I asked this question on the calorie counters board but only got one response. Do you mind if I pick your brains? I am counting calories while doing south beach (and body for life workouts ) and I also keep track of calories burned. So do you guys keep calories in range for net calories or eaten calories? I'm a house cleaner (not with a group of girls but on my own, whole house cleaning...really physical work, ceilings, baseboards, washing floors on my hands and knees, scrubbing showers, etc..). Sometimes I do 3 houses in a day (though I don't love to do it). So yesterday I cleaned for 4 + hours straight and it said that I burned 876 calories. I was sweating the whole time, heart rate increased, but it seems like a lot. Also, i ate only 1135 calories (wasn't hungy, I guess...great thing about SB) and burned 876 so my net calories say 260 (target calories are 1509)!!! So, what?? What should I be focused on? Thanks!!!

I am confounded by the math of calories in vs. calories out. For a while I was tracking online and exercising a lot and in a calorie deficit daily but not losing weight! I wish I had answers.

As for SBD, in theory there is not counting which is what many people love about it. If you eat the right stuff and don't overeat, weight should come off. But I know for many it also matters how many grains and fruits they eat, maybe even more than calories.

I'll be curious to see what input you get.

I track calories eaten. I do not eat back calories that I burn when I work out. Although I use Livestrong.com and it tracks net calories I really don't do anything with that information. Although you should have 1200 calories a day- I think fluctuations in calories intake is good for your body and keeps it working hard. If you have a low calories day yesterday- perhaps you should try to have more calories today.

There are such discrepancies in the calculations of calories burned that I just ignore them and never eat to make them up.

I am new to this process, too, so I don't have much great feedback. I am logging my food on livestrong and I do log my exercise there, too. It's only been a month so far, and I'm dropping weight steadily now and am not feeling hungry.

This is what I'm doing until I learn more;
~I classified myself as "light activity", even though I try to get some exercise every day. (my activity level picks up quite fast in the Spring and when it does, I will up my classification)

~I don't get too liberal when I log exercise. My water aerobics class is 1 hr, but I usually log 10-15 min. less because I'm often a few minutes late and we have a warm up and cool down. I don't have much knowledge which would lead me to trust the numbers they provide regarding calories burned, but it's a convenient way for me to track my exercise.

~If I've exercised and have "extra calories", I'll use them, if necessary (say for a special event), but I don't "eat" those calories on a day to day basis.

~I do, however, try to eat up to my pre-exercise calories, thinking of healthy choices first.

One thing that is helping me, is that I'm able to track fat, and sodium. It helps me to make better decisions. If I still have extra calories but I'm high on fat, I'll have an apple. If I'm low on fat, I'll enjoy a piece of dark chocolate. Last night my sodium was already high and so I trimmed my dinner to include less salt.

When I started this, I didn't really think long term, like I'll do this forever, but rather embarked on a learning experience in order to kick out of "maintenance" and back into active weighloss. It seems to be working, so far.

At my weight, my calorie allotment was figured at 1142, without exercise, in order to lose 2# per week. I'm just sticking with that for now.



I guess I'll know more as I go on.

I'm new to calorie tracking too and I use ************. I was allotted 1,640 calories a day and burn at least 300 cycling to and from work. I don't eat the 300 calories unless I am absolutely starving, but fitnesspal always says I have so and so many calories left + 300 from exercise. On the days where I go running, they subtract at least 800 calories, and then I do add in another snack. It makes it seem like you are allowed to eat your exercise calories, but I think as long as your body isn't in starvation mode it is ok not to...

One thing I have noticed is that I always go over the recommended protein and fat allowances, and am always under the carb one by at least 100g. As nutrition seems to be changing its mind about these ridiculous allowances, i don't stress too much!

Thanks for the input! I have no idea how my body is reacting yet because I'm only weighing once a month but I'll let you all know!