Need help - Calorie Advice

ncash02
ncash02 Posts: 2
edited September 27 in Fitness and Exercise
I have been working out for 3 weeks now. I just found this App yesterday and I love it!

The program is recommending that I eat 1600 calories a day to lose the amount of weight I am looking for. When I work out, that number increases. I tend to burn around 2k calories in the gym each day, so that means I need to be eating 3600 calories? I have been eating around 1500-2k calories a day. Is this causing my body to stop burning fat, and start storing it? Will I see negative effects if I do not eat the 1600 calories on top of the calories that I am using for exercise?

Thanks is advance!

Replies

  • bex879165
    bex879165 Posts: 121 Member
    Wow! That's a lot of calories in one day!! How do you burn those off?? :-)
  • Baileys83
    Baileys83 Posts: 152 Member
    The 1600 the site recommends is what they recommend you eat in order to loose weight. The 2000 calories you burn off in the gym you can either eat back if you want or give yourself a pat on the back and be proud of yourself that you burnt them off!! :-)
  • ncash02
    ncash02 Posts: 2
    Hmm ok, so its not necessary for me to eat 3600 calories in a day, good, because that could become quite expensive!

    I do an hour of cardio in the morning, then in the evening i do 30 mins of cardio, followed by an ab attack class, and an hour long spin class. nets me from 1500-2000 calories burned daily.

    I just got out of the Navy, and am going back to school in the fall. I am spending my off time getting my body/self in shape. :) I am spending 5-6 hours in the gym daily, so thats how i burn so much :P
  • itstherealest
    itstherealest Posts: 6
    Hello,

    Well I'm kind of on the same boat as you, my app tells me I should eat about 1500 calories and of course, I also workout so I burn some extra, and I have to make up for it in my meals. This extra that you burn is subtracted from your "quota" because the app calculates the initial 1600 Calories based on the theoretical "sedentary" lifestyle. Once you start working out, you burn off those extra Calories, and therefore you need to make up for them to stay on track with what they suggest. In your case, the 3600 total Calories you must eat sounds about right.

    If you were to ignore their suggestions to eat the additional, not only would you lose extra pounds quicker, but you probably wouldn't have enough energy to do your first set at the gym. Keep in mind that your body needs carbs to function properly when doing intense workouts. Even though fat is higher in energy, it's much more complicated to digest by your body than carbs, and you need that quick energy. Also, the more you excersize, the more nutrients your body uses up, so along with the extra Calories you ingest, your body will absorb other necessary resources.

    Given you do burn out the 2000 Calories you have calculated at the gym, following the plan and eating the 3600 Calories will still lead you to lose weight in the form of fat, because what matters are the net Calories, which according to the quota will keep you on track to losing whatever weight you have entered into the app.
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