Calorie intake

morganpalmer9
morganpalmer9 Posts: 73 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I am unsure of how to calculate my calorie intake when including the calories I burn from working out.

I am supposed to eat 1,000-1,200 calories a day, which I do. But I also burn around 500 calories a day from running. This probably is a super dumb question, but say I eat 1200 calories and burn 500 in a workout and everyone recommends only eating 50% back, then I'm still only at 950. Should I really be eating 1450 so I'm actually eating 1200?

Replies

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    1200 is your base. You earn an additional 500 from running, that equals 1700, that you need to consume. As most burns are overestimated, the majority of people eat back half of the exercise calories. 1200 and 250 is 1450 that you would consume.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    1200 is your base. You earn an additional 500 from running, that equals 1700, that you need to consume. As most burns are overestimated, the majority of people eat back half of the exercise calories. 1200 and 250 is 1450 that you would consume.

    This. Eat 1450 on days that you burn 500.
  • mantium999
    mantium999 Posts: 1,490 Member
    The suggestion of eating back 50% is based on MFP tending to overestimate calorie burn for exercise. I would start with that, be sure you are tracking calories in properly, see what happens after a couple weeks, and adjust accordingly.

    Also, what are your stats? Its quite common that a 1200 calorie target is aggressive. What do you weigh, what's your target, and what did you set your weight loss per week goal at? Someone who is able to maintain a 500 daily running burn could potentially be fit enough to require a more conservative deficit.
  • gadgetsalwaysfit
    gadgetsalwaysfit Posts: 5 Member
    Remember that this will vary by each person. I eat all of my exercise calories back but still lose weight albeit slowly. I did want to lose it slowly just so long as I lose it. Good record keeping for calories, exercise, and weekly weigh-in's will let you know what's going on over time and then you can adjust based on that.
  • morganpalmer9
    morganpalmer9 Posts: 73 Member
    mantium999 wrote: »
    The suggestion of eating back 50% is based on MFP tending to overestimate calorie burn for exercise. I would start with that, be sure you are tracking calories in properly, see what happens after a couple weeks, and adjust accordingly.

    Also, what are your stats? Its quite common that a 1200 calorie target is aggressive. What do you weigh, what's your target, and what did you set your weight loss per week goal at? Someone who is able to maintain a 500 daily running burn could potentially be fit enough to require a more conservative deficit.

    I'm 5'4", 130 lbs, and I would like to get down to 125. I started at 142ish lbs. I would like to lose a lb a week if possible. I feel like I am eating a lot even just eating 1200 calories and not eating back any calories I've burned but everyone on these boards says on other posts that that is unhealthy because it actually equals out to 700 calories a day.
  • morganpalmer9
    morganpalmer9 Posts: 73 Member
    gadgetsalwaysfit wrote: »
    Remember that this will vary by each person. I eat all of my exercise calories back but still lose weight albeit slowly. I did want to lose it slowly just so long as I lose it. Good record keeping for calories, exercise, and weekly weigh-in's will let you know what's going on over time and then you can adjust based on that.

    Yeah that is why I was wondering. I've hit a standstill but am nervous to cut more calories because other commenters on other posts say that 1200 with a large calorie burn is too low. I'm nervous I am going to not eat enough and then slow down my metabolism even more.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories