Calorie Intake?

brindle619
brindle619 Posts: 12
edited September 25 in Health and Weight Loss
Ive always been told for my size, that I should be Taking in 2000 Calories. I am 5'6" and around 245. I started this program a few days ago and it has me at 1520 calories. Does this sound right to you guys? I am new to the diet scene. I'm sticking to the program just curious.

Replies

  • meagalayne
    meagalayne Posts: 3,382 Member
    What is your goal loss per week? If you are aiming to lose more than 1lb per week, 1520 sounds about right..... Consuming between 1500 and 1700 a day, plus whatever you burn during exercise, at your weight and height should result in consistent weight loss for the time being.
  • brindle619
    brindle619 Posts: 12
    Thank you!!!!
  • brindle619
    brindle619 Posts: 12
    So am I supposed to make up the calories I burn during exercise? I thought the point was to get rid of them.
  • meagalayne
    meagalayne Posts: 3,382 Member
    Quite the opposite. There is a lot of information on these forums already about calorie burn and re-fueling, actually. See these posts for more information:

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

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6556-the-answers-to-the-questions

    Basically - MFP has already set up a comfortable calorie deficit for weight-loss given your height/weight. That's why you can lose weight without exercise at all. If you are burning, say 400 calories a day doing cardio for an hour, then that's an additional 400 calories of nutritious food that you are denying your body (and that it likely needs). Keep in mind - you should be treating your body like a well-oiled machine. It needs fuel to work properly, and it definitely needs fuel to burn calories! If you are already eating 500-1000 less calories than your body would require to maintain it's current weight, burning additional calories without replenishing them can cause some undue duress.

    Of course, this is not a perfect science and it really depends on what your BMR, your activity level, and your weight loss goals are. It's not set in stone either - everyone is different.

    Check out this discussion as well - It's a great addendum to understanding what our bodies need from us in order to keep us feeling and looking healthy. Good luck!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/173853-an-objective-look-at-eating-exercise-calories
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