compensating calories burnt at the gym: question!

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CatarinaF
CatarinaF Posts: 34 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, everybody!

Just a quick question:
my goal is to have 1400 calories per day.
when i go to the gym, i must burn 400 calories.
so, the days i go to the gym, my goal amounts up to 1800 calories.

but if i actually 'eat' 1800 calories in those days... then i won't lose any weight, right??

should i have 1800 calories when i go to the gym
or
should i have 1400 calories when i go to the gym?

i'm a bit confused...!

can you help me?

THANK YOU!!!!
:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • CatarinaF
    CatarinaF Posts: 34 Member
    Options
    Hi, everybody!

    Just a quick question:
    my goal is to have 1400 calories per day.
    when i go to the gym, i must burn 400 calories.
    so, the days i go to the gym, my goal amounts up to 1800 calories.

    but if i actually 'eat' 1800 calories in those days... then i won't lose any weight, right??

    should i have 1800 calories when i go to the gym
    or
    should i have 1400 calories when i go to the gym?

    i'm a bit confused...!

    can you help me?

    THANK YOU!!!!
    :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
  • allaboutme
    allaboutme Posts: 391 Member
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    1400 MFP has already calculated a caloric deficit for you to lose weight. if you eat 1400 calories per day and you burn 400 at the gym, your calorie intake for the day is now 1000, well below what your body needs to function properly. That is why you need to eat exercise calories.

    What I always try to remember is that this is a way of life for me, and i couldn't live on 1000 calories per day for the rest of my life. The more balanced your food intake is when you lose the more likely you are to be able to maintain the weight loss, as when you reach your goal you won't be jumping from 1000 calories per day to 2000 calories per day (aside from the fact that 1000 calories per day isn't enough to keep you healthy or keep you losing weight, but there are lots of posts on that in here)

    this might help explain it better
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • CMJ1979
    CMJ1979 Posts: 42
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    Well If I have exercised that day and burnt so many calories, I allow myself to eat as much as I want, but there were times when I went to bed and still had a few 100 calories left that I could have consumed.

    I look at it like this: I am allowed to consume X amount of calories. So if I work out I'm allowed alot more calories, but unless I'm actually hungry I don't usually try to consume all my calories. So I figure that the less calories I eat, the less I burn so if i don't consume all my calories for that day and I exercise than the closer I should be to my goal.

    I might be wrong on this assumption, but it's how I do it.

    Hopefully someone else will have more clear information for you. Good luck on your weightloss
  • CatarinaF
    CatarinaF Posts: 34 Member
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    THANK YOU!!!!!!!

    That was sooooo helpful!
    Good luck with your weight loss!!
    :D
    :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,962 Member
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    Well If I have exercised that day and burnt so many calories, I allow myself to eat as much as I want, but there were times when I went to bed and still had a few 100 calories left that I could have consumed.

    I look at it like this: I am allowed to consume X amount of calories. So if I work out I'm allowed alot more calories, but unless I'm actually hungry I don't usually try to consume all my calories. So I figure that the less calories I eat, the less I burn so if i don't consume all my calories for that day and I exercise than the closer I should be to my goal.

    I might be wrong on this assumption, but it's how I do it.

    Hopefully someone else will have more clear information for you. Good luck on your weightloss

    CMJ. YOU can still lose weight while not eating all of YOUR calories for two reasons.

    1. You have 102 pounds to lose. You are given a large number of calories to eat anyway with that much weight to lose. As you near your "goal" - you won't be able to cut your recommended calories like that and continue to lose weight,.

    2. and / or: You haven't been cutting your calories TOO LOW for very long. It will catch up to you and you will need to start eating more.

    Read that link above.
    I have also placed a lot ot helpful links in one place. Scroll through this thread (link below) , because I keep adding on "new" good threads that are posted.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again
  • CatarinaF
    CatarinaF Posts: 34 Member
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    OHHH, thank you, thank you!!!!

    I think that's what might be happening...! :P

    Good luck for your weight loss!!!!

    :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

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