how to properly use MFP food tracker?

jaygirl3
jaygirl3 Posts: 320 Member
edited November 27 in Food and Nutrition
So, i am not new to mfp, been here for almost seven years. however i have never used it 'properly' as i always had small amounts to lose. Well now i need to lose thirty lbs after my second child. so i have a few question, i am finding it difficult understanding what the net means and what i should aim for my net to be? also do i need to eat back my workout calories? not sure as it seems it defeats the aim??? please kindly advise thanks

Replies

  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    Start with MFP's basic presets. Enter your current weight, your goal weight, nd how much you want to lose per week (2 lbs is MFP's max), set "sedentary" as your activity level, and then let it crank out a daily calorie goal.

    As for net calories and eating back exercise, by setting your activity as "sedentary", MFP sets your base calorie goal assuming you're not burning anything g. Then if you exercise, it adds those exercise calories you "spent" to your daily allotment, which will still result in a calorie deficit.

    If you scroll through the historic posts, this question is a common one, and it seems that the majority of folks elect to eat some--but not all-- of their exercise calories (1/3 to 1/2 seems common).

    Other people "bank"or "save" their exercise calories during the week and then "spend" them on weekends or special occasions.

    And still others don't eat any of them back in order to speed their weight loss.

    The choice is yours!
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    you should eat your exercise calories back. that is how mfp is designed.
    lets math
    minimum we are to eat is 1200 calories. and i exercise 250 calories. allowing for the fact that mostly we overestimate our calorie burn...i would say 175 is rough correct (YMMV. my garmin is pretty accurate so i eat most of mine back)

    so 1200+175=the calories you should eat. otherwise, you would be not meeting the minimum calorie needs for your body and malnutrition is not a good thing.

    so go put your info in to the mfp calculator, it will give you the calorie allotment. for 30lbs, aim more for .5 to 1lb. weigh your food on a food scale. remember weight loss is not a straight line. and eat your exercise calories back
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