hi i'm new, and have a question for ya'll

MandyMarie01
MandyMarie01 Posts: 448 Member
edited October 4 in Introduce Yourself
you're given a set amount of goal calories for the day and if you exercise you receive extra calories do you have to meet your daily calorie goal they give you or is it okay to be under their calorie goal they have given you?

I'm just starting out on my journey, and not for the first time, i pray that this is my last time to have to lose weight, i'm a yo yo dieter, the lowest i got down was maybe 30 lbs and then i gained that back plus some. this time I'm going to reach for my goal weight of 120 lbs, hopefully reaching it by August 2012, which is just 2 lbs a week. I started doing Bob Harper Ultimate Cardio Body extreme weight loss workout but got bored with it within 2 weeks and just bought Billy Blanks Tae Bo this is Tae Bo workout DVD and it is so much fun but it is really hard work!

Thanks for stopping and reading my post.

God bless,
Mandy

Replies

  • Wrappedinbacon
    Wrappedinbacon Posts: 49 Member
    It is okay to be under but not too far under because that is unhealthy
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
    this seems to be controversial. technically your daily calorie goal is already figured with a deficit for your goal so you get to eat exercise calories, but I liked this explanation:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/173853-an-objective-look-at-eating-exercise-calories
  • cassthor
    cassthor Posts: 1
    Hi Mandy,

    I started this month too. When I exercise I come close to the recommended calories with the exercise factored in. I usually come in under the calorie amount but not by much. I think when you exercise your body needs those extra.

    Good luck to you in your weightloss, stick with it and I am sure you will meet your goal.

    Cassandra
  • dfborders
    dfborders Posts: 474 Member
    You have to listen to you body. In the beginning you can probably get away without eating your calories back. But as time goes on your body may feel deprived and hold onto the fat. I am no expert but I would try for a high protein low fat low cal snack after working out. I have read a lot of people use protein shakes. Good Luck!!
  • becca3211
    becca3211 Posts: 98 Member
    i've learned that eating too far under your calorie goal will not help lose weight. it sounds wierd but you have to eat AND exercise to lose weight. good luck!!
  • SpaceMarkus
    SpaceMarkus Posts: 651
    Focus more on the amount you should eat than what you get when you workout. As long as you're total net is above 1200 at the end of the day, you should be OK. ie, if you eat 1200 but burn 300, eat those back. If you eat 1600 and burn 300, don't worry.
  • Circa1964
    Circa1964 Posts: 225 Member
    No Mo Yo-Yo! It's time to commit to a permanent lifestyle change and you can do it.. Don't try to lose too fast. You need to keep all of the muscle that you can as it burns fat.
  • jaredhuizenga
    jaredhuizenga Posts: 5
    Personally, I don't go with the calorie goal that they set. I calculate my basal metabolic rate after each weekly weigh-in and subtract 500 from that, which over 7 days equals out to 3,500 calories (or 1 pound). Anything I "gain" in calories in a given day from exercise I don't figure into the equation and don't use them. I view them as a cushion in case I have a moment of weakness one day. May not be the best way to do things, but I've lost 7 pounds in 2 weeks and have only made it to the gym a couple of times.
  • woodys1
    woodys1 Posts: 10 Member
    Hi, I tend to aim for goal given, don't worry about being over/under. If your too far under your body will go into starvation mode storing everything it can.
    Exercise cals, its up to you if you eat them, eat some not all, depend how your feeling after exercise.
  • wvipersg
    wvipersg Posts: 7
    Might keep in mind that the number will change based on the amount you exercise everyday. Mostly my advice is to do exercise that keeps you interested and do different things so you don't get bored. It is fine to be under your goal, just don't stop eating cause you may actually cause yourself health issues. Most important is to drink lots of water, the recommended amount is eight glasses a day. I usually try to drink filtered water or bottled water.

    Hope that helps and keep up with your diary and you will make progress.
  • fionat29
    fionat29 Posts: 717 Member
    If you go under your calorie goal you'll get a message saying that your body will go into starvation mode if you continue. You don't have to eat all your exercise calories but you should eat your target calories because the weight loss deficit is built into the calorie allowance you've been given.
  • vz11
    vz11 Posts: 58
    The info has helped me out too. Im new so now this makes sense.
  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
    with some of this, you will have to test what works best for your body. MFP is set up so that you eat back all of your exercise calories inasmuch as MFP has already calculated a calorie deficit for you. however, some folks do well eating back only half of their exercise calories.

    the other thing I will mention on this subject is that if you are relying on MFP estimates for your exercise calories, then you probably should only eat back half of them because MFP estimates run as much as 50% high based on my own experience and what I have read on this topic in numerous threads.

    finally, consider my will power blog below as a means to help you stay on your journey this time.

    good luck to you.
  • EricNCSU
    EricNCSU Posts: 699 Member
    Most days I seem to eat back about half my exercise calories and so I end up being about 100-200 calories below my goal, but not by a huge amount.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories