Confused About Calories

rachelpeace
rachelpeace Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi

I'm a bit confused about calories and weight loss (sorry my question is a bit confusing!)

My metabolic rate is 1300, so if I was to eat 1300 calories and was to go to the gym and burn 300 calories which would take me to 1000 would I then need to eat a further 300 calories to bring my calorie count back up to 1300?

Sorry it's a bit confusing! Any help would be appreciated!:)

Replies

  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    If your metabolic rate us 1300, that's your base level. Y need that before you do anything erase.

    If you exercise off 300 cals, you need those too.
  • Drevious
    Drevious Posts: 69 Member
    I don't eat back the calories I burn at the gym on the weekdays, but let myself eat more on the weekends if I burn it off at the gym. Those numbers are just estimations. Everyone's body is different and burns at different rates. I find that it's good to keep your body guessing with higher calorie days and lower calorie days as well as switching things up at the gym. Good luck!
  • terbusha
    terbusha Posts: 1,483 Member
    I always tell people that it is best to eat as many calories as you can while still losing weight. Calculators can be helpful, but they may not be accurate for you because they make assumptions that may not be correct for you. How did you figure out that your maintenance is 1300 cal/day? Did you find that out on a calculator or by finding that your weight maintains when you eat 1300 cal/day for a prolonged period of time?

    What I do and what I recommend to people is to eat at a calorie level that allows you to drop 1-2 lbs/week. This assumes an average calorie burn from you getting in all of your workouts. This will be different for everyone, so you'll have to do some trial and error to figure it out. I'd start ~1600 cal/day. Hit this goal, along with your macros and getting in your workouts, for a week. If you lose 1-2 lbs, you're good to go. If you lose too much, increase your intake and repeat. If you don't lose enough, reduce your intake a bit and repeat. After a few weeks, you'll figure out what works for you in your situation.

    Allan
  • karen5689
    karen5689 Posts: 17 Member
    I am in a similar position of confusion! A friend of mine who is a trainer told me that, as my BMR is about 1500 a day, I should eat 1500 but burn at least 500 and NOT eat them back. He said if I burn more than 500, to eat my way back up to 1000 net. I thought 1000 net sounded awfully low, especially since MFP says that 1500 is what I should be eating a day with or without exercise. Can anyone advice?

    Things to know:
    1. I am training for a half marathon and I run anywhere between 3 and 10 mile runs 5 days a week.
    2. I calculated my BMR using a website -- I'm not mistaking it for the number suggested by MFP.
    3. I track religiously and eat pretty clean. The only "not clean" stuff I eat are some lowcarb breads and protein shakes.

    I am so, so willing to do this the right way whether it's by eating more or eating less. In January, I weighed 183.3. Today, I weigh 155ish (been plateaued there!). I want to keep losing weight and getting stronger but don't want to hurt myself!
  • rachelpeace
    rachelpeace Posts: 2
    Hi, thanks for your answers:). I found out my metabolic rate by standing on these scales that also tell you your body fat% etc. I think I'm going to stick to eating my metabolic rate (or there abouts) but also making sure I burn around 500 calories on top of that. I have a Fitbit band which I wear and because I'm quite active and on my feet at work I can usually burn a extra 600-700 calories on top of my bmr of 1300. So in total without going to the gym I seem to burn between 1900-2000 calories. By what I've heard you have to burn 500 calories to lose 1lb a week so I'm guessing I'm on the right track if I can stop my sugar cravings and stick to healthy foods!!
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    You're going to get a lot of crap for saying you eat clean.

    It is the belief of most MFP posters that it is impossible to lose weight unless you eat at least some unhealthy food, lol.

    Yes, the cravings for junk go away. It doesn't even take all that long. You may still think, "I want something sweet", but you'll be wanting berries. :)

    You should really ask the doctor, but if you feel healthy and strong, don't worry too much over the calories. It's hard to know exactly what you've eaten and much harder to know exactly what you've burned. If you eat a large amount of healthy, balanced food and you're running all the time, losing weight and feeling good and strong, I wouldn't worry too much.

    But do check with a doctor. :)

    Good luck on your run!!!!
  • LaneB89
    LaneB89 Posts: 93 Member

    It is the belief of most MFP posters that it is impossible to lose weight unless you eat at least some unhealthy food, lol.

    Nobody believes that. It's more that it gets annoying to see every other person complaining that they should be losing weight because they are eating "clean".
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Hi, thanks for your answers:). I found out my metabolic rate by standing on these scales that also tell you your body fat% etc. I think I'm going to stick to eating my metabolic rate (or there abouts) but also making sure I burn around 500 calories on top of that. I have a Fitbit band which I wear and because I'm quite active and on my feet at work I can usually burn a extra 600-700 calories on top of my bmr of 1300. So in total without going to the gym I seem to burn between 1900-2000 calories. By what I've heard you have to burn 500 calories to lose 1lb a week so I'm guessing I'm on the right track if I can stop my sugar cravings and stick to healthy foods!!

    If you're burning 1900-2000 calories per day just in normal activity PLUS burning 500 at the gym, you should be eating more like 1900-2000 calories per day. Your calorie deficit needs to come from your TDEE, which is all of the calories your body burns for an entire day including exercise. Eating 1300 will be FAR too little and will probably leave you tired out.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Edit: ah, referring to someone other than the OP, I see.
    It is the belief of most MFP posters that it is impossible to lose weight unless you eat at least some unhealthy food, lol.

    I've never seen anyone say this. I have heard people say that food on its own isn't really healthy or not, diets are. Broccoli is healthy within the contexts of most diets, but it would be dumb and unhealthy to just eat broccoli or to choose it INSTEAD OF a more calorie dense food if you needed calories (i.e., were underweight or expending many calories on the job or some such).
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member

    It is the belief of most MFP posters that it is impossible to lose weight unless you eat at least some unhealthy food, lol.

    Nobody believes that. It's more that it gets annoying to see every other person complaining that they should be losing weight because they are eating "clean".
    No, lots of people believe it. "Unsustainable" is the frequently parroted word.

    Keep reading, lol.

    If you don't include junk food, you can't lose weight. "Unsustainable."
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    You're going to get a lot of crap for saying you eat clean.

    Where'd she say that? I must have missed it.
    It is the belief of most MFP posters that it is impossible to lose weight unless you eat at least some unhealthy food, lol.

    I've never seen anyone say this. I have heard people say that food on its own isn't really healthy or not, diets are. Broccoli is healthy within the contexts of most diets, but it would be dumb and unhealthy to just eat broccoli or to choose it INSTEAD OF a more calorie dense food if you needed calories (i.e., were underweight or expending many calories on the job or some such).
    If you re-read, slowly and carefully, you will probably not miss it again.

    Edit: No, lol, she removed it! Smart girl. :)
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I am in a similar position of confusion! A friend of mine who is a trainer told me that, as my BMR is about 1500 a day, I should eat 1500 but burn at least 500 and NOT eat them back. He said if I burn more than 500, to eat my way back up to 1000 net. I thought 1000 net sounded awfully low, especially since MFP says that 1500 is what I should be eating a day with or without exercise. Can anyone advice?

    Things to know:
    1. I am training for a half marathon and I run anywhere between 3 and 10 mile runs 5 days a week.
    2. I calculated my BMR using a website -- I'm not mistaking it for the number suggested by MFP.
    3. I track religiously and eat pretty clean. The only "not clean" stuff I eat are some lowcarb breads and protein shakes.

    I am so, so willing to do this the right way whether it's by eating more or eating less. In January, I weighed 183.3. Today, I weigh 155ish (been plateaued there!). I want to keep losing weight and getting stronger but don't want to hurt myself!

    If -25 is your goal now, we are in similar positions. I'm at about 157 and am also training for a half and running similar distances. You are younger than me, though, so can probably lose more while eating the same (metabolism, sigh).

    IMO, 1000 net seems unnecessarily low and likely to make training unnecessarily difficult or worse. MFP is rarely low, so if it says 1500 net, I'd assume that should work, especially since it's consistent with my personal experience (1400 seems to give me about 1-1.5 lbs/week at least).

    How long have you been plateaued, and have you recalculated since losing? What is your activity level and what does MFP say you should lose per week?
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    You're going to get a lot of crap for saying you eat clean.

    Where'd she say that? I must have missed it.
    It is the belief of most MFP posters that it is impossible to lose weight unless you eat at least some unhealthy food, lol.

    I've never seen anyone say this. I have heard people say that food on its own isn't really healthy or not, diets are. Broccoli is healthy within the contexts of most diets, but it would be dumb and unhealthy to just eat broccoli or to choose it INSTEAD OF a more calorie dense food if you needed calories (i.e., were underweight or expending many calories on the job or some such).
    If you re-read, slowly and carefully, you will probably not miss it again.

    Edit: No, lol, she removed it! Smart girl. :)

    Me, or the OP? I think you were picking it up from a different poster. That's why I didn't see it initially. I assumed that you would be talking to the OP if not quoting or otherwise making it clear.

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