Confused about Calories - Please HELP!

NinjaMom2013
NinjaMom2013 Posts: 11
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,

I am using MyFitnessPal along with FitBit Flex to track my activitiy and my calories. I have a weight loss goal, as well as a calorie goal set. My calories are set a 1399 per day. That's a 1,000 calorie deficit for weight loss. When I track my workouts and food, my calories remaining are great than 1399. Right now, it's at 1968.Why are my calories remaining, higher than my set goal for calories?

I am so confused about how many calories I should eat to lose weight. I don't know if I"m eating too little or the right amount. I try to stay around 1399, which is the goal that I was able to calculate base on my age, weight, height, activity level.

Thank you.

Replies

  • jadethief
    jadethief Posts: 266 Member
    As you exercise, you gain calories to eat back so that your deficit stays at 1000 calories.
  • WDA4655
    WDA4655 Posts: 91 Member
    I don't go by the higher amount because it tends to make me want to eat more and then I'd think I would have to exercise more and so on and so on. I stick with the set amount of calories, carbs., fat, protein, sodium and sugar.
  • kateauch
    kateauch Posts: 195 Member
    As you exercise, you gain calories to eat back so that your deficit stays at 1000 calories.

    ^^ This
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    1000 calorie deficit per day seems really aggressive. I'd consider half of that, unless you have a TON of weight to lose.. and it doesn't look like you do.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Your goal of 1399 is to lose weight with no exercise, so when you exercise you need to eat more to still only have a 1000 cal deficit, otherwise your deficit will be larger, and that may not be a good thing.

    OP with less than 40lbs to lose you should rethink your deficit, 500 cals/day would be more reasonable (1lb/week)

    Question: Did you pick 1399 as your intake based on another site and input it into MFP or did MFP tell you 1399?
  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
    I agree, MFP has already put your deficit in and then when you burn calories you eat at least some of them back, point is to try to NET your goal. Now if you used highly active for your setting then I wouldn't eat back all your calories as you have already included at least some of those calories in the MFP calculation. So for instance, if you put in you work out moderate 3 days a week but in reality you are working out 5 days a week then you are burning quite a few more calories and should be eating more of them back.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Your goal of 1399 is to lose weight with no exercise, so when you exercise you need to eat more to still only have a 1000 cal deficit, otherwise your deficit will be larger, and that may not be a good thing.

    OP with less than 40lbs to lose you should rethink your deficit, 500 cals/day would be more reasonable (1lb/week)

    this
  • NinjaMom2013
    NinjaMom2013 Posts: 11
    Hi,

    I calculated 1399 and actually put it in myself. I always eat within 50 calories of that, and I think it's wrong. First, I'm starving. Second, I do Insanity every morning, except Sunday because it's a rest day. I do taekwondo several times per week. AND, I have two boys ages 10 and 5 with whom I play outside quite a bit.

    Based on my high level of activity, healthy eating (not just low calories), and watching my intake, I would think that the weight should drop consistently and it's not. I'm not even losing 1 lb. every week. I've stalled/plateaued. I may be messing up my metabolism by eating too few calories. I never re-eat the calories. I am so afraid of overeating that I think I'm undereating.
  • NinjaMom2013
    NinjaMom2013 Posts: 11
    I think you might be right. I should probably rethink this and recalculate it. Thank you.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    Hi,

    I calculated 1399 and actually put it in myself. I always eat within 50 calories of that, and I think it's wrong. First, I'm starving. Second, I do Insanity every morning, except Sunday because it's a rest day. I do taekwondo several times per week. AND, I have two boys ages 10 and 5 with whom I play outside quite a bit.

    Based on my high level of activity, healthy eating (not just low calories), and watching my intake, I would think that the weight should drop consistently and it's not. I'm not even losing 1 lb. every week. I've stalled/plateaued. I may be messing up my metabolism by eating too few calories. I never re-eat the calories. I am so afraid of overeating that I think I'm undereating.

    then eat.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Hi,

    I calculated 1399 and actually put it in myself.

    calculated how?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    Hi,

    I calculated 1399 and actually put it in myself. I always eat within 50 calories of that, and I think it's wrong. First, I'm starving. Second, I do Insanity every morning, except Sunday because it's a rest day. I do taekwondo several times per week. AND, I have two boys ages 10 and 5 with whom I play outside quite a bit.

    Based on my high level of activity, healthy eating (not just low calories), and watching my intake, I would think that the weight should drop consistently and it's not. I'm not even losing 1 lb. every week. I've stalled/plateaued. I may be messing up my metabolism by eating too few calories. I never re-eat the calories. I am so afraid of overeating that I think I'm undereating.

    The base caloric intake for insanity alone is 1800 calories. Add in taekwondo and you should probably be eating 2000+ calories a day. Large caloric deficits = more muscle loss.
  • NinjaMom2013
    NinjaMom2013 Posts: 11
    Hi,

    I calculated my BMR and then used the Harris Benedict formula. I used moderately active. I then deducted 1,000 (probably far too agressive to lose. I read that I could subtract between 500-1,000 for a deficit, not to go under 1200). But this can't be right. As much as I work out, I should be able to eat more and still lose. In fact, with such a low calorie intake, I'm not really losing very much at all.
  • NinjaMom2013
    NinjaMom2013 Posts: 11
    Several friends, who are very fit, keep telling me to eat more. I am so afraid of gaining, when I want to lose, that I find it hard to trust that I should be eating more than it seemed like I was eating when I was putting on weight. That doesn't seem right to me. I wasn't working out as hard. But I am burning far more than I intake. It seems like the weight should come off regardless.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    More calorie deficit isn't better, especially if you do not have a lot of weight to lose. You need fuel. Your body is going to try to hang on to that extra fat because you are creating too much stress on your body with the lack of fuel and the demands of the exercise. Stress releases a hormone called cortisol. Too much cortisol is bad for you and prevents weight loss.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Hi,

    I calculated my BMR and then used the Harris Benedict formula. I used moderately active. I then deducted 1,000 (probably far too agressive to lose. I read that I could subtract between 500-1,000 for a deficit, not to go under 1200). But this can't be right. As much as I work out, I should be able to eat more and still lose. In fact, with such a low calorie intake, I'm not really losing very much at all.

    so add 500 to your current goal, and you get 1900 to lose 1lb per week. simple!
  • NinjaMom2013
    NinjaMom2013 Posts: 11
    It seems like this might be the answer to losing the weight, even though it seems counterintuitive. I'll give it a try. Thanks.
  • NinjaMom2013
    NinjaMom2013 Posts: 11
    I'm going to try 1.900 and hope for the best. I'll be stuffed after eating 1,400 for the past month. Or maybe I just won't be so flippin' hungry. Thanks. It's worth a try. I just wanted to talk it out with people who were having success. I really don't want to pay for Weight Watchers again because I don't think it's necessary. I wasn't that physically active before i started that many years ago. My lifestyle is completely different now. I should be able to do this, if I just get my numbers correct.

    Thanks again to everyone.
  • Dre8604
    Dre8604 Posts: 61 Member
    Bump.
  • salladeve
    salladeve Posts: 1,053 Member
    It is really hard to get your mind around eating more to lose, I know I'm feeling the same way. I am not as active as you and much older but the mind frame is the same. I've been dieting for 3 months and have change my calorie goals at least 4 times! Years of yo yo dieting have done me in, but after everything I read at your age and activity level you should do really well with the higher calories.
    Good luck to you!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    I'm going to try 1.900 and hope for the best. I'll be stuffed after eating 1,400 for the past month. Or maybe I just won't be so flippin' hungry. Thanks. It's worth a try. I just wanted to talk it out with people who were having success. I really don't want to pay for Weight Watchers again because I don't think it's necessary. I wasn't that physically active before i started that many years ago. My lifestyle is completely different now. I should be able to do this, if I just get my numbers correct.

    Thanks again to everyone.

    i am losing bodyfat on NET 1800 cals - i do insanity, so i eat around 2100 on days i workout. it is totally doable!

    just keep of the scles for a few weeks and take pictures to measure progress instead
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    According to the diet guide included with Insanity the lowest level of caloric intake is 1700. I would go with that as a bare minimum, but since you did the TDEE method and got 2399, I would suggest subtracting 20% from that to get 1919, which is probably better than going with the 1700.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    I'm going to try 1.900 and hope for the best. I'll be stuffed after eating 1,400 for the past month.

    You don't have to eat more food to get more calories. Just tossing that out there.

    The difference is only 500 calories at this point. 1/4 cup (or 30g) of almonds is 190 calories already almost half of what you need. So, a handful of almonds twice a day. That's all you'd have to add.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    I'm going to try 1.900 and hope for the best. I'll be stuffed after eating 1,400 for the past month.

    You don't have to eat more food to get more calories. Just tossing that out there.

    The difference is only 500 calories at this point. 1/4 cup (or 30g) of almonds is 190 calories already almost half of what you need. So, a handful of almonds twice a day. That's all you'd have to add.

    Or you can also add cheese on top of foods or even an egg (love me some red meat with a fried egg on it). Or when cooking meats, cook them in olive oil. And if all else fails, just go to town on a peanut butter jar or some ice creams.
  • shadowfax12
    shadowfax12 Posts: 1
    You probably weren't losing weight because your body was going into starvation mode which occurs when you net around 1200 or less calories a day. I don't even know how that's possible. Mine is set to 1580, but because i burn about 500 in exercise a day it's really a little over 2000 -500 for exercise which brings me back to my goal.

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