New and havn't got any help yet with another topic

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kerryd73
kerryd73 Posts: 28
in Introduce Yourself
I've been using MFP for one week. I posted in technical support "new and soooo confused" 9 hours ago...guess I'm impatient but maybe I can get help here. I just really would like some tips. Can someone please explain to me how to deal with the weekly net calories? AND am I supposed to eat back the exercise calories that are credited? I've been working out at the gym doing cardio classes and 1 day a week weight lifting since November. I am not losing anything! I averaged last week about 1400 cals a day and worked out hard 6 of those days - results? ZERO...so frustrating.

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  • muzmacol
    muzmacol Posts: 358 Member
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    Hi there, i think we might be the same age. Anyway, calories, probably the biggest topic on here. Essentially yes you should. However i tend not to all the time. My daily goal is 1630, i probably burn on average 700 cals, 5 times a week. I will always (nearly) eat my goal cals, knowing that i have loads spare for 'extras'. Now i'm no expert, i'm sure others will insist you eat them back, and they are probably right. However for me, my way works, i've lost weight, i'm fitter, i eat well, still drink couple times a week, dont get dizzy, nauseaus, lite headed at all. You can add me if you wish and look at my diaries, they are accurate and honest, you will see i eat well. note- i work nights just now, so there are occasional meals missed, its not deliberate just sleeping.

    Anyway hope this helps a little.
  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
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    EAT & LIFT MORE!
    try 2-3 days a week strength training minimum - and lift heavy. rest at least a day in between sessions (but you can do cardio in between)
    eat back a good portion of your exercise calories. 1400 might not be enough. I have plateaued a few times, and each time I broke it by eating more. true story.

    start weight 303.4 (1/1/11)
    current weight 198.4 (DOWN 105lbs)
    goal weight 160
    29 y/o, 5'6''

    Cardio 6-7 days a week and 3 days of strength training (2 on a bad week)
  • KLavallee322
    KLavallee322 Posts: 86 Member
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    Most people suggest eating all of your exercise calories back since MFP already has a deficit set for you. From what I've read on here if you aren't getting enough net calories a day (min 1200 i think) then you can risk going into "starvation mode" and you won't see the scale go down because your body is holding on to calories. I personally don't eat all of mine back and for me it's working. But I do eat atleast 1/2 of them back and I am losing and I feel fine. I'm also eating 3 meals a day, 2 snacks, and desert. Each person is going to react different. Just be patient and you'll figure out what works for you.
  • sassyshell
    sassyshell Posts: 54 Member
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    This is what works for me...if I don't eat I don't loose. So my daily goal is 1310 calories. I exercise hard about 4 days out the week and burn anywhere from 700 to 1,000 calories. On those days I eat more so my net calories is as close to 1,200 as possible. The other three days I usually walk and may burn 200-300 calories and I try not to eat those calories back. I drink lots of water and I eat a balanced diet. It seems a lot of people on here eat fast food and a lot of junk and then exercise the calories off. That doesn't work for me, I'm over 40! Hope this helps and feel free to add for extra support.
  • kerryd73
    kerryd73 Posts: 28
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    Wow! Thanks so much you all for your input : ) I ended up going back and writing all my cals down on paper for that 1st week and subtracted the calories I burned, then got the actual average....WAY more cals I was eating than I thought! OOOPS! It's more like, 1900 cals a day, lol! Well, at least I'm learning something and now I can change from here. At least I also know now that at my current weight, I can maintain on 1900 cals/day.
    @ Sassyshell "On those days I eat more so my net calories is as close to 1,200 as possible." Should I be trying to have my net cals show 1200 daily as well? MFP has me on 1200 cal/day. (might be a silly question)
    @KLavallee322...thank you, yes, I just need more patience : )
    @marycmeadows GREAT job on your achievements so far! Very inspiring you are! My weight training class consists of one hour of repetative lifting on various muscles with a dumbell ( I use 14-20lbs) - the class is called Body Pump. I really feel like that is enough strength training for me for a week but after I drop my cals down to exactly what MFP suggests and still nothing comes off - then I will give strength training a shot at 2x a week. And no worries about my not eating enough, lol, I just miscalculated haha.
    @muzmacol if you are around 38 then yes, we are about the same age. Yes, it does help....I can easily eat back my calories I burn no problem lol....example: I burned 1839 cals total last week and I went WAY over their suggestion on the cals. Now it's gonna be the fight of not being hungry- but dog ON it its coming off!
  • kerryd73
    kerryd73 Posts: 28
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    I obviously don't know how to read my mfp app because the end bar on weekly ave cal says 1500....anyways....just need more time and days to practice it :tongue:

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