Is my caloric intake ok?

corysmithsmail
corysmithsmail Posts: 166 Member
edited November 28 in Food and Nutrition
Does this look ok, or does anyone have a similar intake and see weight loss?

I have MFP set to 1200cal a day. I stick to that. I walk 10k steps a day and I do cardio for 1hr and weights for 30-45min every other day.

I never eat back all of my exercise calories. I feel like that would just justify me pigging out. I may go over my MFP cal limit by 100-200 but I dont like to go much over since I know calories on labels can be lower than they are, and I dont weigh my food.

I guess what I'm asking is, is it ok to not eat back my calories?

Replies

  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    How much are you losing each week?
  • corysmithsmail
    corysmithsmail Posts: 166 Member
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    How much are you losing each week?

    I lose 1 to 2 lbs a week. So nothing crazy
  • corysmithsmail
    corysmithsmail Posts: 166 Member
    Since you're not weighing your food, you may already be eating exercise calories back plus more. Or you're not getting enough nutrition. It's really hard to keep track if you're not verifying the calorie count in what you're eating. Unless you're measuring some other way. I often use measuring spoons and cups because they're convenient.

    I measure my food with measuring cups and spoons but I don't use a food scale. I've heard the scale can make a big difference but I feel like that would be even more restrictive and time consuming
  • corysmithsmail
    corysmithsmail Posts: 166 Member
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    How much are you losing each week?

    I lose 1 to 2 lbs a week. So nothing crazy

    Given that you aren't using a food scale, you are likely eating more than you realize and therefore consuming some of those activity calories. Over time, if you notice your weight dropping too fast, eat more. Rapid weight loss is rarely ideal.

    I thought 2 lbs a week was the max amount to lose in a healthy way.... maybe I'll bite the bullet and get a scale.
  • corysmithsmail
    corysmithsmail Posts: 166 Member
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    How much are you losing each week?

    I lose 1 to 2 lbs a week. So nothing crazy

    Given that you aren't using a food scale, you are likely eating more than you realize and therefore consuming some of those activity calories. Over time, if you notice your weight dropping too fast, eat more. Rapid weight loss is rarely ideal.

    I thought 2 lbs a week was the max amount to lose in a healthy way.... maybe I'll bite the bullet and get a scale.

    2lbs is more approprite if you are over 200 lbs. Recommendation is generally about 10% of your body weight. Your body can only take so much from fat stores, the rest comes from muscle. If you want to preserve the muscle, slower is better.

    Oh ok I see. Well I'm about 190lbs now, but I've been over 200 for the longest so I guess that's why I was fixated on 2lbs. So many ways to go wrong in this! :neutral:
  • corysmithsmail
    corysmithsmail Posts: 166 Member
    @nutmegoreo your profile pic is hilarious btw!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,598 Member
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    How much are you losing each week?

    I lose 1 to 2 lbs a week. So nothing crazy

    Given that you aren't using a food scale, you are likely eating more than you realize and therefore consuming some of those activity calories. Over time, if you notice your weight dropping too fast, eat more. Rapid weight loss is rarely ideal.

    I thought 2 lbs a week was the max amount to lose in a healthy way.... maybe I'll bite the bullet and get a scale.

    2lbs is more approprite if you are over 200 lbs. Recommendation is generally about 10% of your body weight. Your body can only take so much from fat stores, the rest comes from muscle. If you want to preserve the muscle, slower is better.

    Um, did you mean 1%? ;)
  • Sarahbethany89
    Sarahbethany89 Posts: 77 Member
    1200 calories seems really low for all that activity
  • corysmithsmail
    corysmithsmail Posts: 166 Member
    Great points, I try to overestimate calories. But still, I just need to suck it up and get a scale. I'm a really impatient person, so I get anxious about not losing weight "fast." :neutral:
  • TrishSeren
    TrishSeren Posts: 587 Member
    Since you're not weighing your food, you may already be eating exercise calories back plus more. Or you're not getting enough nutrition. It's really hard to keep track if you're not verifying the calorie count in what you're eating. Unless you're measuring some other way. I often use measuring spoons and cups because they're convenient.

    I measure my food with measuring cups and spoons but I don't use a food scale. I've heard the scale can make a big difference but I feel like that would be even more restrictive and time consuming

    The food scale makes a huge difference, it really is an eye-opener. I have one at work (much to the amusement of my workmates) and one at home.
  • corysmithsmail
    corysmithsmail Posts: 166 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    I think eating back your calories is a personal choice. There's no right or wrong answer. It's up to you and what is working for you. If you are losing 1-2 pounds a week doing things the way you are, then I'd say whatever you're doing now is working. 1-2 pounds is very reasonable. If you start to find you are losing too slowly, or too quickly, then you can adjust. People are going to give you their yes or no opinion, based on what is working for them. But the only real answer is to do what works for you. Listen to your body. Oh, and like the others, I do recommend getting a scale, if only simply because it takes away a lot of guesswork and let's you know how much you're putting in your body.

    If you use MFP to set your calorie goal and don't add in any exercise calories, you are not using MFP the way it was designed.

    MFP uses the NEAT method (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), and as such this system is designed for exercise calories to be eaten back. However, many consider the burns given by MFP to be inflated and only eat a percentage, such as 50%, back. Others, however, are able to lose weight while eating 100% of their exercise calories.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818082/exercise-calories-again-wtf/p1

    The 100% people probably use a scale I bet. I try to do stack of playing cards=serving size of meat thing, but that's not an exact science lol.

    And next time I'll search before posting :)
  • corysmithsmail
    corysmithsmail Posts: 166 Member
    @kshama2001 Also that is the best explanation I've seen of the calorie intake question. Bookmarked it. thanks!
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