Calories and working out

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mynameisbonniemeyers
mynameisbonniemeyers Posts: 3 Member
in Getting Started
So I have a question:
I am trying to stick to my recommended calorie intake, but I am having a hard time even hitting the goal I feel like I’m always 500 below is this good or bad? Also I am working out daily and feel like I’m getting plenty to sustain the heavy cardio I am doing. 🤷🏻‍♀️

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  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
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    What is your goal? How many calories are you eating per day? How many are you burning from exercise?
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
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    Further, how are you measuring your food intake?
  • mynameisbonniemeyers
    mynameisbonniemeyers Posts: 3 Member
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    My goal is 1200 I’m getting about 900-1000 I’m burning about 500. I’m doing more portion control mindful eating with a high protein, and less carbs.
  • autumnblade75
    autumnblade75 Posts: 1,661 Member
    edited February 2020
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    mynameisbonniemeyers wrote: »
    My goal is 1200 I’m getting about 900-1000 I’m burning about 500. I’m doing more portion control mindful eating with a high protein, and less carbs.

    Yes, but, are you using a food scale, measuring cups, or just guessing how big that portion of quinoa is? And are you using a Heart Rate Monitor, the chart on the wall at the gym, MyFitnessPal's Exercise Database, or just a big 'ol guess about how many calories you've burned?
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,757 Member
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    is the 900 cal intake after subtracting physical activity or before? You shouldn't be eating less than 1200, especially if you are working out. What are your fitness goals...are you trying to lose weight, build muscle, maintain?? What were you consuming before you started? Lots of information is needed before you can get specific advice.
  • mynameisbonniemeyers
    mynameisbonniemeyers Posts: 3 Member
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    Well I am aware that the more info the more accurate the advice. I’m trying to lose weight, but also just live a more healthy life style. I am measuring and weighing my food. I’m not just gonna guess and say that’s what it is.. I was just more so wondering if it was going to cause problems for me if I’m not meeting the calorie mark :)
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,356 Member
    edited February 2020
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    mynameisbonniemeyers wrote: »
    Well I am aware that the more info the more accurate the advice. I’m trying to lose weight, but also just live a more healthy life style. I am measuring and weighing my food. I’m not just gonna guess and say that’s what it is.. I was just more so wondering if it was going to cause problems for me if I’m not meeting the calorie mark :)

    Unfortunately, yes, this will cause problems. Eating 1000 calories AND exercising on top of that means you are starving your body.
    It's hard to give precise numbers not knowing your stats, but even without those stats you are not eating enough, if your logging is correct.

    Possible consequences: hair loss, brittle nails, loss of muscle mass (the heart is a muscle too),...

    You might feel fine now, but that can change suddenly.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
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    Lietchi wrote: »
    mynameisbonniemeyers wrote: »
    Well I am aware that the more info the more accurate the advice. I’m trying to lose weight, but also just live a more healthy life style. I am measuring and weighing my food. I’m not just gonna guess and say that’s what it is.. I was just more so wondering if it was going to cause problems for me if I’m not meeting the calorie mark :)

    Unfortunately, yes, this will cause problems. Eating 1000 calories AND exercising on top of that means you are starving your body.
    It's hard to give precise numbers not knowing your stats, but even without those stats you are not eating enough, if your logging is correct.

    Possible consequences: hair loss, brittle nails, loss of muscle mass (the heart is a muscle too),...

    You might feel fine now, but that can change suddenly.


    The bolded above is what happens if you can sustain this very low calorie plan of yours. However, chances are you will not be able to sustain it. Either you will become so fatigued that exercise becomes a horrible drag on you and/or you will have a really hard time controlling your hunger in the very near future. This will likely result in a binge-like overfeed.

    Your physical health starts with getting enough energy not with nutrients from food. It is healthier to eat fast food and get enough energy than it is to eat loads of vegetables and lean proteins and fill yourself up to the point you can't eat more. Of course ideally you would mix your nutrient dense food with a little treat food to get your calories where they need to be.

    Eating more calories is almost never the hardship unless the person who suddenly can't eat more is eating in a new way that is causing the problem.
  • Redordeadhead
    Redordeadhead Posts: 1,188 Member
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    mynameisbonniemeyers wrote: »
    I am measuring and weighing my food.

    Depending on how much of it you are not weighing (in grams/oz) on a food scale, you may also be eating more than you think, in which case you might not need to worry too much. It is a common issue and there are several threads on here explaining why using a food scale is much more accurate than measuring cups/spoons/"1 piece" etc.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,121 Member
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    Not enough information.

    Let's see your FOOD diary. Go to FOOD > Settings, scroll down and click "Public" and save.

    If you are tiny, if you are making mistakes, if you aren't *really* burning as much in exercise as you think, if you just started this, if if if if...lots of ifs.

    Good luck. If you are under eating it will catch up to you, and not in a good way.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    mynameisbonniemeyers wrote: »
    My goal is 1200 I’m getting about 900-1000 I’m burning about 500. I’m doing more portion control mindful eating with a high protein, and less carbs.

    Actually then your recommended goal is usually NOT 1200, because you've probably noticed that when you log exercise your eating goal goes up.

    Back to the great advice above about your method being a bad long term plan.

    Read around the forums - no need to start a lifetime of yo-yo dieting and having a terrible relationship with food and your body until 50/60's.
    Do it correctly now.

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