Confused about calories

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Babymacyrae
Babymacyrae Posts: 1
in Health and Weight Loss
I am eating around 1200 calories a day. I eat a lot of protein and I don't really get hungry. Where I am confusing is the calories and net calories. I try to stick to 1200 every day even on the days I exercise. Should I be eating more on days I exercise? If I burn 500 on a run, should I try to make that up and have 1700 that day? Nothing seems to be working for me.

Replies

  • notnikkisixx
    notnikkisixx Posts: 375 Member
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    Yes, you should definitely be trying to eat back your exercise calories.

    Also, what do you mean that nothing seems to be working?
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 16,972 Member
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    :flowerforyou: I started eating some of my exercise calories the day I came home from a long walk and felt light headed and realized that my body needed more fuel.....it's an individual decision and you'll hear many different points of view on this topic.
  • DamianaKitten
    DamianaKitten Posts: 479 Member
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    I am eating around 1200 calories a day. I eat a lot of protein and I don't really get hungry. Where I am confusing is the calories and net calories. I try to stick to 1200 every day even on the days I exercise. Should I be eating more on days I exercise? If I burn 500 on a run, should I try to make that up and have 1700 that day? Nothing seems to be working for me.

    Absolutely eat those calories back! You need to fuel your body, and 1200 is a standard "minimum" your body needs just to function. If you exercise on top of that, you need to eat those calories back, or you are depriving yourself of the basic fuel your body needs just to live.
  • RllyGudTweetr
    RllyGudTweetr Posts: 2,019 Member
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    Assuming you're eating 1200 because you told MFP you're female and want to lose 2lb/week, MFP's calculations WANT you to eat back your exercise calories.
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
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    Yes, eat back exercise calories. Just make sure your calories burned is accurate and not tottally off, people say MFP calories burned are inflated.
  • jchadden42
    jchadden42 Posts: 189
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    Yes, you should definitely be trying to eat back your exercise calories.

    Also, what do you mean that nothing seems to be working?

    I was wondering the same thing. If you are gaining weight, then you're probably not measuring accurately with food. Basically, you want to eat back the calories because 1200 is so low. Not being able to see your journal will severely limit what people are able to help you with.
  • Phill2488
    Phill2488 Posts: 97 Member
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    I am eating around 1200 calories a day. I eat a lot of protein and I don't really get hungry. Where I am confusing is the calories and net calories. I try to stick to 1200 every day even on the days I exercise. Should I be eating more on days I exercise? If I burn 500 on a run, should I try to make that up and have 1700 that day? Nothing seems to be working for me.

    Absolutely eat those calories back! You need to fuel your body, and 1200 is a standard "minimum" your body needs just to function. If you exercise on top of that, you need to eat those calories back, or you are depriving yourself of the basic fuel your body needs just to live.

    This! Also if you don't eat back those exercise calories you could crack and end up over eating. I made this mistake when I first wanted to start losing weight

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