Losing weight whilst tracking

alexandravictoria88

Quick question, I'm on around 1.300 kcal. Im 5ft 2 and at the momment I'm 55kgs. Jist want to make sure i got this right lol. If I'm eating my calories and I'm training too, to be able to lose weight I won't eat back those calories that I lost during my work out? If i want to maintain, I eat them back..correct ? Lol

kimny72

No. MFP uses NEAT so your calorie goal gives you a deficit without exercise. It expects you to log your exercise and eat at least some of those calories back.

If you don't eat them back, you will lose weight faster than intended and may undereat.

If you use an outside TDEE calculator to get your calorie goal, it includes exercise so will be higher than MFP.

ccsernica

It depends. When you set up your fitness profile, did you tell MFP you wanted to lose, or that you wanted to maintain?

If you told it you want to maintain, then you should not eat back your exercise calories because the calorie goal it gave you will maintain your weight without exercise. You will therefore need to create a deficit somehow. If you told it you wanted to lose, then you can, and probably should, eat back your exercise calories because a deficit to lose weight at the rate you set will be built into the calorie goal it calculated for you.

The latter is how MFP is designed to be used.

NB: In practice, many people eat back half their exercise calories to allow for overestimates of their exercise calorie burn, which can be pretty inaccurate.

LivingtheLeanDream

You eat exercise calories back, perhaps not all of them but that's because the calorie burns can be over estimated in the database. MFP is designed that you lose weight on the calories given, if you exercise that equates to more calories to eat and still lose weight.

LivingtheLeanDream

OP you are at a healthy weight for your height anyway so you will want to preserve lean muscle, under eating will lead to loss of lean muscle so that's why its best to eat some exercise calories back.

alexandravictoria88

LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »

OP you are at a healthy weight for your height anyway so you will want to preserve lean muscle, under eating will lead to loss of lean muscle so that's why its best to eat some exercise calories back.

I love how you're always positive, thank you. Ok I think i got the jist of it all now. Like I said in previous posts I did stop tracking as i got very obsessed with it and wasn't doing any good for my mental state,but i will try again and see how it goes. Membership at the gym will help motivate me.

alexandravictoria88

ccsernica wrote: »

It depends. When you set up your fitness profile, did you tell MFP you wanted to lose, or that you wanted to maintain?

If you told it you want to maintain, then you should not eat back your exercise calories because the calorie goal it gave you will maintain your weight without exercise. You will therefore need to create a deficit somehow. If you told it you wanted to lose, then you can, and probably should, eat back your exercise calories because a deficit to lose weight at the rate you set will be built into the calorie goal it calculated for you.

The latter is how MFP is designed to be used.

NB: In practice, many people eat back half their exercise calories to allow for overestimates of their exercise calorie burn, which can be pretty inaccurate.

I told MFP that I wanted to lose. I don't want to lose a huge amount of weight, about 4-5 kgs and then when I do I want to tone up. Even now at 55kgs I'm not a bad weight but I don't feel toned and I come off looking like i am mire than what i weigh

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Semele0

Hi, I've got similar stata as you! I'm 5'2" and 57kg, me too I would like to get down to 50/52kg, and I'm rating 1200/1300 everyday. I just wanted to say, since we are small and don't have to lose much, expect your progress to be slow, very slow! I try to do as much strength training as I can (I don't lift weights but I do group classes that are a mix of cardio and strength). So in this way I don't burn much when I exercise, but I do eat half of it back usually (and half of it is usually no more than 80cals so not much anyway). BUT since I'm already at a healthy weight, losing it is NOT the priority, so if I don't follow the plan because there were more important things in that day to occupy my mind, that's alright! I know that I will lose so so slowly, but I'm not in a rush. Gym and fitness on the other hand are more important, because they help me stay focused and eliminate some stress, and also they help me obtaining a better body even when I don't lose weight. That was to say, if counting calories is going to be a problem for your mental state in any way, then don't do it! Mental health should always be the number one priority, but this is especially true when you already are in a healthy weight. So if you would like to lose, yes do try to lose, I understand that everybody has a different weight range where he/she feels comfortable, like I said, I'm trying to get to the same weight as you are, but don't put weightloss as you number one priority, and don't put pressure on yourself to do it fast.
I'm sorry if I didn't answer your question, others already have. Add me if you like, I like to have friends with similar stats