Calories counting question

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Mrs_Hewi
Mrs_Hewi Posts: 77 Member
in Food and Nutrition
As i am trying to lose weight i am counting calories... I am staying under my calorie count and am also burning at least 500 calories at the gym and i go 4+ times a week. So say i eat 1400 calories in a whole day, and work off 500 calories that day also, this leaves me with a calorie count of 900. Is this a good thing? am i supposed to eat to make up for the 500 calories i worked off? because that just doesnt make sense... but i also know only having 900 calories in a day is not healthy....

So can someone please explain to me how calorie counting to LOSE weight is supposed to work?

Replies

  • dragonbug300
    dragonbug300 Posts: 760 Member
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    Eat back the exercise calories. That's why this site tracks them.
  • sweetie89207
    sweetie89207 Posts: 361
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    if u think of it as re-fueling your body it does make sense...the "deficit" that this site has given you is what will allow u to lose the weight...so if you eat 100% of what they say you should then "technically" you should lose what they said you should a week...the problem becomes when u dont eat enough and your body cannot re-fuel itself from the workout...not good...but heres how u fix that...eat like u are and when you eat back the calories try and use those for all your high calorie good fat foods...try only eating those back with things really healthy for you- so this way you are refueling your body to help it work and use that food for muscle and such and also you are getting all of those antioxidants and good fats (like from nuts and avocados) that ur body needs to work...i think that should work very well for you!
  • greenmisty
    greenmisty Posts: 24
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    If you're hungry, eat the exercise calories. If you're not, then don't. Do what your body tells you to. I agree though that you have to think of it as refueling your body. Giving your muscles back what they need.
  • arogers98
    arogers98 Posts: 38 Member
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    You are supposed to eat your allotted calories (1400). For me it is 1200 per day. When you exercise and burn 500 calories that actually gives you a "credit". You can either "eat back" those calories which gives you a total of 1900 you can consume; or just let those go and continue to eat a flat 1400 per day. You need to also remember your body is burning calories all day long. Go to the tools tab and find your BMR. This will tell you the number of calories your body burns by doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING but lying in bed all day. As long as the amount you burn working out at the gym plus the amount your body naturally burns is more than the amount you consume eating food, then you are going to lose weight.
  • Mrs_Hewi
    Mrs_Hewi Posts: 77 Member
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    Thanks everyone! Its all just VERY confusing! as you can see people reccomend different thngs....
    I calculated my BMR and its 1,530 yet i am eating 1400 calories a day and im not losing vey much weight lately :huh: perhaps i am not eating enough? or drinking enough?
  • Mrs_Hewi
    Mrs_Hewi Posts: 77 Member
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    if u think of it as re-fueling your body it does make sense...the "deficit" that this site has given you is what will allow u to lose the weight...so if you eat 100% of what they say you should then "technically" you should lose what they said you should a week...the problem becomes when u dont eat enough and your body cannot re-fuel itself from the workout...not good...but heres how u fix that...eat like u are and when you eat back the calories try and use those for all your high calorie good fat foods...try only eating those back with things really healthy for you- so this way you are refueling your body to help it work and use that food for muscle and such and also you are getting all of those antioxidants and good fats (like from nuts and avocados) that ur body needs to work...i think that should work very well for you!

    Thanks heaps that makes perfect sense, i think i may not be eating enough.... WDYT?
  • sweetie89207
    sweetie89207 Posts: 361
    Options
    if u think of it as re-fueling your body it does make sense...the "deficit" that this site has given you is what will allow u to lose the weight...so if you eat 100% of what they say you should then "technically" you should lose what they said you should a week...the problem becomes when u dont eat enough and your body cannot re-fuel itself from the workout...not good...but heres how u fix that...eat like u are and when you eat back the calories try and use those for all your high calorie good fat foods...try only eating those back with things really healthy for you- so this way you are refueling your body to help it work and use that food for muscle and such and also you are getting all of those antioxidants and good fats (like from nuts and avocados) that ur body needs to work...i think that should work very well for you!

    Thanks heaps that makes perfect sense, i think i may not be eating enough.... WDYT?

    its possible...i say give it a try...go for a few weeks...2-3 and try eating what it tells you to- just eat back ur cals (and u dont have to eat them all if you dont want to- maybe just half or more) and use that for ur really healthy foods...i mean nuts are so high in cals that i cant fit them into my diet on days i dont exercise...so a great time to get in those mono and polyunsaturated fats- soooo important for your body (its proven they actually help you LOSE weight!) so try it out...if you gain weight...then keep experimenting trying new things...different exercises (cross train) and just give it a chance...worst case scenario u gain 1-2 lbs...but best case it could work and then you'd b right on track!...just think bout it
  • Mrs_Hewi
    Mrs_Hewi Posts: 77 Member
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    i will :)

    I am reading about foods that contain mono and polyunsaturated fats and it mentions; seeds, Mono-unsaturated margarine and peanut butter, so perhaps i could eat a peanut butter sandwich on mulit-grain bread after i train?

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