Very confused newbie

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Is it true that i need to burn just over 500 calories within each workout i complete to lose 1 pound of fat by the end of the week?
(say i workout 5 times a week for 30-40 minutes?)

And do i have to eat back the calories i burn after each workout?

If so why??

and if not why?

Replies

  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    You lose weight by eating at a deficit. Most people create that deficit through a combination of diet & exercise.

    MFP is structured so that you choose an activity level, choose a weight loss goal, log your exercise, then eat back 50–100% of your exercise calories. Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • toddis
    toddis Posts: 941 Member
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    You need to have a caloric deficit of 500 calories a day to lose a pound a week.
    If you choose to exercise to do this it makes it easier than strictly reducing food intake.

    If you set your activity level to that which you do, then don't eat back calories. If you
    set your exercise level at say sedentary then you could eat back part of your exercise calories.
  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
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    You have to make a 500 calorie deficit from your TDEE daily to lose one pound a week. This can be accomplished through diet or exercise. Of course, all the numbers are estimates.

    If you are following MFP program, it is designed with your calorie deficit built in. So if you programmed MFP to lose one pound a week, it figures -500 calories into you daily calorie number. Then, when you exercise, MFP adds back the calories burned from the exercise. If you don't eat at least a portion of them back, you are creating too large a deficit daily.

    Measuring exercise is difficult. MFP tends to over estimate the number of calories burned.
  • Dave0403
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    It all depends on how you have you're activity level set. If to many calories are being taken in and you dont burn them then weight is gained. If to little are taken in you can make your body go into *starvation mode* this means your body will not burn fat or perform as well as it could, even if you eat healthy and exercise.
  • acogg
    acogg Posts: 1,870 Member
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    7 days x 500 = 3500. 3500 calories equals one pound of fat. You don't have to do it all in one week for this formula to work. It doesn't matter how long it takes to achieve a 3500 calorie deficit, what matters is achieving the deficit. I hope this helps because this advice helped me.
  • ShellyBell999
    ShellyBell999 Posts: 1,482 Member
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    You lose weight by eating at a deficit. Most people create that deficit through a combination of diet & exercise.

    MFP is structured so that you choose an activity level, choose a weight loss goal, log your exercise, then eat back 50–100% of your exercise calories. Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    And this:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

    You'll find you're on your way to GW in no time.

    Best of luck!