Help me understand something please

WarmDontBurn
WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,253 Member
edited September 21 in Health and Weight Loss
I know the rule not to go under 1200 calories. That is what my daily allowance is and if I add exercise I am usually under my calories so basically I am going under. Should I make up every last calorie or is it ok because I am still technically eating my calories just burning some? If that makes sense..lol.

ETA:
Here is the stats

Day 1- remaining 85
Day 2 - remaining 76 ( that includes 121 extra calories from exercise)
Day 3 - remaining 70 ( includes 161 extra from exercise)
Day 4 - remaining 10 (includes 241 extra from exercise)
Day 5 - remaining 378 (includes 252 extra from exercise)
today was high because I skipped lunch, not intended but was just so super busy.

Weight on Day 1 was 157 and today Day 5 was 155.6

Replies

  • Scncartist
    Scncartist Posts: 173
    You don't have to eat EVERY SINGLE CALORIE, but you do need to eat as closeish as you can get. You need to eat your 1200 plus the calories you burnt with exercise.

    For example: if you walk and burn 300 calories you should eat 1500 for that day. Your body needs those calories.

    I haven't gone over since I've started watching my calories, but I will say there are days that I've got under 50 left and others that I've got over 300 left. But I do strive to eat over 1200 and to keep it as close to my goals as possible.
  • gibbsgirl
    gibbsgirl Posts: 72 Member
    Actually, that all looks really good, except for the last day. I usually try to stay within 100 calories either over or under. Good job on the weight loss!
  • reneep07
    reneep07 Posts: 6 Member
    I am not completely sure about this but I don't think that you should count your calories burned from exercise into you eating. The goal is to eat 1200 calories and then burn off X amount of calories in your workout to meet your weekly goal. If you eat the calories you burned then your expected pounds lost will go down. Hope that makes sense.
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,253 Member
    Thanks. I try to eat back my calories but it doesn't always happen and I am wondering if that is detrimental to my health. I want to do it right but I like to save the bulk of my calories for the evening and then I usually have leftovers. I guess my question is if my goal is 1200 and I execise 300 for a total of 1500 and the end of the day I only "eat" 1404 is that going to be ok? I am stuck on this 1200...lol. I don't want to get below and do damage but if I am exercising and eat my burnt calories ( most of them) then I will be ok...right?
  • Scncartist
    Scncartist Posts: 173
    You're totally going to be ok being close but not quite. The people who get sick are those that are eating hundreds below their required amount and do so for good lengths of time! :-) Just make sure you eat when you are hungry. :-)
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,253 Member
    Thanks so much :) I feel better about it now. I keep reading all these posts about 1200 calories and got worried.
  • riveraphx
    riveraphx Posts: 380 Member
    I would eat based on how you are feeling. If you you're not hungry, don't eat and if you are hungry, eat. Just make sure not to exceed your calorie allowance + calories burned if you want to continue to steadily lose weight.
  • ml8801
    ml8801 Posts: 5
    Yes, you'll be okay. You want to eat those calories that you burned, and it's okay if you're a little under. I'm like the woman above who said she is okay with 100 below or over - I follow that, too. It's a safe amount. But you definitely want to eat what you burned. Calories are fuel for your body, so if you burn them, you need to replace them (within the range of your set amount). I had that exact same question recently and that's what I was told and I've since read several other people explain it the same way.
  • Eava57
    Eava57 Posts: 1,297 Member
    Just read your posts...you need to be aware that if you don't eat enough calories your body's metabolism will go into "Starvation Mode". It will hold onto every little morsel and your weight loss will be less. As long as you are losing you are doing okay. If you stop losing weight you may not be taking in enough calories. Hope that makes sense. :flowerforyou:
  • Stewie316
    Stewie316 Posts: 266 Member
    I don't think being a little under is going to hurt. Everyone is different and 1200 calories doesn't apply to everyone. Eating a little under 1200 is not going to make you plateau. Also, eating all of your exercise calories will cause you to have a net calorie intake of more than your goal.

    When you exercise, you're substituting one activity for another. For example, you can burn 100 calories sitting watching tv or 500 calories exercising. Since this website already determines how many calories you burn in a day, the 100 calories for watching tv is already included in your calculation. So only adding 400 calories for exercise would be more accurate. If your goal is 1200, adding the whole 500 exercise calories (instead of 400), would make your goal 1300.

    I hope that makes sense.
  • kspeach
    kspeach Posts: 179 Member
    I am not completely sure about this but I don't think that you should count your calories burned from exercise into you eating. The goal is to eat 1200 calories and then burn off X amount of calories in your workout to meet your weekly goal. If you eat the calories you burned then your expected pounds lost will go down. Hope that makes sense.

    Actually talked to my doctor about this today. I shouldn't go below 1000-1200 calories, plus I should eat the amount of calories I burn. So, if my main is 1200, and I burn 500, I have a total of 1700 calories to eat today. Much less than 1200-1000 calories will send many/most people into starvation mode if not careful.

    Good luck! :)
  • iambrandice
    iambrandice Posts: 157 Member
    This makes some sense, because MFP can't tell us to eat less that 1200 calories. But then again it is confusing, because I seem to lose no weight when I do not work out but eat 1200, and when I work out and eat my food calories I lose some weight.
  • jodipeyton
    jodipeyton Posts: 4
    I agree with alot of what people said and make sure you are taking a really good multivitamin each day.
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