“1,200 calorie meal plan to a new you!” We’ve all seen it – low calorie diets promoted in the media. On magazines, TV shows, and on the internet. Many people who don’t know better become victims in thinking this is the proper way to be healthy. When in reality, it is far from it.
There is no way that a magazine can tell you how many calories you need a day. It’s impossible. Every single person is different – in height, weight, muscle mass, age, and activity level. This means that every single person will need a different amount of calories to live as well as their workout needs.
So many people get into this mindset that eating 1,200-1,500 calories a day is the one-size-fits-all deal to reaching their goals or losing weight. Wrong.
Everyone needs a certain amount of calories each day just to live. If you were to stay in bed all day long and not move, your body still needs fuel to function. For most people, that number is even higher than 1,200 calories. So if people believe this nonsense and eat 1,200 calories a day, but still get up and do their daily activities, and maybe even work out on top of that, they will be in TOO much of a deficit. This puts your body in starvation mode, which is setting yourself up for destruction.
*Sorry Nancy S. Hughes, but wtf is this? Who are you?*
You will NOT see results. Your body will do whatever it takes to survive, which usually means holding on to any fat you do have to live. Your body doesn’t know what you are trying to do, and it doesn’t care – its only concern is to survive.
It might sound contradictory, but you MAY need to eat more than you are now to reach your goals. Yes, I did just say eat more.
Sure, food products have a “serving size” that is recommended, but sometimes it is not enough. Lets take rolled oatmeal for example. The serving size is 1/2 cup, but in reality, that may not be enough for every single person. Some people need more.
It does all depend on your goals – either muscle building or fat loss. However, it also depends on the person. I cannot stress it enough, but every one is different. Comparing yourself to other people is just not ideal or realistic. I’m going to use myself as an example.
If you read my blog regularly, you may have read that I am trying to build muscle right now. I wanted a more accurate reading of how many calories I truly burn in a day so that I could reach my goals easier. I did a 24-hour burn test, where I wore my heart rate monitor for 24-hours straight, even during sleep, on a rest day.
Crappy lighting, but this is where I was at after 23 hours and 22 minutes. For the overall 24-hours, I burned approximately 2,000 calories. This 2,000 calories is how much I need to eat on a rest day to MAINTAIN my weight. Yes, that is just to maintain. Not to lose, not to gain. Now, to build muscle, I need to eat 250-500 calories MORE than this number. So ideally, in order to build some serious muscle, I should be consuming 2,250 calories on a rest day, and around 2,600 on a workout day. Did I also mention this number is for NO CARDIO. I personally am not doing any at the moment and am still eating this much.
This is coming from someone who is pretty fit, and is pretty lean already but still has a good muscle base. I do not weigh a lot scale-wise, so people who weigh more than I do usually need more fuel. I burn a lot of calories, and obviously my metabolism is pretty fast. Everyone will be different, but this is just an example that I wanted to share.
So yes, I am eating a freaking crap-ton to build muscle. Like, a lot. I eat back what I burn during my workouts, and then some more. Honestly, it’s expensive to eat this much! Ha ha. And it’s a general balance between proteins, carbs, and fats. I do not discriminate against any macro, especially carbs, since I believe they are essential to muscle building.
This is almost a cup of DRY oatmeal – twice the recommended serving size.
Anyway, the point I’m trying to make here is that you may need to eat more calories than you think. Regardless of if you are trying to reach a certain goal, or if you’re just simply curious as to how much you really need. I know I was surprised at how much I truly burned on a rest day!
Remember – food is FUEL. Calories are a source of energy, and you need them to support your energy expenditures. Please don’t believe that there is a one size fits all, and please do not compare yourself to others.
If you do think you may not be eating enough and want to increase calories, do it slowly. I’ve been increasing by 100 each week so I don’t overload myself and get way too stuffed. It’s best to do things slowly and work your way up. Patience is key!
Do you ever eat more than the recommended serving size?
Have you ever seen anyone fall for these magazine ads?
Have you ever done a 24-hour burn test?
No related posts.
I did a post on this a couple weeks ago after my visit with my nutritionist. Someone as active as me should be eating at least 3000 calories! It’s scary when you see the numbers everywhere for weight loss. I love that you wore your heart rate monitor as proof. I feel like that would really help make me less scared to up the calories!
Sarah recently posted..DC Style
I love this, Brittany. I think many women get so caught up in the calorie counting and grossly underestimate how many calories they need. I’ve been there, done that. I always ended up weighing MORE during that time than when I’m just eating when I’m hungry and listening to my body. I’ve never measured my calorie burn during a day, but I’m definitely curious.
Sarah @ Blonde Bostonian recently posted..Grateful
So true!!
Brittany! Wow girl, this post was incredible! You shared your experiences openly and in doing so, I think you will help a lot of women (and men!) struggling for direction. You are one confident lady, and it shows in this post! Thank you thank you for sharing this today!
Thank you, Jana!!
This is a great post!! So truthful, I love it!
Hahah seriously, who are you Nancy Hughes? It really IS expensive to eat as much as you need. but it’s way more fun (and effective) than starving at 1200 calories a day! Amen sister.
That reminds me, I need to redo my 24 hour burn test!
Danielle @WorkItWearItEatit recently posted..Mother Nature doesn’t want me to run.
Definitely worth the money!
Brittany,
this was one of my most favorite blog posts ever!! I think the main message I took away from this all is that we are all different and there is no one size fits all when it comes to diet. I admit I used to compare myself to others and think oh because she is eating 1500 calories a day I should as well, however, I wasn’t seeing the results in my body I wanted and I work out hard! Not only am I more muscular now, but I FEEL so much better and more energized now that I am fueling my body properly! Great, great post and wonderful insight!!
Thank you so much!! I think a lot of people have fallen into the comparison trap, but every is so, so different. Good for you!!
I cannot tell you how much I love this. I eat way above 1200 calories!
Amanda @ Might as well Dance recently posted..A Look at Wedding Sites on WordPress.com
woooo!! ;D
Oh man, these things really grind my gears. Too people still say that?;) Great, great post Brittany! I’ve seriously been through these thoughts and they were the worst of times, I haven’t been more miserable then when I was restricting calories. At one point to gain 1 pound a week (after my ED) I had to eat 4000 calories a day, it was brutal haha. And really showed me how much our body really needs! Again, amazing post friend!! Miss you!
Lisa recently posted..Things I Know For Sure
I miss you moreeee!
This is such a great post! People are always shocked when they see the amount I eat and how I don’t gain weight like you would think. I’m always trying to convince my friends that whole, natural foods are so much better than those little Lean Cuisines they love. Glad to see we’re on the same page.
Thank you! Yessss so true. Keep on convincing ;D
I love this post and am so happy you did it. People are still in awe that I eat so much but I need to, i want to keep my metabolism up and my body healthy. thank you so much for writing about this topic
Alex @ therunwithin recently posted..I Will Wait For You
Heck yesss girl!
So, I kind of want to hug you right now. Seriously, so true! It bugs me so much when women are convinced that they have to eat 1200-1500 calories a day when running/working out several time a week in order to lose weight. That is not how it works at all! I would pretty much be the biggest bitch ever if I was trying to eat 1200 calories a day. It would just be terrible.
Thanks you for right this post? (and Nancy Hughes? not cool).
I’m curious to do my own 24-hour burn test sometime.
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles recently posted..New Header + Travel Bucket List.
Thank you for writing this post* wow…I should not write when my lunch is distracting me.
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles recently posted..New Header + Travel Bucket List.
hahaha I do that alll the time
I want to hug you too! haha
I would be such a crabby bitch too lol!
I haven’t done a 24-hr burn test, but now I want to! Thanks for the tips, and good luck with the muscle building.
PS – Thumbs up to your “Who are you?” caption. Funny!
Tiff (@LoveSweatBeers) recently posted..Turkey Chili Muffins
Thank you!
Thank you so much for this post! I was discussing this exact concept with a friend the other day; she swears by Weight Watchers (which I’m not knocking) and couldn’t understand how I could eat more than 2,000 calories per day or not count “points” for every single meal. Both of us are trying to lose weight, but she is already about 30 pounds lighter than I am. I tried to discuss with her that we have different body types, that we are on different weight-loss strategies, and that we get different levels of exercise (in her case, none). Thanks for the reminder that some of us need a little more food just to keep us going!
Anne Kendall recently posted..Arosto + Nutrition Log
You are so right.. everyone is MUCH different! You got this, girl!
I think I ended up nodding my head and saying “Yes… freakin’ YES!” through this entire post. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for being an incredible inspiration, Brittany. I wish more women would realize that starving themselves is NOT the way to go about getting the body they want. Not only does it do a decent amount of physical damage, but it takes away a lot of our happiness as well. I can’t even imagine how much of a nightmare I’d be to be around if I tried to eat that little…
Amanda @ .running with spoons. recently posted... thinking out loud #16 .
So so true, Amanda! Thank you – love you!
So true. I have to bite my tongue at work ALL time due to this topic. I’m doing my heart rate monitor test tomorrow and I’m really nervous!! I generally have a very low burn on exercise (even though I give it 110% ) so I’m afraid my 24 hr burn is going to be low. I’m hoping it’s high like yours bc I love to eat
.
I love to eat, too
I have pretty low burns as well during exercise.. My friend always has at least twice of what I burn and I eat much much more than her! lol
I love this post so much and I think a lot of people need to read this because it’s so true. The media is so messed up and women now think that they can’t eat anything but in reality they need a lot just to maintain their weight! Thanks for writing this, I think it’ll open up a lot of people’s eyes! <3
Thank you! So true!
Love this!!! More people need to read this post! It’s so important to fuel our bodies properly and the media is just full of inaccurate information. It’s so misleading. Thank you for spreading light that starvation isn’t the answer!
Danielle @clean food creative fitness recently posted..Intuitive Eating…or Not?
Thank you, Danielle!!!
Honestly if I had to live on 1200 calories I would lose the will to live. I just couldnt survive on so little food. I wouldnt functional normally let alone enjoy my running or run nearly as well as I want to. There’s a reason why the diet industry is booming and just rolling in money. It doesn’t work. Its not healthy and you’ll only regain any weight you quickly lost in the first place. Our bodies aren’t stupid. They will first be shocked by the lack of fuel and then quickly adapt so when food becomes available again it will hoard it. Horrible cycle, miserable life to lead. Brilliant post!
Oh,me too! I wouldn’t be able to function!
Yes yes and yes!!! I ignore servings sizes, and I’ve TRIED 1,200 calorie diets (horrible, I didn’t lose any weight) and I used my bodybugg to find out that I burn about 1,800 on a rest day!
Wooo you go girl!!
Thank you so much for this post! Such great information!!! As someone who had an ED for way too many years it is a good reminder that I don’t need to base my calorie need on what anyone else says, but on what my body NEEDS! Being very active and having a high muscle mass, I have noticed that I lose or maintain weight when I am eating more than when I eat less. The quality of the food I eat is also very important, as I know you know
I have never done a 24 hour burn, so I will have to do that on my next rest day!
~Esther~
Esther recently posted..Chicago Weekend!
You are so welcome, Esther! Quality is probably the most important!
Ok I did the burn test is it was pretty high. So now I am working on finding balance with eating enough to have fuel to live, and sustain my workouts, and to also lose weight. Any recommendations??
Also, I have been sharing this post with girls in My Fitness Pal as well as a few other health groups! You get ALL the credit
Such a great post!
Esther recently posted..Valentine’s Day
Even when I am trying to lose weight I still eat more than 1200 calories. That is too little
Abby @ BackAtSquareZero recently posted..Charlie Post Classic Goals
Agreed!
I absolutely love this post x10000000. And you, of course.
I’m proud of my newfound huge appetite! The more, the muscl…-ier
Alissa @ Life Like Fruit Salad recently posted..What I Ate Wednesday #33 – Long Time, No WIAW?!
Thank you – I love you, too! ;D Heck yes!
I really want to do a 24 hour burn test. I just took two rest days and am itching to get back to the gym, so I will have to do it next week!
Cait @ Beyond Bananas recently posted..A Walk Down Memory Lane …
SO true! I don’t like how media keep promoting and prescribing a 1200-per-day diet, when that’s really just the BARE MINIMUM, required for laying in bed all day. That’s way too low for most people. And WOWWWW for your experiment! Although calories aren’t everything, knowing that number is valuable. I might follow suit and do the same!
Meredith @ DareYouTo recently posted..Learn about Sugar and Setbacks: 21 DSD Reflection
Exactly!!!
Great post girl
I’m happy you did this! It must have been an eye opener. I need to dig my HRM out and do this
Meg recently posted..01/24: Thankful Thursday & Weight Gain After Thoughts
Yes! I was eating pretty close to the number before, but I still was surprised
Great post! I love the idea of the 24 hour burn test. I’m going to have to try this.
I’m sure I eat way more than 1200 calories, but I tend to eat based on hunger, so I have no idea how much I actually eat…
MCM Mama recently posted..This is the south, right???
Thanks!! Eating based on hunger is just as great!
Love this post! I lose weight if I eat anything less than 3000ish calories per day. I don’t count. I just eat when I’m hungry and it works.
Matt @ The Athlete’s Plate recently posted..Love Grown Hot Oats #Giveaway
Thank you!! That’s the best way to do it
Been there, done that, NOT doing it again! With my ED, I used to eat 1200 cals per say to lose weight and when I stopped losing, I dropped it lower. I had no energy, no muscle and whenever I increased my intake a little bit I would gain back weight like crazy. There is no way I would go that low again. I am also increasing slowly so I don’t shock my body, but I am so ready to eat a normal amount of food! Excellent post girl!
Devon @ Health in Equilibrium recently posted..WIAW and Recaps
So glad you would never go that low again, girl!!! Thank you!
AMEN!!!!!!! Finally a honest post with the truth. It kills me when I see people starving themselves and then getting upset that they aren’t losing weight. I know it seems so awkward eat more to weigh less, but I just don’t understand why more people don’t accept it and listen to their body!!!! I’m in the hunt now for a good heart rate monitor to purchase. I’m so curious to know how many calories I burn during a rest day. Where did you buy yours from???
Em @ living & learning recently posted..Twos-Day
It kills me too! I got mine online.. I think Amazon. It was cheap!
Awesome awesome post Brittany! I couldn’t agree more here! I think it’s easy to get in the mindset that 1200-1400 calories (or whatever the low number is) is what everyone should be doing to reach their health goals because it’s plastered all over magazines and books. That mentality definitely needs to change! Like you said, every woman and body is SO different! We all have different needs, and we need to honor that otherwise our bodies suffer. Thanks for writing this!
Ashley @ My Food ‘N’ Fitness Diaries recently posted..01/24/13: Thursday Thoughts
Thank you!!! It definitely does need to change!
Awesome post girl! I hate those magazine articles too. 1200 calories a day is just ridiculous. I would be hungry all the time haha.
I definitely eat more than the serving sizes sometimes. I mean, who can eat just 3/4 of a cup of cereal? And only half a bagel at a time? I don’t think so.
I’ve never taken a 24 hour burn test, but I’d be interested in doing one. I always wonder what my energy needs are, since I feel like I eat a lot for someone who is only 5 feet tall!
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin recently posted..Life by Design: My Thoughts
Oh, so would I ! I think I would starve to death haha. You probably are very active and need that fuel!!
I’ve done a burn test with my HRM and Garmin before. It was low and sad.
I got crap from my boyfriend’s mom the other night for the size of a dinner spinach salad I was eating (4 cups spinach, one can tuna, 10 grape tomatoes, juice of half a lime) because I was eating “more servings than I should be as a woman.” Did I mention I workout 5-7 days a week- that is cardio and weights! Plus I teach (and work part time in retail) and I am constantly moving around all day?!?!
Wow, definitely do NOT listen to them!!! I eat more than my mom for sure haha You NEED that fuel girl. Keep fueling away!
I have seen FAR TOO MANY people fall for these ads, which is why I created my blog and web series GiGI Eats Celebrities – so I can DEBUNK these ridiculous diets and actually tell people what it takes to live HEALTHFULLY!!! And we do NEED TO EAT but we have to remember to fill up on healthy, whole foods that are health promoting! I don’t have a clue how many calories I eat, I just know that I eat enough because I feel phenomenal. I probably eat upwards of 3000 calories a day if not more… And while that may sound like a lot, for me it’s actually not because I actually run a 1/2 marathon every day! Gotta fuel that exercise
My muscles need it!
GiGi Eats Celebrities recently posted..Worth The Brain Freeze
YES!!!! Your muscles do need it – you’re awesome!
Great post! Since doing the body earned program I am eating DOUBLE what I used to, almost three times the carbs and about three times the sugar. Freaking nuts. My stomach is flatter than ever. And…..James says we will keep increasing my calories.
Thank you! It is so nuts!!! James program is seriously amazing.
I am so glad you posted this! I eat SO freaking much it’s unreal. I noticed the more I ate, the LEANER I got!! It was like magic. But seriously, this post is so true. I definitely eat more than the recommended amount. I try to listen to my body’s cue’s too. I would love to try one of those calorie burners for an entire day!
Brittany recently posted..Running Thoughts
Yes!!! Everyone doesn’t understand how I eat so much!! haha
Umm, 2600 is NOT a ‘ crap ton’ of calories to build muscle…like at all. I eat (quite a bit) more than that to just maintain my weight, and I don’t appreciate people like you making me feel like I eat catastrophic amount.
You and your blog always make me feel like I over-eat actually.
It wasn’t my intention to make you feel like that at all, I’m sorry I made you feel that way. As I stated in the post, every single person is different. So for me and my weight and how much I burn on a rest day, that is a lot of food. I also stated that someone who weighs more than I do or is more active than I am will need MUCH more calories. I didn’t say that they eat too much at all, it was just a simple statement. Everyone is different and has different needs.
WOW! Alex linked to this and I just have to say thank you for bringing awareness to this. honestly I don’t think 1200 calories is enough for any adult or growing child. That kind of diet may really be messing with our metabolisms! I like that you are gradually increasing your intake. That is what I had to do in my recovery and I think it really helped my body normalize itself again.
Shannon recently posted..Stop Looking
I saw this from The Run Within’s blog. Love everything you said.
I was one of those people who had to eat 1200 calories to lose weight. Honestly it worked for me. What I’ve finally realized though is that I was gaining on higher calories before because the food I was choosing wasn’t right for me. If you’re allergic to certain things, higher amounts of those foods make you gain and bloat. Now that I’m eating right for my body, I can eat so much more and my weight stays stable.
Great post
Eating 4 Balance recently posted..Seriously Strong
Thank you!! That is also another great point!
i LOATHE the number 1200. It’s just ridiculous. Plus i loathe calorie counting. Fueling our bodies means listening to them, hunger and all, right? But glad you did the calorie burn test. It’s a shocker!
lindsay recently posted..Things I Love and Love Grown Giveaway
Me too!! Calorie counting is definitely not a long-term thing. It’s just great in the beginning to gauge and get an idea. Listening to your body is the most important – so true!
Sing it, sister! This is an amazing post. You are so so right–just eating fewer calories will not necessarily make you thinner. Your body thinks it’s starving.
The composition of what you eat and the amount that you eat are so very important to staying healthy, and thin (if that’s what you’re after). And fueling to exercise/live is so important! In order to not feel like you’re walking/running/spinning/whatever through mud, you have to put gas in your tank.
This is a great discussion. Thanks for starting.
Emily recently posted..Self-Health Revolution Recipe: Mega Trail Mix
I cannot imagine eating just 1200 calories. I’d starve!!! I’m working to uild muscle too and lifting heavier than ever. I basically ate constantly yeaterday (way more than 1200 cals). And guess what? I didn’t wake up obese. People need to check their burn and thier ideal intake levels (like you did) and eat realistically.
LOVE this!! Amen amen amen. As you know, I wear a Fitbit, which tracks the calories I burn. I’ve been shocked by my metabolism rate–especially on rest days! It just goes to show that we need to trust our bodies and nourish them properly so that they can keep humming along. Great post!
Sara @ Nourish and Flourish recently posted..Proof in the {Banana Bread} Pudding
Great point. I don’t think the magazines will ever learn and I think there are way too many people who fall for the “one size fits all” in dieting and health…kinda sad
I’m new to your blog, and what I great place to start! I agree. I was stuck in the 1200, 1000, or lower at times, trap of thinking this was the only way to lose weight. And guess what, it did’nt work. For long. In fact, I gained weight and was miserable. Now I work with a trainer who advocates for FEEDING your body to both lean out and gain muscle. Grow booty, grow! You also sold me on a heart rate moniter I’ve been contemplating. I think it would really help to learn more about my own personal body and it’s needs.
It’s unfortunate that so many uneducated people try to lose weight “the easy way,” with good intentions, but don’t know the truth behind this Hollywood malarkey. You have to eat both to gain weight, and to lose weight.
Cassie @RedLetterDaye recently posted..A case against YOLO
thanks for the inspiration: I just started my 24 hour burn test
. I’ll report my results tomorrow. So curious to find out what I burn on a daily base. But you are totally right, most caloric advice out there is brutal crap. I do especially hate online bmr calculators. They might not get it as wrong as the magazines, but they differ a lot and most of their recommendations are too low.
Ksenija @ Health Ninja recently posted..What I Ate Wednesday {recent eats}
2030 calories on a barely active day. How cool is that!?
Ksenija @ Health Ninja recently posted..What I Ate Wednesday {recent eats}
Awesome!!!
this is an awesome post! i use to eat way below my calorie limit for my activity level and it sure has back fired! im still learning to eat more (2000calories is around my range to) but it def is hard when i would only eat around 1200 cal range for so long… I noticed it was back firing when i started the insanity dvds and id eat everytime i was hungry but i was always hungry! and just still wasnt getting enough calories in and my pants were getting tigher and tighter and not in a muscle building way i had some serious love handles going on and i just realized i had to eat more for my active life otherwise its just gonna keep holding on to everything! still working on it but def gonna check out your blog now bc i need some muscle building tips ! lol
kaity @ kaityscooking recently posted..Versatile Award
What a great post! I have been battling with how much I need to eat ever since I ‘went [mostly] vegan’ and especially now that I have been running so much. I wish I could say I don’t get caught up in numbers, but I do (although my ‘magic number’ is higher than 1,200!), and I have been wanting to do a calorie burn test to truly see what I ‘should’ be taking in. Thanks for the reminder that we should not fall prey to comparisons or misleading ‘one size fits all’ ways of eating (or living).
Sarah @ The Smart Kitchen recently posted..Currently…
I think how many calories a person needs varies on so many things…lifestyle, stress, body type, fitness level, fitness goals, age, gender…crazy so many things! I do not keep track of my intake, just go by how I feel. But I know that does not work for everyone.
Purelymichelle recently posted..Day 21 red beet lime juice and Q & A video part 2
Good for you girl for fueling your body with what it actually needs! When you were doing livefit with the 1400 a day calorie diets, I was like no way that is enough food! Gladly you finely figured out whats good for you
I know I am definitely one of those people that needs more calories too!
Thanks for this post! It is nice to see the number of calories you burn on a rest day. This was so informative and honest!
This is an AMAZING post!! I am so glad someone (you) decided to write about it. I don’t think I could live on 1200 & truly be happy & feel full.
Jessie recently posted..Eggplant.. yes please
[...] also wanted to thank you all for the amazing comments on my last post. The support and input I get on here is the best part about the blog world. I love you [...]
This post really hit home for me! I have definitely fallen victim to the 1200 calorie diet fad. Actually when I first started my weight loss journey last year this is what I tried to stick to. Then I began learning more about nutrition and the value of the types of food you are feeding your body. However, after losing the weight I did I’ve still found it hard to get off of the bandwagon. It’s hard to tell yourself to eat more foods and so I’m still struggling daily with this. It’s a vicious cycle and everyone is different. I know I’ll eventually find what works for me individually, but right now I’m still working on that. I just wanted to say thank you for reinforcing this concept to me. It’s something I definitely think about a lot.
Great post! I find that I lean out better when I stop counting calories and eat more, which can be difficult for me because I have a small stomach and eating too much aggravates my digestive issues. It definately explains why I don’t always recover well after intense workout sessions.
My last wellness assessment 2 weeks ago said my baseline calories were 1400+, not including my exercise or daily activities. I like the HRM experiment – I think I will try that tomorrow!
Sarah @ Fit Betty recently posted..Fit Bites: Add Some Zing to Your Diet!
Hello, I cannot thank you enough for writing this blog article! As someone who has (and still is to some extent) recovered from an eating disorder and trying to build more muscle, this article is just the motivation I need. Learning to except I need to eat more can be very difficult and reading articles that say you only need x amount of calories makes it much worse. So THANK YOU! for this, no one person is the same so I am still learning not to compare myself to others, we all use up energy differently.
If you don’t mind me asking, what macros do you follow, if any? Thanks again Tam x
I love this post!! I need to do a 24hr burn test! This looks interesting!
Brittany @ Delights and Delectables recently posted..New Year, New Rules Final Thoughts Vlog
[...] Stop listening to the stupid dieting magazines [...]
[...] voice somewhere in the back of my mind, which came through more and more during the last week. This blog post by Brittany (GOtheXtraMile) finally gave me the last push. I decided to use my new Polar heart rate [...]
LOVE this girl! Such truth. I’m a much happier camper when I eat properly to fuel my body! So proud of you!
Electra @ Vanilla Bean Lean recently posted..With No Further Adieu, Here’s Firmoo!
Thank you!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I especially appreciate that you did this on a “rest” day. It is so easy to fall into the thinking that we need to exercise in order to “earn” food. So not true! If we are exercising, it really only means that we should eat more. I like to think of this as a “one way street,” meaning that we don’t need to exercise to eat but we need to eat to exercise. Preach sista!
So true girl!!
I just started the 24 hour burn test and i’m a little scared of the results :/ I’m telling myself things like “what if I’m the only person who only burns 1200 kcal all day?”
And for some reason (probably because I’m not drenched in sweat like the other times I’m wearing my hrm it keeps losing signal
Don’t stress yourself out over something that may not even happen!
I don’t burn too much during exercise, but I surprised myself after my 24-hour test.
You’re so lucky to have a fast metabolism! I had mine measured when I was 21, and I did cardio and weights every week. It was 1300 calories/day. Now that I’m 32 and I’ve lost some muscle, it’s probably closer to 1100. Losing weight is so hard for me because I’m one of those people that has to be on a 1200 calorie diet and workout just to lose 1-2 pounds a week. As a result, I’m always struggling to lose the last 10-15 pounds because I get hungry, but my body doesn’t need the food. Anyway, I wanted to share the other side of the coin on this post. Thanks!
A lot of times people have low burns because they have done years or restrictive dieting and exercise / not fueling their body properly. I don’t think it is the fact that your body doesn’t “need it”, I think it has just gotten used to the amount you have been feeding it so it is just trying to survive. You may want to try and increase your calories a bit to increase your metabolism. You might gain a bit of weight initially, but then it should go the opposite direction!
[...] reminder: You may need more calories than you think via Go the extra [...]
WTF! Things like this make me so angry!!! I followed a 1200 calorie a day diet for two years and I was miserable and never had the body I wanted. Not to mention I completely jacked my hormones up and am now having to deal with the hellish process of restoring balance to my body. We need much, much more than that to survive!
I always have at least 1 cup of oats, minimum. Every time I give my clients a meal plan they balk at the idea of eating more than the standard 1/2 cup measure. It’s hilarious!
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[...] Go the Extra Mile~ You May Need More Calories Than You Think [...]
What a great blog Brittany!!! I could never survive on 1200 calories a day! I will repost this on my FB page- thanks for spreading the love with this. I hope your muscle building plan is going well.:)
Ugh, I’ve been trying to stay under 1300 calories for the past three weeks and it’s been brutal. I am constantly starving. I decided this weekend to just eat when I’m hungry and focus on whole foods, protein and limiting carbs. I didn’t worry about calories, and I wasn’t hungry.
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Love this post….I used to count calories strictly–last year actually–and I was much too obsessive about it. I would stop eating at night once i hit my daily allotment even though I was craving more food or sometimes eve hungry. I’d let that stupid number make me feel guilty about having a snack…I don’t count calories anymore, and I know I eat a ton more than before. The best part is that now I feel better, I’m stronger, and I’m still just as lean as before!
Danica @ It’s Progression recently posted..Exercise is a Privilege
What an excellent post!!! I just clicked over from Danielle’s blog after she listed this post as a good read. I completely agree that these magazines that tell us over and over again that we should be eating 1200-1500 calories a day is ridiculous. I would starve. And I can’t believe that at one point in my life I believed it was true. So glad to be older and wiser now.
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I think I’m going to do a test to see how many calories I burn in one day! I’ve never done it before, but now you’ve got me very curious. Great post by the way! I should share this with some of my clients who are SO stubborn with their calorie intake.
She Rocks Fitness recently posted..FOOD SHOPPING: What’s in my cart + Some Randomness
Thank you!! You should
Great post. I’ve never done a 24 hour burn test – I don’t have anything with a heart rate monitor that measures calories burned. I think my FitBit is the closest thing to that, and even that’s not 100% accurate without the heart rate….
Anyway, thanks for putting this all into perspective. Great reminder!
Great article. I am part of a weight loss community on YouTube and I am constantly telling people that they probably need more calories. I see people try to sustain 800 or 900 calorie days in order to lose weight. They will even add exercise and then wonder why the scale is barely moving.
Some of these people are even over 4 or 500 pounds!!
Khaleef @ Fat Guy, Skinny Wallet recently posted..Plumbing And The Family Tree: The Roots Run Deep
Wow, that is no good!!!
haha this post reminded me of myself when we talked about this over IG! People also need to realize that apps like myFitnessPal can be accurate sometimes.
I actually see people believing those things ALL the time, so I just wanted to help people out!
How do you see how much you burn in a day? Do I just wear my hrm all day even when I shower? And can I do this on a workout day as well?
You wear your HRM from the moment you wake up until the same exact time the next morning. You can’t shower, and you need to do it on a rest day to see your accurate burn!
I love this post too much! I am not fat but I’m not thin either. I really want to shed some excess weight and really tone up. My doctor told me to eat 1200 calories a day and to do 60 minutes of cardio everyday. All I did was drag and mope around. I did this for a solid month and didn’t shed a pound. Naturally I had some ‘cheats’ here and there but nothing significant to contribute to the lack of losing a single pound. My mind was CONSUMED (even more so as a foodie) with thoughts of what I could/could not eat. Eventually I upped it to 1500 a day and I try to do 45-60min of cardio a day AND lift. It’s been tough to adjust and find what works for me but I can assure you that 1200/day does NOT work for everybody. Thanks for a great post that many can relate to
Karla @ myhighonlife recently posted..Wisdom Teeth Recovery
[...] You May Need More Calories Than You Think –>This is hard one to remember (for me, too!) because it goes against everything the media teaches us, but is very true! If you aren’t eating enough, your body stores fat and slows your metabolism in case of “starvation mode”. The OPPOSITE of what we want to happen! I’d love to wear a heart rate monitor all day and test my true needs! [...]
Best post ever!
[...] BONUS: Remember my post earlier this week about how many calories you eat? Brittany at Go the Xtra Mile wrote a similar post that is really interesting. Go check it out. [...]
I have been on the 1200 calorie diet for 3 weeks now (1200 was calculated on fitness pal) and I have lost 1 inch and 0lbs, I also work out 6 days a week. Trying to lose 8lbs to get to my pre baby weight, but mainly trying to tighten up my baby tummy. What is the best way to determine how many calories you should eat? Do I need to get a heart rate monitor? I am a small women with a very little appetite, but I have had people make comments that I don’t eat enough, but I am full on 1500 calories. So i need to make sure I am truly not starving myself without knowing it.
[...] so many, but there’s a few that have particularly resonated with me [...]
No idea how I missed this post when you posted it last month! It is such a great post though and I totally agree that people need to eat more than they think they do! I went on a 6 mile run today and it said I burnt about 700 calories. People who work out and run like I do need more to replace everything lost otherwise their body will do everything it can to survive and they won’t see results
Danielle @ Truffles n’ Treadmills recently posted..Lower Body Chiseler
I am really struggling with this right now. I have lost enough weight now I just want to to maintain, but I still keep my calories pretty low….Thanks for this post!
That’s crazy! I think that so many people would benefit from wearing a monitor for just a day or two to get an accurate reading of what THEY need as an individual because the amount that it varies is nuts.
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I realize this comment is a little late but I was just wondering which HRM you used (you’ve probably mentioned this and I just haven’t been able to find it!)There are so many choices out there and I’d love to get some real people’s opinions. Thanks and awesome article
It is a nice helpful part of data. I’m just happy you provided this convenient data along with us. Make sure you stop us up to par similar to this. Thanks for spreading.