Struggling to meet calorie intake due to exercise...

nichole_pickle
nichole_pickle Posts: 16
edited September 23 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello,

I'm finding it really difficult to eat the extra calories I'm earning from exercise. I'm eating well, three meals plus healthy snacks throughout the day like fat-free yoghurt and fruit, or even a bag of crisps if I fancy them. But I'm exercising each day and earning about 500 calories extra so MFP keeps telling me off for being under my total daily calorie intake, and threatening 'starvation mode' - scary!

I'm definately not starving myself, I feel full each time I eat. But I really dont want this all to be wasted and end up not losing weight, especially with how hard I'm trying to exercise!

Any tips/suggestions?

Replies

  • Simonscat
    Simonscat Posts: 249
    Weird.
    When i eat less than 1200 and don't exercise I get the warning sign..

    When i do exercise and earn 400 cals. And I eat at least 1200. It doesn't give the warning sign...

    you sure you're eating 1200 a day?
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    I've only gotten the warning when I didn't make it to 1200 calories for the day, irregardless of exercise calories. Sometimes (like yesterday) I do not net 1200, but I DID eat MORE than 1200 yet got some exercise calories back...but didn't get the warning.

    I agree with above poster...are you really eating over 1200?
  • nichole_pickle
    nichole_pickle Posts: 16
    Yeah, for example my daily calorie goal is 1540 (set by MFP). Yesterday I did a power walk at lunch and then an aerobics dvd sp burned 607 calories which took me up to 2147 calorie goal for that day. I ate 1146 calories - good breakfast of toast, yoghurt and fruit, a sandwich for lunch, and a pie (yes a PIE!) for tea with lots of veggies.

    I wasn't hungry all day between meals, and I had plenty of energy for my workout at 8pm too.

    So yesterday it wanted an extra 1001 calories from me, which when I log all my food diary in at 7pm is pretty difficult to start cramming food in lol!

    I dont get it. :-(
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
    To some extend you have to listen to your body.

    I often can't eat back all my exercise calories, especially when I double up and train morning and evening. Firstly my appetite actually decreases the more I exercise (I know it's ironic but it does!), and secondly when you eat clean and don't eat junk, other than stuffing your face with nuts, it's actually quite hard to make it all up.

    I am happy to replace around 50% of my training calories, but won't force myself to eat more if I feel my body does not require it.

    The other day I was about 300 calories under after a high training load, but I had literally eaten all day and was never hungry.

    Some people here will tell you you have to eat back every single training calorie. I would say, see what works for you. :flowerforyou:
  • zdbeaumont
    zdbeaumont Posts: 12
    ive gotten the warning sign a few times, im eating 3 healthy meals a day and trying to snack to meet my calorie intake but im struggleing aswell.
  • nichole_pickle
    nichole_pickle Posts: 16
    Thank you backinthenines, that actually makes me feel a lot better about it. I'm glad I'm not the only one though.

    Nuts! Good idea! I will put them on my shopping list this week.

    PS - well done training twice a day, thats awesome! xx
  • rjlam
    rjlam Posts: 149
    I've had the same struggle. I've been told by a dietician and my son who is a personal trainer that as long as your eating your Daily caloric intake for examples mine is 1411, I will be fine. I also agree that you need to listen to your body especially if you are eating clean. Hope this helps. Your doing great.
  • Franticantics
    Franticantics Posts: 117
    hmm, I get the warning every say without fail.
    I'm eating around 1000-1200 calories a day...which is already 200 under, but the amount I exercise i'm burning between 1200-3000 calories a day!
  • GeoffCheater
    GeoffCheater Posts: 1
    Hi,

    I have had the same problem

    The dried fruit from health shops are quite good i.e.

    Apricots figs bannanas etc.

    Geoff
  • dlaplume2
    dlaplume2 Posts: 1,658 Member
    Yeah, for example my daily calorie goal is 1540 (set by MFP). Yesterday I did a power walk at lunch and then an aerobics dvd sp burned 607 calories which took me up to 2147 calorie goal for that day. I ate 1146 calories - good breakfast of toast, yoghurt and fruit, a sandwich for lunch, and a pie (yes a PIE!) for tea with lots of veggies.

    I wasn't hungry all day between meals, and I had plenty of energy for my workout at 8pm too.

    So yesterday it wanted an extra 1001 calories from me, which when I log all my food diary in at 7pm is pretty difficult to start cramming food in lol!

    I dont get it. :-(

    Unless I am mistaken you have netted 539. That is very low. You may not feel hungry if you are used to eating that low because your body has just shut down that ability. I don't know how to link a blog onto this post, but really need look at why you need to eat those calories. There was one listed "700 calories and still no weight loss" (something like that. ) I think you need to eat a lot more of those back so you are netting 1000-1200 calories. '

    I wish you the best of luck.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    hmm, I get the warning every say without fail.
    I'm eating around 1000-1200 calories a day...which is already 200 under, but the amount I exercise i'm burning between 1200-3000 calories a day!

    You need to eat more. You'll end up with the body of an anorexic if you keep that up.

    Staravtion is classed as not only a severe lack of suffiicent macro & micro nutrients to sustain your body but also energy intake. Whilst I guess you could acheive a sufficiently nutrient dense diet at 1000 - 1200 calories if you really know what you are doing and eat completely clean there is no way you can power yourself on that amount with the physical activity you do. You'll become Black Swan if you are not careful....
  • fitmamaoftwins
    fitmamaoftwins Posts: 116
    as long as you eat at least 1200 and are getting your protein, healthy fats and carbs you're good girl!
  • dhandley
    dhandley Posts: 1 Member
    I was having the same problem and I switched my profile to lost 1.5 pounds a week and now it gives me 1300 calories a day. My workouts always gives me more and that makes it more real for me. Also, I think this site gives you way more calories than you burn during a workout. The machines at the gym says one thing and the site gives you about 200 more than the machine did. I at least try for the 1200 calories a day. Good Luck.
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