550 calories per day (through FitBit). I am not eating my additional calories. Clothes feel good: scale not moving as much as I want.
    Feedback please?

    People are going to dog-pile you now, telling you to eat more. Some of us less vocal types do stick to around 1200 but I would suggest you eat back your calories.
  • AbbieZabba
    AbbieZabba Posts: 110
    Eat more.
    That's it!
  • Docmahi
    Docmahi Posts: 1,603 Member
    Hi
    Started about 2 weeks ago. I am at 1200 calories per day and I earn about 550 calories per day (through FitBit). I am not eating my additional calories. Clothes feel good: scale not moving as much as I want.
    Feedback please?

    people are gonna go wild about the 1200 - its seriously not as big of a deal as people make - I think good general rules IMO are:

    1) add some sort of strength training (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feY6vi6ORXo) I like this video its basically a modified 5x5 program

    2) make sure you are getting enough fiber / and an even amount of sodium - I used to aim for the like 2300 MFP suggests but now I hit about 4500 daily and I am not bloating. The sodium and fiber suggestion are just so that you are not holding extra water weight or stool which will throw off the scale

    3) you are already using a fitbit which is great - but just in general accurate calories burned (which is tough to do with weight training for sure)

    4) tons of water

    hope any of that helps - dont stress about people yelling at you for not eating enough, but I would suggest that if you are hungry and you have extra exercise calories then eat them - but if you feel satisfied then dont worry about it
  • Cincypsych
    Cincypsych Posts: 116 Member
    No, not me. If it was I wouldn't be worrying about this. I play golf and am using that cute outfit she is wearing as a reward,
  • Cincypsych
    Cincypsych Posts: 116 Member
    Then you want to be eating 1700-1900 calories per day minimum. This will create your ~500 calorie a day deficit.

    What's your height/weight anyway? If you don't have much weight to lose, you're well advised to eat an even smaller deficit, like 300.


    I am 5 4and 1/2 and weigh 162 as of this morning
  • Cincypsych
    Cincypsych Posts: 116 Member
    Thanks to all for the information.
    I assume it would be a bad idea to increase my calories with alcohol.........
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Then you want to be eating 1700-1900 calories per day minimum. This will create your ~500 calorie a day deficit.

    What's your height/weight anyway? If you don't have much weight to lose, you're well advised to eat an even smaller deficit, like 300.


    I am 5 4and 1/2 and weigh 162 as of this morning

    Ok. I'd go for the 1700-1900 then, depending on what your Fitbit says.
  • IsleEsme
    IsleEsme Posts: 175 Member
    Thanks to all for the information.
    I assume it would be a bad idea to increase my calories with alcohol.........

    LMAO! Oh I'd be in heaven if I could do that. If you can do alcohol in moderation than by all means partake :) I gave up wine and after last weeks National Margarita Day (and I hadn't had one in months!) I've now decided no more of those either! I'm down to a Select 55 Beer a couple of nights a week. That's it. Booooo!
  • Cincypsych
    Cincypsych Posts: 116 Member
    Thanks for everyone's advice last week. Tomorrow is my weigh in and am feeling good about it. Also, it was so much easier this week, eating 500 or so more calories!!

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