Am I eating enough???

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Hi guys, I need advice on whether I should be eating my exercise cals back or not? MFP give me 1600 cals a day, but I've set my own rates at 1500 Sunday to thursday, 1850 on a Friday and 2350 on Saturday. I exercise Monday to Thursday and usually burn between 1000-1600 cals a day. I don't eat my exercise cals back, by then end if the week I've usually banked about 6000/7000 cals. But I am not losing any weight and I'm tired by the afternoon but can't sleep at night. Someone told me it's because I'm not eating enough? I don't understand how that works, I always just thought calories in versus calories out! Can someone who knows what they're talking about please explain the lack of calories/need to eat exercise calories back please?

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  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    edited September 2015
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    It is calories in versus calories out. There may be a lag, there may be extra water retention, but consuming fewer calories than your body uses will result in weight loss.

    Two suspects are that you are consuming more calories than you think you are and/or not burning as many calories exercising as you think you are.

    Are you using a food scale to weight your food?

    Check out this chart made by another MFP member:

    hb8cyyhinoq7.jpg

    ETA: You said MFP gave you a goal of 1600 calories per day. That's 11,200 per week. Your tailored numbers (1500 Sunday to thursday, 1850 on a Friday and 2350 on Saturday) add up to 11,700. That 500 extra calories per week will change your rate of weight loss.
  • angmilla1977
    angmilla1977 Posts: 16 Member
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    seska422 wrote: »
    It is calories in versus calories out. There may be a lag, there may be extra water retention, but consuming fewer calories than your body uses will result in weight loss.

    Two suspects are that you are consuming more calories than you think you are and/or not burning as many calories exercising as you think you are.

    Are you using a food scale to weight your food?

    Check out this chart made by another MFP member:

    hb8cyyhinoq7.jpg

    ETA: You said MFP gave you a goal of 1600 calories per day. That's 11,200 per week. Your tailored numbers (1500 Sunday to thursday, 1850 on a Friday and 2350 on Saturday) add up to 11,700. That 500 extra calories per week will change your rate of weight loss.

    Yes I weigh all my food and I use a heart rate monitor when I work out. I know there's a plus 500 difference in my calorie rates for food, but I have around a 7000 cal deficit because of exercise, which makes me way under my calorie allowance for the week
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    what are your stats? what are you doing to burn over 1000 cals a workout?
  • angmilla1977
    angmilla1977 Posts: 16 Member
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    Hi guys, I need advice on whether I should be eating my exercise cals back or not? MFP give me 1600 cals a day, but I've set my own rates at 1500 Sunday to thursday, 1850 on a Friday and 2350 on Saturday. I exercise Monday to Thursday and usually burn between 1000-1600 cals a day. I don't eat my exercise cals back, by then end if the week I've usually banked about 6000/7000 cals. But I am not losing any weight and I'm tired by the afternoon but can't sleep at night. Someone told me it's because I'm not eating enough? I don't understand how that works, I always just thought calories in versus calories out! Can someone who knows what they're talking about please explain the lack of calories/need to eat exercise calories back please?
    Hi guys, I need advice on whether I should be eating my exercise cals back or not? MFP give me 1600 cals a day, but I've set my own rates at 1500 Sunday to thursday, 1850 on a Friday and 2350 on Saturday. I exercise Monday to Thursday and usually burn between 1000-1600 cals a day. I don't eat my exercise cals back, by then end if the week I've usually banked about 6000/7000 cals. But I am not losing any weight and I'm tired by the afternoon but can't sleep at night. Someone told me it's because I'm not eating enough? I don't understand how that works, I always just thought calories in versus calories out! Can someone who knows what they're talking about please explain the lack of calories/need to eat exercise calories back please?

    Sorry that should say I exercise Monday to Friday, not Thursday
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    How long (weeks) have you been doing this?
  • angmilla1977
    angmilla1977 Posts: 16 Member
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    what are your stats? what are you doing to burn over 1000 cals a workout?

    I do various exercise classes back to back, 2 x 1hour on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and 3x 1 hour Tuesday and Friday, most are energetic cardio based. Except Wednesday I do a boot cp type strength training and Friday an hour of aqua
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    what are your stats? what are you doing to burn over 1000 cals a workout?

    I do various exercise classes back to back, 2 x 1hour on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and 3x 1 hour Tuesday and Friday, most are energetic cardio based. Except Wednesday I do a boot cp type strength training and Friday an hour of aqua

    and you're eating in a deficit - and then adding a deficit through exercise? why? how many pounds are you trying to lose?
  • lseed87
    lseed87 Posts: 1,105 Member
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    I would say so. Especially since you eat low and then have a bigger day over the weekend. 1700-1900 seems like the right track though. Biggest thing is listening to your body.

    Have you took pictures or measurements? Scales aren't always helpful.

    Not drinking enough water? Alcohol? Sodium filled foods?

    Not hitting any of your macros?

    Time of month?

    Medical reasons

    Need rest days


    so many things could cause not seeing changes. Even our minds...
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,643 Member
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    not sure why you are not losing weight but the lack of sleep can be attributed to over doing it and working out too hard. Try going easy for one week and see what happens. Maybe less than 4000 calories by your standard?
  • angmilla1977
    angmilla1977 Posts: 16 Member
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    JaneiR36 wrote: »
    How long (weeks) have you been doing this?

    I've been stuck in a rut for about 6 weeks, so I increased my activity and for the last 2 weeks started exercising on a Monday too.
  • angmilla1977
    angmilla1977 Posts: 16 Member
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    what are your stats? what are you doing to burn over 1000 cals a workout?

    I do various exercise classes back to back, 2 x 1hour on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and 3x 1 hour Tuesday and Friday, most are energetic cardio based. Except Wednesday I do a boot cp type strength training and Friday an hour of aqua

    and you're eating in a deficit - and then adding a deficit through exercise? why? how many pounds are you trying to lose?

    I don't want to lose a huge amount only about 10-14lbs, but I just can't seem to make a difference, it seems the harder I try the less it works. I either stay the same or lose half a pound.
  • angmilla1977
    angmilla1977 Posts: 16 Member
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    not sure why you are not losing weight but the lack of sleep can be attributed to over doing it and working out too hard. Try going easy for one week and see what happens. Maybe less than 4000 calories by your standard?

    This is what I was wondering about? I was hoping someone who had some knowledge of fitness and nutrition and could tell me a little more about it?
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,643 Member
    edited September 2015
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    There are so many variables and so many unknowns that it really is all about personal health/fitness. It will take some experimenting. Everyone's body reacts differently but the tell tale sign for me is not sleeping properly. Just go easy for one week and see what happens. Maybe only one cardio class max per day. Its just temporary to see what happens.