Those on 1200 calories...

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  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    I'm still a bit confused (I know I know).
    So I'm 5'6" 165lbs and I usually eat about 1200 cals a day. Sometimes more, often times a couple hundred less.
    I work out and burn about 400 every day and my BMR says about 1500.

    How many cals SHOULD I be eating?

    Are food like peanut butter (or almond butter, which I haven't tried) good to make up for cals?

    Often times I am not hungry so if I eat protein powder (140 cal/scoop) or nut butters (anything clean and high cal) make up for the deficit without me having to load up my plate for dinner?

    A minimum of 1200 on days you don't workout, and if you burned 400 a minimum of 1600. When you have less to lose your minimum should be your BMR plus whatever you burn from exercise.

    And yes, nuts, nut butters are great to make up extra calories, full of healthy fats.

    I have 35 to lose, so should I stick to about 1600? Then as I get smaller I should up my intake?
    (Thanks so much for your help!)

    I would suggest following the guide below to set your weekly weight loss goal and to eat back most of the cals you burn from exercise.
    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.
  • mamafranck
    mamafranck Posts: 4
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    What do you mean eat what you burn?
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    What do you mean eat what you burn?

    if MFP give you 1300 cals, and you burn 400 more from exercise you should be eating 1700 to hit your weekly weight loss goal as 1300 with no exercise is the same as eating 1700 and burning 400, they both net 1300 cals. Your MFP goal is a net caloric goal and you need to fuel your body more when exercising. MFP ignores your exercise goal when assigning calories which is why you should eat them back when you burn them.
  • mcelledge
    mcelledge Posts: 68 Member
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    I know those 10 lbs seem impossible but a gradual loss is the best make a few change ups every now and then. One day eat all your calories back. then one day stay at 1200 . one day exercise more . do you exercise everyday? take a day off but stay at 1200 calories. Guess that is "tricking" your body. Good luck
  • BeesKnees181
    BeesKnees181 Posts: 166 Member
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    I am on the same goal as you, with a commesurate amount of weight to lose (not a lot). I started out not eating back my calorie deficit, but was not able to maintain enough energy to follow through on my workouts. I, now, eat most of my exercise calories back. I do have some days when I am over or under. It seems to be working for me...I feel good. I haven't weighed myself in a while. I usually go by how my clothes fit me and the fits are telling me I am doing something right :) Good luck!
  • sunnyrunner23
    sunnyrunner23 Posts: 182 Member
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    Ok quick question, what if you are hypothryoid? I am being treated but my metabolism is still extremely sluggish. How does that work for me?
  • monbeaucher
    monbeaucher Posts: 75 Member
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    I'm still a bit confused (I know I know).
    So I'm 5'6" 165lbs and I usually eat about 1200 cals a day. Sometimes more, often times a couple hundred less.
    I work out and burn about 400 every day and my BMR says about 1500.

    How many cals SHOULD I be eating?

    Are food like peanut butter (or almond butter, which I haven't tried) good to make up for cals?

    Often times I am not hungry so if I eat protein powder (140 cal/scoop) or nut butters (anything clean and high cal) make up for the deficit without me having to load up my plate for dinner?

    A minimum of 1200 on days you don't workout, and if you burned 400 a minimum of 1600. When you have less to lose your minimum should be your BMR plus whatever you burn from exercise.

    And yes, nuts, nut butters are great to make up extra calories, full of healthy fats.

    I have 35 to lose, so should I stick to about 1600? Then as I get smaller I should up my intake?
    (Thanks so much for your help!)

    I would suggest following the guide below to set your weekly weight loss goal and to eat back most of the cals you burn from exercise.
    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

    Thank you!!
  • Tiff1124
    Tiff1124 Posts: 261 Member
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    Two things.

    1.) you do not have a lot of weight to lose. In this case I suggest you lower your goal to .5 pounds per week.

    2.) eat back ALL of your exercise calories. Creating too large of a deficit combined with the fact you do not have much to lose will hinder or even stop your weight loss.

    Best of luck!

    The second part..I've been wondering this myself. I want to lose about 20 more lbs. Should I be eating back all the calories I burn? And the 1200..this might sound like a stupid question, but I've been looking at it more as an elotted amount rather than a goal to reach. Should I make sure I'm eating all 1200 (or close to it)?

    1200 calories is NET calories. NET means the difference between calories IN and calories OUT. Someone who does ZERO exercise still gets 1200 calories ...... this is as low as is deemed safe. Your body needs 1200 calories to FUNCTION.

    Adding exercise calories makes sure you do not go below 1200. Think of the "extra food" as fuel for your workouts. Build (or keep) muscle ...... lose fat ONLY.

    This is exactly the explanation I've been looking for! :) I have a set goal of 1200, but I always up it to between 1400-1500 on work out days because I know that I will burn quite a few in my training.
  • kedgin
    kedgin Posts: 29 Member
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    This has been really helpful. I workout usually in the evening (after work). Then I come home and have dinner. I usually have about 400 calories for dinner plus the calories I burned off. Last night the elliptical machine said I burned 533 calories in 45 minutes. That would give me almost 900 calories to eat after 7pm.

    Recommendations for ways to get those calories (I don't plan to eat 900 calories) healthily without eating a Snickers bar?

    :)

    You can try a smoothie or some yogurt with granola in it.
  • mamafranck
    mamafranck Posts: 4
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    My trainer told me to have 3 meals a day and 3 snacks. I am having the same problems. He said use the extra cals for treats. Last night I had a 6 ounce glass of wine. That was my treat of the day. I also let my self have white rice because my calorie goal wasn't filled. I don't know what you like to eat but those are my little cheats and my trainer said they are fine. He also said it will help make me feel like I am not on a diet. The big thing was snacking. I hope this helped. I have to ask today about eating what I burn. I will fill you in on his thoughts. I know I am busy and find it hard to eat 1400 plus calories unless I eat fast food.
  • mamafranck
    mamafranck Posts: 4
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    Hit a smoothie place and you can fuel up after a work out and still eat your 400 calorie dinner.
  • mamafranck
    mamafranck Posts: 4
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    In a way it is. Because if you lose all that weight and then reach your goal and start to treat yourself more the LBS will pack back on. Another reason is that you don't want to give yourself an unrealistic goal. Then eat too much or not work out that day... you feel like you failed. Which you haven’t but might feel that way emotionally. That is a whole other set back.
  • lovesweetlove
    lovesweetlove Posts: 40
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    From what I read/research you should eat back your exercise calories

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