Stuffing my self to get net calories at 1200

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laquita870
laquita870 Posts: 13 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello Guys and Gals

I have been using MFP since January and have lost 11 pounds. The last two months I have started eating my exercise calories back. Well this month I have began going to a Zumba class were I'm burning about 1100 calories per class. I want to continue working out but I am having to stuff myself when I am not hungry in order to have my net calories at least at 1200. I start with eating a big but healthy breakfast but adding a slim fast to it. I try to eat a large lunch and a large dinner after my workout but by dinner time I can eat anymore and I am literally forcing my self to eat and I am not hungry. Any suggestion on what I can due to get my net calories at 1200 without discontinuing my workout. Possibly higher calorie foods that are lower in fat? Can this eventually make me gain weight. It is still hard to fathom the concept of stuffing myself in order to lose weight.
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Replies

  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    So in essence you are eating about 2000-2200 cals a day?
  • Shellyyy7928
    Shellyyy7928 Posts: 78 Member
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    Ow are you sure you are burning that many calories? I would say unless you wear a hrm then you are really over estimating that.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    How are you calculating the calories burned from Zumba? there is a good chance you are overestimating the burn.
  • Dnsnyder
    Dnsnyder Posts: 263 Member
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    You should eat foods that are calorie/nutrient dense like nuts, nut butters, avacados, etc. If you are currently using "light" versions of foods, you can try replacing some of them with "whole" versions to increase your calorie intake without increasing the amount of food you have to eat to reach your calorie goal. You could also try adding protein shakes/smoothies.
  • girl_afraid82
    girl_afraid82 Posts: 178 Member
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    Was going to say something similar... the most I have ever burnt from my hour Zumba class was about 650.
  • CaseRat
    CaseRat Posts: 377 Member
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    1,100 cals burnt for a Zumba class? Seems a bit too excessive unless it's a 2 hour class. How are you counting that?

    Foods which may help that aren't low in fat, but they're not bad fats: Avocado, peanut butter, eggs, nuts. Have a glass of milk with your morning meal or before bed. Eat a bit of cheese.
  • amymrls
    amymrls Posts: 1,673 Member
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    lol I would starve to death if I only ate 1200 calories a day..... I am always hungry.
  • niqua215
    niqua215 Posts: 283 Member
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    I wear a HRM in my Zumba class and I burn between 480-550 calories in an hour. And I'm heavy and tall so you are overestimating your calorie burn. Be careful if you are eating back all of those calories.
  • Pinkmaddycat
    Pinkmaddycat Posts: 175 Member
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    bump
  • Mabohlale
    Mabohlale Posts: 148 Member
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    IMHO ... you should listen to your body's clues and not some computer to tell you how much is enough. If you are not hungry, I don't think you should "stuff yourself" just to achieve some "magic number" on a computer. When I am full, I stop eating ... no matter where I am at for the day.
  • randomartisrgirl
    randomartisrgirl Posts: 133
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    don't stuff yourself. it might seem bad advice to others, but only eat what you can. i went MONTHS only eating around 1200 cals (NOT net calories, either), and lost really quickly. there's nothing wrong with eating exercise calories, especially if you're hungry and if you need them, but if 1200 is enough, stick with it. and you don't even need to eat ALL the exercise calories! and if you ARE burning that much in a class, eating ALL of your exercise might put you at less of a calorie deficit (or none at all), and you might not lose as much.
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
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    So in essence you are eating about 2000-2200 cals a day?

    I could eat that many calories in one meal and still be hungry.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    don't stuff yourself. it might seem bad advice to others, but only eat what you can. i went MONTHS only eating around 1200 cals (NOT net calories, either), and lost really quickly. there's nothing wrong with eating exercise calories, especially if you're hungry and if you need them, but if 1200 is enough, stick with it. and you don't even need to eat ALL the exercise calories! and if you ARE burning that much in a class, eating ALL of your exercise might put you at less of a calorie deficit (or none at all), and you might not lose as much.

    No 1200 is not enough, if you don't have a lot to lose and don't eat enough a large % of your weight loss will be lean muscle, not fat. So if you want to lose weight 1200 may be okay, if you goal is to lose fat, then no it is not.
  • talysshade
    talysshade Posts: 273 Member
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    I think 1200 calories is good even if it's not NET. Some days you'll simply not be hungry, but as long as you eat at least 1200 calories a day, even if you burn some extra you at least get all the nutrients you need. As long as you still have a good bit to lose this won't be a problem and you can always slowly increase it from there.

    And otherwise, have a glass of milk or juice. Easily about a 100 calories in a glass, without making you feel super full.
  • sand666
    sand666 Posts: 1
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    Hi,
    I was a Zumba instructor for about 15 months, a few times i would use a heart rate monitor and the calories burnt were about 1000. As an instructor, i'd need to give my 'absolute all' in the one hour class to burn those calories, as there was no chance i'd be able to take it slightly easier, it would look awful as an instructor if you weren't exaggerating the moves. And thats including shouting, wooping, leading by direction, most of which the class wouldn't do. I would say for people taking part in the class, the calories burnt would be about 500-600.
    So back to the original question, eating an extra 500 - 600 calories would be easier - meaning your intake would be about 1700-1800??
  • dbutorac
    dbutorac Posts: 120
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    I wouldn't do it if I wanted to lose weight. I think the 1200 calorie threshold is bogus. I started in January lost 20 lbs so far. At first I tried to eat 1200 calories, but I realized I would never lose weight on that.
  • Meganalva
    Meganalva Posts: 282 Member
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    There's no way you're burning that much in a zumba class. I burn about 450 in an hour giving it my all...but I'm fairly slim so maybe that's why...
  • paulboon4369
    paulboon4369 Posts: 18
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    i eat between 500 - 1000 calories a day burn bewtween 1000-2000 calories get a bit hungry but water intake over 10 glasses a day
  • rmmurillo
    rmmurillo Posts: 2
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    So how many calories do you eat?
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    I think 1200 calories is good even if it's not NET. Some days you'll simply not be hungry, but as long as you eat at least 1200 calories a day, even if you burn some extra you at least get all the nutrients you need. As long as you still have a good bit to lose this won't be a problem and you can always slowly increase it from there.

    And otherwise, have a glass of milk or juice. Easily about a 100 calories in a glass, without making you feel super full.

    she doesn't have much to lose, so I would think she should be netting quite a bit more than 1200

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