New and confused..HELP! :S

Options
sarahmarieb36
sarahmarieb36 Posts: 39 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So i've been doing this for 3 days...and im just a little confused by the calories..
it says i should eat 1200/day and every time i burn any calories it adds the ones burnt to my daily allowance...
so i guess what im confused about is:

1) do i need to eat the 1200..or do i need to eat the 1200 + whatever it adds from exercise?
2) a lot of what i read said the "net" calories are whats important and i guess i just dont understand what "net" calories are...
3) i guess it doesnt make sence to me to eat the calories i've burned..because isnt that how you lose weight? burning calories? so why would i want to burn calories then just eat them again...

lol im obviously very confused and would love some simple advice and help! what calories do i eat!?!?

**im 5'3" and 218lbs my goal is to be 120. (long journey ahead of me!)

Replies

  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    Options
    Read the links stickied at the top of this page, particularly this one:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • sarahmarieb36
    sarahmarieb36 Posts: 39 Member
    Options
    I read the links (aside from the one you posted, of course) the other night and they really did help me a lot especially about not eating enough calories and still being overweight. that was def me.

    now that i read that link it definitely answers questions. Thank you!
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Options
    MFP assigns you a calorie deficit1 based on your weekly goal2. So if you burn 2000 calories a day and you want to lose a pound a week, MFP tells you to eat 1500. When you exercise you burn more than your 2000 calories a day. Say you burn 500. Suddenly you are burning 2500 calories a day. If you do not eat your exercise calories your deficit becomes 1000 calories. If you do eat your exercise calories your deficit remains at 500 calories.

    Having "too large" of a calorie deficit can create problems. However, "too large" is subjective and varies from person to person. The more weight you have to lose however, the bigger calorie deficit you can handle. First, and most simply, it makes things harder, makes you hungry, gives you little energy, makes it harder to stick with your diet in the long run. Second, it might slow your metobolism (although this takes times) and slow your weight loss. Third, it makes the transition to maintenance difficult. Lastly, large calorie deficits can start to effect your health if you sustain them too long. Your hair can fall out, your nails crack, your period can stop (if you are female obviously). Your brain stops working at optimal levels, and other things.

    Some people say they aren't hungry enough to eat their exercise calories. We need to realize that sometimes our hunger signals aren't the best thing to trust. If they were no one would be over or under weight.

    The End.



    1. Deficit = calories you eat - calories you burn all day

    2. One pound (of fat) = 3500 calories. If you want to lose a pound a week (2lbs a week is possible but hard) you need to eat at a 500 calorie deficit because 3500/7 = 500.
  • sarahmarieb36
    sarahmarieb36 Posts: 39 Member
    Options
    ok so i guess the main thing im wondering...

    my goal for calories is 1200, then i eat something..then work out and add in the calories i've burned (so say i burn 130 just for an example) and it adds it to my "remaining calories"..so that means i still have to try to eat as close as i can to the remaining calories for the day even with the calories being added from exercising? just wondering if thats right cuz wouldnt that be a lot of calories to eat sometimes especially when i start exercising more and burning more calories.

    sorry if you might have explained this in your post i guess im just kinda slow when it comes to this whole nutrition and eating the right amount of calories and exercising so im just trying to make things as simple as possible for myself to understand (like explaining to a 5 year old haha)

    i love learning this stuff though. so any information i can get i try to absorb like a sponge. thanks :)
  • mommyhas4boyss
    mommyhas4boyss Posts: 62 Member
    Options
    ok so i guess the main thing im wondering...

    my goal for calories is 1200, then i eat something..then work out and add in the calories i've burned (so say i burn 130 just for an example) and it adds it to my "remaining calories"..so that means i still have to try to eat as close as i can to the remaining calories for the day even with the calories being added from exercising? just wondering if thats right cuz wouldnt that be a lot of calories to eat sometimes especially when i start exercising more and burning more calories.

    sorry if you might have explained this in your post i guess im just kinda slow when it comes to this whole nutrition and eating the right amount of calories and exercising so im just trying to make things as simple as possible for myself to understand (like explaining to a 5 year old haha)

    i love learning this stuff though. so any information i can get i try to absorb like a sponge. thanks :)


    im the same way. i have no clue what all this means really. i even read the "NEWBIE" post and i still got nothing out of it. lol.
  • SexyCook
    SexyCook Posts: 2,253 Member
    Options
    Example...1200 your start calorie...when you exercise 130 it add..giving you 1330 now....Typically you have to find what works for you..In this case..I eat my given calores and 75 to 100% off my workout calories back....Its really based on what your body does...Try eating 1200 for a week and then if you dont see a loss then eat yoru 1200 plus the 130....I have always eating my calorie goal given plus my workout cals and I have loss and made goal...Hopes this helps....

    Yeah welcome to MFP you will love it!
    ok so i guess the main thing im wondering...

    my goal for calories is 1200, then i eat something..then work out and add in the calories i've burned (so say i burn 130 just for an example) and it adds it to my "remaining calories"..so that means i still have to try to eat as close as i can to the remaining calories for the day even with the calories being added from exercising? just wondering if thats right cuz wouldnt that be a lot of calories to eat sometimes especially when i start exercising more and burning more calories.

    sorry if you might have explained this in your post i guess im just kinda slow when it comes to this whole nutrition and eating the right amount of calories and exercising so im just trying to make things as simple as possible for myself to understand (like explaining to a 5 year old haha)

    i love learning this stuff though. so any information i can get i try to absorb like a sponge. thanks :)


    im the same way. i have no clue what all this means really. i even read the "NEWBIE" post and i still got nothing out of it. lol.
  • jennifer_mccarron
    jennifer_mccarron Posts: 1
    Options
    I'm feeling th same way, really glad you asked:smile:
  • mommyhas4boyss
    mommyhas4boyss Posts: 62 Member
    Options
    oh ok. i think im gettin it now. thanks. :)


    Example...1200 your start calorie...when you exercise 130 it add..giving you 1330 now....Typically you have to find what works for you..In this case..I eat my given calores and 75 to 100% off my workout calories back....Its really based on what your body does...Try eating 1200 for a week and then if you dont see a loss then eat yoru 1200 plus the 130....I have always eating my calorie goal given plus my workout cals and I have loss and made goal...Hopes this helps....

    Yeah welcome to MFP you will love it!
    ok so i guess the main thing im wondering...

    my goal for calories is 1200, then i eat something..then work out and add in the calories i've burned (so say i burn 130 just for an example) and it adds it to my "remaining calories"..so that means i still have to try to eat as close as i can to the remaining calories for the day even with the calories being added from exercising? just wondering if thats right cuz wouldnt that be a lot of calories to eat sometimes especially when i start exercising more and burning more calories.

    sorry if you might have explained this in your post i guess im just kinda slow when it comes to this whole nutrition and eating the right amount of calories and exercising so im just trying to make things as simple as possible for myself to understand (like explaining to a 5 year old haha)

    i love learning this stuff though. so any information i can get i try to absorb like a sponge. thanks :)


    im the same way. i have no clue what all this means really. i even read the "NEWBIE" post and i still got nothing out of it. lol.
  • indiantigger
    indiantigger Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    Hi...My take on this is the
    1. 1200 daily allowance already allows you to lose weight
    2. Exercise burns more calories & if you don't eat these back you will lose too much weight too soon.
    Best of luck & hope this helps :-)
  • Alicestella54
    Alicestella54 Posts: 64 Member
    Options
    I was confused too. I'm new to the site day 5 for me. When you exercise and burn calories, you get calories added back on to use. Does not mean you have to use them.
  • sarahmarieb36
    sarahmarieb36 Posts: 39 Member
    Options
    im glad im not the only one confused. lol. but theres a lot of good advice here and i think i got it now :) i'll stick with my 1200 (cuz im already having trouble eating that much) and see how my body reacts my first week. thanks everyone! and feel free to add me as a friend if ya want :)
  • Pebbles536
    Pebbles536 Posts: 199
    Options
    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com
  • nomadic_chef
    nomadic_chef Posts: 6
    Options
    I think the calorie amount they give you in the begining is set up for you to loose weight. If you exercise you burn more calories which is good...but if you go below 1200 calories a day your body will go into starvation mode and you won't loose weight.
  • sarahmarieb36
    sarahmarieb36 Posts: 39 Member
    Options
    I think the calorie amount they give you in the begining is set up for you to loose weight. If you exercise you burn more calories which is good...but if you go below 1200 calories a day your body will go into starvation mode and you won't loose weight.

    yeah i think that is what i was confused about. i was one of the people who was eating too few calories and then binge eating at night....so i've got a lot that needs to change but at least im on the right track now. just gotta work on eating MORE calories and not freak out if the scale goes up a little..cuz it WILL go down once my body's actually used to food and it doesnt think its gonna die anymore haha. :)

Categories