Calories too low???

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adockins
adockins Posts: 5
in Motivation and Support
So I'm a little concerned about the allotted amount of calories I'm able to have. MFP says that I'm able to have 1200 calories a day based on my weight and height. If I work out, then my net calories is way low, and I wonder if I'm not eating enough to continue to lose. Anyone have any suggestions on this??
Thanks!!

Replies

  • mrzpeep1
    mrzpeep1 Posts: 64 Member
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    I'm confused on that too. Because mine said to eat 1500 but when I met with a dietitian she said to eat 2000. And I wasn't eating enough. So I would be interested to find out what people advise you.
  • lkbarry
    lkbarry Posts: 4
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    My nutritionist said that if you are hungry, eat the extra calories you get from working out but if you are not hungry, don't eat them. Hope this helps!
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
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    1. When you work out you're supposed to eat additional calories to maintain your net at whatever MFP gives you - your deficit has already been calculated.

    2. If 1200 NET is still too low, set a less ambitious goal. At 22 lbs 0.5-1lb per week is perfectly reasonable.
  • YouAreTheShit
    YouAreTheShit Posts: 510 Member
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    Do a search in the forums for: exercise calories

    You'll find so much information to help you answer that question. In fact, it may make your head spin. Some say you have to eat whatever you take off and some say that they do not.

    I have NOT eaten my exercise calories for two weeks and am down 9 pounds. I am going to do this until a see a stall and then I'll start eating them. That's my plan anyway...
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
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    I have NOT eaten my exercise calories for two weeks and am down 9 pounds. I am going to do this until a see a stall and then I'll start eating them. That's my plan anyway...
    That will probably work for you for a while, but I wouldn't recommend it for the OP because she is much closer to her goal weight than you are.
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 MFP Moderator
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    Couple choices. If 1200 is too low (1500 for guys, and believe me 1500 was too low on a daily basis for me to keep at consistently) then you can look at your current weight and goal weight, and if you have it set to 2 lbs / week for losing but are within 40-50 lbs of your goal weight you should back off the target to 1lb/ week, that nets you 3500 more calories through the week from that one single change. Is the dietitian aware of how the program here works where you enter your info are given a goal of calories to lose weight without lifting a finger in exercise, then exercise and you're supposed to eat back your calories?

    Mine wasn't, but the end result is the same. 2000 calories a day before exercise (500 calories a day goal) not eating exercise calories gave me 1500 calories a day... same as the goal here of 1500 calories and eating exercise calories, net is the same in the end just arrived at differently

    ETA just the 1500 calories without exercise allowed me to have some slack days without exercise and still be able to lose the weight because I wasn't eating 2000 calories and not exercising... BTW old numbers for me, I do 2000 a day before exercise now ;)
  • elizarm
    elizarm Posts: 10
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    It adds in your excerise calories so that you don't go under 1200. Thats why myfitnesspal says that you should eat back your calories so that your body doesn't go into starvation mode. But this is a topic that gets people talking because some people say you should eat the excerise calories back and some say that you shouldn't. My understanding of it is that you should never go below 1200 calories a day. I think that you have to do what works best for you and your body.
  • Scorpioangel
    Scorpioangel Posts: 951 Member
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    Yeah this topic is very confusing to me and I see it a lot and still don't get it! LOL :) I eat 1,600 a day and rarely eat back my exercise calories and am pretty steady with my weight but it does go down at times and I am not even planning on losing!

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