Increase in Calorie Requirement for Exercise?

LovelyLynette
LovelyLynette Posts: 8
edited October 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I am 5' 1'' and 150lbs. I am supposed to eat 1200 calories each day. If I track excercise, I notice my calorie requirement increases. Do I need to consume all the extra calories I track from exercising? I want to make sure I am eating enough but of course not overeating!

Replies

  • melvac
    melvac Posts: 333 Member
    If you are trying to lose weight you need to have a deficit. I would not personally try to increase my calories unless it was a hungry day then going over the 1200 would be ok...
  • littlered301
    littlered301 Posts: 23 Member
    Yes, you are supposed to eat back what you exercise. I am the same height, and was at your weight about 2 months ago. I always eat back what I exercise and it works.
  • NotGoddess
    NotGoddess Posts: 1,198 Member
    MFP has a built-in calorie deficit to allow you to lose weight even if you don't exercise. When you exercise it adds those calories to your goal to keep you at the same deficit. You can stay under a bit if you aren't sure how accurate your exercise calories are, but you should be eating them.

    If you aren't sure, see this site: http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/
  • honu18
    honu18 Posts: 294 Member
    I would eat back at least some of what you burned from exercising. I always feel a bit silly doing that, but I then realize my deficit to lose weight is built into my calorie intake that my fitness pal has given me. I want to give my body the fuel and support it needs so I can do my exercise and be feeling good. If you want to lose a lot of weight fast, you wouldn't eat them back, but that's not going to be sustainable. Take it from someone who has been there. I spent about 2 months netting around 900 cals a day. Now if I go over by like 200 cals for a day or two I'm up a pound or two. It's not a good way to train your body to lose weight so it can keep it off once you go back to maintaining.
  • Alexandria1213
    Alexandria1213 Posts: 152 Member
    Sometimes I eat back some of my calories, I notice when I eat them all back I don't lose any weight. I think it just depends on the person.
  • LovelyLynette
    LovelyLynette Posts: 8
    Thank you all so much! I have been eating around 1200 calories everyday and working out 6 days a week...and NOT loosing! Soooooo frustrating!!! I feel like I struggle with the idea that I need to eat MORE in order to lose weight...

    I have been using a different site to track calories and exercise. Today is my first day using myfitnesspal. I hope if I follow the reccommendations closely, I will see some results. Thanks so much for the feedback! =)
  • MoonIite
    MoonIite Posts: 341 Member
    Yes, eat back your exercise calories. You're probably eating too little for the exercise you're doing.
  • robpett2001
    robpett2001 Posts: 320 Member
    Hi Lynette,

    First off -- welcome to MFP! You'll find a lot of great tools here for tracking your healthier lifestyle, AND a ton of support from people who are making the same journey!

    There are a lot of things that can contribute to the stubborn problem you're talking about, but first off, I'd suggest you take a look at some of the "pinned" (FAQ-like) topics in the General Diet & Weight Loss Help forum here, particularly:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    My big question for you, is how did you come up with 1200 calories as your target? I entered your numbers (29 years old, 5'1", 150) into a BMR calculator. Adding the mulitiplier to represent what I'm guessing used to be a "Sedentary" lifestyle, for you to drop to 115 pounds (middle of the "Normal" BMI range) you should be aiming for a net (counting food and exercise) target of 1567 calories at the end of the day.

    Remember that the number that comes up in the BMR calculator here (under Tools here on MFP) is merely the bare minimum number of calories you would need if you were in a coma. When you enter all your information and goals into your MFP profile, however, it generates a more accurate calorie goal for you.

    And soooo.... the short answer is....yes, eat back those exercise calories. :)

    Take care, and best wishes!
  • robpett2001
    robpett2001 Posts: 320 Member
    If you aren't sure, see this site: http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

    OMG, that is awesome -- I haven't seen this one before! *big smile as he bookmarks it
  • LovelyLynette
    LovelyLynette Posts: 8
    Thank you so much for the welcome and advice! I have entered all my information into my profile and I am still coming out with 1200... Can you please tell me what BMR calculator you used? I really want to make sure my target it correct. :smile:
  • robpett2001
    robpett2001 Posts: 320 Member
    Hi Lynette,

    You bet -- the site I prefer for this is http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr.

    Once you enter your information, it will give you your BMR calories (coma-maintenance) and then five Daily Calorie targets for different activity levels. You should decide whether you were Sedentary, Lightly Active, Moderately Active, etc... based on your activity level before you started into this new more-active lifestyle (the level that got you to your current weight). That will be the number you should use as your starting point, and subtract a 250-500 calorie deficit from it to get your own daily calorie target. Read more about it on the site and elsewhere around the web -- they'll explain it better than I will... :)

    Of course, MFP should be doing all that work for you when you enter your info into your Diet Profile goals, so I'm confused how it's getting you down to 1200 calories. Are you getting that number from the BMR calculator, or is it your "Daily Goal" in the food tracking section?

    Fat2FitRadio has an excellent weekly podcast, too. It's just two guys, one is a fitness professional and the other is a regular guy who has lost more than 100 pounds during the course of the podcasts. It's pretty laid back, very educational, and motivating.

    Heh, I'll just walk away from the computer now...I hope I haven't confused you more than I've helped...I do have a tendency to run off at the keyboard... *adjusting his collar

    Take care!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,341 Member
    That is an interesting site, but the numbers come up basically the same for me as here at MFP (within 100 calories). I'm not sure I agree with their approach of eating the calories you would eat at your goal weight as a way to lose weight, but theoretically it should work.

    To the OP, what were your settings when you set up your goal weight loss here on MFP? In particular did you set it for 2 pounds per week or less than that? I find a lot of people set it for 2 pounds a week and they should really go for the 1 pound per week as recommended by this site. Yes, I understand the desire to lose weight quickly, but unless there are specific health problems that require that (I had extremely high blood pressure and had a small stroke and the weight had to come off quickly) 1 pound per week is a far better goal. There will be weeks when you lose more than that, and some where you lose less, but you will be surprised how quickly that 1 pound every week adds up.

    Finally, don't just consider the scale. Get a measuring tape and measure you chest, waist, and hips at the very least. Often there will be decreases in measurements while not having decreases on the scale. There are many reasons for that, but the real goal here is not just weight loss but fat loss, so if the scale is not moving but the measurements are improving you are achieving your goal and getting healthier.
  • NotGoddess
    NotGoddess Posts: 1,198 Member
    Fat2Fit's philosophy is that you eat at the maintenance level of the weight you want to be. That way you never go on a 'diet' and don't have that shock and over-eating that often plagues people when they reach goal. All along you've been eating what you'll eat for the rest of your life. It means if you are very close you'll lose weight slowly-less than half a pound/week sometimes, but you'll keep it off because it's so gradual. They also say it's okay to eat a little less (200-300 cals) than that to begin to give you a little extra motivation.

    I love their podcast-full of helpful information. I just wish they would update! It's been almost a month with no new shows.

    OP-you are about my stats (I'm 5'2", ~144). I've got my deficit set to just 1/2lb per week. I sometimes won't eat back all my exercise calories so I'll have a little extra deficit (100-200) but most days I need to eat back all my exercise calories so I feel satiated. Some weeks I lose less than 1/2 lb, some weeks more. It seems such a small amount but as RileysOwner says it really does add up.
  • LovelyLynette
    LovelyLynette Posts: 8
    I was getting 1200 as my Daily Goal. Thanks soooooo much for posting the website. I'm finding it very helpful. I really appreciate all the help you have provided me! I am feeling more and more confident about my ability to understand and tackle the process of being a healthier me!! :happy:
  • LovelyLynette
    LovelyLynette Posts: 8
    Thanks for your input!!

    I originally put the following infor into my profile:
    Current Weight: 150
    Goal Weight: 115
    Height: 5'1''
    Activity Level: Sedentary
    Weight Loss Goal: 1 lb per week
    Net Calorie Goal came out to 1200.

    Since then I changes my Activity Level to Lightly Active, as I believe that level to be more fitting for me. Now it says my Net Calorie Goal is 1310.

    I am currently working out 1-2 times a day at the gym (cardio and strength training) and I am in the 3rd week of doing Insanity. Yesterday was my first day to eat back my exercise calories...I 'm hoping to start seeing some positive changes soon! Thank you for all of your help!
  • SaundraU
    SaundraU Posts: 77
    My nutritionist told me at the most only eat back approx 100 cals of exercise otherwise you are defeating the purpose which is to get a deficit and loss weight.
  • NotGoddess
    NotGoddess Posts: 1,198 Member
    My nutritionist told me at the most only eat back approx 100 cals of exercise otherwise you are defeating the purpose which is to get a deficit and loss weight.
    Does your nutritionist realize that MFP has a built-in deficit of 250-1000 calories? Most sites don't, so what your nutritionist said does make sense in most cases. But MFP makes it easier. If you don't want to eat all of them back, fine, but just be careful not to put yourself in too much of a deficit.
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