Calorie Goals Question

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ChristyEvans2020
ChristyEvans2020 Posts: 17 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have a question about my calorie goals.....please help.

My daily goal is 1510 and I've been having a hard time hitting that number...Im usually around 1150. Plus I started working out today, am I supposed to eat more to make up for those calories burned?

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  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    Yes
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    Add in a handful of nuts in the morning and evening - that will add about 300 calories to your day and they are lightweight, easy to eat. Try adding in 100% fruit juices if you don't want nuts, they will add some calories in and are also a healthy choice (though high in sugar).

    It is important to try your best to reach your calorie goal, eating too far under will (long term) harm your body.

    Yes, it is suggested to eat the calories you earn thru exercise. You will need to plan ahead and eat higher calorie meals throughout the day in order to reach your new higher goal once you add exercise.
  • ChristyEvans2020
    ChristyEvans2020 Posts: 17 Member
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    Oh dear........

    I'll grab some pistachios tonight and try to "fix" this starting tomorrow. Thanks for the advice. I haven't loss anything for my last three morning weigh-ins, ugh
  • taem
    taem Posts: 495 Member
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    Please do not eat nuts or juices. Please read the nutrition label before you put back calories. Juices, from the store, have just as much sugar as pop and nuts have fat. Fat is fat and it will "show." If you have to eat back your calories, eat something with no fat and no sugar (unless it has fiber). I personally don't think it is really necessary to eat back your calories, but if you are going to do it, do not eat fat or sugar that has no fiber! If you want to know if something is good to eat, go to the Self's web site and search for the candidate food's nutritional facts. Here is the url: http://nutritiondata.self.com/
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    What I do is pre-plan my day so everything is already in there. I'm one of the few that don't eat my exercise calories because I feel it does not help me lose weight.. all it odes is help me maintain my weight.

    So my calorie goal is 1430, so I'd plan my whole day, get as close to 1430 as I can and then go exercise. Since they are already planned into my day, I don't have to worry about eating 600 calories before my bed time.
  • ChristyEvans2020
    ChristyEvans2020 Posts: 17 Member
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    Thanks I'll check it out
  • ChristyEvans2020
    ChristyEvans2020 Posts: 17 Member
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    Ok that's what I was thinking I should do. I guess I need to try and get closer to my calorie goals each day. I'm often about 300 - 400 under.
  • annacataldo
    annacataldo Posts: 872 Member
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    yes ur suppose to eat more when you burn calories... to fill up more of your calories, eat high calorie foods; nuts, peanut butter, rice, banana, avacodo, lean meats, cheese, raisins/prunes, beans, etc. You can combine items for really low calorie days; like peanut butter on bananas, or avacodo+meat+cheese+rice+beans=burrito, raisins in your rice for sweet rice, black beans & rice for a meal, chili over rice, or adding beans to foods like cook it in your rice water.. and for low calorie meals like salads--try adding cheese/meat/nuts to it to up the calories.

    its not about eating MORE food to fill calories and over stuff yourself; its about eating higher calorie items throughout the day in replace of low calorie things, or adding some high calorie things into meals. replace some items; like instead of celery have a banana, or add some peanut butter to the celery.

    all the things i listed by the way are natural foods/clean eating, and have little sodium to them.

    also, alot of people buy the lowest calorie items they can, but sometimes those items have higher sodium, etc... like salad dressing, i have one thats 15calories for two tbls, i have the same version thats 60caloires for same serving; except one is fat free and one is regular... i always have except fat to use up, but never have extra sodium, and the reduced one is triple the sodium as regular.. or like bread, i can buy bread thats 45calories a slice, but then doesnt have much else nutritional about it--low fiber etc. so i went to a different bread thats higher calorie and better for you.
  • ChristyEvans2020
    ChristyEvans2020 Posts: 17 Member
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    Lot's of different advice. I suppose I will have to do some experimenting and see what works best for me.
  • taem
    taem Posts: 495 Member
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    Just remember, before it goes into your lips, ask yourself does it have fat? The american heart association recommends 7% saturated fat and 1% trans fat. Use those guidelines and check out avocados (over 30% fat) and ask yourself, if it was all about calories, why are all those people eating low calories food so big? The Atkins Diet says NO FAT, NO SUGAR but you can eat as much meat as you want (little carbs), the McDougall Plan says NO FAT, NO SUGAR but you can eat as much veggies and starch (no meat). Both of them works because they have a couple of things in common, go to youtube and do a search for bill clinton's weight loss and find out how he lost weight (but it is a plant based, whole food diet).
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    Wow. Never heard anyone say don't eat nuts. This is absolutely outstanding to me. I am speechless.
  • taem
    taem Posts: 495 Member
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    Okay, if you are thin and healthy, go for it. If you are trying to lose fat, avoid it. Look up it's nutritional data

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3085/2

    That is for almonds and check out how much saturated fat there is and calories from fat. You decide!
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    I've made my decision, lost weight, lost body fat, become healthier. This decision included eating many of the things you mentioned that people should avoid. I was not thin nor healthy when I began this journey. I do not want to make a big deal about this because the poster was simply asking if she should try to eat her calorie goal or not (and yes I suggest again, please try to eat your goal!).

    I understand that some foods are high in fat, and I also choose to eat them. That is my decision. I am healthy, fabulous cholesterol levels, blood pressure and vitamin levels are doing fine. My last check up was very good. My diet includes carbs, fats, and proteins.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    Yes, you are going to get lots of different opinions on what is the "right" kind of diet.

    My opinion is that you don't have to cut out fat or sugar but you do need to pay attention to where your calories are coming from. If you are getting sugar from fruit and fat from nuts then you are getting lots of great nutrients and fibre as part of the package.

    If you are having a hard time eating all your cals then try planning out your meals for the day and add a few extra cals to each meal - if you add a banana to breakfast oatmeal, some walnuts to a lunchtime salad and cheese or avocado to dinner you will be getting extra nutrition and won't notice the extra cals too much.

    I think it's important to focus on healthy eating habits, so you can keep this up long term, not just super low cal for short term, unsustainable weight loss. Your body will thank you!
  • taem
    taem Posts: 495 Member
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    Thanks, I was just pointing out that not all calories are equal and to choose what is best for the poster. You can always eat what you like, no doubt.

    Food for thought!
  • ChristyEvans2020
    ChristyEvans2020 Posts: 17 Member
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    My feeling is too much of anything is no good. But eating reasonable amounts of natural foods of any kind can't be bad. If I'm going to add calories, doing it with fruits or nuts seems like the best way to do it.
  • taem
    taem Posts: 495 Member
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    Okay, I will make one last attempt and I will stop. So thanks for listening (or not) and here goes...

    First, find out for yourself (you can google this) what your body burns first, carbs or fat.

    Second, find out if fat gets stored as fat on your body or if it gets used up as energy and then ask yourself do you eat lots of fatty foods and do you exercise.

    Third, you know how much fat there is in avocados and nuts and even olive oil, you can look them up from the url I gave earlier.

    My opinion, I don't mind weight gain if it is in the form of muscle, I want weight loss because I really want fat loss. However, if you do the research, you will find that fat you eat is transferred to stored fat in your body. That the body uses carbohydrates first, then if it realizes it needs more, it will use your stored fat (and a little muscle) and that depends whether you have more fat or muscle. That fat is adipose fat (under the skin and surrounds your organs), shouldn't you use that first after your body uses up all the carbs?

    So if you are eating an avocado (34% fat), you are putting 34% fat on your body (technically, it's a little less, the percentage is 90% of the fat you eat is stored). The only way to get rid of that fat is to deprive yourself of eating carbohydrates and that will be very difficult to do because your body first and foremost, wants those carbs for energy. Cut the fat from what you eat, and you will lose weight because the body will use the fat you already have (the adipose fat/tissue).

    I purposely make you search for those things on top because I want you to convince yourself as you are not sure about what I am saying. Actually, I learned all this from Dr. McDougall's books but I also did my research.

    Good health to you.

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