Protein question - am I burning it off??

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skelly702
skelly702 Posts: 2 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Why is it that the amount of protein I consumed goes down after I enter my workout? For example, I had 48g of protein left to hit my goal for the day. I then logged my workouts and that number went up to 70g left before hitting my goal. I am so confused!!!

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  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,538 Member
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    If your workout added 400 calories you could choose to eat back, and you had your macros at say 25% protein, whatever fats/carbs, then you'd have 25g more protein added, and whatever added to fat and carbs too.

    It's irrelevant. Target your daily protein in grams. The % is just a guideline.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,478 Member
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    It's important to realize how MFP works. Your calorie goal takes size, weight, gender and weight loss goal into account. And your every-day activity. This related to work, caring for children and all those things. Exercise is not part of this. However, if you exercise your body needs more energy. Say you eat 1500 calories, and then you go on a long run that amounts to about 500 calories. This is pretty much the same as only eating 1000 calories, and hence undereating big time. Thus if you exercise you get rewarded by more calories. Hey, that's pretty cool actually: You learn this way that exercising is something positive. Other calculators take all those things plus an estimate for exercise into account. That means if you don't feel like exercising you overeat. And if you exercise you don't get a reward.
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 1,787 Member
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    Use grams for macros. Have a daily protein goal and just stick to that, Having to constantly change macros because of activity and you'll just go nuts trying to keep changing things. Calories are the predominant factor. If it says you earned X more calories, consume whatever macro split you want as long as protein target will be hit that day. Some good fats are necessary but when all the smoke clears, it's up to you how you want to spend those calories.

    Just be careful not to eat back too much. Some people eat it all back, some 50% and some don't eat calories back. After a few months you'll be able to tell if what you've been doing is working based on how you're progressing or not progressing towards your goals.

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