Confusion over exercise calories

CRIMSONTRACER
CRIMSONTRACER Posts: 11 Member
in Getting Started
Okay - so ive been using this app for a while but now I wonder if I've been using it incorrectly.

So when I plug in my goals and general lifestyle (sedentary/lightly active/very active/etc) and say how much I want to lose - it automatically chooses a certain amount of calories based on my lifestyle that I should be eating in the day. Great.

However then when i add an exercise, it says i can eat more on that day because i burned off the calories. I get that.

However, I thought the daily caloric amount was determined by the initial numbers that I input (active) stating that I work out X times a week. Arent the original numbers what I should be eating? Or should I actually be inputting the workouts and eating more? Which number is correct?

Replies

  • Amanda4change
    Amanda4change Posts: 620 Member
    When MFP does its calculations (based on the info you put in) it includes if you are sedentary, lightly active or active, is DOES NOT include if you work out X number of days per week (it considers this a goal not an actuality). So if your using the MFP calorie amounts given, yes you need to enter your exercise and eat a portion of them back. If you used an online calculator to find your TDEE, then no you don't count your exercise and eat the calories back.
  • CRIMSONTRACER
    CRIMSONTRACER Posts: 11 Member
    Awesome! I went back and played with the numbers (based on your comment) and saw that the net calorie amount infact did not change based on how active i said I was (just what you said). That's great - no wonder I've been so hungry ;-) THANKS A TON!
  • Amanda4change
    Amanda4change Posts: 620 Member
    I personally use a modified version. I went to this site: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
    Calculated my TDEE based on sedentary, minus 500 and that is my daily calorie goal, then I log the exercise I do (I use a HRM to get my burn numbers) and eat back a portion of my exercise calories (honestly I usually don't come anywhere close to what I burn which is why some weeks my loss is higher than it "should" be). I switched to this because the 1200 that MFP was to low, I was starving, bitchy and I noticed that the intensity of my workouts really suffered. Feel free to add me as a friend if you want.
  • CRIMSONTRACER
    CRIMSONTRACER Posts: 11 Member
    I had a couple month hiatus from my good habits - long story but nothing to really worry about.

    But Im back on this thing and really need some input. Im an office worker. I'm an office worker that likes being active but im sitting 8 hours a day regardless.

    For that reason I have my settings set at sedentary. I have some pretty aggressive goals but im feeling like it might not be healthy. Im 6'2" and about 250. Im looking to get down to 230 and reevaluate. I have my setting to lose 2 pounds a week and I log all my exercise and eat back the calories.

    But the fact of the matter is I lost 7 pounds in the last 9 days and I'm feeling foggy most of the time.

    Is is possible that I'm more "lightly active" and not sedentary and I need more calories?

    I'm not trying to get out of the hard work... but if I'm starving myself I want to correct it.

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