Can someone help?

Kristie_Mac_66

This is my second day on MFP and i am getting confused about the exercise and adding calories. Would someone be able to explain it to me? Thank you

janejellyroll

MFP estimates how many calories you use in an average day based on your activity level, which doesn't include exercise. If you exercise, you use more calories so MFP is designed with the intention you'll add those to your calorie goal.

The calories burnt are an estimate and there are more and less accurate ways to estimate, so some people only eat back a portion of their exercise calories.

cwolfman13

Kristie_Mac_66 wrote: »

This is my second day on MFP and i am getting confused about the exercise and adding calories. Would someone be able to explain it to me? Thank you

If you set yourself up as MFP intends, purposeful exercise isn't included in your activity level. Your calorie target is a weight loss target with ZERO exercise. Purposeful exercise is unaccounted for activity...with MFP you account for that activity by logging it and getting additional calories to "eat back". Other calculators use the TDEE method where you incorporate your exercise into your activity level and you get a higher calorie target to begin with. With MFP you account for the activity after the fact.

For an example using my numbers. MFP will give me a net calorie target of 1900 calories to lose 1 Lb per week...as such, MFP is estimating my non exercise maintenance to be 2400 calories (500 calorie per day deficit). With regular exercise I typically eat 2300-2500 calories per day to lose 1 Lb per week because I burn 400 - 600 calories per workout...this exercise moves my maintenance calories to 2800-3000 depending on the day, so I still maintain a 500 calorie per day deficit eating more with purposeful exercise.

NovusDies

Kristie_Mac_66 wrote: »

This is my second day on MFP and i am getting confused about the exercise and adding calories. Would someone be able to explain it to me? Thank you

Welcome.

It can be confusing.

MFP works on a NEAT system. The calorie goal you are given is your BMR (the calories you burn being alive and maintaining your present physical form) plus your NEAT (non exercise activity - the activity you do each day that is not exercise) minus your calorie deficit.

Because it does not include your exercise calories you are intended to eat those back. It is often suggested that you start with 50 percent of the amount given and then after about 6 weeks look at how you are losing weight compared to the rate of loss you selected when you set up your goal.

apullum

The posts in this thread are a good resource: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300319/most-helpful-posts-general-health-fitness-and-diet-must-reads#latest