I don't get it--> Caloric needs vs. caloric intake

[ChelsRm007]

Alright, I'm feeling conflicted. I get a lot of exercise, I bike like 18 miles most days, I run, do a ton of walking, etc. etc.

Anyways, sometimes I put all of my food intake and exercise into fitday.com and I'm kind of amazed at the numbers. For example, today I supposedly ate 2,193 calories, but total I burned 3,627 calories! Can this possibly be right?! I'm 5'3" 125 pounds, actually looking to loose a little but perfectly healthy. If I actually ate 3,000 calories a day would I balloon or would my metabolism speed up and help me potentially loose a few pounds and train harder? :think:

The thing is if these numbers are anywhere near correct, then I'm running a 1,500 calorie deficit.. usually I don't even eat this much and my weight doesn't reflect any kind of self-starvation, so I don't get it. Your thoughts?

Thanks.


PS- I'm too young to have thyroid issues and I'm getting plenty of nutrients etc.

[taurushead]

similar question to what ive had actually. but sorry..no answer. someone will have one though!!! those fitday things freak me out. but ive just recently started actually trusting it. i expect to gain a bit at first but then itll even out?

[Lelena]

I have the same promblem with fitday. I eat aobut 1,500 cal but burn 2,800 to 3,200 cal and I don't loose weight. And I am over weight so you would think I would. I think it may be a problem for you becaue you are closer to an ideal weight. The less you have to loose the harder it is.

[Romac]

The thing is if these numbers are anywhere near correct, then I'm running a 1,500 calorie deficit.. usually I don't even eat this much and my weight doesn't reflect any kind of self-starvation, so I don't get it. Your thoughts?

my feeling has always been that western standards of caloric requirments are waaay out of whack, and tend to err on the high side.

i have a very good friend who's 6'1" and about 155lbs. dude's thin as a rail. he lives off fast food, chugs soda all day long, drinks beer every night. the guy probably satisfies his caloric requirements from soda and beer alone! so why's he thin as a rail? oh yeah and this guys sooo lazy it's incredible. he moves and talks like a sloth, and appears to be on the verge of falling asleep half the time.

i worked with a guy a few years ago who was also like that. he was about 145lbs and about 5'8". dude ate like a bloody pig! burritos the size of my head, soda all day, greasy fast food for breakfast, and the dinners he described would bust my guts. he didn't have insane enegry requirements. he did the same thing as me, went home, ate, slept, repeat.

then there's me. i eat modest portions of healthy food, and have all my life had a tendency to carry about 5% extra body fat.

imo people should take caloric requirements with a grain of salt, and find the level that works for you. i feel much better, and way more energetic when i consume approximately 60-70% of my basic caloric requirements.

[Random]

I think that fitday vastly overestimates the amount of calories burned, both by basic functions and by exercise. When I plug in my food and exercise for a few days (don't do it very often though, because I cook everything I eat and it's really tedious to input a veggie stirfry or a chili ingredient by ingredient), I compensate for that overestimation by choosing "sendentary lifestyle", when in reality I'm moderately active.

[ChelsRm007]

Thanks for the reply's. I'll just continue to eat what I think feel's right and ignore the very western "youmusteatmore" fitday.com. :stinkeye:

[taurushead]

aa. damnit. i was just thinking i should eat the amount things like fitday tell me. now everyones like 'its overestimating' ?! i thought that was the case. but figured i was wrong. so freakin confused. seriously. ehehehehe.
i give up?!?!?!?

[purrpelle]

I think fitday's estimations are usually pretty accurate, as I often check their estimates against the AMR calculator I have at work.


ChelsRm007: I think you may be looking at the wrong numbers, because I am the same size as you- and I burn, with exercise, like 2800 and I eat 2000-2500 usually.

don't forget, digestion burns cals too. so the more food you eat-the more cals you burn. eating raw also burns more cals. in fact, drinking cold water burns about 15 calories more than drinking tepid water, because your body has to warm the water before it's sent of to hydrate.

just random thoughts. but personally I think (since we are the same size and i execise a lot a well) that 2000 + sounds right for you.

[ChelsRm007]

Cold water burns more calories? That's good to know. I've actually been eating and drinking ton's lately. I'm just REALLY hungry and thirsty all of the time. :sick: For instance, I'll have a PB and jelly sandwich and like two hours later I'm hungry. Is this normal? I mean I exercise a lot and I know I have relatively low body fat from endurance oriented sports, but I keep wondering if this is right- if this is "true hunger" or hunger fabricated by boredom.

I don't know because at the same time, sometimes my stomach just feel's hollow, burning almost even though I try and graze throughout the day. The toughest time is at night when I'm resting and my body is trying to heal and gets pissed off when I haven't taken in enough to recover adequately, but I feel like I've eaten tons. I don't know, maybe I have worm's? :lol:

[Astarte]

I'm not so sure about it either. Fitday says my resting metabolic rate is around 1550 calories (I'm about 150lbs and nearly 5'10"), am not super active but walk an hour to and from school carrying a heavy pack three or four times a week. Most days I eat fewer than 2000 calories.

Calories in/calories out seems like a simple idea, and though it's easy to calculate how many calories are going in, the calories out part is much more difficult to pin down.

[purrpelle]

Cold water burns more calories? That's good to know. I've actually been eating and drinking ton's lately. I'm just REALLY hungry and thirsty all of the time. :sick: For instance, I'll have a PB and jelly sandwich and like two hours later I'm hungry. Is this normal? I mean I exercise a lot and I know I have relatively low body fat from endurance oriented sports, but I keep wondering if this is right- if this is "true hunger" or hunger fabricated by boredom.

I don't know because at the same time, sometimes my stomach just feel's hollow, burning almost even though I try and graze throughout the day. The toughest time is at night when I'm resting and my body is trying to heal and gets pissed off when I haven't taken in enough to recover adequately, but I feel like I've eaten tons. I don't know, maybe I have worm's? :lol:

if you have a very low BF - are you lower than 19%? then AMR might be off for you. it takes more claories to supply muscles than fat. if you are a very very fit person, you may just Have to eat every few hours because your body processes food so quickly because it expects to need the energy quickly. If you don't mind, I can go through some of the articles i have and e-mail them to you. if you are an elite endurance athlete your caloric needs will be quite high....more than you may think. If i were you-I would continue to eat when you feel you need to. the extra cals you take in that may be bordom eating won't affect you that much.

[butterfly_acid]

I tend to eat a lot too:boobies:.

I have read somewhere that 85% of the population has parasites, but I don't know how accurate that number is because it was on a site trying to sell their "ways to get rid of parasites."

but if a person doesn't know they have parasites, why would they go there to begin with?...lol

So, it's apples and oranges. :juggle:

[ChelsRm007]

if you have a very low BF - are you lower than 19%?

I'm pretty sure my bf is below 19%- last time I checked my arm's, they were something like 14% but that was before I got into cycling and running combined, so I'm sure total bf has become lower. Hm. I'm totally open to all articles and would really appreciate it. I'm just not used to seeing all of these numbers and knowing that this is what my body is consuming, but I know it's something I have to get used to as I become more interested in marathons, ultra-marathons, and triathlons. Bring on the food? :hamster:

[purrpelle]

I'm pretty sure my bf is below 19%- last time I checked my arm's, they were something like 14% but that was before I got into cycling and running combined, so I'm sure total bf has become lower. Hm. I'm totally open to all articles and would really appreciate it. I'm just not used to seeing all of these numbers and knowing that this is what my body is consuming, but I know it's something I have to get used to as I become more interested in marathons, ultra-marathons, and triathlons. Bring on the food? :hamster:

oh yeah, if you are at that point (i am assuming you a female) you need to be eating like 3000 cals.plus... especially if you are training for ultras....get you BF checked by a pro. have them do the 7 points.

if you have troble eating that much, do protein shakes with flax oil or PB, lots of trail mix,dried fruits nuts and avacado's.

[mayuko]

>>I'll have a PB and jelly sandwich and like two hours later I'm hungry. Is this normal? I mean I exercise a lot and I know I have relatively low body fat from endurance oriented sports, but I keep wondering if this is right- if this is "true hunger" or hunger fabricated by boredom.
>>

This IS normal. You are very active.

ebola

[just_a_grrrl]

I agree, it's totally normal to be hungry two hours after eatting a pb sandwich. You shouldn't feel like you are starving though, and if that's the case maybe you aren't drinking enough water.

[bluegrrrl79]

Thanks for the reply's. I'll just continue to eat what I think feel's right and ignore the very western "youmusteatmore" fitday.com. :stinkeye:


I've actually been eating and drinking ton's lately. I'm just REALLY hungry and thirsty all of the time. For instance, I'll have a PB and jelly sandwich and like two hours later I'm hungry. Is this normal? I mean I exercise a lot and I know I have relatively low body fat from endurance oriented sports, but I keep wondering if this is right- if this is "true hunger" or hunger fabricated by boredom.

I don't know because at the same time, sometimes my stomach just feel's hollow, burning almost even though I try and graze throughout the day. The toughest time is at night when I'm resting and my body is trying to heal and gets pissed off when I haven't taken in enough to recover adequately, but I feel like I've eaten tons. I don't know, maybe I have worm's
Sounds like you're NOT eating what feels right! From what you say, fitday is saying you're not eating enough for your activity level, and you're feeling hungry all the time...put 2 and 2 together :hungry: