I'm getting very confused can anyone help

aquabunny101
aquabunny101 Posts: 15
edited September 30 in Food and Nutrition
Hi Guys,

Please be gentle with me... I've only been dieting and exercising for 7 days and joined MFP yesterday.

Some of the wonderful people on MFP forums advised me that my meal delivery diet at 1000 cals a day was not a good idea... now looking at my cal goal given by MFP I don't think I can physically eat that many calories... if I eat back the exercise calories too... well not without going back to my junk food eating ways any way. Now people are saying that if you don't eat back the cals then you won't lose any weight is this true?

I'm eating though out the day and drinking protein shakes which I thought would keep my body from going into starvation mode even though my net cals for the day is about 500, with all the exercise I've been doing. Does this mean I'm not going to lose any weight despite reducing my calorie intake and exercising? I mean I'm not hungry so how can I be starving my body?

I'm very confused so any stories you might have would be awesome...

Please don't tell me off about the low cals, as I said I'm new to all this and so will make mistakes in understanding diet and exercise (I'm saying this because I had a few negative comments to my low cals from the internet diet).

Thanks Kate x

Replies

  • HannahPendrigh
    HannahPendrigh Posts: 147 Member
    everybody's different. personally i only eat about 100 of my exercise calories, seems to be working so far
  • glypta
    glypta Posts: 440 Member
    I'm sure someone will give you a much more indepth answer than me, and in much more of an articulate way, but basically, you're not eating enough. I know it's not what you want to hear, and I know it sounds like it goes against the grain of fewer calories in = weight loss but your body NEEDS energy. People use the fuel tank of a car analogy - it won't run on nothing, and nor will you.

    You can increase calories by not going for low fat options, i.e. full/semi skimmed milk rather than skimmed, add nuts/avocado/oils to meals, etc. It doesn't have to be junk to be higher cals (personally, I have no problems going over on calories, so this one's alien to me, but I know others do have problems with it). I wonder WHAT you're eating through the day if you're eating constantly and still under...

    Some people eat back exercise calories, some don't but I think the most important thing to remember is your BMR - this is the basal metabolic rate, i.e. the energy your body uses just being alive, lying in bed, doing nothing - breathing, blinking, heart beating, etc. Mine is about 1250 so unless you're really overweight, you shouldn't go under that, as your body needs it just to tick over - you can get away with slightly under it if you've a lot to lose, as your body has stores it can use on top of the food-fuel. As soon as you move - going to the loo, walking, going to the gym, this burns calories, therefore you have to accommodate them. Walking for 10 minutes won't burn as many as running for an hour, so your body/fuel tank may need replenished.
  • Keefypoos
    Keefypoos Posts: 231 Member

    Some of the wonderful people on MFP forums advised me that my meal delivery diet at 1000 cals a day was not a good idea... now looking at my cal goal given by MFP I don't think I can physically eat that many calories... if I eat back the exercise calories too... well not without going back to my junk food eating ways any way. Now people are saying that if you don't eat back the cals then you won't lose any weight is this true?

    if it is true then nobody would ever die from stavation!
  • silkysly
    silkysly Posts: 701 Member
    I can't see your diary so I can't really help you. If your eat food that you just pop in microwave, that’s not good for you. Take a looksie at mine if you want. Some days I achieve in eating back my calories, others I don't.

    Under the tools tab, select BMR. Your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is an estimate of how many calories you'd burn if you were to do nothing but rest for 24 hours.
  • jmatthews75
    jmatthews75 Posts: 525 Member
    Here's how someone explained it to me that hit home. MFP sets your daily calories to allow for one or two pounds of weight loss per week. So if you eat all your calories for the day, you should lose one or two pounds a week, depending on how you have it set up. If you don't eat your workout calories back, you will go into starvation and plateau out. You will notice weight loss at first, it may be great numbers, but you will hit a wall at some point as your body will shut down and not allow you to have such great losses for ever. you can pack on calories quick if you eat junk, but at the same time, a handful of roasted almonds is 150 calories as well. Thats a quarter cup, but that is a healthier snack than a muffin or something like that. The protein shakes are good calories as well, and a great snack that will help you get the nutrients you need to rebuild muscle. and while muscle does weigh more than fat so they say, it takes up a lot less room. So you might not see changes in the scale but you will feel it in your clothes. I speak from experience on that one. Scale isn't dropping so rapid, but without a belt, the pants will fall. Thats how I am keeping track.

    You will get mixed results from folks on here as to eat or not eat what you burned off for workouts. Bottom line, you need to find what you need to do, what your body wants. There is no magical answer or pill that can make it easy. You will get the results you want through blood, sweat and tears, and when you get to the end of the road, you will look back and feel truly awesome at the new you.
  • sakus32
    sakus32 Posts: 101
    I started watching calories and changing my eating habits January 2010. I lost 65lbs steadily using a calorie range and logging my foods. My trainers advised that as long as I ate with in my calorie range, they would guarantee that I lost weight. One of the complaints that I have about MFP is that the calorie range for my height/weight/activity is way off compared to the other calorie builder that my trainer's used and have me using. I manually enter my calorie range on here. When I lost the 65lbs, I only ate the calories in my calorie range, I never factored back in my exercise calories, and I still don't. However, I have been training for a 1/2 marathon, soo the day before my long runs (10 - 15 miles) I up my calorie intake to around 2000 calories. Also after my long run, I eat my calorie range plus at least half my calories burned during my run ( 2000 - 3000 calories burned).

    The moral of my story is this . . . . . . . if you were eating 2000 - 2500 sedentary before you started to change your lifestyle, you cant just drop to 1200 a day, your body WILL think its starving. It is better to easy the calories down by your weekly weight. The calorie drop might be slow going at first, sometimes you don't lose any weight the first week or two, but once you get going, it steadily drops off. Also, the gradual reduction by weight and height keeps you from feeling deprived. By logging your food, you should start to make healthier food choices. It is possible to eat 2000+ calories of healthy food, not junk, in one day. But it is nice to have the occasional splurge wiggle room. Last point to remember, when exercising heavily, you must feed your body to stay fit and healthy. Good luck and keep us updated on your progress
  • wedjul05
    wedjul05 Posts: 472
    Totally agree with the other posters. I was at 1200/day but I was hungry and exercising and not eating back my workout cals. So I upp'ed my calories consumption to about 1200-1400 and I now eat back some of my exercise cals. I don't really count it as such but I eat enough of good things a day not to be hungry.

    I snack on peanut butter/rice cakes, homemade low sugar wholewheat treats, fruit etc. your body needs carbs and fuel to exist especially if you are working out. You will feel like crap if you don't eat enough and are exercising on top of that. Listen to your body and give it what it needs albeit healthy things.
  • sweetsarahj
    sweetsarahj Posts: 701 Member
    It also depends on how much you have to lose. People who have a lot of weight to lose (over 50 or 60 pounds) can get away with eating fewer calories.

    The bottom line is, you shouldn't feel like you're starving (which you don't) and if you are continuing to lose then keep doing what you're doing!
  • kwest_4_fitness
    kwest_4_fitness Posts: 820 Member
    When your body needs fuel, it will let you know. I have not eaten back any of my exercise calories and have lost over 30 lbs since April. My weight loss is generally 1 to 2 lbs per week. But that's me. Everyone is different, so I wouldn't take "advice" on this topic given in a diet forum, but rather talk to your doctor about what's right for your body.
  • khinkle44
    khinkle44 Posts: 14
    Sometimes it depends on your age, height, and weight.... If you ask your doctor you should get a more accurate answer... People say that eating 1200 calories should be the minimum, but if you consult with your doctor you might get a different answer. Plus they would be able to give you good advice on what your body type or blood type will be able to handle and what would help you lose weight.
  • hosegirl
    hosegirl Posts: 157
    You should at least eat the cals they allotted to you. Your body is in starvation mode. I would only eat about 700 cals. a day because I was not feeling hungry. Once I figured out to eat every 2-3 hours the calorie count went up. You be surprised what fresh/frozen fruit and veggies will do to your calorie count and your body. I do not eat back all my "earned calories". I am losing weight. I haven't been able to do this for over 20 years! It is logging in your food/calorie, exercise and the great support you receive from MFP. So don't try to incorporate them all at once. It took me a while to add in 100 calories here another 50 there. I was surprised that a hardboiled egg is 78 calories but hey it keeps the growling tummy and the trigger for junk food away. Keep working at it will happen.
  • theba2il
    theba2il Posts: 548 Member
    Hey girl,

    You may have to see how it's going and change it up accordingly. It may take a li'l time for your body to get used to all the new great stuff you are doing. I didn't lose anything my 1st weigh-in. Not sure about my next either b/c of water weight. I decided I'm not going to totally go by the scale anyway b/c I've started weight training this week. Measurements and keep on trying my clothes until they fit properly. No matter what, we are going to keep on keeping on!! x
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    This: "If you don't eat your exercise calories you won't lose weight" is a false statement. If you consume less calories than you burn off you will lose weight. People do not gain weight by eating too little.

    Make the bulk of your diet healthy foods, eat a good mix of carbs, protein and fat, and eat enough so that you are not hungry, but are not eating more than you burn. Then you'll lose weight and be healthy.
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