Confused about calories/exercise!

Options
prettyinpink117
prettyinpink117 Posts: 30 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am curious if I should up my caloric intake? I have it set at 1200 but I do an hour of jogging/walking intervals, plus 20 minutes of strength training/calisthenics and 10 minutes of jump rope everyday... could I be burning off too much and entering starvation mode?

Replies

  • mlaugh
    mlaugh Posts: 30
    Options
    eat the calories
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    Options
    You should be entering that exercise in your exercise log, and eating at least some of those calories that MFP adds in. MFP has a built in cal deficit based on your loss per week goal, regardless of exercise. If you don't replace those calories burned in exercise, you create a larger deficit, which may be unhealthy and unsustainable.

    I would recommend reading this thread that helps explain how to determine a healthy, realistic cal goal/deficit. Good luck to you!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits
  • Losing2Live69
    Losing2Live69 Posts: 743 Member
    Options
    Yes! Eat the calories! Let me tell you what happened to me because I listened to someone who told me not to eat them. I was eating 1200 calories a day. I was then burning 400-600 calories in exercise a day. That was giving me a net intake of only 600-800 calories. I did this for 2 weeks and at the beginning of the 3rd week I started feeling terrible. I almost passed out every time I stood up, I was cold and clammy, I had a horrible headache, my heart was palpitating, I had horrible muscle cramps. So...I went to the doctor thinking maybe I had the flu or something. Long story short, it wasn't the flu! I was starving myself! My sodium and potassium were dangerously low from exercising and not eating enough. The doc said I would have been in the hospital by the weekend if I wouldn't have gone in. I also didn't lose any weight those two weeks! When you don't eat enough your body will hold on to everything that you put in it. Your body loses nutrients from exercising...you lose sodium from sweating and potassium from using your muscles. You have to eat enough to replenish your body. There are people on here that will argue not to eat the exercise calories....but let me tell you from experience, you need to! I have been eating my exercise calories for only 2 days now and I have lost 3 pounds. Remember, the majority of the people who throw out advice are not professionals, they don't have a college degree, they aren't registered dietitians or physicians. Listen to your body...it will never lie to you.
  • prettyinpink117
    prettyinpink117 Posts: 30 Member
    Options
    Thank you guys so much :] I think I'll up it to about 1400 a day for a start!!!
  • xomakaxo
    xomakaxo Posts: 86 Member
    Options
    I almost passed out every time I stood up, I was cold and clammy, I had a horrible headache, my heart was palpitating, I had horrible muscle cramps. So...I went to the doctor thinking maybe I had the flu or something. Long story short, it wasn't the flu! I was starving myself! My sodium and potassium were dangerously low from exercising and not eating enough.

    This happened to me too, except I didn't go to the doctor.
  • mrsannett
    mrsannett Posts: 257 Member
    Options
    I agree eat the calories...it does make a difference!

Categories