Eating exercise calories?

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stinsonking
stinsonking Posts: 14
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay forgive my ignorance in advance but I need clarification on eating back exercise calories. Due to medical reasons, I had to adjust my daily caloric intake to 1600. Do I need to burn 400 calories in exercise calories to get down to 1200 or more to lose weight? Or should I burn more calories so there is a deficit under 1200?? Help!!!

Replies

  • PhilipByrne
    PhilipByrne Posts: 276 Member
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    If you need a caloric intake of 1600 for medical reasons, then you should increase your intake by the amount of exercise that you do. If you burn 400 cals you should eat 2,000. The deficit is already built in and you should lose weight. Probably slowly, but that will depend on your weight at the moment.

    Phil
  • MissMaryMac33
    MissMaryMac33 Posts: 1,433 Member
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    If your daily is 1600 -- that's what you should be eating --
    If you exercise 400 then you eat 2000 that tday -- you still have your deficit.

    I eat most of my exercise calories back -- I usually leave 100 or so extra just to account for possible mistakes in calorie entry or calories burned. (I do wear an hrm with a chest strap so I think its pretty accurate)

    If you had to adjust to 1600 why are you still stuck on 1200? That is not a magic number and is too low for many many people.

    ** If I enter your stats with your age, weight of 190 and goal of 170 -- you actually need 1750 to lose 1/2lb a week.
    So 1600 is perfect --- 1200 is WAY TOO LOW for your height. Even if you choose to lose 1lb a week you need 1500.
  • mebegreen
    mebegreen Posts: 37
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    Hello :)

    I am not too sure about eating back exercise calories... but something that has worked for me (and yes I know everyone is different :smile: ) is that I just stick to eating my 1350 calories a day. I do exercise, every day... so I always have a deficit of about 300-500 calories. Really you just need to burn more than you are consuming :smile: So if your goal is 1600 and you eat 1600 and exercise. that is a deficit!

    You are already on track for being on here and you are going to do awesome!!
  • chubiD
    chubiD Posts: 260
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    If your intake should be 1600 cals a day, I'd assume that's the NET intake. Which means that if you burn, say 400 cals working out, you should eat a total of 1600 + 400 = 2000 that day. You're probably already on a calorie deficit if you eat 1600 cal/day.

    If a doctor said you should set your goal to 1600 cal/day, that's the best person to ask about this.

    Good luck!
  • lizzue
    lizzue Posts: 276 Member
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    I eat them back some/most days, but I wont force myself if I am full.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    If a medical professional told you to eat 1600 calories per day, I would suggest contacting that medical professional and asking them for their advice. There is no way for us to know what your medical condition is and why that doctor told you to eat 1600 per day or if they asked you about your activity levels, etc etc.. Please, get advice from them, not us.
  • stinsonking
    stinsonking Posts: 14
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    Thank you all for your responses! I have a better understanding now. Please understand, I was not solicting medical advice...just trying to understand the concepts here. I'm new here, but I'm getting it! Thanks again.
  • dkvote
    dkvote Posts: 58
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

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