So I need to know how to Balance Calories

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LensCap
LensCap Posts: 20 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Most days I sit behind a desk, with a 50 minute walk at night. i'm loosing weight. I was set up to eat approx. 1750 calories a day. most days I have 200 or so Calories left....I'm loosing weight. My problem comes in on the weekends. Today I was active and burned 800 calories bringing my total to 2550. I have only eaten1600 calories. Here is the question, how many of the "burned" calories should be eaten? Is there some ratio to stay within so when I'm active, the body doesn't think it is being starved? Then if calories need to be eaten what should they be? Protein?

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  • RichardFL
    RichardFL Posts: 44
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    A lot of people eat all of their exercise calories back, a lot eat half, and a lot don't eat any of their exercise calories back. What is right for you is a personal choice, but MFP assumes you'll eat them all back. If you don't, you'll lose weight faster.

    Before and after an intense workout (where you push your muscles, not just sweating) you should eat protein. You can eat that protein with your exercise calories or however else you want. If you're working on stamina, you want complex carbohydrates.

    You're not going to make your body think it is starving by not eating exercise calories back. Just always eat above your BMR and your body won't think it's starving as long as you still have fat to lose.

    If you choose to eat your exercise calories, eat anything you want. Your base calories should have covered your nutritional needs. So if you want to reward yourself with cake or a cookie from your exercise calories, have at it. Junk food in moderation is fine, it's just a problem when you go way past that.
  • LensCap
    LensCap Posts: 20 Member
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    Thank you!
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
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    You may lose weight faster at first by not eating your burned calories...but it isn't healthy. You need more nutrition than that...or your metabolism can slow---- making it harder to lose. Your body can also start using muscle instead of fat..and you don't want that. (The dreaded starvation mode...it can happen. Certainly not immediately, but under eating has consequences) Eat at the levels MFP set for you, and do eat all or most of your burn....but be sure your burn is accurate. MFP is notorious for giving high numbers for exercise. Figure on less...or get a HRM. You can do this!
  • MsWallwoman
    MsWallwoman Posts: 161
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    It boils down to personal preference.. I don't "eat back" my calories.
    I do recommend checking on an online calorie calculator to make sure your calorie settings are the best they can be. I also recommend using a heart rate monitor for activities above daily activity for better accuracy as well.
    It isn't an exact science, so find what works and tweak things when needed.

    Good luck with your journey.
  • LensCap
    LensCap Posts: 20 Member
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    Thanks, I understand the slowing of metabolism (my concern)....In business I use a lot of abbreviations....what is HRM?
  • LensCap
    LensCap Posts: 20 Member
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    It boils down to personal preference.. I don't "eat back" my calories.
    I do recommend checking on an online calorie calculator to make sure your calorie settings are the best they can be. I also recommend using a heart rate monitor for activities above daily activity for better accuracy as well.
    It isn't an exact science, so find what works and tweak things when needed.

    Good luck with your journey.

    Thank you for your response...I will keep close watch on my progress
  • ChristineinMA
    ChristineinMA Posts: 312 Member
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    HRM = heart rate monitor

    One thing no one has commented on is - are you hungry eating at that level? If I am hungry, I "eat back" my exercise calories.

    In those unbearably hot summer days when I didn't feel like cooking or eating, I just left them. It's good to tune in to what your body is telling you, not just your brain.
  • LensCap
    LensCap Posts: 20 Member
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    Christina, thanks for the post, got it Heart Rate Monitor. For the last.2 1/2 months I have not been hungry...there have been a few days recently were I wanted to eat more (didn't) but nit really hunger pains. I guess I need to watch for when the weight loss slows or stops, and make an adjustment.
    HRM = heart rate monitor

    One thing no one has commented on is - are you hungry eating at that level? If I am hungry, I "eat back" my exercise calories.

    In those unbearably hot summer days when I didn't feel like cooking or eating, I just left them. It's good to tune in to what your body is telling you, not just your brain.
  • RichardFL
    RichardFL Posts: 44
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    If you're hungry while running a large calorie deficit (even if not "hunger pains") I strongly recommend eating more. Once your body has adjusted (a few weeks at most), you should not be hungry, you should not have muscle pain for more than an hour or two after your normal exercise routine, you should not constantly feel tired, etc.

    If you're really worried about starvation mode, look out for the corresponding symptoms. Your hair and finger nails will grow far slower if your body thinks it is starving since your body decreases excretion, and your hair may even fall out. Your muscles will ache from activities you previously did with no aches whatsoever as your muscles are catabolizing. Your extremities will get cold even when you feel hot as your body reduces the non-essential blow flow to your extremities, and your fingers and toes may often be more blue due to lack of circulation. You will also feel very lethargic all the time. You'd probably see every single one of those symptoms if your body actually entered starvation mode. But any single symptom mentioned above is worth seeing a doctor about, as you shouldn't have any of those without a really good explanation (having the flu is a good explanation for feeling lethargic, as an example).

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