Maybe strange question

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XstitchCarina
XstitchCarina Posts: 55 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Just thought of this before going to bed. But I have been doing lots of cross trainer exercise (eliptical) for now 2 weeks. With all the moving I am doing I expected to lose more weight quickly, eventhough I know I shouldn't lose it too quickly though.

But without exercise it says I am allowed 1480 calories, I assume that is what I should eat, if I don't want to lose weight, but of course I do. My average of "winning" calories per day is between 500 and 800 every day, with doing the cross trainer and cycling places, like schoolrun or some shopping and twice a week I do Nordic Walking.

So, to lose weight, do I still have to stay under that 1480 calories. Or is it okay to go over it. I don't go over it much, most I have had is about 1550 calories I think. But sometimes I go over a bit, also with protein or fat.

Like today, I had a 200 calorie breakfast, 500 calories lunch and 700 something calorie dinner, no snacks, so just stayed under the 1480. I had already done half an hour of cross trainer and I cycled a couple of times. But because I knew I had chips and chicken for dinner, which of course is quite fatty, I decided to do another 20 minutes of cross trainer a couple of hours ago. Does that really help that I do that, or is it a waste of time.

Sorry for it being such a long dreaded question, but it's been bothering me in my mind, if I am doing things right or not. I know I don't drink enough water, I really want to, but I keep forgetting.

Hope someone can help me shed some light on this. Thanks.

Replies

  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    If you input a weight loss/week goal, the calories listed are the target calories to lose the weight. Exercise calories in addition to your daily estimate should be eaten back. This is assuming you're using MFP settings, rather than inputting your own targets.

    Edit: just check this out: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • chad23jl
    chad23jl Posts: 54 Member
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    The 1480 is what MFP calculated for you in order to meet your weight loss goal per week. So, if you set it up to lose 2lbs a week and you eat 1480 calories a day and no more....in theory, that should give you a 2lb lose. Of course thats just in theory.
  • XstitchCarina
    XstitchCarina Posts: 55 Member
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    I don't really understand what jwdieter is saying. I have to eat the 1000 calories that I am earning????

    I had my goal set to exercising 7 times a week half an hour a day, with that I mean the cross trainer. I haven't calculated in the cycling and walking I do. I had set it to losing 1 lbs a week, but I am used to kg's, so I am not sure if that is the right amount.

    And chad23jl, so I won't lose more, because I gained those calories, but didn't use them?
  • kaned_ferret
    kaned_ferret Posts: 618 Member
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    Do you use a HRM to measure calories burned when exercising? It can make a real difference to the amount you actually "earn" extra on top of your allowance - I found my burn to be a lot lower on my cross trainer than mfp estimates when I got my HRM on to do the business :) On average, a 20 minute session might earn me 200 calories depending on how hard I go :)

    If you don't have a HRM, I found that Azdak on this site has a good formula which is pretty accurate for calculating elliptical calorie burns :smile:
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    Basically it's just a fundamental understanding of everything issue, which is why I linked the very helpful guide that should explain clearly everything you want to know :)
  • XstitchCarina
    XstitchCarina Posts: 55 Member
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    Do you use a HRM to measure calories burned when exercising? It can make a real difference to the amount you actually "earn" extra on top of your allowance - I found my burn to be a lot lower on my cross trainer than mfp estimates when I got my HRM on to do the business :) On average, a 20 minute session might earn me 200 calories depending on how hard I go :)

    If you don't have a HRM, I found that Azdak on this site has a good formula which is pretty accurate for calculating elliptical calorie burns :smile:

    What is a HRM? Heart Rate Monitor?? I know the counting on my cross trainer isn't right. When i first started using it, it told me, that I burned like 10 calories in 10 minutes of training. So I know that wasn't right. But I use Runtastic. So I fill in there, how many minutes I have trained, how many km's I have used it and then it tells me how many calories I have burned.
  • XstitchCarina
    XstitchCarina Posts: 55 Member
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    Basically it's just a fundamental understanding of everything issue, which is why I linked the very helpful guide that should explain clearly everything you want to know :)

    I read a bit through it already, but it is kinda late, should be in bed, lol. But will get back to that tomorrow. Thanks.
  • emeraldvssilver
    emeraldvssilver Posts: 23 Member
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    Your daily limit of 1480 cals is what you need to eat in order to lose weight because MFP has already calculated the deficit.

    For example
    In order to stay at your weight you need to be eating the estimated daily amount which (last time I checked) was around 2000 calories. Which is enough for your body to 'work' throughout the day and night since being alive burns so many calories a day.

    But you want to lose weight
    So MFP has calculated that you need to eat 1480 calories per day (with a deficit of just over 500) in order to lose your weekly estimated amount, which is usually 1.5-2 lbs.

    I hope you can understand that. I've tried not to get too technical.

    As for your exercise,. This is a question that is debated about at length because it's all to do with eating back the calories that you burn. Some people say YES and some people say NO.

    But look at it this way (I'm going to round it up so its simpler to understand)

    You eat 1400 calories in a day
    1400
    Your exercise burns off 500 calories
    1400-500 = 900
    So your body is now running off only 900 calories which is a lot less than your body needs to survive and could cause your body to go into starvation mode (you want to avoid this because your body will start storing fat)

    Eating back those 500 calories means bringing your calorie intake back up to 1500 which is a good amount for a healthy weight loss. Since the deficit (500 calories) has already been calculated by MFP you will still lose weight even after eating back the burnt calories.

    I personally, eat back about half of my burnt calories just for a bit of leeway with things I might not have added (like oil or butter) or things I misjudged the portions of. But to make your own decision I would suggest looking through the forums and reading the arguments.
  • LVCeltGirl
    LVCeltGirl Posts: 473
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    I'll answer from what I've learned on my journey which hasn't been long. In using MFP, I allowed it to set my daily calories based on what I thought I'd do and those calories are closer to what I should be within to stay the weight I wish to be.

    I do know from what I was doing Weight Watchers that for my body, I had to go over my points total more than most or I'd not drop the weight because my body thought I was starving it. I approach MFP and logging my meals in daily the same way, I have to go over my calories by a little bit more often than not. It does help that MFP "yells" at me (I use my smart phone more often than not and it always reminds me when I'm not eating enough calories which I joke that it's yelling at me) when I don't eat enough.

    How much do you want to lose weekly? Also are you doing any kind of weight training (to tone muscles and cause your body to burn more fat while resting, something I learned from a nutritionist)? Knowing how much you want to lose weekly helps you determine if you're on track. 1 to 2 pounds weekly is a good, steady weight loss if you have a lot of weight to lose like I do. You have to play with your intake and find out what works best for your body. So example, if you're "earning back" 500 calories daily with exercise, then see what your week is if you go over your calorie goal by say 100 calories daily. You can do the deficit to see what that week is, so under calories by a bit still doing exercise. You should also try to log your water and make sure you're getting the goal of what you want in daily (the old standard of 8 cups or 8 - 8oz glasses daily is a good start, but there's a new way of thinking for how much water you should drink daily) and see how getting your water in affects the weight loss.

    I might suggest if it's possible, switch your meals, make Breakfast the heavy calorie meal and dinner the light calorie meal. Also, find a way to get your water in (and it really does have to be water, just replenishing liquid doesn't work as well). If you're dehydrated, your body is going to retain water and you'll weigh more. I'm pretty much repeating that because it really is more important than we give it credit for. If you're a diet soda, or actually anything other than water drinker like I was (I've gotten myself up to 1 gallon of water daily and still feel I need about 30 oz more than that based on the new suggestion for how much water to drink), then drink 1 glass of water for each glass or cup of the other stuff.

    Other than that, keep it up, watch your portion size and log it correctly and you'll lose weight. Perhaps not as fast as you'd like but you'll lose weight!
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,986 Member
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    Your diary isn't open, so it's hard to know, but when you mention 700 calories for fried chicken and chips (= french fries, deep-fried potatoes, right?) and needing to eat back 1000 calories that you earned from exercise (in one day, when you talk about exercising for a half hour at the gym, plus some walking and cycling -- again, can't see your diary to know how much of that there is), I strongly suspect you are underestimating the calories you are consuming and overestimating the calories you are burning. 700 calories worth of fried chicken and fried potatoes is a pretty small plate of food. Are you weighing your food? And 1000 calories is either (very roughly) a minimum of 90 minutes of VERY high-intensity exercising or two-and-a-half hours of moderate-intensity exercising. Before you can even get to the eat-your-exercise-calories back discussion, you need to have a good handle on what you're eating and what you're burning.
  • AdrianBry
    AdrianBry Posts: 138 Member
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    No, don't eat back the caloreis you are earning from exercise.

    1. if you eat 1400 calories and burn 500-to-1000 caloreis exercising it is not like you are only eating 400-to-900 calories or surviving off of 400-to-900 calories.

    2. an analgoy was made to me yesterday here on MFP that our bodies are like a car in that if you use up all of your gas (your calories) YOU (THE CAR) stops running. That's a good analogy except that our body is MUCH MORE complex than that and let me explain...


    If you put too much gas in a car (like eating too much) the gas will spill out. when you eat too much the food or calories will not spill out or vanish. those excess calrories get stored as fat so...

    When you eat at a deficit or eat less you are...

    #1 - forcing your body to use excess fat (emergency or stored energy) for fuel and then when you exercise - guess what...
    #2 - your body is going to tap into even more STORED fat for fuel which
    #3 - equals you will lsoe weight faster (while being very safe)

    Now you'll still lose weight eating back your calories BUT... it'll be just as if you are on a diet ONLY without exercise. Imagine eating a pizza while running on a treadmill? - a complete waste of time
  • cbattles516
    cbattles516 Posts: 39 Member
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    Your diary isn't open, so it's hard to know, but when you mention 700 calories for fried chicken and chips (= french fries, deep-fried potatoes, right?) and needing to eat back 1000 calories that you earned from exercise (in one day, when you talk about exercising for a half hour at the gym, plus some walking and cycling -- again, can't see your diary to know how much of that there is), I strongly suspect you are underestimating the calories you are consuming and overestimating the calories you are burning. 700 calories worth of fried chicken and fried potatoes is a pretty small plate of food. Are you weighing your food? And 1000 calories is either (very roughly) a minimum of 90 minutes of VERY high-intensity exercising or two-and-a-half hours of moderate-intensity exercising. Before you can even get to the eat-your-exercise-calories back discussion, you need to have a good handle on what you're eating and what you're burning.

    This.

    I suggest buying a scale and weighing your food when the opportunity presents itself to get a good handle on portion size to better track your calories. I also suggest eating the calories that MFP allocates you BEFORE exercise. This keeps you in a healthy weight loss regime. Now I am in the camp of not eating back ALL your exercise calories because I strongly believe that MFP and every other calorie tracker out there overestimates the number of calories that you burn. Even with a HRM.

    Now if I exercise, I do find that as an excuse to go over my daily allotment to an extent. Hard work should be rewarded, and remember that we are trying for healthy weight loss here. But do I get to eat 1/2 a large pizza because MFP says I burned 1700C while riding my bike? No. But I won't sweat the "recovery drinks" (read beer) because I know I did burn excess calories.

    Understand that I am a fat *kitten*, so the weight loss is fairly easy for me (it always comes off quicker the more you have to lose in the beginning) but I do follow the guidelines and if you do as well, and eat back maybe 1/3 to 1/2 of your exercise calories, and accurately log your calorie intake (this is extremely important) then the pounds will melt away. It is too easy to lie to yourself if you don't truly know how many calories you are taking in per day.

    So in summary, MFP calculates the base calories you need to ingest (based on your profile settings) to lose the desired ammount per week. If you stick to that, exercise aside, you will lose weight, but only if you are ACCURATE about the calories you consume in a day. You can certainly eat back some of your exercise calories, but if you have any suspicion that they are being overestimated, don't eat them all back. After a month or so of following the plan you will see based on the scale if you need to make any adjustments.

    A separate comment also belongs here about the need to eat to lose. On this, I can say with all honesty, that I do not know enough about human biology to make any recommendations other than there are scores of people on here that started to lose more weight by eating MORE. Do not think that if MFP says you need 1600C per day that eating 600C per day will accelerate your weight loss. Most here will say (with good reason) that it will stall your efforts.

    Now as I stated before, I'm a fat *kitten*. But I eat alot, exercise regulary, eat back about 1/2 my exercise calories and have lost 35 lb in ~9 weeks. 304-269. So what I'm doing works for me :)

    Best of luck in your journey.

    EDIT: OOPS I said 304 - 169 instead of 269 :P I wish :)
  • cbattles516
    cbattles516 Posts: 39 Member
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    As a final comment.... I just read this post and it is very well though out and thorough

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • XstitchCarina
    XstitchCarina Posts: 55 Member
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    First of all of course thanks for trying to help me on my journey of losing weight, to all who replied. Very much appreciated. I haven't read everything completely, a lot of information and only just got up, but I do understand there are different way of thinking and applying.

    So about me.

    2 weeks ago, when I started, i was 222 lbs. I put in my MFP that I wanted to lose 1 lbs per week, thought that would be adequete, not sure, since I work with kilo's. I changed that yesterday to 2 lbs per week, since that is just under a kilo. And in the first week I lost 3½ lbs, (1.6 kg). So now I am supposed to eat 1520 calories a day. And I have been around that amount every day as well, sometimes lower, like 1200/1300. But I get so obsessed thinking about eating too much. I know that is the wrong mindset, but somehow I still can't imagine that you will lose weight, if you eat more than allocated, even with all the exercise I am doing. I know that's silly, I read otherwise in all your replies.

    So I didn't lose anything this past week, eventhough I have burned at least 500cal a day, a few times even 800 to 1000. Didn't eat much of that back at all. So obviously a lot of you are right in what you are saying about having to eat some of it back.

    I do use a scale for everything. Sometimes I even add products to the data base, because I am Dutch and in the Netherlands. A lot of products here, are in though, which is awesome.

    I will read through all your replies again, to learn more. And i will probably request some of yours or all of yours friendships, so you can check my diary to see if you can help out.

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