Calorie Intake

peachez650 · February 2011

Hey hey MFP people. I had a question, Im always confused theres just SO much out there when it comes to weight loss and being healthy. Why cant they just write down a few rules for the whole world to follow, it would make life a lot easier instead of getting lost in there forums.

Anywho....my question is calorie intake, im supposed to be eating 1200 a day, which I always do Ive been sure Ive been on top it of, making smart choices etc. And I think for myself Ive been doing pretty good, Im still in the beginning but last month lost 10 pounds woot woot. I have been doing it by 90% of the time, eating the 1200 calories then working out. I alternate between strength training and cardio. On my cardio days for instance, AFTER working out I will have a good 600-700 calories left over, which I know is a lot...now this is where I get confused because Ive heard both opinions. Do I eat those calories? Or do I leave it as is because i HAVE eaten 1200 calories already? So far not eating them has been working, but I could always be more successful! ...Guess it scares me to know that eating my 1200 plus another 600-700 is just way to many calories.

I hear all these things about starvation mode and a person could be loosing and burning more if u eat the calories you burn etc etc. AHHH!! :noway:

What do you do, do you eat them or leave them???

clahut · February 2011

Hi ,

I eat about half of my exercise calories back as I don't trust most calculations of what I have burned.

C

kao708 · February 2011

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

beqy12 · February 2011

I listen to my body. If it tells me I am hungry, I will add my exercise calories to my daily caloric goal... sometimes I feel like I need them all, sometimes half, sometimes none. If eating them back is working for you, it sounds like you would be able to listen to your body in this way too and still have success.

sdickman · February 2011

I was just going to post this link as well. Under the General Diet and Weight Loss Help topic, there is a folder that says "Newbies please READ ME". This has the answers to several of these types of questions.

NoAdditives · February 2011

I eat them all (generally). It has never hindered my weight loss. In fact, I lost 2 pounds last week.

If your daily calorie goal is 1200 you should eat all of your exercise calories. You should never get less than 1200 net calories, it just isn't enough for your body to function properly.

MooseWizard · February 2011

It's seems to be a big debate. I almost always eat my extra calories and am doing very well. Some say they have not had success with that. You can always give it a try and see. If it does not work, go back to what you were doing. If it does, yay!

I do not agree strictly with the "I eat if I am hungry" approach, because feeling full is not directly proportional to the number of calories consumed.

cmriverside · February 2011

Depending on how much weight you have to lose, you need to be eating either some or all of those calories earned by exercise. Please read these and you will understand more. Good luck!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6556-the-answers-to-the-questions?page=1

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/30898-bmr-vs-tdee-what-mfp-is-telling-you

peachez650 · February 2011

Thanks everybody this really helps!!....I guess I will try eating some of my calories burned, at least to make it 1200. Never thought of it that way, on the days where I have 600-700 extra, obviously I am below 1200 because I burned them away. I think thats a good rule of thumb, stick to 1200 calories, If i burn them eat them back. That would probably put me at eating half my exercise calories.

The posts all really helped as well!!!!!....we will see how it goes. I lost a total of 3 pounds last week not eating all my exercise calories, but as I said before, its not ALL the time I ignore them, but more often then not I do.

I will test it and see where I get

Calorie Intake

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