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  • Mother_Superior
    Mother_Superior Posts: 1,624 Member
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    No, you do not have to eat any more. I never eat back exercise calories. You need a deficit to lose weight. You're good girl.

    ^ This person has no clue what they're talking about and their advice should be disregarded.


    MFP already gives you a deficit when it gives you your calorie goal. This means that even without exercise, you're in a deficit and will therefore lose weight.

    When you exercise, you further increase that deficit, to a potentially unhealthy and dangerous level. You need to fuel your body and get adequate nutrition.

    If you want to do this correctly, you're supposed to eat back your exercise calories. Estimatations can be a little off on calorie burns so adjust as need (ex: eat back 3/4 of them or 1/2 of them).

    bears repeating

    bears_repeating1.gif
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    OMG...thanks for the info Joy_Joy. :flowerforyou: I had no idea that's what the stuff in red was telling me on my goal page!!

    Your welcome

    Correction - not in red, but it still tells you on the goals page
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    The calorie burn may be overestimated (as many MFP exercise listings are) but I'm not sure what you're doing or for how long (diary private). Even to be on the safe side, as someone else said, aim to eat back 1/2 to 2/3rs of the calories. So if you burn 750, try to eat back at least 375 of that, if not 450.

    If you're having a hard time eating more, look into calorie dense foods as they pack more calories in a smaller package. Things like nuts, seeds, nut butter, avocado, lean meats, eggs, even dark chocolate. Maybe cut down on your fiber intake a bit since those things tend to make people feel full.

    Also, I'll point out that you may be doing ok right now because you're obese (sorry, just being honest) and studies have proven that low calorie diets don't have as much of an effect to those in that category. However, it will still catch up to you very soon so it would be better for you to figure out a healthier way of eating now rather than try to figure it out as you get closer to goal.

    You gotta fuel that machine if you expect it to work the way you want it to! Best of luck!
  • draby2011
    draby2011 Posts: 178 Member
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    So how long do you think you can last on this very low calorie diet of yours? How long do you think it will be before your body rebels from being starved of nutrients it needs to function? You net should be 1270 (at least - because that is pretty low itself).

    I eat what is supposed to be taken in according to mfp. I still have a net of like 800 or so after working out.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    So how long do you think you can last on this very low calorie diet of yours? How long do you think it will be before your body rebels from being starved of nutrients it needs to function? You net should be 1270 (at least - because that is pretty low itself).

    I eat what is supposed to be taken in according to mfp. I still have a net of like 800 or so after working out.

    I don't understand this post ...... or you don't understand how MFP works

    MFP gives you 1200 calories for weight loss...... IF you are sedentary. Then you exercise........ which is NOT sedentary. If you are eating 800 NET calories everyday, you are shedding muscle tissue. What is the point of working out? To lose muscle even faster?

    Please look up your BMR (basal metabolic rate) ..... these are calories your body uses everyday ..... heart, lungs, kidneys.....http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator

    Unless you are 3' 2" tall your BMR is certainly above 800 calories.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    So how long do you think you can last on this very low calorie diet of yours? How long do you think it will be before your body rebels from being starved of nutrients it needs to function? You net should be 1270 (at least - because that is pretty low itself).

    I eat what is supposed to be taken in according to mfp. I still have a net of like 800 or so after working out.

    Ummmm. no. MFP tells you to NET 1270 - last time I checked 800 was less than 1270. I'm not great at math but I can figure that much out.
  • draby2011
    draby2011 Posts: 178 Member
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    So how long do you think you can last on this very low calorie diet of yours? How long do you think it will be before your body rebels from being starved of nutrients it needs to function? You net should be 1270 (at least - because that is pretty low itself).

    I eat what is supposed to be taken in according to mfp. I still have a net of like 800 or so after working out.

    Ummmm. no. MFP tells you to NET 1270 - last time I checked 800 was less than 1270. I'm not great at math but I can figure that much out.

    Wow, well okay. Sorry for asking a question for clarification. Thought this was a site so that we could learn and ask questions about this stuff. So much for support. =/
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    I eat what is supposed to be taken in according to mfp. I still have a net of like 800 or so after working out.

    Ummmm. no. MFP tells you to NET 1270 - last time I checked 800 was less than 1270. I'm not great at math but I can figure that much out.


    Wow, well okay. Sorry for asking a question for clarification. Thought this was a site so that we could learn and ask questions about this stuff. So much for support. =/

    MFP expects you to eat back your exercise calories (or at least some of them - as someone mentioned above MFP tends to overestimate so eating back 1/2 - 2/3 or so is fine)- and not net below 1200. 800 just isn't enough to keep your body running well. It may work for a while but it's not very sustainable. Treat your body well and it will treat you well. :flowerforyou:

    And because I'm a big meanie :embarassed: here's some helpful links:


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html
  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
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    I just read another post and i'm kind of confused...

    My calorie limit is 1270. I usually eat right underneath that. Let's say....1150? But I work out, so then I end up with like 400 calories left....Is that what i'm supposed to be doing? Because honestly, I have gotten so full lately off of the healthy foods, that I can't even imagine eating anything more.

    HELP!?!

    Calorie dense foods can be your friend. Nuts, nut butter, avocados, full fat cheese: all can be healthy way to up your calories without having to eat a large volume of food. If you are using MFP defaults, you really need to be eating the calories back. It can seem counterintuitive, but it is what your body needs. If you eat at too large a deficit, you risk shifting the balance of calories burned from fat to lean body tissue. It takes more calories to maintain muscle than fat, so if you are eating at too low of a deficit, your body will shift the ratio of tissue burned from mostly fat to a more even mix of fat and muscle, which is not what you want. The deficit is already built in to MFP, so by not eating back the calories burned during exercise, you push your deficit too far down. It can be hard to rationalize this because you don't see the built in deficit in the numbers MFP shows, but it is there. Try not to let the harsh responses deter you. People have the right intentions, but don't always express themselves in the most helpful manners.

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