General Diet question

justdoit2322
justdoit2322 Posts: 32 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
MFP has me on a 1200 calorie diet, my goals are to get to 120ish lbs by christmas for family affairs and myself of course. I have a few questions.... Should I be eating back my workout calories or just eat to 1200 calories.. I've heard that in order to lose weight you have to burn more than you consume, is this true? I do a lot of activity throughout the day (currently doing workout classes almost every day, Jillian Michaels 30DS and walking dog daily, some times I go to the gym to do a cardio machine..
I just do not know if I am eating properly.. I have been measuring food and logging religiously I am just a little confused. Help?

Replies

  • mtnhiker1
    mtnhiker1 Posts: 114 Member
    MFP calculates for one to eat back work out calories. Having said that - I personally do not eat back work out calories. In fact I do not log work out calories. This seems to work for me, but I am not doing 1000 calorie work outs. I do occasional 400 to 600 calorie work outs (maybe once a week, and walk 3 miles every other day). I have lost ~ 4 lbs per week since I started, but I did start at 271.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    I like to use this analogy alot: A car needs gas to go, and so does your body. Eat your exercise calories. MFP already works the deficit out for you, so eat the calories. You and your body will be much happier, I promise.
  • nikkip1982
    nikkip1982 Posts: 18 Member
    MFP has me on a 1200 calorie diet, my goals are to get to 120ish lbs by christmas for family affairs and myself of course. I have a few questions.... Should I be eating back my workout calories or just eat to 1200 calories.. I've heard that in order to lose weight you have to burn more than you consume, is this true? I do a lot of activity throughout the day (currently doing workout classes almost every day, Jillian Michaels 30DS and walking dog daily, some times I go to the gym to do a cardio machine..
    I just do not know if I am eating properly.. I have been measuring food and logging religiously I am just a little confused. Help?
    eat 1200 cal/day only and do your work outs...see how hard it will be to lose weight. this is what I did. I was eating 1250 cal/day and burning about 500 cal 3x/week and the weight stayed right where it was. I started eating 1700 cal/day and not changing my work outs, and started to lose about 1lb a week. Your the numbers are different for each person, as well. I would eat 1200/day if you are not moving at all. Up that if you are moving (as MFP will lay out for you).
  • alanlmarshall
    alanlmarshall Posts: 587 Member
    How tall are you? How old are you? How much do you weigh? (You are female, I assume.) The answer to your question will depend on these factors. 1200 calories is too few for most other than short, older females.

    An easier way to estimate is 12xbody weight in calories per day, no eating exercise calories back in this method. No matter how you estimate you need to track your progress and eat less if you don't lose and a bit more if you lose too fast. There is no exact way to know your calorie needs, you will need to test it out for awhile.

    And yes, you must burn more than you consume. The trick is learning to know what you are burning and what you are eating. MFP or any other method is only a starting place. Adjust gradually, in 50 calorie a day increments. Be patient, it takes a few weeks with natural weight fluctuations to know what effect a given caloric intake is having.

    Get a digital food scale and read this:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think?hl=more+than+you+think

    Best wishes :smile:
  • nicola1141
    nicola1141 Posts: 613 Member
    I've always eaten my exercise calories back and it has always worked. If you're working out that much, and only eating 1200 calories per day you will not be giving your body enough fuel. Eat them back.
  • justdoit2322
    justdoit2322 Posts: 32 Member
    "How tall are you? How old are you? How much do you weigh? "

    I am 5'1 and 19 years old i weigh 140ish
  • alanlmarshall
    alanlmarshall Posts: 587 Member
    "How tall are you? How old are you? How much do you weigh? "

    I am 5'1 and 19 years old i weigh 140ish

    Try 1700 calories a day for 2 weeks, *no* eating calories back, and track your weight and measurements. You should not expect to lose more than a pound a week. If you don't lose, go to 1650 for two weeks, repeat until you are losing 1/2 to a pound a week. Be sure you weigh everything with a digital food scale.

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