Calorie intake help!!

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kerrireganxo
kerrireganxo Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been eating, and currently am eating 1200 calories a day since last April. I've managed to lose just over 2 stone without much exercise. But I've started going to the gym at least 4 times a week now and I'm finding eating 1200 calories isn't satisfying enough and I'm still hungry- I'm guessing this is because I'm using more energy working out??!
So I'm thinking of increasing my intake to 1400, so the extra calories are there if I need it, but I'm worried this will stop my weight loss.
Any help on what I should do pls

Replies

  • HM2206
    HM2206 Posts: 174 Member
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    If you're eating 1200 calories and not eating back your exercise calories, it's no wonder you're hungry. Your deficit is huge. I eat 1600 a day and always eat my exercise calories back - otherwise I would faint.

    I don't know how much you burn working out, but given that it's minimum 200 calories, I would safely eat 1400 a day.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    Calculate your TDEE. Consistently eating below that will make you lose weight. Your weight loss slows down as you get lighter because your body uses less energy for everything, and a smaller body doesn't have enough body fat to burn to sustain the same weight loss rate. 1% of your body weight per week is a good loss.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    eat your exercise cals.

    you also might want to re-calculate your calories and reduce your deficit.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    You were never intended to eat just 1200 calories when you go to the gym. MFP is designed to add exercise calories to your goal for a good reason. When you burn more calories you need to eat more, but as long a you keep your calorie deficit the same you will lose weight at the same rate.
  • aaveaster
    aaveaster Posts: 2 Member
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    Also - gaining muscle will help a lot with fat burn in the long run and you need to eat more to build that muscle, especially protein! My trainer has me working my legs A LOT because your glutes are the biggest muscle in the body and they are going to burn the fat :D
  • ShareeEmma
    ShareeEmma Posts: 64 Member
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    What's your plan? Are you trying to build muscle?
    I had my calories at 1200 and barely touched carbs and lost 10lbs in a month... I didn't notice the weight loss as I lost majority muscle instead of fat. I have upped my calories... only by 50 as I often go over anyway and stopped cutting carbs...but my intentions are to slow down the weight loss process and build muscle.
  • arlzixxx
    arlzixxx Posts: 30 Member
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    There's a website where you can calculate your TDEE and tells you how much roughly you should be eating based on your exercise :)

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