Not sure if I'm doing this right

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cnkan0119
cnkan0119 Posts: 114 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I joined MFP last week, my 3rd week into doing better. I wanted to make sure I was eating the right amount of calories as well as tracking my food/exercise. MFP said I should eat 1200 calories a day. My appetite has diminished dramatically and I force myself to eat those 1200 calories.........without adding fatty foods to it. I'm trying to push for 2 pounds a week at least until I get the first 15 off.
I'm a little confused because I read some of the posts and I don't know whether or not I should be eating back my exercise calories lost so that I net the 1200 by the end of the day. I change up my workouts so that I don't get bored and try to do something every day for 20-30 minutes at least 5 days a week.
I also read that refined carbs are bad so I try to only include them in 1 meal a day, two at the most. This is one big reason my calories are coming in low after eating my meals.
Am I doubting too early? I don't want to be 5 or 6 weeks into working hard at this only to find out I was sabotaging myself. Reading some of the posts I am not sure if I'm making good choices or not.

Replies

  • ocrunner11
    ocrunner11 Posts: 293 Member
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    I too started a month ago, Great job in starting to take control of your life. The answer is Yes, you need to make sure you add back the exercise calories you burn to net 1200 at the end of the day. You may want to search the word Starvation in the search engine, this will come up with other entries from the MFP database. It help me understand the system as well. Good Luck! Ciao:flowerforyou:
  • gingermelv
    gingermelv Posts: 37
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    It looks as if you are doing something right as you have lost 3lb already! 1200 cals is correct and you earn calories if you work out so say you have done a 20 minute workout which has burnt 200 cals this mean you now have 1400 cals to eat / drink! Healthy eating is obviously important too and try to up your protein if you are doing a lot of exercise as your muscles need protein to recuperate. Carbs are for energy but try and get these from "good carbs" - unrefined & unprocessed foods such as:
    Fruits
    Vegetables
    Beans
    Legumes
    Nuts
    Seeds
    Whole grain breads
    Whole grain cereals
    Whole grain pastas
    At the end of the day, a piece of cake is not going to kill you but it will eat up a heap of your cal intake! Hope that this helps! x
  • PeachyKeene
    PeachyKeene Posts: 1,645 Member
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    You are going to get many different points of view on this subject. Really, honestly, you have to do what works for you. I don't eat back my exercise calories, but a lot of people say you need to. I eat my 1200, I have a hard time sometimes doing so. Yes, once you cut out simple carbs, you will stop craving, feel full quicker, with a lot less calories. Peanut butter usually helps with adding a lot of calories when you need them. Yes it is fatty, but it is good fat. Not all fats are bad, and I don't think getting fat has anything to do with the fat you eat. It has more to do with how many calories you consume, simple carbs and how much activity you have in a day. Yes 20-30 minutes 5 days a week is good, but you will probably find you need to bump that up the closer you get to your goal weight. The biggest thing I have found out in my journey is what works for one person may not work for me. I have had to try different things to see what works. It is not easy and it can be extremely frustrating, just do what feels good to you.
  • DarcieC2389
    DarcieC2389 Posts: 146
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    I would eat some exercise calories. If you are exercising more, your body needs more fuel to function. They even support that on "The Biggest Loser." Also some dietary fat is needed by the body, so do not cut it completely out.
  • cnkan0119
    cnkan0119 Posts: 114 Member
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    It looks as if you are doing something right as you have lost 3lb already! 1200 cals is correct and you earn calories if you work out so say you have done a 20 minute workout which has burnt 200 cals this mean you now have 1400 cals to eat / drink! Healthy eating is obviously important too and try to up your protein if you are doing a lot of exercise as your muscles need protein to recuperate. Carbs are for energy but try and get these from "good carbs" - unrefined & unprocessed foods such as:
    Fruits
    Vegetables
    Beans
    Legumes
    Nuts
    Seeds
    Whole grain breads
    Whole grain cereals
    Whole grain pastas
    At the end of the day, a piece of cake is not going to kill you but it will eat up a heap of your cal intake! Hope that this helps! x


    I was actually 189 the week before I started but the scale went up on me so I just put what the scale said the day I started.

    I will definitely try to include these.
    Thanks for the feedback everyone!!!

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