PLEASE HELP! CALORIES VS POINTS

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jnsangel33
jnsangel33 Posts: 49
in Health and Weight Loss
I NEED SERIOUS HELP!!! I hear constantly how if I am not meeting my calorie goal my metabolism will slow down and it will be difficult for me to lose weight. Same with the points system with weight watchers.
Well.....I have been counting my calories and seem to do fine UNTIL I enter my workout!!! Then suddenly I have anywhere from 250 to 600 more calories I HAVE TO EAT to meet my requirements for the day. For example yesterday I had under 100 calories to go. Then I added in my workout and then I was still down by 667. I am eating healthier so I am eating more frequently. Therefore I AM NOT HUNGRY!!
Now...again with yesterday as an example.....I used my points system as I have been this week and was under by 1 pt. Workout allotment included. I was thrilled. That was when I came and added everything into MFP and saw I was under calories by 667. WHAT THE HECK AM I SUPPOSED TO DO???? Does ANYONE have any suggestions for me??? Anyone who can offer advice W/OUT trying to get me to join this or buy that????

Replies

  • princessleia1980
    princessleia1980 Posts: 81 Member
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    I tried WW and it worked for a while, but I never ate my exercise points because I wanted to lose quickly. However there are some really good threads on here about eating your exercise calories and as a scientist it made more sense to me to follow that system.

    Whichever way you count, just make sure you eat your exercise calories. You might lose slower but you are less likely to gain it all back again (which is what happened with me at WW at least 4 times!)
  • bonnymom
    bonnymom Posts: 107 Member
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    You don't HAVE to eat your exercise calories. They are just there if you need them. It's the same thing as your Activity Points with WW. My advice is if you are following the point system on WW don't worry about what the end calories say on MFP. :smile:

    If you find yourself starting to plateau, then you should start eating some of those exercise calories/activity points.

    What I always saw on the WW website was that even if you don't eat your Activity Points now, you'll want to down the road because you'll probably want them then. :smile:
  • ron2282
    ron2282 Posts: 2,772 Member
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    Some days I eat my exercise calories and some days I don't, it all depends on how hungry I am. I refuse to eat just for the sake of eating (that' s how I got into this mess in the first place.) :laugh:
  • janetgardiner
    janetgardiner Posts: 32
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    I don't always eat my workout calories, as long as I eat my base calories it's fine I think. But there are days were I'd like a little more to eat so on that day I'll eat that days exercise calories.
  • dawn_eichert
    dawn_eichert Posts: 487 Member
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    I have too done weight watchers in the past and have been working now with a healthy weight coach through my work. She told me that as long as I don't go under about 1400 or so calories a day regardless of the exercise, it should be OK. That I don't have to eat all of my extra calories from exercise. The goal is to not put your body into starvation mode as you will stop losing and start gaining. You certainly can eat them but you don't have to eat all of them. If you are eating a good balance of food groups and not hungry then I would think you are OK. However, if you are in an program or have a dr or nutritionist you know, you can always ask them. I dont claim to be an expert but this is how I feel. Good luck to you and keep going on the right track.
  • cindyangotti
    cindyangotti Posts: 294 Member
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    I burn at least 1000 calories a day and believe me, I do not eat an extra 1000 a day! I do not believe you need to eat all your exercise calories. I use about 200 to 250 of mine and I'm losing at a nice pace. I think you just have to figure out what works for YOUR body.
  • megamom
    megamom Posts: 920 Member
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    I don't eat back all my exercise calories but if I am really low a spoon full of peanut butter or some almonds bring me right up. And they are yummy.
  • jnsangel33
    jnsangel33 Posts: 49
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    Well, to sort of touch on each of your suggestions..... My target right now is 1200. I got this target last year so I don't remember how I came to it. It was here somewhere, I think. Anyways. I can't say for sure that I am hitting the 1200 daily because when I add in the exercise it throws everything completely off balance for me. With this post I think I have came to a conclusion about what I am going to do for the next week (beginning monday) I think I will do all of my food logins for the day to see where I go THEN ADD IN THE WORKOUT! Just to see if I am hitting my goal or not. Does that sound like a good idea???
    Thanks for the input!! It is appreciated TONS!!!
  • jnsangel33
    jnsangel33 Posts: 49
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    I don't eat back all my exercise calories but if I am really low a spoon full of peanut butter or some almonds bring me right up. And they are yummy.


    FABULOUS SUGGESTION!!!! I have PB here, but am trying to become more fond of Almond Butter. Maybe I will get some more of that and try it out! Thank you!
  • jnsangel33
    jnsangel33 Posts: 49
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    I don't eat back all my exercise calories but if I am really low a spoon full of peanut butter or some almonds bring me right up. And they are yummy.


    FABULOUS SUGGESTION!!!! I have PB here, but am trying to become more fond of Almond Butter. Maybe I will get some more of that and try it out! Thank you!
  • partoliz
    partoliz Posts: 5
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    I need help as well new to this i am only eating 1200 and really hungry still yet i have gained 610 calories from exercise should i eat these or not
  • Luckymam
    Luckymam Posts: 300
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    I really believe in eating only if you are hungry and stopping when you are full. Your body will tell you if you need more food. Some days I eat my exercise calories, but only if I'm actually hungry - never for the sake of it. Somedays I'm way under my calorie goal, some days I'm over, but I have lost weight every week and I think this is because I listen to my body and understand what it needs.
  • Katherine1687
    Katherine1687 Posts: 106 Member
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    I have reset my calorie allowance based on what my Rosemary Conley class leader says.

    My calorie goal is 1600 calories which is my Basal Metabolic rate. This is basically what our body needs to function if we stayed in bed all day. This means my body knows that it is getting enough food and does not go into starvation mode.

    As I do not stay in bed all day my body then burns fat as I go about my day. If I exercise I lose weight quicker. Because I do it this way I never eat my exercise calories. It would defeat the point however if I do exercise it is not a problem if I go a little over my calorie limit.

    There is a BMR calculator on the tools section of MFP so you can work out what your body NEEDS based on age, weight, height and sex.

    Hope that helps a bit

    Luv Kat
  • partoliz
    partoliz Posts: 5
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    thanks kat that helps alot

    thanks
  • fansntt
    fansntt Posts: 19
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    I am not an expert, but I believe that if you eat at least the minimum amount of calories (not the ones added with exercise) you should be fine. As an example, my minimum calories intake is 1.8K a day and the day that do sports if I am not hungry I consume only the 1.8K.

    The most important thing is not to starve, that is the worst. I did that in the past and my metabolism was damaged. I have been taking supplements to keep it going.
  • azgal
    azgal Posts: 4 Member
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    I have been told that to lose weight you have to eat approx 1200 calories a day (depending on your body) and to maintain a current weight you should eat approx 2000 calories a day. The calories you burn when you exercise does not compute to calories burned=calories that need to be eaten.

    You should stick to you daily count and if you are a little hungrier on the days you exercise, try a little snack of protein, but do not eat all the extra calories gained by exercising! You would still lose weight, but much slower.

    There are some articles (Time magazine ran one) saying that exercise was actually bad for you during weight loss. Check out this article called "Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin" -- Whether because exercise makes us hungry or because we want to reward ourselves, many people eat more — and eat more junk food, like doughnuts — after going to the gym.

    Read more: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1914857-4,00.html#ixzz0tJJ8KQ85

    I also tried WW and found that since vegetables were "free" I filled my plate full of them, therefore, never teaching my stomach what it was like to eat smaller portions. When counting calories, my portions are as they should be.

    Good luck with everything!!

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