Exercise calories

charlottetaylor123456

Hello, I am setting myself at 1550 calories a a day and weekends at 1700 with at least 3 stone to lose. When I add exercise it gives me even more calories. Should I eat these? X

malibu927

If you're following MFP's goals, then eat 50% back

MKEgal

No.
Just eat at a reasonable deficit every day (500-1000 cal below what you need to maintain your current weight).

Neither my doctor (endocrinologist specializing in weight issues) nor my dietician had ever heard of the concept of
"eating back exercise calories".
First, unless you're weighing / measuring everything, you're probably eating more than you think.
Second, most computers (including gym machines & MFP) aren't terribly accurate with calories burned, so you're
probably not burning as much as they think you are.
For most people, most of the time, the errors pretty much cancel out if you ignore what you burn through exercise.
Treat exercise as a bonus toward weight loss, as well as knowing that it's essential for good health.

MKEgal

Definitely read sexypants.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012907/logging-accuracy-consistency-and-youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819925/the-basics-dont-complicate-it/p1

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/872212/youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/833026/important-posts-to-read/p1

sijomial

MKEgal wrote: »

No.
Just eat at a reasonable deficit every day (500-1000 cal below what you need to maintain your current weight).

Neither my doctor (endocrinologist specializing in weight issues) nor my dietician had ever heard of the concept of
"eating back exercise calories".
First, unless you're weighing / measuring everything, you're probably eating more than you think.
Second, most computers (including gym machines & MFP) aren't terribly accurate with calories burned, so you're
probably not burning as much as they think you are.
For most people, most of the time, the errors pretty much cancel out if you ignore what you burn through exercise.
Treat exercise as a bonus toward weight loss, as well as knowing that it's essential for good health.

Completely disagree!
If you ask your Doctors about the average TDEE method (which also includes an allowance for exercise calories) they would have heard of it. That they haven't heard of this website or understand its method is a ridiculous reason for excluding a perfectly legitimate calorie need of our bodies. When you get to goal weight people have to take exercise into account - so learn the skill now rather than make the transition to maintenance harder.

The goal on here is set without taking exercise into account remember.

It's also a fallacy to suggest inaccuracy is always an over-estimate. My Garmin HRM dreadfully under-estimates for example.


OP - suggest you follow the method for a month and then make adjustments based on results - that's what actually matters.
If you prefer a set daily allowance then use a TDEE calculator to set your goal.

tapwaters

Different people do different things. I don't eat them back, and I've lost 107lbs over a year, with twenty to go. Some people eat half back to account for the over estimating machines and mfp do. Figure out what make you feel good and causes loss.