extra exercise calories-do you use them?

tdoe2328

Hello friends, I just started using this app and linking my fitbit to it. with doing so it tells me I get extra calories. My desire weight loss per week is 2 lbs, trying to get into a dress in april and I have 8 lbs to lose so I'm eating only 1200 cal/day. with these extra exercise calories with various from 100-700 a day, if I use them, am I still on track for my weight loss? I don't starve myself and I have used some when I'm hungry. Thanks.

TeaBea

Yes - you eat them because this is how MFP was designed.

You got 1200 (lowest minimum BEFORE exercise) because you chose an aggressive weekly weight loss goal. So exercising for 1200 less 700 exercise calories NETS you 500 calories. But your body uses more than 500 calories every day for basic bodily functions (heart, lungs, brain, etc).

Your body will get some resources from fat stores, but it won't get everything from fat stores. At this weight loss pace you will be losing a good % of existing lean muscle mass too. Google skinny-fat. The number on the scale is far less important than how you actually look.

Hunger is not an indicator of adequate nutrition. There are foods that are filling (to some) that are high volume, low calorie but they also have very little nutritional value.

How did you determine a 700 calorie burn? Exercise calories can be hard to pin down so most people eat back a % - say 50-75%. Then tweak this percent up or down based on actual results.

comptonelizabeth

I always eat them back but then I'm here to gain weight.

Jruzer

Yes, you're supposed to use them. Especially at 1200 kcal.

"Exercise calories" aren't distinct from "baseline calories" any more than money you make from a second job is distinct from money you earn at your day job.

TavistockToad

Yes, exercise calories taste the best!

Gallowmere1984

Jruzer wrote: »

Yes, you're supposed to use them. Especially at 1200 kcal.

"Exercise calories" aren't distinct from "baseline calories" any more than money you make from a second job is distinct from money you earn at your day job.

It is if your second job tells you you're making $20 per hour, but you're only actually getting paid $10.

Jruzer

Gallowmere1984 wrote: »

Jruzer wrote: »

Yes, you're supposed to use them. Especially at 1200 kcal.

"Exercise calories" aren't distinct from "baseline calories" any more than money you make from a second job is distinct from money you earn at your day job.

It is if your second job tells you you're making $20 per hour, but you're only actually getting paid $10.

That's a fair point, of course. It's a good idea to keep an eye on your checkbook instead of just blindly spending. Perhaps job #2 pays less than you think. It still (hopefully!) pays something.

tdoe2328

Thanks everyone. My fitbit is linked to MFP and the app gives me a number everyday for exercise calories. It may not be exact but it helps to know the ball park I think.