Question about minimum calories

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peanut613
peanut613 Posts: 438 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm a newbie when it comes to this dieting shenanigan. They say not to drop below 1000-1200 calories or you'll go into starvation or conservation mode. My daily caloric intake goal is that same window. Here is my question: Are those the calories that I eat, or "net" calories?

For example: If I eat 1200 calories a day, but burn off 400, that is a net intake of 800. Does that mean I've taken in enough or am I still too short on my intake?

Replies

  • xHelloQuincyx
    xHelloQuincyx Posts: 884 Member
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    search "should i eat my exersize calories" you will find 100's of answers

    short answer is yes eat them back. look at your net calories
  • LauraMarie37
    LauraMarie37 Posts: 283 Member
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    A debate of much contention on this site. The way MFP is set up, if you enter your workout into the site, it will give you more calories to eat - meaning it advocates eating 1200 net calories (so in your example, you'd need to eat 400 more calories, or "eat back" your exercise calories). I personally also agree with this, both from research I've done and from my own personal experience.
  • annacataldo
    annacataldo Posts: 872 Member
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    net; so at 800 net calories, your not eating enough
  • jollywolly
    jollywolly Posts: 2
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    No, you get to "eat back" your exercise calories. So, if your daily allotment is 1200 calories and you exercise 400 calories you should actually consume 1600 calories. And, if you drop below 1200 calories consumed MFP will give you a "warning: when you complete the day.
  • mkw122680
    mkw122680 Posts: 33
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    For this site, you need to follow your net calories. When you set up your account, it already figures in a calorie deficit for you. Meaning you would still lose weight if you did no exercise, only ate that many calories (assuming you weren't eating tons of sodium or something to cause water retention). If you exercise and burn more calories, you have to eat those back to stay in the healthy calorie deficit.
  • Stuartm1
    Stuartm1 Posts: 101 Member
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    Theoretically you can eat back calories burnt through excercise because you then still end up eating 1000 a day less than you need. However, it doesn't hurt if you don't eat back all the "net calories" earnt through excercise every day, Basically experiment what suits one doesn't always suit another it's finding the balance that suits you
  • jessdeweerdt
    jessdeweerdt Posts: 128
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    Definitely eat it! I was a starvation mode person, and I worked my butt off (both in exercise and diet) and lost 2 pounds in a month. I started eating my calories as mfp suggests, and I've lost a pound a week since. Just make sure that it's healthy calories, not fatty junk just to fill the calories =)
  • o0IrishEyes0o
    o0IrishEyes0o Posts: 82 Member
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    I agree with the poster that said you have to do what works for you. Try a week or two both ways and see what has you feeling okay and losing.

    I, personally, have never experienced the "starvation mode" thing that a lot of people talk about. I have noticed that if I eat every 2 to 3 hours as opposed to 3 meals a day, I lose really well.

    Everyone is different. You just have to do trial and error! :)

    good luck!
  • registers
    registers Posts: 782 Member
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    I'm a newbie when it comes to this dieting shenanigan. They say not to drop below 1000-1200 calories or you'll go into starvation or conservation mode. My daily caloric intake goal is that same window. Here is my question: Are those the calories that I eat, or "net" calories?

    For example: If I eat 1200 calories a day, but burn off 400, that is a net intake of 800. Does that mean I've taken in enough or am I still too short on my intake?
    Here's the thing... The starvation mode thing can be dismissed if you're exercising and eating enough protein. To lose weight you have to burn more calories than you consume, that's a given. There are a few ways to do this... eat less you still have to exercise to prevent metabolic slow down, you can also stay at your caloric limit and exercise more...

    To answer your question directly if you're short on your calories... Depends on the exercise you do. this is a complicated issue.
    After intense exercise, and your breathing goes back to normal, you're using more calories. You need calories to restore and repair your muscles.

    So how many calories do you really need to prevent muscle loss and burn bodyfat? Depends on your macro nutrient ratios such as carbs, proteins, fats, the type of exercises you do... The intensity of them.

    As you mentoined you're new to this stuff.. I "wouldn't" eat back my calories, unless I was hungry. The reason for this is because, the more you eat the more you're offsetting the caloric deficit. If you go hungry... that can cause a lot of stress on the body and cause you to burn out... and just want to give up or binge or things of that sort.

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