Do I eat the additional calories as well?

[RockinD]

Simple question really. It?s this.

I am calorie counting using myfitnesspal. My daily allowance is 1,200 (I have 3 stone to lose).

If I do any exercise, I get additional calories added, which puts my allowance up to about 1,500.

Does that mean I should be eating about 1,500 calories a day rather than sticking to the 1,200. I was only going to do 1,200 for two weeks anyway to kickstart weight loss, but I haven?t lost anything yet.

[InMySpareTime]

Only eat them if you are actually hungry. You don't have to eat them, but you'll be more likely to stick to MFP if you do the occasional day with lots of exercise and a treat at the end.
I lost 5st on MFP, eating 1200 cals a day, some days I did lots of exercise and others hardly any. It's about finding the balance between activity and food.

[RockinD]

I'm permanently hungry and also confused by the way that mfp breaks things down.

I always thought I had a healthy diet, but apparently I am eating far too much sugar (but it's all from my five a day fruit and veg), and too many carbs, which again are coming mostly from fruit and veg.

I've gone over on calories the last two days, 1442 (112) today and 1501 (68) yesterday.

I'm trying to shed the three stone I have put on in the last two years. Throughout I have been gluten free and eating loads of fruit and veg.

I also walk 3 miles a day (at least) at a good pace.

I think the Graze boxes will have to be the next to go. 200 cals on them today. Too many calories in dried fruit.

[RockinD]

Today it says that if every day was like yesterday, when I came in under budget, in five weeks time I will have lost a whole pound!

Motivating or what?

[trinity0097]

Gluten free food is often full of sugar/fat to disguise the bad taste, many people who follow a gluten free diet out on weight because of it. Do you have to be gluten free?

[BellaVita]

I never eat the calories that I burn by exercising.

I too use MfP. I am usually under the 1200 calories by the end of the day.

The 5:2 is fab - this is what I am doing at the moment. I have lost quite a few lbs.

You are bound to be hungry but you will get used to it although on the fasting days on 5:2 I am not ravenous.

[AliLouiseH]

I'm on 1200 calories using MfP too, and you have my full sympathy with the hunger!
I've found that having a hot drink (tea/ coffee/ green tea/ even warm water) usually helps with the hunger pangs, just remember not to add sugar!

[Cryptonomicon]

There is an interesting debate in whether 1200 calories is actually too low, causing the body to slow down your metabolism and hang on to fat. Have you tried increasing your calories (healthily)? Sounds crazy but a few people I know have has success with this.

I try it today back my exercise calories but have a 1500 calorie allowance.

[STIDW]

I think it depends on your weight and the amount of exercise you do. When I started loosing weight I had 10st to lose and I found I needed 1600-1800 calories to lose around 2lbs a week on average and have enough energy to sustain regular light exercise. As my weight decreased I found I needed to gradually cut back on the calories and increase the amount of exercise. Now I eat 1200 calories, spend 40 min in the gym and another 20 minutes swimming each day and I'm still averaging a loss of 2lbs a week.

[RockinD]

In 8 weeks I have now lost a stone on 1200 calories a day and eating back some of the calories from exercise. Exciting stuff! Two more stone to go.

[STIDW]

Well done RockinD. That's a cracking start.

[joblot]

I'm using mfp and gradually have lost about 10lb. I feel better than I have for years. It works for me as it stops me mindlessly snacking, a major problem where I work.
At first it seemed too slow but my experience is that it's worth persevering.

Fad diets just seem silly and a rip off. I watch people do them at work and guess what, they yoyo and are much lighter financially.

A stone rockin- wow.

[Judyandherdreamofhorses]

Why are your allowances so low? Mine is 1500. Is it because you're trying to lose a lot of weight quickly?

I'm finding it's definitely stopping me mindlessly snacking and picking. I was going to eat a biscuit today and noticed it was 70cal, so decided I'd rather eat a banana.

I am using the calories I expend with exercise most days. In pudding or wine, generally!

[brainwashed]

Allowances are probably low because of height. I'm a shortarse and have an allowance of 1200 ( not a lot of weight to lose)....but I always eat more as I do loads of exercise :-)

[STIDW]

My allowance is low because of my age and I have reduced my working hours, I no longer have children to run around after and my exercise is limited because I have mobility problems.

[Kaffiene]

My allowence should be 1200 but it wasn't working for me so I upped it to 1500, much easier to stick to and I am stroll loosing weight.

[peachcake]

Just wondered if anyone doing Nutracheck UK app/online?