Upping calories?

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meganvalerie
meganvalerie Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
What is the benefit of upping calories? my MFP calorie goal is 1370, but my net daily intake is usually around 1000... I don't have a strict exercise routine, so figured I should be eating less than my goal - only getting close to it on days where I feel I have done enough exercise.

My exercise usually consists of stretching, ab work and aerobic/cardio exercise about 4 times a week.. Sessions are between 30mins and 1hour.

Am I doing things right, or should I be changing my habits? I'm 21 and weigh 58kgs, so am just trying to lose a little pudge around my middle.

Replies

  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    The benefit of upping calories is that you'll be giving your body the fuel and nutrition it needs. It's nearly impossible to get all the nutrients you need on 1000 calories a day, especially if you're working out.
  • jvan1957
    jvan1957 Posts: 114
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    Your weight loss calories are figured and subtracted by MFP. You need to get your calorie goal.
  • jvan1957
    jvan1957 Posts: 114
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    Oh Yeah. Remember to drink all your water.
  • cjpg
    cjpg Posts: 433 Member
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    You only up your calories when you're not meeting the energy requirements for the activities you are performing.

    If you run a 5km jog at 10km/h, and lose 500 calories, it's a good idea to up the amount of calories by even a portion of that exercise to balance out your energy comsumption vs. energy intake.

    In other words, light exercise four times a week with moderate-light eating sounds like a normal, balanced routine.

    I'm pretty sure one day out of the week you'd be hungrier than others, so it might be a good idea to listen to your body for that.
  • meganvalerie
    meganvalerie Posts: 3
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    Thank you

    I havn't lost any weight in two weeks and was just wondering if I ought to be changing something
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    When you don't have much weight to lose, you don't have much in your fat stores for your body to work with. So it doesn't like to use them up if it can help it, and it will instead slow your metabolism to keep from having to use up all its reserve too soon. it thinks you can't find food, so it's trying to help. Eat as close to your calorie goal as possible for a few weeks and see what happens. Don't freak if you see an initial gain, as it's likely going to be water weight just due to eating more food which probably means a bit more sodium.
  • nicoletherese14
    nicoletherese14 Posts: 27
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    You need to eat all your calories chicken, if you log exercise it gives you extra calories to eat and you need to eat those back too. And watch where you're getting your calories from, something might be low cal but if it's just empty calories and no nutrition it's not going to do you any good and you'll just get hungry later! 1200 is a low cal diet to begin with, and if you don't feed your body right it'll hold on to fat stores in areas like your stomach, and you might lose weight but you'll end up looking wobblier! xxx

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