HELP!! I'm so confused!

jen_ny_113 · January 2014

So I've actually stuggled with the idea of losing weight for many years now, mainly because I was in a happy relationship and didn't really feel like I needed to change anything about my body... but that was a couple months ago and since then I've gained so much weight! I have a fairly good idea about what I should and shouldn't be doing for a healthy diet but I would just like to get some opinions as to what I'm doing is ok or not?

I'm still in university and don't like to party a lot so I actually have a lot of free time on my hands, I go on the stationary bike every morning for an hr before breakfast because it always wakes me up and makes me feel energized for the day , then I usually have class that ends around 4.30 so I like to squeeze in another hour on the bike before dinner! Is that an appropriate amount to work out? I've heard that two much exercise is bad but I always so great afterwards

Another thing is, I generally burn about 500 calories each hour(x2) I am on the machine, so I eat about 2200 calories which includes the 1000 that I've burnt off in total , does that mean my body only has 1200 calories to survive on? I know a lot of people here like to follow the 1200 a day but I've heard that 1,200 is not enought?
If i need to up my calories intake..I genuinely have no idea what to eat because I always feel full after my meals (which i keep fairly healthy and balanced too), I don't even really crave for any snacks! I don't wanna feel like I have to force myself to each something just to get those extra calories in order to lose weight in a healthy way!

So is what I'm doing healthy enough for me to eventually lose weight? If not, what do I need to change about what I'm doing?

I'm new here so I apologize in advance if some of the things I say seems dumb

Softtopchick · January 2014

Hi Jenny I cant offer you any advice really as I understand what you are saying. I joined myfitnesspal only a week or so ago and I too am struggling to eat 1200 calories and then because I exercise I am rewarded with extra calories on top of the 1200 and my first thought is NO I don't want them but obviously my body must need them. I have lost 4lb so far so im sticking with it but I am going to do some research this week when I go food shopping to see what foods I can snack on that will give me more protein and some extra calories without increasing my fat intake.... I will let you know. Keep going girl you will get there!! :-)

jen_ny_113 · January 2014

Hi Jenny I cant offer you any advice really as I understand what you are saying. I joined myfitnesspal only a week or so ago and I too am struggling to eat 1200 calories and then because I exercise I am rewarded with extra calories on top of the 1200 and my first thought is NO I don't want them but obviously my body must need them. I have lost 4lb so far so im sticking with it but I am going to do some research this week when I go food shopping to see what foods I can snack on that will give me more protein and some extra calories without increasing my fat intake.... I will let you know. Keep going girl you will get there!! :-)

Yea! do let me know! And it's always great to know that there's someone out there who feels the same way as me!

Achrya · January 2014

So I've actually stuggled with the idea of losing weight for many years now, mainly because I was in a happy relationship and didn't really feel like I needed to change anything about my body... but that was a couple months ago and since then I've gained so much weight! I have a fairly good idea about what I should and shouldn't be doing for a healthy diet but I would just like to get some opinions as to what I'm doing is ok or not?

I'm still in university and don't like to party a lot so I actually have a lot of free time on my hands, I go on the stationary bike every morning for an hr before breakfast because it always wakes me up and makes me feel energized for the day , then I usually have class that ends around 4.30 so I like to squeeze in another hour on the bike before dinner! Is that an appropriate amount to work out? I've heard that two much exercise is bad but I always so great afterwards

Another thing is, I generally burn about 500 calories each hour(x2) I am on the machine, so I eat about 2200 calories which includes the 1000 that I've burnt off in total , does that mean my body only has 1200 calories to survive on? I know a lot of people here like to follow the 1200 a day but I've heard that 1,200 is not enought?
If i need to up my calories intake..I genuinely have no idea what to eat because I always feel full after my meals (which i keep fairly healthy and balanced too), I don't even really crave for any snacks! I don't wanna feel like I have to force myself to each something just to get those extra calories in order to lose weight in a healthy way!

So is what I'm doing healthy enough for me to eventually lose weight? If not, what do I need to change about what I'm doing?

I'm new here so I apologize in advance if some of the things I say seems dumb

You are probably not burning 1000 calories on that bike. I'd only eat half of that amount back. That aside I think you'll be fine. Weigh and measure food as best you can because its your diet that will make or break you. Accuracy is key

sanfly · January 2014

1000 cals of exercise every day is quite a bit, but you certainly seem to be eating enough. I probably wouldn't quite eat back all my exercise cals though in case I was over estimating burn.

How do you come to 500 cals? Do you wear a heart rate monitor or is it from what the bike or MFP database tells you? I'm just curious as for me to burn 500 cals on a bike in an hour I'd be putting in a very vigorous effort, I would probably struggle to do that 2x every day, and sometime exercise equipment and the MFP database can over estimate calories burned.

How is everything going for you? Are you losing weight/inches? Are you getting tired/hungry/cranky?

DemoraFairy · January 2014

I agree with 1000 being a lot of calories burnt on the bike. Most people only eat back 50-80% of their calories burnt as MFP and exercise machines are notorious for overestimating calories.

1200 isn't enough... for some people. If you want to get an idea of how much of a deficit that is, calculate your TDEE (search Google for a calcualtor - use a few and take an average as they can give slightly different results). That's how many calories you burn in a day. A lot of people recommend to eat 80% of that. If you feel that 1200 isn't enough, you could try changing to that (of course remember that if you include your activity level, you don't eat back your exercise calories). But it's hard to say if 1200 is right for you without knowing your height and weight. I mean, for a certain height and weight, 1200 is 80%.

suilenroc · January 2014

I have been using myfitness pal for around a year and a half and have lost around two stone - I could keep losing weight but as I'm at my desired weight I go out for dinners and have 'naughties' so maintain a constant weight.

I got to the gym 4 times a week and burn around 350 calories when I go - however, I do not add these to myfitness pal or eat the extra calories I am allowed. I never eat the extra calories and loosing weight has been fine and steady.

Achrya · January 2014

I have been using myfitness pal for around a year and a half and have lost around two stone - I could keep losing weight but as I'm at my desired weight I go out for dinners and have 'naughties' so maintain a constant weight.

I got to the gym 4 times a week and burn around 350 calories when I go - however, I do not add these to myfitness pal or eat the extra calories I am allowed. I never eat the extra calories and loosing weight has been fine and steady.

Well yeah, working out and not eating those calories back will usually result in some weight loss...

jen_ny_113 · January 2014

1000 cals of exercise every day is quite a bit, but you certainly seem to be eating enough. I probably wouldn't quite eat back all my exercise cals though in case I was over estimating burn.

How do you come to 500 cals? Do you wear a heart rate monitor or is it from what the bike or MFP database tells you? I'm just curious as for me to burn 500 cals on a bike in an hour I'd be putting in a very vigorous effort, I would probably struggle to do that 2x every day, and sometime exercise equipment and the MFP database can over estimate calories burned.

How is everything going for you? Are you losing weight/inches? Are you getting tired/hungry/cranky?

I see now, I read off the what the bike tells me so I must be over estimating my calories!
For me it really isn't that hard because i've been biking for an hour in the morning everyday pretty much for years now, it just deveolped into a habbit! Like if i didn't do the one hr in the morning I would actually feel like I have no energy the whole day, I just never used to lose any weight because I didn't watch what I ate!
I don't actually have a set rules for how i bike, I generally like to increase the incline every few mintues, i first started doing it just wanting to know how much I can push myself, then weirdly it just got kinda fun? Lol i know it sounds weird but I just keep doing it whilst listening to music or browsing on my phone!
I've only been sticking to the calorie counting for a few days so I can't see much results yet! Hopefully i'll get used to the idea of having to count my calories!

jen_ny_113 · January 2014

So am I right in saying that

1. I've been trusting the evil lying database on the bike too much and overeastimating my calories burnt

2. I shouldn't be eating all of my exercise calories back?

Achrya · January 2014

So am I right in saying that

1. I've been trusting the evil lying database on the bike too much and overeastimating my calories burnt

2. I shouldn't be eating all of my exercise calories back?

Probably.

If the above is true then yes.

Choose either the bike or the database to take numbers from. Halve the number. Eat back that amount. So that for a month or two then observe findings. Have you lost any weight? How much? Does that line up with your goals? Adjust calories in up or down as needed based on findings.

sanfly · January 2014

So am I right in saying that

1. I've been trusting the evil lying database on the bike too much and overeastimating my calories burnt

2. I shouldn't be eating all of my exercise calories back?

Probably.

If the above is true then yes.

Choose either the bike or the database to take numbers from. Halve the number. Eat back that amount. So that for a month or two then observe findings. Have you lost any weight? How much? Does that line up with your goals? Adjust calories in up or down as needed based on findings.

+1

jen_ny_113 · January 2014

I see now! Thanks for all the help guys! I will be sure to come back with an update on my progress!

I'm so glad I found MFP and knowing that there are people like me out there is really motivating!

GodivaTrailrider · January 2014

I'm amazed you can "Browse your phone" whilst on the exercise bike !!
I'm sure some of the issue is your body is used to the bike..... it's become good at what you ask it to do.
I'm a keen cyclist, and have recently borrowed a turbo trainer (though I'd much rather be out riding) .... there is no way I could browse the internet whilst on the turbo.... I'm sure if you can, you aren't working hard enough...sorry. I don't want to sound mean.
Your body gets used to doing regular exercise, so you need to confuse it by constantly altering what you're doing... it's why spinning classes work so well, and interval training .... there's not constant effort level.
Mix things about, change pace, go flat out for 30 seconds then back off of 1 min then flat out again, or get out side and walk FAST for 40 mins on alternate mornings....

But heh, I'm no expert, and I'm trying to slim down for several events this year.

Good luck.

Achrya · January 2014

I'm amazed you can "Browse your phone" whilst on the exercise bike !!
I'm sure some of the issue is your body is used to the bike..... it's become good at what you ask it to do.
I'm a keen cyclist, and have recently borrowed a turbo trainer (though I'd much rather be out riding) .... there is no way I could browse the internet whilst on the turbo.... I'm sure if you can, you aren't working hard enough...sorry. I don't want to sound mean.
Your body gets used to doing regular exercise, so you need to confuse it by constantly altering what you're doing... it's why spinning classes work so well, and interval training .... there's not constant effort level.
Mix things about, change pace, go flat out for 30 seconds then back off of 1 min then flat out again, or get out side and walk FAST for 40 mins on alternate mornings....

But heh, I'm no expert, and I'm trying to slim down for several events this year.

Good luck.

The effort she puts forth is a none issue, as weight loss is about maintaining a deficit, which she'll do with or without exercise.

Also she mentioned she ups the incline/resistance on the bike every few minutes.

GodivaTrailrider · January 2014

How is it a none issue? The point of the exercise bike is to exercise .... this includes effort.
Usually during exercise you 'break a sweat' ... vigorous exercise should get a good sweat on.
Just because she "ups the incline /resistance" doesn't mean she's upping it enough... it should be offering real resistance, something to push against, it's supposed to simulate riding uphill.
I only ride singlespeed bikes so I can't make it easier uphill using gears, I either grind it out uphill or get off and walk.
However I couldn't Browse the internet while doing it. And I stand by the "mix the exercise up" for better results.
Maintaining a deficit is vastly easier with exercise. Also exercise does more for the body than simply burning calories, it improves the whole body and the effects reach further than weight loss.

Achrya · January 2014

How is it a none issue? The point of the exercise bike is to exercise .... this includes effort.
Usually during exercise you 'break a sweat' ... vigorous exercise should get a good sweat on.
Just because she "ups the incline /resistance" doesn't mean she's upping it enough... it should be offering real resistance, something to push against, it's supposed to simulate riding uphill.
I only ride singlespeed bikes so I can't make it easier uphill using gears, I either grind it out uphill or get off and walk.
However I couldn't Browse the internet while doing it. And I stand by the "mix the exercise up" for better results.
Maintaining a deficit is vastly easier with exercise. Also exercise does more for the body than simply burning calories, it improves the whole body and the effects reach further than weight loss.

It's a none issue because her question wasn't about exercise (aside from doe she do too much of it) or your opinion of the effort you feel she puts forth based on one small portion of one of her posts. Her deficit is preset by mfp, all she has to do is make the goal put forth and she'll be fine.

The positives of working out are not in question here but the effects beyond weight loss are even less relevant to the topics than your perception of her effort. As a side note I've never been a fan of people telling others they've never even meet let alone seen workout that they feel their effort isn't worthy or good enough. I don't always break a sweat while lifting, does that mean my workout doesn't meet your standards?

And even she's biking at a leisurely pace I dare say that 2 hours a day is still a "workout"

I'm not being rude, just saying.

GodivaTrailrider · January 2014

Fair points. TBH I wasn't saying her effort wasn't good enough or slating her. It just may be less efficient than it could be.
2 hours on an exercise bike should be more than sufficient to maintain a healthy body and control weight. If it isn't , something somewhere is wrong.
Merely sitting on an exercise bike would be of no benefit at all, but you could say "I was on the exercise bike for 2 hours" ... didn't turn the pedals but I was on the bike... so patently some effort is required.

It's easy for people to mistakenly overestimate how much exercise is being done and therefore how many calories are being used to do it, I think this was pointed out repeatedly it the post, 500 calories an hour would require significant effort.
If however a leisurely pace was only burning 200 calories yet the OP was replacing these with 1000 calories there is an obvious discrepancy which will not result in weight loss.

I too was not flaming the OP just offering a viewpoint. If I'm wrong then I wholeheartedly apologise.

Achrya · January 2014

The fact that the OP isn't burning 1000 calories while working out and should assume a number closer to 500 has already been discussed, and without calling her efforts into question. You'll also note she accepted this and will be only eating back half of the calories she's burned from now on and will report back in a month or so with her findings (an update I look forward to)

All of this was established before your first post. Which I don't mean in rude way, just in a 'we've gone over this let's not further muddy the water when the OP is already stating that she's confused.' Way.

lauranarro · January 2014

I have never heard of "eating your exercise calories back" when you're trying to lose weight. I don't go with the 1200 calorie rule either--I'm 5'7.5" and feel that 1200 calories a day with exercise isn't enough to give me the energy I need for a good workout. What I do is figure what my calories would be to maintain my ideal weight (135 lbs) and shave 250 calories off that and try to exercise 4-5 days a week (I usually walk on the treadmill on my off days while reading or watching my favorite show just for some activity). I don't count my exercise calories burned as calories to eat--it's just a bonus to add to my weight loss!

I'm 148 lbs now started at 155 lbs December 28th. Unfortunately, I'm a yo-yo dieter and I I have to lose 10-15 pounds every year so I'm somewhat of an expert on getting it done. 155 lbs is always my top weight and then I have to lose it. Losing is always harder than maintaining--I tell myself that when I'm gaining but my emotions always take over. Also, I always use a food and exercise journal. If I don't have time, I will figure the numbers in my head (calories from food) and write them down on a scratch piece of paper. It's better to over estimate your calories eaten than under estimate. It's when I stop counting my calories that I gain weight. I cut out all sugar and simple carbohydrates and load up on lean protein, complex carbohydrates (vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes) and GOOD fat (olive oil, coconut oil, avocados--your body needs those good fats and you won't be as hungry) Also, I eat NOTHING after dinner usually 6 pm is the cut off and exercise in the morning on an empty stomach. I eat breakfast of course but somewhat delayed. That's my strategy and it always works.

CipherZero · January 2014

Your body gets used to doing regular exercise, so you need to confuse it by constantly altering what you're doing...

But that's broscience. "Muscle confusion" isn't a thing.

jen_ny_113 · January 2014

The fact that the OP isn't burning 1000 calories while working out and should assume a number closer to 500 has already been discussed, and without calling her efforts into question. You'll also note she accepted this and will be only eating back half of the calories she's burned from now on and will report back in a month or so with her findings (an update I look forward to)

All of this was established before your first post. Which I don't mean in rude way, just in a 'we've gone over this let's not further muddy the water when the OP is already stating that she's confused.' Way.

*thumbs up*

You literally said everything I wanted to say lol

Actually I think I shouldn't have said I "browse" my phone because what I really meant was just that I look at videos on youtube, or streaming movies online :P

I will be sure to come back with an update soon! (hopefully a very positive one)!

jen_ny_113 · January 2014

I have never heard of "eating your exercise calories back" when you're trying to lose weight. I don't go with the 1200 calorie rule either--I'm 5'7.5" and feel that 1200 calories a day with exercise isn't enough to give me the energy I need for a good workout. What I do is figure what my calories would be to maintain my ideal weight (135 lbs) and shave 250 calories off that and try to exercise 4-5 days a week (I usually walk on the treadmill on my off days while reading or watching my favorite show just for some activity). I don't count my exercise calories burned as calories to eat--it's just a bonus to add to my weight loss!

I'm 148 lbs now started at 155 lbs December 28th. Unfortunately, I'm a yo-yo dieter and I I have to lose 10-15 pounds every year so I'm somewhat of an expert on getting it done. 155 lbs is always my top weight and then I have to lose it. Losing is always harder than maintaining--I tell myself that when I'm gaining but my emotions always take over. Also, I always use a food and exercise journal. If I don't have time, I will figure the numbers in my head (calories from food) and write them down on a scratch piece of paper. It's better to over estimate your calories eaten than under estimate. It's when I stop counting my calories that I gain weight. I cut out all sugar and simple carbohydrates and load up on lean protein, complex carbohydrates (vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes) and GOOD fat (olive oil, coconut oil, avocados--your body needs those good fats and you won't be as hungry) Also, I eat NOTHING after dinner usually 6 pm is the cut off and exercise in the morning on an empty stomach. I eat breakfast of course but somewhat delayed. That's my strategy and it always works.

Wow, it's great that you're doing good with weight loss and have found a way that works for you! Hopefully with the suggestions from others I will be able to as well!

But I am suprised you haven't heard about eating you're calories back! Maybe this link will help explain if you're interested

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/539912-why-eating-exercise-calories-is-so-important

trying18 · January 2014

Ok you all seem to know a lot and hope will offer me helpful tips
I have been with MFP for 2 yrs, 1st year I lasted only a few mths and I am back again.
I am 54, workout everyday for 1 hr- 3 days NROLFW + 20 mts of HIIT and 3 days of aerobics ( one of the machines at moderate effort) and 1 day of yoga.
I eat about 1400 cal daily.
I am not loosing anything and it has been 4 weeks.
Do i eat 1200 or do i eat more
i am veg so The max protein i can get is about 55gm/day
I am 5'3" and weigh 139.6 ( weighed this morning and sad0

lauranarro · January 2014

But I am suprised you haven't heard about eating you're calories back! Maybe this link will help explain if you're interested

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/539912-why-eating-exercise-calories-is-so-important

Okay, I this explains why eating back your exercise calories could rev up your metabolism, I get the concept. However, I would say that most people are going to under-estimate their daily caloric intake and over-estimate their calories burned from exercise--that's why some people on this weight loss blog complain that they are on a strict 1200-1400 calorie a day diet and exercise 500-1000 calories per day and still are not losing weight--that's just impossible.

Sometimes it's really hard to guess-estimate how many calories in your meal, unless you are eating packaged foods 24/7. I think that's why people get stuck. If you don't eat back your exercise burned calories, it will eventually even out. I mean, your going to have really good days with good calorie estimates and some days (possibly weekends) your going to eat a little more or under estimate. If your treadmill is estimating that you burned 530 calories, you really don't know 100% that number is correct and if you really burned 350 calories and eat back 530 you will be eating more than you burned.

I think of exercise as a healthy part of my life and even when I'm eating too much and gaining, I'm also exercising--I don't just exercise to lose weight. Your body will tell you if your working out too hard and not eating enough--workouts will become very difficult. I jog on the treadmill and do interval. I also lift weights and do squats and I have no idea how many calories I burn but I know it makes me feel great!

HELP!! I'm so confused!

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