Calorie intake... need to rant a bit

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psyknife
psyknife Posts: 487 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So, I'm fairly new here, but I've been observing lots of threads and I need to rant here.

I see lots of people eating too FEW calories!

Please realize that when MyFitnessPal is setting up your calories that it creates a base intake... that intake is based on how many calories you burn at rest (meaning, if you laid in bed all day and didn't do a darn thing) and THEN it takes the deficit to tell you what you'd need to consume to lose a pound (or two) per week... if you just laid in bed all day.

So, if I laid in bed all day then I'd only need about 1270 calories to create a deficit... but guess what? I don't lay in bed all day... and I'm sure you don't either.

You NEED to take into accounability your EXERCISE! This means that if you burn 600 calories exercising, you need to eat 600 more calories than that base amount! So, if my base amount (w/deficit) is 1270 and I burn 600 calories in exercise that day... I need to CONSUME 1870 calories.

Why is this important?
Because if you eat too few calories your body thinks it's starving... it'll SLOW your metabolism! Even worse... it may start eating away at muscle mass. No no no no!
I just don't want to see people sabotage themselves through misinformation.

So what you SHOULD do it enter your exercise for the day and then click on "food" to see how many calories you should be eating that day. Also, be sure to enter weight training in the "cardio" section also, just so that the calorie burn is counted... because weight training burns calories. Yes, yes it does.

So please please please... stop starving yourself! Fitness is a journey... everyone wants something now now now... faster faster faster... but starving yourself is not going to get you there. You'll be ruining your bodily functions.

Ok, I'm going to step off my soapbox now.
Thanks for listening.
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Replies

  • psyknife
    psyknife Posts: 487 Member
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    So, I'm fairly new here, but I've been observing lots of threads and I need to rant here.

    I see lots of people eating too FEW calories!

    Please realize that when MyFitnessPal is setting up your calories that it creates a base intake... that intake is based on how many calories you burn at rest (meaning, if you laid in bed all day and didn't do a darn thing) and THEN it takes the deficit to tell you what you'd need to consume to lose a pound (or two) per week... if you just laid in bed all day.

    So, if I laid in bed all day then I'd only need about 1270 calories to create a deficit... but guess what? I don't lay in bed all day... and I'm sure you don't either.

    You NEED to take into accounability your EXERCISE! This means that if you burn 600 calories exercising, you need to eat 600 more calories than that base amount! So, if my base amount (w/deficit) is 1270 and I burn 600 calories in exercise that day... I need to CONSUME 1870 calories.

    Why is this important?
    Because if you eat too few calories your body thinks it's starving... it'll SLOW your metabolism! Even worse... it may start eating away at muscle mass. No no no no!
    I just don't want to see people sabotage themselves through misinformation.

    So what you SHOULD do it enter your exercise for the day and then click on "food" to see how many calories you should be eating that day. Also, be sure to enter weight training in the "cardio" section also, just so that the calorie burn is counted... because weight training burns calories. Yes, yes it does.

    So please please please... stop starving yourself! Fitness is a journey... everyone wants something now now now... faster faster faster... but starving yourself is not going to get you there. You'll be ruining your bodily functions.

    Ok, I'm going to step off my soapbox now.
    Thanks for listening.
  • Anna_Banana
    Anna_Banana Posts: 2,939 Member
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    Thank you for saying it. My thoughts exactly.
  • Juliebean
    Juliebean Posts: 317
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    Agreed. There's a really good thread about eating your exercise calories, and I do, every day! I for one am never hungry! :laugh:
  • Emdicio
    Emdicio Posts: 270 Member
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    Well said and exactly right. The quest to lose all the weight RIGHT NOW leads people to make bad choices. Thanks for the post!
  • MarineBugler
    MarineBugler Posts: 34
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    I know I should agree...

    I'm recovering from an eating disorder and find it soooo hard to eat the right amount. I feel STUFFED at about 1100 calories. I'm in the military so I should be eating close to 1900.

    What are some snacks that are good for calories that wouldn't make me too full?
  • psyknife
    psyknife Posts: 487 Member
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    Fruits are good for that... particularly bananas as they are denser in calories.

    Nuts are also good... a small amount packs higher amounts of calories.
  • Fab140
    Fab140 Posts: 1,976 Member
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    Ok, I'm going to step off my soapbox now.
    Thanks for listening.

    *Claps* Bravo!!

    NOW.....who will get on that soap box and tell women that lifting weights WILL NOT BULK YOU UP unless you try to bulk up!!! There have been far too many threads where women "are afraid of weight lifting". Weight lifting is so important to maintain your health! I have watched my elders become crippled from age and lack of muscle to move. They became trapped in a wheel chair because they no longer had the strength to move.

    Please, ladies, don't listen to old ideas on weight loss and educate yourselves. On calorie intake, variety in cardio, and weight training. You'll thank yourselves :flowerforyou:
  • Theresa35
    Theresa35 Posts: 1,102
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    Ok, I'm going to step off my soapbox now.
    Thanks for listening.

    *Claps* Bravo!!

    NOW.....who will get on that soap box and tell women that lifting weights WILL NOT BULK YOU UP unless you try to bulk up!!! There have been far too many threads where women "are afraid of weight lifting". Weight lifting is so important to maintain your health! I have watched my elders become crippled from age and lack of muscle to move. They became trapped in a wheel chair because they no longer had the strength to move.

    Please, ladies, don't listen to old ideas on weight loss and educate yourselves. On calorie intake, variety in cardio, and weight training. You'll thank yourselves :flowerforyou:

    Woohoo Fab!!! Strength training is awesome and NO you don't look big and bulky. You look lean and toned!
  • psyknife
    psyknife Posts: 487 Member
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    Here here! I'm with you on that too!!!!

    Ladies... I bicep curl 20 lbs. and I'm FAR from bulky. Ladies are not predestined to bulk up... do NOT be afraid of lifting weights. Lifting weights should be part of your regular routine... a big reason is because it also builds up bone density. Women are predetermined to start losing bone and muscle mass starting at age 30! So, build up that muscle mass and bone density to prevent having your body break down on you! Do not be afraid of the weights... LOVE THEM, REVEL IN THEM, ENJOY FEELING STRONG AND POWERFUL!
  • Phoenix_Rising
    Phoenix_Rising Posts: 11,417 Member
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    I can't understand why people aren't eating all their calories myself.
    I eat them ALL. If I have leftover calories after dinner, I plan for my late night snack.
    I'm not trying to diet. I'm not trying to drop my remaining 30 lbs of weight loss in the next week.

    I am trying to become healthy.
    I am trying to learn a new lifestyle.
    I am engraining this into my brain, so that years from now, I won't need MFP to track my food.
    My brain will automatically sync up with my stomach, and I'll only eat what's require, and in a healthy fashion.


    EAT YOUR CALORIES.
    EAT THEM ALL.
    REWARD YOUR BODY FOR THE EXERCISE YOU DO BY EATING TO REPLENISH!
    (Although you folks that do 1000+calorie workouts.... well, I can understand if you can't eat ALL those calories. That would be an insane amount of food!)


    And please remember that chronically under-eating your calories will result in weight gain, the exact opposite of what you're trying for!
  • Fightslikeagirl
    Fightslikeagirl Posts: 16 Member
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    Thanks for clearing that up. I was just having that discussion because I wanted to make sure I wasn't getting too few or too many calories so I can lose weight!!
  • Fab140
    Fab140 Posts: 1,976 Member
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    Here here! I'm with you on that too!!!!

    Ladies... I bicep curl 20 lbs. and I'm FAR from bulky. Ladies are not predestined to bulk up... do NOT be afraid of lifting weights. Lifting weights should be part of your regular routine... a big reason is because it also builds up bone density. Women are predetermined to start losing bone and muscle mass starting at age 30! So, build up that muscle mass and bone density to prevent having your body break down on you! Do not be afraid of the weights... LOVE THEM, REVEL IN THEM, ENJOY FEELING STRONG AND POWERFUL!

    Weight training with the boys is one of the best ways to feel sexy. Pick ye up a HERS stregnth and muscle magazine. It has no fluff on reltionships and bathing suits, just all the best routines and tips for form in cardio and weight training!
  • mlillie
    mlillie Posts: 302
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    Well i totally agree with the wt training- the scale is not moving for me but my body is changing- I feel stronger and carry myself differently as well.

    So I weigh and weigh and no change but lift and lift and feel my legs and arms changing and that is what fuels me and excites me. I lift as heavy as I can do correctly perform 12 reps of an exericse 3 sets and the last night I can barely make it to 10-12. I have been doing a lot of lunges as well with heavy weights. It is exciting.
  • sixtyinchesoffury
    sixtyinchesoffury Posts: 321 Member
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    Maybe I have no self control but I always seem to go over my calories but haven't gained any weight. Any thoughts on that???
  • Fab140
    Fab140 Posts: 1,976 Member
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    could be that you have your calories set too low for your lifestyle. And it could be the TYPE of calories your going over on. If it's leafy greens, and only 50-100 cals over, you should be ok I would think.
  • douganl
    douganl Posts: 283 Member
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    I can't understand why people aren't eating all their calories myself.
    I eat them ALL. If I have leftover calories after dinner, I plan for my late night snack.
    I'm not trying to diet. I'm not trying to drop my remaining 30 lbs of weight loss in the next week.

    I agree and I don't understand some of you that say they have a hard time eating 1200 calories. WHAT?? I can eat 1200 calories for a snack!!!!! :wink: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • Fab140
    Fab140 Posts: 1,976 Member
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    I can't understand why people aren't eating all their calories myself.
    I eat them ALL. If I have leftover calories after dinner, I plan for my late night snack.
    I'm not trying to diet. I'm not trying to drop my remaining 30 lbs of weight loss in the next week.

    I agree and I don't understand some of you that say they have a hard time eating 1200 calories. WHAT?? I can eat 1200 calories for a snack!!!!! :wink: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    Right?? Goodness.....
  • Thrust
    Thrust Posts: 63 Member
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    Lots of good discussion (and advice in this thread). Essential components to losing fat (in order of importance): proper nutrition; resistance training (using heavy weight compound lifts); and cardio.

    To add my own rant :laugh:

    There's WAY too much concern over consuming fat. Fat is an essential macro-nutrient in all its forms (even saturated). Don't fear eating some fat, just use moderation.

    Sodium is overblown. Unless you have a medical condition that is aggrevated by sodium or you're prepping for a bodybuilding contest, don't exagerate problems associated with sodium.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    Ok, I'm going to step off my soapbox now.
    Thanks for listening.

    *Claps* Bravo!!

    NOW.....who will get on that soap box and tell women that lifting weights WILL NOT BULK YOU UP unless you try to bulk up!!! There have been far too many threads where women "are afraid of weight lifting". Weight lifting is so important to maintain your health! I have watched my elders become crippled from age and lack of muscle to move. They became trapped in a wheel chair because they no longer had the strength to move.

    Please, ladies, don't listen to old ideas on weight loss and educate yourselves. On calorie intake, variety in cardio, and weight training. You'll thank yourselves :flowerforyou:

    Oh gosh, a few months back I went into a TIRADE about this. I powerlift, so you can imagine my frustration when people-- even PERSONAL TRAINERS-- say that heavy lifting will 'add bulk'. Excuse me, but I am far from 'bulky'. :explode: Even when I lift to promote hypertrophy, it takes months and months to add 1/4 inch of muscle! I *wish* it was that easy to pack on slabs of muscle! :tongue:
  • psyknife
    psyknife Posts: 487 Member
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    I just started a new thread in the fitness section... I got a preview for a new program coming out call ChaLEAN Extreme. It's a program designed to make you long and lean, and guess what? It involves heavy lifting and slow and controlled rates. Booyah! This is gonna be awesome!

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