Questions about calories/ weight loss

[charlief90]

for starters i’m 19m, 5’8, and 142lbs. I have a fast metabolism for sure and it’s always helped me until this year. i used to play soccer for my high school and club team but since graduating i haven’t played soccer, and have been doing a one year long fully virtual certification. i spend about 10-12 hours of the 24 either doing school or playing video games w friends and etc. i’ve put on a few pounds but im still skinny, i’ve j lost my abs and put on some extra neck/face fat that i’m now trying to lose. i had some questions about calories as i am fairly new to working out and nutrition (i’ve always eaten like shit) ok, first, with the workouts i’ve been doing recently, i burn about 500-600 calories a day, but my intake is anywhere from 1000-1300, so does this mean im technically gaining weight? also, can anyone recommend any filling, low calorie foods? anything helps, thanks

EDIT: Am i supposed to be burning more calories with exercise than i eat in a day?

 

[zastari]

@charlief90 You’ve gained fat because you were from being active to sedentary. Eating in a deficit is more important than energy expended via exercise. Make you you’ve calculated your TDEE and selected your current activity levels, eat 300-500 below this to lose fat

 

[charlief90]

@zastari okok understood, but with what i’m doing now, burning 500-600 calories through exercises a day, and i take in around 1000-1200, am i currently losing or gaining weight?

 

[zastari]

@charlief90 You shouldn’t be eating as low as 1000 calories. I don’t know how you’re calculating calories expended through exercises as smart watches/machines are extremely inaccurate. Do what I told you to do in my previous comment

 

[artofmcw]

@charlief90 What she’s saying is 100% factual and what needs to be done. You need to calculate your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure).

If you eat less calories than that, you’re in a deficit and will lose weight
If you eat more calories, you’re in a surplus and will gain weight

 

[curious1101]

@charlief90 Hey what the other commenter meant is to calculate your total daily energy expenditure of calories. You burn calories just sitting and breathing even without doing any exercise. Use an online calculator to figure out how much you’re burning in a day just normally + the exercise then eat in a small deficit to that.