Newbie Question About Weight Loss

jesshayds

I understand the concept of energy in and energy out, but I've found myself wondering if I need to burn up all the energy in to lose weight?
So if I take in 1500 calories and burn off the same amount via exercise in the same day would that speed up the weight loss/is it healthy to do? Or does exercise just assist you to stay within allocated daily calories?
I'm sorry if this is a silly question, I've just been thinking about it and I wasn't entirely sure!

TeaBea

Your body uses calories 24/7. Heart, lungs, kidney, brain, etc.

My Fitness Pal is designed using NEAT - Non-exercise activity thermogenesis. What that means is, exercise is not included, exercise is not mandatory. You eat 1500 calories.....you lose weight.

Now, if you do exercise you will earn ADDITIONAL calories. Active people use more calories. These additional calories are to be eaten back - however, exercise calorie burns are estimates. Start by eating back 50% of exercise calories (an incentive to move more). After a few weeks re-assess the 50%. If weight loss is slower than expected - eat less. If weight loss is faster than expected - eat more.

ETA - it's not healthy to lose weight very aggressively. Your body requires fuel. Too little fuel and your body will use existing lean muscle mass for fuel (your heart is a muscle). Too little fuel and you may experience hair loss and other health issues.

Afura

TeaBea put it beautifully. As much as it seems like it should be a great idea to have a severe calorie deficit so you can power through weight loss, it does more harm than good, and often just makes you physically ill. I tried it for awhile, and I was miserable, and found I lost weight faster eating at an appropriate deficit that MFP provided.

I also have not been able to exercise much due to a surgery (I went for a walk the other day, woo!), and have still lost at the rate I should have been according to MFP by keeping my calorie deficit. I will say though that exercise is good for overall health (especially cardio, like walking).

jesshayds

Thank you both for replying, very helpful!