If you are scared to increase calories

I have set my calories to 1800. I am trying to create an exercise routine, but am not always consistant with it. I work at Starbucks 4 days a week. My TDEE is apparently 2303, BMR 1675.

So if I eat 1800, burn off 400, I can't eat those 400 back?

It depends on how you set your TDEE. If your set your TDEE above sedentary, then you would eat the calories back. If you set it to light or moderate, then that activity is included in the TDEE calculation, so you wouldn't eat them back.

Mine is set to light. It's confusing, though, because if one day, I eat 1800. Then the next I eat 1800, burn off 400, then eat those 400 back, leading me back to a net of 1800, what difference does it make? *confused*

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What if you can't lift weights for 6 months due to recent surgery

I have set my calories to 1800. I am trying to create an exercise routine, but am not always consistant with it. I work at Starbucks 4 days a week. My TDEE is apparently 2303, BMR 1675.

So if I eat 1800, burn off 400, I can't eat those 400 back?

It depends on how you set your TDEE. If your set your TDEE above sedentary, then you would eat the calories back. If you set it to light or moderate, then that activity is included in the TDEE calculation, so you wouldn't eat them back.

Mine is set to light. It's confusing, though, because if one day, I eat 1800. Then the next I eat 1800, burn off 400, then eat those 400 back, leading me back to a net of 1800, what difference does it make? *confused*

I'm just really just getting into this, but I believe you only eat exercise calories back if your net is below your calculated BMR. At least that seemed to be what was indicated in the Eat More to Weigh Less stickies. Of course, someone with actual experience in doing this might want to confirm that.

This confuses me. So my bmr is 1578, and it has me eating 2522 at moderately active, it seems by eating more than my bmr i would gain weight.

This confuses me. So my bmr is 1578, and it has me eating 2522 at moderately active, it seems by eating more than my bmr i would gain weight.

I'm no expert by a long shot on this stuff, but this one I do know. You are confusing your BMR with your TDEE.

BMR = the minimum number of calories you need to provide your body with enough energy to function correctly.

TDEE = the maximum number of calories you can eat and maintain your current weight.

TDEE will always be larger than your BMR. So, eating above your BMR should not make you gain weight. Eating above your TDEE will eventually cause you to put on weight.

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I used the body fat percentage calculator you listed, it is horribly wrong. 23% more than the calculator on my scales.

I up'd my calories on April 9th. I gained 4 lbs within 2 weeks. The following week I lost those 4 lbs plus an extra 3. I started to strength train every other day for 30 minutes and I alter that with 30 minutes of cardio. I've lost inches all over. I try to eat about 2300-2500 calories a day.

The group eat more to weigh less really helped me.

Do you happen to have the link to the eat more group? I have been looking for it!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less

The numbers are starting to make more sense for me now.
I had my cal set at 1300. I would eat an extra 300 for breastfeeding an older baby, and burn about 200-300 a day.
So really, it's about the same if I set it at 1800 (my TDEE and allotted cal are about 2000)

I dont know if the OP or others are still watching this thread but I hope so. This idea is very intriguing and I promised myself that I would eat to support my new exercise program.

I am a 47 yo female and 4'11 and currently at 186.8 lbs and 47.32% body fat, my goal weight is 118. I started the Insanity program with my husband on 4/9 and do it faithfully every day (6 days a week) and burn between 350-600 calories a session (measured on a HR Monitor). MFP set my calories at 1250 to loose 1lb a week and I have been eating back my exercise calories (I mean who can be happy on 1200 calories!). So I have been averaging about 1600 calories a day. I actually gained 2lbs the first 2 weeks, but lost 3 inch on my hips and 1.5 off my waist. Now I'm down 1.5 lbs from my starting weight (4 weeks in) and have lost a total of 10.5 inches. One whole pant size, but no real scale change (kinda depressing). Anyway, according to the Fat 2 Fit website, I should be eating somewhere between these two for an interim goal weight of 152lbs:

Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2130
Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk) 2370

This is very scary!!! It goes against my basic instinct to cut calories when the scale doesnt move but Is this right? I really want this to work, like plenty of others on here I have dieted and lost, only to gain it back and then some...I allowed myself to get up to an obscene weight and now I just want to be healthy, active and fit. Could really use some support and help with this.

On a side note, I feel so much better now with the exercise, I dont know how to describe it, but now any movement my body makes now, I feel fully "engaged"? I mean when I stand I feel strong and can feel my legs and abs supporting me, we I sit, I sit straighter, when I walk, bend, dance.......etc......I just feel stronger.

If anyone is interested, I'm going to start trying this method this coming week. I plan to stick with it for at least 2 months no matter what happens. So, if you want to see if it really works, I will be giving weekly updates on my blog. I am going to do weekly weight and measurement updates. I am using the Fat2Fit method of eating at the TDEE of your goal weight. I am one of those people who has gone about half way to their goal weight and just stalled. I've exercised more, but haven't seen the results I'm looking for. Here is what is changing for me:

1. My daily calories is going way, way up. I have been netting about 1500 on average. Now, I will be eating at around 2700 calories.

2. I'm cutting back slightly on the amount of cardio I do and replacing it with some strength training. I do not have a gym membership and I have limited exercise equipment. I will be using some dumb bells, resistance bands, and I have access to a heavy bag at work. The rest will be body weight resistance exercises.

3. I'm changing my ratios to 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fats and 30g of fiber.

I will update my blog every Sunday with the weekly results. I go into this with no pre-expectations of whether or not this is going to work. The math seems to work out. Even if it is wrong, MFP says I should lose 0.3 lbs a week anyway. So, if anyone is curious to whether or not this works then feel free to check out my blog on Sundays. I have already updated with my initial stats.

I have set my calories to 1800. I am trying to create an exercise routine, but am not always consistant with it. I work at Starbucks 4 days a week. My TDEE is apparently 2303, BMR 1675.

So if I eat 1800, burn off 400, I can't eat those 400 back?

It depends on how you set your TDEE. If your set your TDEE above sedentary, then you would eat the calories back. If you set it to light or moderate, then that activity is included in the TDEE calculation, so you wouldn't eat them back.

Tdee is 'total daily energy expenditure' so you should choose the activity level that includes your exercise.
If tdee is 2303, you eat 1800+400, you have eaten 2200 which is only 103 deficit and you probably won't lose.
The reason you need to eat exercise back with
Mfp calcs is because exercise is not included in activity level. With tdee it is so you don't eat them back.
With an active job and 3 or more workouts a week you should choose mod active.

No, no. I wouldn't eat 1800+400, hun. What I'm trying to say is that, if I ate 1800, then burned off 400, if I ate those 400 back, I'd be netting the same amount as if I didn't work out. Do you see what I mean, hun?

Can anyone recommend some good, healthy ways to increase calories? Having loads of trouble getting anywhere without eating junk food! I admit I am a small eater with a poor appetite but I'm aiming to up my calories to 1700 per day after having been on 900-1300 for a long while. Any suggestions?

THIS!!