confused???

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bebegettingtheweightoff
bebegettingtheweightoff Posts: 48 Member
in Introduce Yourself
question confused. If I m eating 1200 calories and burning 500 of them exercising Im I supposed to eat those calories that I have burned????


Mrsbelindagrant

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  • batty5
    batty5 Posts: 193
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    According to mfp yes according to my doctor not unless you absolutely have to!!!!In theory, even if you eat them you will lose weight because you are already set at a deficit but do be aware that the number of calories mfp say you burn are averaged & no one is average. Trial & error will sort it out or you, I actually gained weight my first 12 days here following that system but many people are successful with it. Take time to make your own assessment & good luck on your journey.
  • irishpagan
    irishpagan Posts: 30
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    You can, but you don't have to. Any calories added to your daily allowance from exercise are 'bonus calories'. Eat them or don't, no harm done! :)
  • islandnutshel
    islandnutshel Posts: 1,143 Member
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    I am presuming you have set up Myfitnesspal with a daily weight loss goal. If you set it at losing 2ibs a week it has already given you a 1000 cal deficit. Don't create a larger deficit than this or you might end up in starvation mode. If that is your setting then eat most of your burned calories for that day.
    If you have a less drastic setting then you can afford to leave some of your exercise calories uneaten.
    I learned this from experience and if you do a search of this topic you will find I wasn't alone. As soon as I upped my eating I started losing again. There is lot's written on this subject maybe someone more clever can attach a link to those most excellent posts.
  • bebegettingtheweightoff
    bebegettingtheweightoff Posts: 48 Member
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    Thanks Guys I guess that explains why I have gained weight.. ;-)
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    Yes, you are supposed to eat your exercise calories - at least most of them. (Be careful not to over-estimate exercise calories, though!) MFP already gives you a deficit needed to lose weight without any exercise built-in, so the exercise is extra. Here are some good posts recommended for new-users, which will go into more detail and answer many initial questions, including this one (in more detail):

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/108362-eating-to-fuel-your-body-very-long

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6556-the-answers-to-the-questions

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/9433-expectations

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • bebegettingtheweightoff
    bebegettingtheweightoff Posts: 48 Member
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    Ok so example

    If i change my calorie intake to 1500 calories , burn 460 exercising that decreases to 1040 so to reach 1200 calories I would eat 160 to make sure my body is not in starvation mode correct? my deficit 1710calories???

    mrsbelindagrant
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    Ok so example

    If i change my calorie intake to 1500 calories , burn 460 exercising that decreases to 1040 so to reach 1200 calories I would eat 160 to make sure my body is not in starvation mode correct? my deficit 1710calories???

    mrsbelindagrant

    To make it simple, just eat most of what MFP tells you to eat. Use the goals tab to set your goals, then log your exercise - MFP will tell you how much to eat to lose what you want to lose (up to 2 lbs/week). If MFP tells you to eat 1500 on a daily basis, then you burn 460 extra in exercise, MFP will add that to your daily calories for that day - you would eat 1960.

    I have a goal of 1200/day before exercise to lose 2 lbs/week. Yesterday I burned about 350 in exercise, so MFP gave me 1550 to eat that day.
  • islandnutshel
    islandnutshel Posts: 1,143 Member
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    What have you set MFP settings at? To lose 1 pound a week or 2 pounds a week? If you have it set to lose weight then it is doing the math for youn already. All you have to do is log accurately as possible calories in and calories burned and eat most of what it tells you in the green. Don't overthink it.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    What have you set MFP settings at? To lose 1 pound a week or 2 pounds a week? If you have it set to lose weight then it is doing the math for youn already. All you have to do is log accurately as possible calories in and calories burned and eat most of what it tells you in the green. Don't overthink it.

    Ha - I think you said it better than I did!
  • bebegettingtheweightoff
    bebegettingtheweightoff Posts: 48 Member
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    k thanks I got you becasue thats exactly what I do over think.
  • islandnutshel
    islandnutshel Posts: 1,143 Member
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    Ok so example

    If i change my calorie intake to 1500 calories , burn 460 exercising that decreases to 1040 so to reach 1200 calories I would eat 160 to make sure my body is not in starvation mode correct? my deficit 1710calories???

    mrsbelindagrant

    If you start with 1200 as you MFP setting, if you burn 460 that is added (not subtracted) to your calorie allowance. You would then eat most of the (1200 + 460= 1640) calories. The reason is because MFP is already at the setting you need to lose weight. When you set up this program it asked you how much do you want to lose / week and what is your normal activitt setting. It has done the math.
  • islandnutshel
    islandnutshel Posts: 1,143 Member
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    k thanks I got you becasue thats exactly what I do over think.

    Don't worry, it's confusing to start. You are off to a good start

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