Burning more than you ate?

Hey guys I was just curious to know if we're REALLY supposed to burn THAT much. I mean, I'm trying really really hard to eat at least 1500 calories a day and, honestly, I doubt I have enough energy to burn more that 1500. I mean, I eat breakfast and lunch and then a few hours after I go to burn off everything I ate. I mean, is that the general idea? (and yes, I eat a light dinner)

Just remember that your body burns calories just being alive.  Sleeping, breathing, brushing your hair, cooking a meal.  They say the average petite woman burns 1200 calories per day in a coma.  So you don't have to go exercise for 3 hours to burn off 1500 calories.

Well your questions is a little confusing.

Are you trying to figure out how much to eat so that you can put your body into a caloric deficit?

What are your stats and what sort of exersise are you doing? This will give me a better idea so that I can offer you better help.

Keep this in mind.

Calories Consumed -Basal Metabolic Rate -Calories Burned by Exercise
=Calorie Deficit

Correct you need to figure out your BMR (Base Metabolic Rate) this is the amount of cals your body needs just to stay alive!

I can help you if you post your stats.

 

Chris

Well, I know that I'm not eating enough, that's a fact that I accepted a while ago. It's just really hard for me to eat big huge meals or to eat a ridiculous amount in general just because I HAVE struggled with my weight for about 5 years now. I'm 5'4. I periodically lost weight my first three years of high school (I went in with an extra large frame) and then senior year I dropped 40lbs and I reached a low of 117 when I was riding my bicycle about 15-20 miles a day and living off of water, protein bars, and anything with soy. I slowly gained weight back and now I'm at 137 but I'd be much happier below 130. 

As for my BMR, I just joined yesterday so I'm going to wing it and say it's the green box on my page that says "Daily Goal" in that case, my daily goal is 2200. I excercise about 45 minutes doing cardio (elliptical) at the gym and then I do weights, abs, and legs for about an hour. Today I burned, specifically, 506 calories. I walk everywhere because I don't have a car, so the only time I'm really sitting is when I'm riding the bus home and I come home to put in my calorie intake. I also don't eat after a specific time. My total intake for today (as of now) is 928. I know I'm not eating enough but honestly I don't feel I can force myself to scarf down 2200 a day unless I eat junk and considering that I am continually eating very light things all day, my numbers just don't add up everyday and I'm almost fearing what could happen. Right now I'm baffled on what to eat to get my total intake higher.. I want to lose weight the right way and not the way I did the 4 years before.

Since you're working out a lot, you need more complex carbs, which have a lot of calories, and are still healthy.

Do some searches in the food log section on things like wild rice, oatmeal, potatoes, etc- you'd be surprised how many calories they have.