Calorie intake help!!

kerrireganxo
kerrireganxo Posts: 5 Member
edited November 16 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
    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
    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
    eat your exercise cals.

    you also might want to re-calculate your calories and reduce your deficit.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    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
    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
    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
    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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