Calorie Confusion!

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cholibear
cholibear Posts: 86
in Health and Weight Loss
I keep seeing posts about people eating back their exercise calories and other people saying they upped their calorie intake my "x" amount and are now losing weight.
how does this all work?! lol I'm confused. Should I up my calorie intake by a few hundered? Should I eat back the 300 calories I burn at the gym? I'm not seeing results on the scale and although I'm trying to not obsess over it, I still want to see SOME change in numbers...preferably down! So I'm willing to make some changes...
I'm eating 1200 calories a day right now.

Thank you tons to anyone that responds! :)

Replies

  • pfarley68
    pfarley68 Posts: 83 Member
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    Check out the group Eat more, weigh less and they will educate you on eating more. Also check out the Website Fat2Fit. Hope this helps.
  • MelanieAG05
    MelanieAG05 Posts: 359 Member
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    Check out the group Eat more, weigh less and they will educate you on eating more. Also check out the Website Fat2Fit. Hope this helps.

    Yep....this!

    Also check out this website........http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    The main numbers you need to know are your BMR (Basic Metabolic Rate) and your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure).

    There are loads of different ideas to try on MFP if you search around the forum!! It is a minefield of information though and there are lots of different opinions!

    Good luck x
  • Vonnie2006
    Vonnie2006 Posts: 246 Member
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    Check out the group Eat more, weigh less and they will educate you on eating more. Also check out the Website Fat2Fit. Hope this helps.

    Yep....this!

    Also check out this website........http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    The main numbers you need to know are your BMR (Basic Metabolic Rate) and your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure).

    There are loads of different ideas to try on MFP if you search around the forum!! It is a minefield of information though and there are lots of different opinions!

    Good luck x

    ^^^^THIS! I am on Day 3.
  • DixiedoesMFP
    DixiedoesMFP Posts: 935 Member
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    Once you figure out your BMR and your TDEE, you will want to eat somewhere in between there (generally 10 - 20% less than your TDEE). If you do this method, you do NOT eat back your exercise calories.
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
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    1200 does seem low if your going to the gym. I eat 1500 and don't eat exercise calories back because I'm still 245lbs and my dietitian says not to eat them back as I have a lot to lose. I'm questioning it now though as I'm not losing. If nothing changes soon I'm increasing! X
  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
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    the idea behind eating back your calories is -- if you're only eating 1200 a day (which is what MFP set for you -- THIS is already a deficit to help you lose weight WITHOUT EXERCISE) and then burning off 300 at the gym, then you're only feeding your body 900 calories to do normal body functions/normal daily activities (digestion, watching tv, eating, etc) -- this is not enough - and that could be why you're stuck. try upping your caloric intake to like 1400 a day and see if that helps!
  • cholibear
    cholibear Posts: 86
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    Check out the group Eat more, weigh less and they will educate you on eating more. Also check out the Website Fat2Fit. Hope this helps.

    Yep....this!

    Also check out this website........http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    The main numbers you need to know are your BMR (Basic Metabolic Rate) and your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure).

    Thanks! I checked out the website and it says to lose weight I should eat 1700 calories a day...that's 500 more than I eat now! lol is that something I should do?
  • momsdumplin
    momsdumplin Posts: 21 Member
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    After much "fiddling" I've found what works for me. I had my calorie intake set at 1200 and was eating my calories back from exercising and in one week gained about 5lbs back of what I had lost previously. Eating them back didn't work for me. So, I adjusted my calories and ate 1500 calories and let my exercise calories be what kept me "under" my calorie goal. I lost 4lbs that week. So, then I thought I'd reduce my calorie intake to 1400 calories and not eat back the exercise calories and I gained 4lbs that week. The following week I went back to my 1500 calories and not eating the exercise calories and lost 6lbs. It all depends on what works best for you. I tend to eat a diet high in vegetables and fiber. I've also noticed that the more I exercise the less I want to eat. But, my friend that is also on MFP eats typically 1500 calories a day and eats her exercise calories and loses 2-3 lbs a week. I can't do that. Every person is different and of course getting to the right amount of calories per day can take some trial and error work as well as looking at your BMR, TDEE, etc... Once I figured out what worked for me the pounds are now melting off. My weigh in day is tomorrow (Friday) and as of this morning the scale was down 6lbs from last week.
  • Adrasteis
    Adrasteis Posts: 110 Member
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    Those sites that they have listed are very informative, I realized I was eating too few calories (net was only 800 after excercise) and increase my consumption (of healthy choices) and started seeing results. I feel like I eat all the time though, my co-workers can't figure out how I eat all the time and am losing weight so much faster (and healthier!) then they are.
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
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    Read this: it's all you ever need to know...

    http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/
  • johnscat1981
    johnscat1981 Posts: 27 Member
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    Bump
  • jacque930
    jacque930 Posts: 122 Member
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    Bump
  • Mtfd02
    Mtfd02 Posts: 239 Member
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    I have messed around with this when I first joined, as I have 1230 total, I try not to eat back my calories but I find that hard to do from time to time since I am on the road for work, it depends on how much you want to lose weekly healthy of course. Rome was not built in a day and neither is weight loss, as there are several factors from sleep to not eating after 9pm etc. that affect the body for ppl to lose weight. For me I was at a plateau and went to the local GNC and tried the vitimin pack to help myself get over the hump, it has worked for me so far as long as you follow directions etc. this method doesn't work for everybody.....:smile:

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