Is this a good amount of food?

platypus097
platypus097 Posts: 6 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello Everyone! I'm not sure if I'm doing this correctly and wanted another opinion on it. So far today I've eaten about 350 calories and burned 561 calories. I eat almost all the time just lots of fruits and things that are low in calories. I usually end up eating around 700-1000 calories depending on the day and burning between 400-800 with exercise. Is this bad? I'm not loosing a lot of weight, just a few ounces here and there so I was wondering if I was doing something wrong and what I should do to fix it. Thank you!

Replies

  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,067 Member
    yes, that is bad. you want to NET at least 1200. right now youre netting 300-600

    net calories= calories eaten-calories burned
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    Yes, this is bad. Your body isn't getting the nutrition it needs based on your numbers alone. If you're not losing weight, I'm thinking your numbers are completely off (you burn way less, eat way more or both) or you have a medical condition.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    how tall are you?
    how much do you weigh?
    how old are you?
    male/female?
    how are you accounting for calories burned?

    there is honestly not enough information here.
  • 1FearlessFighter
    1FearlessFighter Posts: 114 Member
    1200 minimum for net, your net calorie intake is too low and in the long term this is very unhealthy as your body would latch onto any food it can so losing weight would be harder. stick to something that you can manage for the rest of your life and something that is easier to maintain and enjoy to live a long happy life
  • platypus097
    platypus097 Posts: 6 Member
    Thanks guys. So I should raise my calorie intake? I go by the numbers on the packaging and the machines/times so I'm not sure. I eat whenever I feel hungry so should I just eat foods with more calories? Sorry for all the questions I'm still new at this.
  • platypus097
    platypus097 Posts: 6 Member
    Sorry! I'm 5ft and 142 pounds, 18 years old and female. The machine gives you the amount of calories burned based on time and your speed.
  • 59gi
    59gi Posts: 307 Member
    Hello Everyone! I'm not sure if I'm doing this correctly and wanted another opinion on it. So far today I've eaten about 350 calories and burned 561 calories. I eat almost all the time just lots of fruits and things that are low in calories. I usually end up eating around 700-1000 calories depending on the day and burning between 400-800 with exercise. Is this bad? I'm not loosing a lot of weight, just a few ounces here and there so I was wondering if I was doing something wrong and what I should do to fix it. Thank you!
    [/quote



    It is not the calories, that is preventing you from losing. It is the food composition. A calorie deficit is important, but even more important is the quality of your food. Exercise is a bonus!]
  • 1FearlessFighter
    1FearlessFighter Posts: 114 Member
    you should just eat whenever your hungry as this isn't the best indication for your macronutrient breakdown at the end of the day, i eat 4 meals a day roughly every 4 hours and each meals is around 500-600 calories and i burn 550-750 each day from exercise
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    1200 minimum for women. This has more to do with getting enough vitamins, minerals, fat, protein, fiber, etc. into your diet to keep you healthy.

    Most people can actually eat more than that and lose weight. Especially if you're active.

    Hunger is a poor indicator that you're getting enough to eat. Hunger cues can be knocked out of whack by too many things (including exercise or prolonged undereating). Sometimes you have to pay attention to the numbers instead.

    Eat more food. Eat more calorie dense foods. Add things like nuts, nut butter, avocado, full fat dairy, Greek yogurt, cheese, ice cream, seeds, olive oil, coconut oil, butter, less lean cuts of meat, full calorie sauces and dressings, protein shakes, smoothies, and bars, dark chocolate, pasta, potatoes, etc.
  • bald_navy_wife
    bald_navy_wife Posts: 81 Member
    Sorry! I'm 5ft and 142 pounds, 18 years old and female. The machine gives you the amount of calories burned based on time and your speed.

    the most accurate way to calculate calories burned during a workout is with a heart rate monitor. those exercise machines are more than likely giving you an incorrect number of calories burned
  • Catlady1984
    Catlady1984 Posts: 1
    You want to eat at least 1200 a day because your body burns calories just doing everyday activities. If you don't eat at least that your body goes into starvation mode making it harder to lose weight because your body will retain any calories you take in even with exercise resulting in a slower weight loss. You also have to take into account what you burn off your body needs to make up for those extra calories if it dips below 1200. You can still continue to eat fruits and healthier things but just more of them. My personal advise don't starve yourself eat healthier and watch your portion sizes and pay attention to the calories that way its something you can maintain for life.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Sorry! I'm 5ft and 142 pounds, 18 years old and female. The machine gives you the amount of calories burned based on time and your speed.

    You should be aware that most gym machines have a tendency to overestimate your calories burned. If you're using MFP's set-up then you might want to eat back 50-75% of those extra exercise calories.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Hello Everyone! I'm not sure if I'm doing this correctly and wanted another opinion on it. So far today I've eaten about 350 calories and burned 561 calories. I eat almost all the time just lots of fruits and things that are low in calories. I usually end up eating around 700-1000 calories depending on the day and burning between 400-800 with exercise. Is this bad? I'm not loosing a lot of weight, just a few ounces here and there so I was wondering if I was doing something wrong and what I should do to fix it. Thank you!



    It is not the calories, that is preventing you from losing. It is the food composition. A calorie deficit is important, but even more important is the quality of your food. Exercise is a bonus!

    Eating quality food, which I've noticed you haven't bothered to define here, isn't really necessary for weight loss. And it's certainly not important when someone is seriously undereating. It's important to get enough calories into your day. That can be done through whatever you deem to be quality foods, but if the OP needs to eat a pop tart to get it done then that's okay too.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Thanks guys. So I should raise my calorie intake? I go by the numbers on the packaging and the machines/times so I'm not sure. I eat whenever I feel hungry so should I just eat foods with more calories? Sorry for all the questions I'm still new at this.


    If you set your weekly goal to 1 pound a week in MFP will likely up your NET calories above 1200 even. When you get closer to goal move your weekly goal down further to 1/2 pound a week (within10-15 pounds of goal).

    A more moderate deficit will help you lose fat while enabling your body to support existing lean muscle mass. Eating enough helps you lose (mostly) fat. Eating very low calories helps you lose "weight"....not just fat.

    Net calories mean MFP gave you a calorie deficit BEFORE exercise. MFP gives you calories back when you log workouts. This "should" bring you back to your original deficit. The problem is MFP calorie burn estimates are too high. Expect to eat the calories MFP gave plus 50-75% of exercise calories.

    Eat foods that fit your macros.....protein, fat & carbs. Calorie dense foods if you need them are: olive oil, avocado, nuts, nut butters, cheese, etc.
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    I can eat close to 3000 calories a day and maintain my weight. You need to plug in all the numbers to figure out your BMR and calculate your calorie deficit. Eat back most of your exercise calories too. I lost much more weight when I ate close to my target deficit than when I went way under. I felt better too.
  • platypus097
    platypus097 Posts: 6 Member
    I eat mostly eggs, spinach, bananas, honey bunches of oats cereal without milk, lots of grapes, sweet potatoes, veggie burgers, squash, broccoli, cauliflower and things like that. My BMR is around 1,470 based on an online calculator.
  • jent1007
    jent1007 Posts: 12
    sounds like your body is trying to hold on to what ever you feed it since you are exercising alot that is why you are seeing such small loses
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Hello Everyone! I'm not sure if I'm doing this correctly and wanted another opinion on it. So far today I've eaten about 350 calories and burned 561 calories. I eat almost all the time just lots of fruits and things that are low in calories. I usually end up eating around 700-1000 calories depending on the day and burning between 400-800 with exercise. Is this bad? I'm not loosing a lot of weight, just a few ounces here and there so I was wondering if I was doing something wrong and what I should do to fix it. Thank you!



    It is not the calories, that is preventing you from losing. It is the food composition. A calorie deficit is important, but even more important is the quality of your food. Exercise is a bonus!]

    incorrect.

    calorie deficit is the bottom line.

    yes quality foods help you eat at a deficit AND not feel so completely famished all the time... but you could eat mcdonolds or subway and have just as successful loss if you had a well balanced macro split and in a calorie deficit.
  • platypus097
    platypus097 Posts: 6 Member
    So I should eat more calorie dense foods and exercise a little less or just eat more calories?
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    I eat mostly eggs, spinach, bananas, honey bunches of oats cereal without milk, lots of grapes, sweet potatoes, veggie burgers, squash, broccoli, cauliflower and things like that. My BMR is around 1,470 based on an online calculator.

    Let's talk about fat & protein.

    Your diary is closed so I have no idea what your nutrition profile looks like, whether you're underestimating your intake, etc. So this entire post might be moot since it's based entirely on the list of foods you've posted.

    More and more I'm leaning towards fat being the new superfood. Seriously, it should get a cape and a portrait in the Hall of Justice. It was demonized in the 90s, but it turns out that fat is really pretty good for you. It helps your brain function, keeps your hormones regulated, your skin, nails, and hair healthy, it helps with hormone balance, mood, and keeps people feeling fuller and more satisfied. It's more calorie dense than protein and fat, but it's also an important part of your diet.

    You should be getting at least .35 grams of fat for every pound of body weight. Are you hitting those numbers? If not, then consider adding some fats to your diet. Nuts, cheese, avocado, cooking oils, etc. can really pack a punch.

    Now onto protein. The reason so many people stress protein around here is that it helps to repair and retain your lean muscle mass while you're dieting. You see, when you're losing weight your body can take it from fat store and/or from your muscles. You know those dieters who reach their goal weight and aren't very happy with what they see in the mirror afterward? Most of them have lost more muscle man than they wanted to. Protein helps with that. It also helps people feel fuller longer.

    There are a lot of different places you can set your protein (depending on your fitness routine, goals, etc). Somewhere around .6-.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight is a good starting point. Are you hitting that number? If not, and I don't know if you're vegetarian/vegan from your list of foods, consider adding more meat, meat substitutes, cheese, beans, etc. to your diet.

    And the rest of your calories get filled up by carbs to give you energy and vitamins and minerals.

    If you're not hitting those numbers, it may help to give you an idea of where/how to boost your intake.
  • platypus097
    platypus097 Posts: 6 Member
    I don't really eat much dairy or protein, I'll definitely try to work more of that in my diet. By increasing my calorie intake and eating more balanced foods how much weight will I gain roughly before I start to loose again?
  • sqezme
    sqezme Posts: 3 Member
    WORD!!!!
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    I don't really eat much dairy or protein, I'll definitely try to work more of that in my diet. By increasing my calorie intake and eating more balanced foods how much weight will I gain roughly before I start to loose again?

    Do it right and take your time or you risk permanent damage to your body.

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