Calorie/exercise help!

jilljill2891
jilljill2891 Posts: 2
edited September 21 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone, I'm just wondering if someone can help;

I'm supposed to be eating 1200 calories a day which I am fine with if I don't exercise BUT as I exercise regularly this allows me to eat extra calories. I'm finding this very hard to do, I physically can't eat anymore! So I am constantly anywhere between 200-500 calories under every day.

Am I supposed to be eating the whole 1200 AND the extra I 'earn' through exercise? What is likely to happen if I don't?

Help!!!

Replies

  • ghostlystate1980
    ghostlystate1980 Posts: 27
    Yes, as you exercise you can eat more food, your body needs it. On this website you can put in the exercise you do each day as well as the calories you eat, this will tell you how much you can eat a day. You can also set up your preferences to help with your loss because you enter how much you want to lose a week, if you are active or not.

    You could cause your body to stop losing and go into starvation mode if you are not getting enough calories, also, your body will take the energy from the muscle and then from the fat, this is NOT a healthy way to lose weight. If you find you cannot eat anymore, try making a fruit smoothie if you really cannot eat anymore, see your doctor, and also, what are you eating that is making you so full?
  • StacLegg
    StacLegg Posts: 346 Member
    I eat my 1200 hundred calories but not my exercise calories, otherwise I feel like I would be defeating the purpose!! So far I have had good success with not eating all my calories! tomorrow is wk 2 weigh in, we will see!!! =)
  • JacqueBackhus
    JacqueBackhus Posts: 13
    I too am usually way under my calories once I exercise. I tend to think that as of now there is NO way my body could go into starvation mode with the weight that I still need to lose. However, I would hate for my body to burn muscle instead of fat, UGH! I'm with you, I think it defeats the purpose to exercise and then eat that much more. ???????
  • cuddlegrl
    cuddlegrl Posts: 101 Member
    I had a similar question and I'll try to help:

    This website calculates a 500 calorie deficit for weight loss. If you only eat 1200 and do not exercise you will burn through those 1200. If you exercise and burn say 400 calories now your -400 calories for the day. Your body then feeds off your muscle and not fat. I only log my high calorie burning days. If I only walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes I am not logging it. When I interval walk and jog or on my days with the personal trainer I am now logging those and eating the extra calories.

    If you dont it makes weight loss a TON harder. I know. That was how I was functioning. In 7 months I only lost 12 pounds. I ate "right", worked out with a trainer once (sometimes twice) a week, went to the gym 3 more times on my own, hike, kayak, and play tennis. But I couldnt lose weight. My body was keeping everything I ate not knowing when it would get more. I struggle to eat enough too. I have been this way for YEARS. 1200 is even hard for me most days. I have found protein bars have all the good stuff they say we need plus an extra few calories. It also helps me to spread the food out throughout the day instead of just 3 meals.

    Good luck! I know your struggle to eat enough calories in the day. I promise as you move forward you'll be able to eat more. Especially once your body recognizes the exercise and starts to respond, you'll get hungrier.
  • neclar
    neclar Posts: 75 Member
    well, weight loss at it's basic is calories in vs. calories burned. so if your are burning more than you take in your going to lose faster. keep in mind that eating a greek yogurt after exercise, for example, will help you stregnthen our muscles and speed recovery from the exercise. and your body DOES need the extra fuel when you work-out.

    i am usually at about 400-500 calories in the tank on days that i exercise alot. it just gets the weight off a little faster in my case but i probably weigh more than you also. so, everyone is different but i've not had any down side, per say, to eating less than my goal.

    hope this helps. and good luck on your goal :tongue:
  • amwj313
    amwj313 Posts: 11 Member
    At the very least you should be eating your 1200 calories because (as someone also said) if you don't eat enough your body will adjust, and go into starvation mode. I don't think it's a big deal that you are not also eating your "extra" calories earned through exercise since you aren't feeling hunger. But if the point comes where you do feel weak, or hungry, then it's certainly ok to eat them. Let your body be your guide on that.
  • Skinnytime
    Skinnytime Posts: 279
    Again, eat the 1,200 but only eat the extra if you are very hungry. I believe that it is very hard to accurately calculate exactly how many calories you consume. It is also very hard to accurately calculate how many calories you have burned in exercise. There are averages, but a 40 year old woman does not burn the same number of calories as a 20 year old woman. I think it makes more sense to just eat your base calories.
  • misspenny762
    misspenny762 Posts: 279 Member
    I tend to stick to my 1,200 calories, but I have found that occasionally eating my exercise calories hasn't slowed down my weight loss one bit :]
  • jlcanon
    jlcanon Posts: 21
    I stick to my 1200 calorie allowance. I don't eat the added calories. As long as I eat the 1200 whatever is left is in a deficit so it will be that much more of a loss at the end of the week.
  • RachM
    RachM Posts: 113 Member
    So, I might sound like a broken record, but should I be eating my exercise calories? Generally I go to the gym and burn 300 calories while running, and I stick to eating my 1200 a day. I dont want to slow down my weight loss, but I also dont want my body to eat the muscle I am building! Thanks! :)
  • finkydozens
    finkydozens Posts: 1
    how could you not eat all your calories? While the rest of us always go over the amount of calories. 1200 is really not that many. What are you eating?????
  • lethwin
    lethwin Posts: 18 Member
    I usually eat about half my excercise calories. I figure since the calories burned from excercise is not that precise, I'll meet it halfway and eat half of them. That way I dont worry about going over for the day but still try to keep on track with the number of calories I need to consume to give my body enough to keep going and not let the metabolism slow down. I'm only on week 2 so I will adjust as neccesary as the weeks progress.
  • chanstriste13
    chanstriste13 Posts: 3,277 Member
    agreed, lethwin - i typically eat about half of my excercise calories too. seems to work for me.
  • ginotti
    ginotti Posts: 4
    have been counting my calories for a week now i also am finding it hard to eat 1200 a day i am usually 200 to 300 below .and on the 2 days i had time to exercise i had those calories has well.have lost 7 lbs this week which i think is too much,i need to buy some think healthy to eat but with 200 calories to make up my deficit any ideas any one please
  • misspenny762
    misspenny762 Posts: 279 Member
    how could you not eat all your calories? While the rest of us always go over the amount of calories. 1200 is really not that many. What are you eating?????

    You'd be surprised... If you're careful about what you eat, 1200 can easily fill you right up to the point that you can't eat anymore. Myself, I've eaten about 750 today and could easily be done but since that's way too few I'm gonna have to figure out something to snack on.
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,253 Member
    I eat most of my exercise calories. I try to leave a deficit of 50-100. There are days when it is more but if there is like 300 I definitly eat something. I will have a few small yogurts or a PB sandwich if I have extra. I am too worried to go below and defeat the purpose of eating healthy and losing weight properly.

    So far it is working I have lost 9.1lbs in 30 day :)
  • jilljill2891
    jilljill2891 Posts: 2
    wow thanks everyone this has helped. I think I will try not to have a deficit of too much as I don't want to undo all the good work I have done!

    When I saw I was only allowed 1200 calories in one day I was like WAAAHHHHH how will I ever do that, but it's much easier than I thought! I still allow myself some treats too, I couldn't live without something sweet.

    I've tried for ages to shift my last 7lb but they're soooo stubborn!!! Really trying hard this time. Fingers crossed!
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