Question about calories :-)

[Laineydglm]

The week 1 info says 1400 calories a day for women, I'm using myfitnesspal to keep track, and having entered my exercise its given me extra calories over the 1400. So should I still be staying within the 1400 or should I have extra to include the exercise calories?

[alex7ra]

What ever works for you. You will probably lose weight faster if you dont eat the extra calories but then you may be able to keep up the diet longer if you do. Good luck

[Annde70]

I have a Fitbit and it allows you to set up a target of how much weight you would like to lose a week, I have selected 1lb as being realistic.

It counts my steps daily and I log the foods I eat and any exercise (including housework, shopping, etc) that I do and it gives me an allowance each day of how many calories I can eat. It works on the basis that I need to eat 500 calories a day less than I burn, so some days it will suggest I eat 1500 + and other days it will only allow me 1200. I find this has benefitted me greatly and ensure each day I stay within the suggested maximum, some days eating considerably less.

I have been shocked to realise that if I have a very inactive day, doing little walking and not much else how little energy (calories) I use, it has given me a good understanding of why I have not been losing weight when I have thought I had been 'good' with my diet. Also great because if I really want to eat that bit more I have come to realise I need to get off of my backside and do something

[Hidden]

Before starting the nhs 12 week plan I tried using myfitnesspal in the way you describe, eating extra calories on days where I did more exercise, but it didn't result in any weight loss. The 12 week plan seems to imply that you stick to 1400 every day and do 150 mins aerobic exercise on top of that, and 2 strength sessions too. So I've understood that to mean that you're not expected to increase your calories when you exercise, i.e. if you 'earn' 300 cals from some running, you still stick to the 1400 cals for the day. I'm trying to stick to this, but have noticed two problems:

1. On exercise days I simply do feel hungry and often end up going over the 1400 cals. So I'm guessing that I clearly 'need' the extra calories, but I try to minimise how much I go over - maybe not allowing myself as much as myfitnesspal might calculate, but say an extra 100 or 200 cals. I don't enter the exercise on myfitnesspal - just allow myself to go over by that amount.

2. 1400 cals is a bit of a one size fits all guide. This could be a massive drop in calories for some people, it really depends where you're starting from. So some people use the nhs bmi calculator to work out the best amount for them. It's worth checking this, just to make sure the 1400 isn't a completely unrealistic amount (you could find you're able to lose weight at the rate you want to on a slightly higher amount of calories).

[Laineydglm in reply to Hidden]

Ok thanks I'll look into that BMI calculator just to make sure

And I'll try not to eat the extra exercise cals if I can help it

[Laineydglm in reply to Hidden]

That bmi calculator says 1766 as the bottom cals not 1400. So assume I should be having 1766 and not eat any exercise cals?

[Hidden in reply to Laineydglm]

That could be right. My lower end cals on the calculator are around 1500-1600, which is why I don't worry too much about going over the 1400 by 100-200cals. It sounds like it's worth trying 1766 as your starting calories, but not allow extra exercise cals (as much as you can manage), and see how this goes?

[Laineydglm in reply to Hidden]

That's what I was thinking, I had 1424 yesterday and did 30 jogging so that's a good start

[Ladyginger]

I asked this question some time ago. I didn't really get a reply but then I thought about it. I decided not to add more allowance but to stick to the 1400. Any exercise is a bonus and and not an excuse to eat more! I hope that helps.

[Laineydglm in reply to Ladyginger]

Thanks I think that's the conclusion I have come to

[Penel]

Not all calories are the same. Make sure you have a reasonable amount of protein on your exercise days.

[Laineydglm in reply to Penel]

Thanks for the tip, I do try to eat a fair amount of protein as it seems to keep me full for longer!