Clarification on Calorie Intake vs expenditures

bmfitzgerald8
bmfitzgerald8 Posts: 3 Member
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I guess I am looking for some clarification. If I am set to eat 1300 calories for weight loss but then I go to the gym and burn 300 calories.

Do I need to make up that 300? If so I am seriously struggling to hit that calorie goal. And I dont feel I am starving myself by any stretch..... last night I almost found myself searching the kitchen for a healthy way to bump my intake.

Replies

  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    edited April 2019
    MFP is trying to teach a life lesson regarding weight control.

    You do more you eat more.
    You do less you eat less.

    In a diet to lose weight, a tad less in either case.

    So yes you eat more.

    Be concerned if only eating 1300 is feeling full - because you feeling full and being fully fed are 2 different things.
    Most have no idea on reading their body signs (hence gaining weight).
    Because you likely ate much more to gain weight now being lost.

    So the kicker with following MFP goals (you did see the goal go up right?) - was the workout honestly logged?

    What burned 300 calories for how long, what gave you that figure?

    Much exercise that is very low level calorie burn for a long time, like walking, should probably be logged at 75% of the time actually done, or calories, however you do it.
    More energetic stuff that is short is fine at suggested.
  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
    Yes. Your goal is set for you without doing any exercise. If you do exercise, you hurn for calories, so you need to eat more to hit your deficit.

    Are you trying to lose weight? If you are trying to lose weight, I imagine that meant you gained some at sometime. You did that by eating more than 1600 calories a day. So there shouldn't be any reason why you couldn't eat that now.
  • bmfitzgerald8
    bmfitzgerald8 Posts: 3 Member
    I have lost 8lbs in 5 weeks. So a good slow and steady pace. Someone had said that if your too below your calories that its bad for your body and can slow down weight loss.

    I have been eating around 1300/1400 calories - and working out burning between 300 / 500 calories depending on the day. I am worried if I am supposed to make those calories up. I am worried I am going to end up causing more problems.

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,864 Member
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10503681/exercise-calories-do-i-eat-these-a-video-explanation/p1
  • bmfitzgerald8
    bmfitzgerald8 Posts: 3 Member
    My logging is with a fitbit. I always err on taking the low end of things. I have a personal trainer and regimine of circuit training I have been doing and really busting my butt so I know for sure I am burning
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Ask yourself why you are willing to trust MFP on one level, but not on another.

    You trust it's base calorie goal it appears, but are concerned when it actually changes it per the way it works.

    In the case of syncing with external tracker - it's trying to correct itself to a potentially better estimate.
    You guessing between 4 levels of activity and logging exercise correctly - or getting a figure from a device watching your movement and workouts all day long?

    That's the choice.

    Yes you eat more - your are netting then it sounds like 1000 calories - rather low unless your are in a study being measured out the whazoo for safety.

    The Calorie Adjustment isn't even just exercise, it could be none.
    You could have massively more active day and get a big adjustment.
    You could have hard workout and be wiped out and sleep more and have no adjustment.

    Both are true for what to do with eating levels.

    Oh - don't log workouts separately on MFP - already done by Fitbit.

    So yes, learn the lesson, eat more.
    If you don't keep it reasonable - your body will force it on you by other means. Which will have other negative effects usually.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    edited April 2019
    How much weight are you trying to lose?8 lbs in 5 weeks is actually a pretty healthy clip if you keep that pace up, likely some of it was water weight initially so it will (and should) slow down.

    1300 is already a pretty low calorie goal and to not eat back exercise calories as the tool is designed, means you are netting below the bare minimum calorie goal for women (1200).

    What do you mean you are having trouble reaching the calorie goal? Are you too full? Are you cutting out a lot of foods thinking you have to eat only “healthy” foods?
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