calorie intake

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i have been struggling to lose weight. I eat about 1250 calories per day and workout with a trainer 2 times a week and do a 500 calories cardio burn three to four other days. i have hade my bmr professionally tested and according to that i burn 1649 calories at rest. My trainer says i am not eating enough calories so my body is in shut down mode. any thoughs

desperately frustrated:sad:

Replies

  • jolinemariem
    jolinemariem Posts: 462 Member
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    you have to make sure you eat your exersize calories
    i have heard this a million times on here and apparently it helps everyone who trys it you need to eat those exersize calories!!!!
  • makeitallsue
    makeitallsue Posts: 3,086 Member
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    i have been struggling to lose weight. I eat about 1250 calories per day and workout with a trainer 2 times a week and do a 500 calories cardio burn three to four other days. i have hade my bmr professionally tested and according to that i burn 1649 calories at rest. My trainer says i am not eating enough calories so my body is in shut down mode. any thoughs

    desperately frustrated:sad:

    I am going through the same thing, my weight has been a stand still since May of this year....I have been told the same thing. I don't want to, but I am going to take a leap of faith and try it for a couple of weeks. I am of the thinking that if I make sure the extra calories are from whole and fresh foods...it certainly can't hurt me. I'll let you know if I see a difference. Hang in there, don't give up! Good luck!
    Debra:smile:
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
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    Your trainer is right. If your BMR is 1649 and you're eating 1250 (and exercising for an additional 500 and not eating those calories back to compensate) you're undereating.

    If you're eating 1250, exercising for 500 and not eating those, you're only taking in 750 calories a day.

    Or, to put it another way, your BMR is 1649. That's the BARE MINIMUM you need without any activity, let alone exercise. You're undershooting that calorie goal by 899 calories a day.

    Start to gradually eat more calories, and trust your trainer.:flowerforyou:
  • expressbug
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    You don't have to add alot of food/calories,

    eat a hand full of nuts
    drink a glass of milk with one or two of your meals
    on days that you workout eat a protein bar
  • LadyV
    LadyV Posts: 21
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    I was at a stand still weight wise for 3 weeks. Didn't gain. . didn't loose. Was told about Jillian Michaels (Trainer from The Biggest Loser) book "Master your Metabolism" by my cousin who has lost 40 lbs since January. So I went out and bought it. Read it in one day (Last Saturday) and have lost 3 lbs so far this week and I am never hungry. . .always feel stuffed and have not gone over 1400 - 1500 calories. For anyone needing a little knowledge about the crap we put in our bodies that is keeping us from hitting our goals I highly recomend this book!

    Have started reading her "Making the Cut" book and am looking forward to doing the 30 day Shred between Thanksgiving & Christmas.
  • borjanap
    borjanap Posts: 232 Member
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    I actually started a post about this a while ago. i was in your shoes...
    I ate about 1200cals and ran everyday at least 3 miles. I went to a nutritionist and she told me to up my calories to at least 1800. It is really high for me! But i am trying to take the advice. I was doing it my way for so long without success. Now I am doing it her way and I am hoping it works out! I'll let you know
  • taylorgirl
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    The exact same thing happen to me earlier this year. The method my trainer gave me was to add my resting rate to the number of exercise calories I burned, then subtract 500 (deficit calories for the day). This gave me the total number of calories I needed to consum. It wasn't until I used this method that I was able to lose the last of my weight. I still follow this plan even after reaching my goal of 65 lbs lost. If you don't eat enough your body will go into starvation mode and instead of losing you could hit a plateau or even gain.
  • CrystalT
    CrystalT Posts: 862 Member
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    You should follow your trainer's advice. I'm not sure if he/she cautioned you about this, but you may actually see a gain at first. Just like it takes time for your body to enter starvation mode, it takes time to get it back out. The increase in calories could cause a weight gain for the first week or two just because your body will still be holding onto like it was when you weren't eating enough. Please, don't give up after the first week and go back to starving yourself.
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
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    The exact same thing happen to me earlier this year. The method my trainer gave me was to add my resting rate to the number of exercise calories I burned, then subtract 500 (deficit calories for the day). This gave me the total number of calories I needed to consum. It wasn't until I used this method that I was able to lose the last of my weight. I still follow this plan even after reaching my goal of 65 lbs lost. If you don't eat enough your body will go into starvation mode and instead of losing you could hit a plateau or even gain.

    for most people, if you set your weight loss goal to a pound a week, this is what MFP does for your automatically.

    Just FYI.:flowerforyou: