Whats the deal???

gebnpb
gebnpb Posts: 166
edited September 19 in Health and Weight Loss
So I've been working out about 4-5 days a week cardio and keep my calories around 1300. I don't eat my work out calories, and even if I do I hardly loose weight. I got everything checked out from the doctor and they said it was all fine. So am I not eating enough???Whats the deal???.:sad: And How many calories should I be eating if I burn 400-500 calories a day at the gym.

Replies

  • gebnpb
    gebnpb Posts: 166
    So I've been working out about 4-5 days a week cardio and keep my calories around 1300. I don't eat my work out calories, and even if I do I hardly loose weight. I got everything checked out from the doctor and they said it was all fine. So am I not eating enough???Whats the deal???.:sad: And How many calories should I be eating if I burn 400-500 calories a day at the gym.
  • Wolfena
    Wolfena Posts: 1,570 Member
    Generally speaking, you should be eating no less than 1200 calories and also eating your exercise calories back (4-500 more is what you say you you are exercising off)

    Your calorie goal could be higher depending on your current weight and health. What did MFP give you when you filled out your profile?
  • aodier
    aodier Posts: 42
    I am having a similar issue and I really don't know what the solution but I have been told by quite a few people on here that you have to eat all of your excersise calories or your body may go into starvation mode. I find it really difficult to eat that much food in a day. especially when im not hungry and I still have 500 calories left to eat at the end of the day... this probably wasn't much help but your definitely not alone!
  • genabug
    genabug Posts: 1,820 Member
    I eat 1200 cals, which is what MFP gave me, but I do not eat my excercise calories. But with that said, if I exercise, and then I am hungry later, I will eat, but I don't just eat them cause it says to. Make sense. This is whats working for me. I don't have much to lose, but I am losing consistently, and a a decent rate.
  • PedalHound
    PedalHound Posts: 1,625 Member
    Remember that 1200 is approximately the MINIMUM for any woman. So you are not losing weight because your body thinks you're starving. And for many many many people 1200 is just too low. Each body has their own individual numbers and 1200 is a guideline. It can't take into account your lean muscle mass, personal metabolism etc. I myself did try 1200 cals for a while just because I was doing as MFP automatically assigned but I hit a 5 week plateau and needed to up my cals to an ABSOLUTE minimum of 1400. Try increasing your cals and always eat your exercise cals. It will come off :wink:
  • astarte09
    astarte09 Posts: 531 Member
    I do the same thing. I have been told that I do not eat enough both by a personal trainer, and weight watchers. I am scared to eat that extra bit though. Have you tried eating 6 small meals?
  • kimber607
    kimber607 Posts: 7,128 Member
    Hi

    I would bump up your cals a smidge and see how things go for a week or 2
    IMO, no one should eat less than 1400-1500 cals
    Since you are working out, I would bump up your 1300 cals to about 1500 for a while and see how it goes

    Good luck and keep up the great work!
    Kim
  • age1389
    age1389 Posts: 1,160 Member
    So I've been working out about 4-5 days a week cardio and keep my calories around 1300. I don't eat my work out calories, and even if I do I hardly loose weight. I got everything checked out from the doctor and they said it was all fine. So am I not eating enough???Whats the deal???.:sad: And How many calories should I be eating if I burn 400-500 calories a day at the gym.


    So if you don't eat your exercise calories and you burn 400 to 500 then you are really eating only 800 to 900 calories a day. That's why you are not losing. Your body isn't getting enough food.
    Try eating all your exercise calories for a couple of weeks and I bet you'll start losing. Trust the system:flowerforyou:


    -Adrienne:heart:
  • floresjessica
    floresjessica Posts: 13 Member
    Sorry to beat a dead horse, but I had to chime in... sounds to me like you are in starvation mode. Eat more to lose more.
  • keiko
    keiko Posts: 2,919 Member
    So I've been working out about 4-5 days a week cardio and keep my calories around 1300. I don't eat my work out calories, and even if I do I hardly loose weight. I got everything checked out from the doctor and they said it was all fine. So am I not eating enough???Whats the deal???.:sad: And How many calories should I be eating if I burn 400-500 calories a day at the gym.


    So if you don't eat your exercise calories and you burn 400 to 500 then you are really eating only 800 to 900 calories a day. That's why you are not losing. Your body isn't getting enough food.
    Try eating all your exercise calories for a couple of weeks and I bet you'll start losing. Trust the system:flowerforyou:


    -Adrienne:heart:

    quote]

    This is the easiest and best explanation of why to eat your exercise calories.
  • AmyNVegas
    AmyNVegas Posts: 2,215 Member
    Every body is different and some bodies like mine unfortunately really do not like to give up fat. I always say if the U.S. has a famine I'll be the last one standing. You may need to eat your exercise calories consistently to lose. You may not lose as fast but 1-2 lbs a week is what is healthy anyway. The exercise calories help your body feel like it's safe to let the fat go and not save it for the famine that we know will never come. Hope that helps.:bigsmile:
    Amy

    118984.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Calorie Counter
  • astridfeline
    astridfeline Posts: 1,200 Member
    1200 is the absolute minimum for a petite woman--at 5'10" I'd never survive on 1200 a day.
  • allaboutme
    allaboutme Posts: 391 Member
    the post below sets it out pretty good. Each person is different, but the amount of calories you need depends on your height, weight and age. The BMR calculator in the tools section will tell you what yours is (it isn't perfect either, but close). But remember, this is the minimum your body needs to function properly if you didn't get out of bed that day, just to breath, heal itself, organs to work properly. If you cut back to your BMR level, then exercise burning 400-500 a day, without eating these calories, your metabolism will slow down to burn less and less fuel cause it doesn't have enough to spare, so weight loss comes to a halt. Your body likes to know you will continually feed it what it needs to exist daily before it will willingly give up its fat stores. I know the program may have given you 1200 right off the bat, but that is a default number. You must calculate your individual calories based on the BMR calculator and adjust your goals manually. Hope it helps some.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/8977-your-body-s-thoughts-on-calories
  • gebnpb
    gebnpb Posts: 166
    Thanks so much for all of the advice .I will try to eat more calories and see how it goes.Thanks for all of your support.:bigsmile:
  • Widdy1961
    Widdy1961 Posts: 100 Member
    Thanks so much for all of the advice .I will try to eat more calories and see how it goes.Thanks for all of your support.:bigsmile:

    Hi gebnpb

    I have the same problem as you and I was pointed in the direction of this calculator

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm#

    Well worth a look and very surprising.......goes against logical thinking.....eat more to lose more.

    Widdy
  • tennis_shoe
    tennis_shoe Posts: 4
    Thank you, thank you...for asking that question. I'm having the exact same issue. The advice you've gotten has helped me too. I went to the other calculator and it says I should be eating 2100 calories a day. I just don't know if I can do that. I've gotten used to eating around 1300 and I'd feel guilty. I'm working out and walking 5+ days a week so I was shocked to see NO change on the scale. I was starting to get discouraged! I’ll try upping my intake a bit more, but still wary about 2100. We’ll see! Thanks again for opening this one up!
  • allaboutme
    allaboutme Posts: 391 Member
    Thank you, thank you...for asking that question. I'm having the exact same issue. The advice you've gotten has helped me too. I went to the other calculator and it says I should be eating 2100 calories a day. I just don't know if I can do that. I've gotten used to eating around 1300 and I'd feel guilty. I'm working out and walking 5+ days a week so I was shocked to see NO change on the scale. I was starting to get discouraged! I’ll try upping my intake a bit more, but still wary about 2100. We’ll see! Thanks again for opening this one up!
    since you have been so low for a while, gradually increase, don't do it all at once, or your body may store store store, cause it will want to bulk up for leaner times, basically your metabolism won't know what hit it, so add a 100 calories every other day or so. Let your body get used to getting more food on a regular basis, at least that is what I read anyway :smile:
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