I don't understand the calorie deficit!

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michellelipton16
michellelipton16 Posts: 11
in Food and Nutrition
Hi! I am trying very hard to understand the concept of eating back my exercise calories, the deficit I'm supposed to have, and what my calorie intake should be without starving myself. I just began recovery from anorexia and bulimia and am at a healthy weight (5'5", 117-120 lbs) my body fat was low (13% last time I checked), which I was okay with! I keep getting stuck on numbers and would like to know if anyone has an idea of what a good amount of calories for me is? I spend an hour to an hour and 1/2 on the stairclimber every day... It says I'm burning between 900-1200 calories and I have the thing on a level 20 as high as it will go. I would actually like to work out less intensely and eat a little more because I think my body might be going through a starvation mode still? I also do a little weight training, yoga, and pilates, but the stairmaster is the most consistent! Right not I eat about 1200 calories (including condiments, etc) I weight and measure everything so I know I'm being exact. Oh and late night I am absolutely STARVING which is a problem for me because of bulimic tendencies. HELP!

Replies

  • molarbear31
    molarbear31 Posts: 28
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    If I'm right, your body naturally burns about 2000 calories throughout the day, therefore, eating under the guideline daily amount would only be beneficial if you're wanting to LOSE weight, not maintain it. So, I'd advise sticking to about 2000. As for the deficit, surely you won't be putting your body in starvation mode with all of the burned calories as you would be eating a normal amount. This will just help you not put on weight. Your body may need the energy if you're burning about 900 p/d so maybe eating a little extra couldn't hurt? I would say that the amount of exercise you're doing with the little amount of calories isn't healthy though, especially as you're starving at night. Even people trying to lose weight should try to stay around 1400. Just try to eat more protein filled meals which will up the calorie intake without being unhealthy. As long as you feel happy and healthy though, that's the main thing.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Your deficit is built into your calorie goal...that's why you put all that info into the calculator...so that the calculator can calculate a calorie goal based on what you want to do. MFP and any other calculator use statistical averages for people of similar stats and activity levels to determine your theoretical maintenance number of calories...it then takes a cut from that number as per your weight loss goals.

    MFP is different than many calculators in that it utilizes the NEAT method rather than the TDEE method...basically, MFP calculates your maintenance calories as per your day to day activity WITHOUT exercercise and takes a cut from that number which is known as your NEAT (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). Exercise activity has to be accounted for somewhere which is why you log it and eat back those calories.

    Other calculators...most calculators use the TDEE method for which some estimate of your exercise activity would be included in the total calories from which the cut is taken for weight loss...as such, that exercise is accounted for and you wouldn't want to eat back calories using the TDEE method.

    Example with my numbers....my MFP maintenance number (without exercise) is 2,350...so to lose 1 Lb per week, MFP deducts 500 calories giving me 1,850. On average I burn around 400 - 500 calories per workout session which increases my intake to a gross of 2250 - 2350.

    Conversely, if I use the TDEE method and account for my exercise in my activity level I get around 2,800 calories to maintain...I cut 500 from that and I get around 2350 to lose about 1 Lb per week...same as I was eating with MFP, the only difference is where I account for exercise.

    You also have to understand that you "burn" calories 24/7...most of your "burn" comes from just being alive. Exercise actually represents a relatively small portion of one's calorie requirements on average....exceptions of course being athletes and the like.

    This method helps teach people that there is more to exercise than trying to create a calorie deficit and lose weight...the point of exercise goes far beyond calorie burns and losing weight...it's actually far more important to maintaining a healthy weight than it is to losing weight. In your case, I would set to maintain and either eat back all of your exercise calories with MFP or use the TDEE method and set your activity level appropriately for maintenance given your activity....
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
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    Confused. If you're in recovery from anorexia/bulimia you shouldn't be in any deficit nor if I can recall from previous posters on the issue, be exercising as much as you are. 60-90 min daily on the stair master at a high intensity is absurd. Do you speak with a professional regarding your issues bc that's who I would be consulting about your regimen.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
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    Confused. If you're in recovery from anorexia/bulimia you shouldn't be in any deficit nor if I can recall from previous posters on the issue, be exercising as much as you are. 60-90 min daily on the stair master at a high intensity is absurd. Do you speak with a professional regarding your issues bc that's who I would be consulting about your regimen.

    ^^ This.
  • michellelipton16
    michellelipton16 Posts: 11
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    Yea, I'm supposed to be in recovery, but it's really hard!!! I have a professional who gave me a food plan, but I really struggle eating all of it because I used to restrict so heavily and I count all of the calories. I get really freaked out if I have to eat a certain amount so it helps me if I can understand from a scientific perspective how much I can eat without gaining weight. I'm obviously not 100% better, but I was literally only eating 400-500 calories a day the last few years... Scared of shocking my metabolism too much. It doesn't seem physically possibly to eat triple what I was and not gain! Reading this stuff helps me.
  • fancyface1955
    fancyface1955 Posts: 90 Member
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    Hi,

    I feel like i'm in the same boat as you- because i'm not sure how to eat back my calories. I don't have a heart monitor to know how many calories i'm actually burning so I just type in my activity and the time spent on it and it generates a number for me. Today I burned around 700 calories from my morning jog and my hour work-out of Insanity (according to my diary). I've eaten my meals and have only just eaten back those calories, but I still have tons of calories left. I'll have an evening snack but not enough to subtract those calories. At the same time I don't even know how accurate those numbers are. i'd hate to over-eat my calories for no reason. I

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