rest days and calorie intake

kkdelduca
kkdelduca Posts: 73
in Health and Weight Loss
So according to MFP my calories are set to 1270, and I meet this goal everyday except on my rest days I usually go over. I feel like I'm starving. During my work out days I usually eat 1270-1600 and am completely fine. I even have extra calories left over. Like today I had 1900. IF I had planned out my meals today I probably would have been satisfied with around 1500-1600. But I was planning for 1270, and felt like Iwas starving by the end of the day.
Am I taking steps backwards with my weight loss by going over? I feel like the number is really low for me on rest days. Exercise seems to help supress my appetite on other days. Or is this completely normal and I'm just not used to eating like this yet?
I feel like Ive ruined my weeks work on my rest days.
I'm 5'6" 230lbs and have been doing this about a month so Im still a little new.
Does anyone else have this issue?

Replies

  • besaro
    besaro Posts: 1,858 Member
    if you are starving eat something. try eating something with protein. But a snack that has even 300 calories won't ruin all your hard work, I promise.
  • jdallas69
    jdallas69 Posts: 30 Member
    Protein shake
  • OspreyVista
    OspreyVista Posts: 464 Member
    If your genuinely hungry then your body is trying to tell you that you are not getting the nutrition that you need. It means that you are eating too little food to fuel your body. As you are taller than I am and weigh more, I would assume your eating below your BMR at 1270 which generally is unhealthy. In my opinion and from what I've learned, it's best to eat above your BMR. Every time I have tried to go below that I've felt like crap, and felt like I was starving. I would also end up in a place where my body would not let go of the weight. I am 5'5" and weigh 134 lbs and my bmr is about 1370, and I plan for 1400 + most of my exercise calories back. It works for me. I'm very rarely hungry from eating to little, and I feel fantastic. So my opinion, eat more than 1270 calories a day. Look up your Bmr and eat above that.
  • jramaral
    jramaral Posts: 13 Member
    Eat more food on your rest day. It seems that you are eating a low amount of calories to start with. When you exercise you are allowed to eat the calories you burn off but from the get go at your weight I would assume that to lose weight at a good pace you can eat more than 1270. If you try to change your calorie intake in the future you're going to go to a really really low level because of the stress of eating at 1270 for your metabolism. Just my thoughts.

    Bump what Osprey said. Recheck your goals (see if your weight loss goals are realistic) and calculate your BMR.
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    This is why I don't eat exercise calories, but instead eat TDEE - 20%.... that way I eat the same every day and if I burn more and end up eating more they are there as a buffer, but not as an always....

    Maybe try that?
  • kkdelduca
    kkdelduca Posts: 73
    So I found one of those calculators and my bmr is about 2100. But I thought in order to lose weight you have to eat below this? My goals on MFP is to lose 2lbs a week so its set at 1270. Is it maybe okay to go over on rest days if Im under on the other days? Idk if it's okay to gain weight on one day and lose on another. I dont want to hinder my weight loss process.
  • kkdelduca
    kkdelduca Posts: 73
    What is TDEE?
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    What is TDEE?

    BMR is basal metabolic rate - what your body burns without trying eg when you're in a coma. TDEE is total daily energy expenditure, so what you burn in a normal day.

    You have to eat over your BMR to be healthy: you have to eat under your TDEE to lose weight :)

    http://thefitgirls.com/tdee-calculator.aspx

    I like the above calculator because it has TDEE and BMR on one page.
  • kkdelduca
    kkdelduca Posts: 73
    This just sounds crazy. I thought doctors and people tell you to go on 1200-1500 cals to lose weight.

    2qiztc4.jpg
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    This just sounds crazy. I thought doctors and people tell you to go on 1200-1500 cals to lose weight.

    I know, right? It's terrifying to begin with - but it works.

    You should be eating at least that BMR - to start with it seems like you'll never manage it, but throw out your low fat stuff, and top it up with things like avocado, peanut butter etc. I eat 1800 cals myself and I'm 5 foot 9 and about 190 lb.... It's real, hon! GFive it a go for a few weeks and see what happens - but don't immediately start eating heaps more, ease up an extra hundred cal at a time xx

    You could get away with eating up to about 2300 cals, but i'd start with targeting the BMR number and working up from there
  • crystalc27
    crystalc27 Posts: 51 Member
    my daily calorie goal is 1200, and when i exercise i get more calories to eat which
    makes me happy. I'm 5'4 and currently at 171lbz, I was at 186. Im losing just fine with the tools fp is giving me
  • kkdelduca
    kkdelduca Posts: 73
    Well Thank you guys! Definitely some very helpful info.
  • crystalc27
    crystalc27 Posts: 51 Member
    Depending on your fitness level u may need more or less calories, the more active u r the more calories u will n eed
  • Velum_cado
    Velum_cado Posts: 1,608 Member
    I'm wondering why MFP set your calories so low. I weigh 230 lbs and I'm 5' 7" and my daily calories come out at 1580.
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    I'm wondering why MFP set your calories so low. I weigh 230 lbs and I'm 5' 7" and my daily calories come out at 1580.
    '

    because mfp expects you to exercise and eat back those cals x
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
    Carb & Protein are your friend. Both will fill you up. Just pick the right items though.
  • kkdelduca
    kkdelduca Posts: 73
    Idk I set it to lose 2 lbs a week. I entered that I exercise at least 5 times a week. I do eat some cals back. But obviously not on rest days. And thats where I have trouble
  • WalkingMermaid_
    WalkingMermaid_ Posts: 205 Member
    You're eating far too few calories in my opinion. I am just under 5'7 and started at 231 lbs. I used TDEE - 20% and ate 1950 calories a day (not including exercise calories) and I sustained a 2-3 lbs loss per week for a month. I'm now at 1750 calories a day and still losing consistently. You should either set your MFP setting to a 1 lb loss a week, or use the TDEE - 20% method...
  • Darius66
    Darius66 Posts: 62 Member
    So wait... MFP has me set at 1820 calories net but my BMR is 2,358... Am I doing something wrong by staying under 1820?
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    So wait... MFP has me set at 1820 calories net but my BMR is 2,358... Am I doing something wrong by staying under 1820?

    Not wrong, per se, but probably not sustainable long term, according to what I've been told.
  • Darius66
    Darius66 Posts: 62 Member
    So wait... MFP has me set at 1820 calories net but my BMR is 2,358... Am I doing something wrong by staying under 1820?

    Not wrong, per se, but probably not sustainable long term, according to what I've been told.

    Been going about 3-4 months now. I sometimes feel like I need more but generally when I work out I feel fine on little food. My TDEE is 3,655 and my BMR is 2,358. Should I up my calorie intake? Just seems hard to do while keeping in my macros
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    So wait... MFP has me set at 1820 calories net but my BMR is 2,358... Am I doing something wrong by staying under 1820?

    Not wrong, per se, but probably not sustainable long term, according to what I've been told.

    Been going about 3-4 months now. I sometimes feel like I need more but generally when I work out I feel fine on little food. My TDEE is 3,655 and my BMR is 2,358. Should I up my calorie intake? Just seems hard to do while keeping in my macros

    IMO, yes you should. Your macros are a percentage so will go up. I'd go up 100 cals every couple days until you're eating 2400
  • Darius66
    Darius66 Posts: 62 Member
    So wait... MFP has me set at 1820 calories net but my BMR is 2,358... Am I doing something wrong by staying under 1820?

    Not wrong, per se, but probably not sustainable long term, according to what I've been told.

    Been going about 3-4 months now. I sometimes feel like I need more but generally when I work out I feel fine on little food. My TDEE is 3,655 and my BMR is 2,358. Should I up my calorie intake? Just seems hard to do while keeping in my macros

    IMO, yes you should. Your macros are a percentage so will go up. I'd go up 100 cals every couple days until you're eating 2400

    Thanks... It always amazes me how much I still have to learn about this stuff!
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    So wait... MFP has me set at 1820 calories net but my BMR is 2,358... Am I doing something wrong by staying under 1820?

    Not wrong, per se, but probably not sustainable long term, according to what I've been told.

    Been going about 3-4 months now. I sometimes feel like I need more but generally when I work out I feel fine on little food. My TDEE is 3,655 and my BMR is 2,358. Should I up my calorie intake? Just seems hard to do while keeping in my macros

    IMO, yes you should. Your macros are a percentage so will go up. I'd go up 100 cals every couple days until you're eating 2400

    Thanks... It always amazes me how much I still have to learn about this stuff!

    Should have seen me freak out when I started haha. I'm doin' okay though :) I love that I don't get hungry doing this this way!

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