Burning off calories so you can eat more?!

Happyhellybell
Happyhellybell Posts: 6 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok i'm confused...

I just did an aerobic work out and burnt off approx. 210 calories, so i put it into myfitnesspal and it now says i can eat another 210 calories.... then of course if i dont, it will say that i'm under calories for the day... but isnt the whole idea of exercise to burn off calories so that i get slimmer and then eat properly to support my changing body... not burn off calories so that i can eat more?! I dunno... seems a little odd

Anyone?!

Replies

  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    You'll want to check this out:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    No, the whole idea of exercise is to improve your fitness level. Exercise just happens to increase your calorie requirements because you are increasing your activity level.

    MFP gives you a calorie goal based on your stats and how much you wanted to lose per week...it is not a maintenance goal...it is already a huge deficit from your theoretical maintenance...you are not trying to create a calorie deficit with exercise with MFP. When you set your activity level, it is supposed to be just your day to day stuff with NO exercise...so exercise is an unaccounted for activity which is why you log it and then get those calories back. Be VERY CAREFUL not to overestimate your burn. This is what the math looks like using my numbers...

    My MFP maintenance calories with MFP with NO exercise is 2,350 calories. To lose 1 Lb per week MFP gives me a calorie goal of ,1850 calories...500 calorie deficit from my maintenance right (2350 - 500 = 1850)?

    So now I decide I need to exercise to ultimately be truly healthy...let's say on average I burn around 400 calories (which is accurate)...this previously unaccounted for activity has increased my calorie requirements and I can eat more but maintain the same deficit. So now I'm eating 1850 + 400 = 2,250 calories. It's still a 500 calorie deficit from my maintenance though...because my new maintenance with exercise would be 2,350 + 400 = 2,750 calories. 2,750 - 2,250 = 500 calories...see...same deficit to lose 1 Lb per week.

    There are numerous other benefits to exercise besides weight control...weight control is actually pretty low on that list actually...
  • karlospiklington
    karlospiklington Posts: 143 Member
    Bump.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    Ok i'm confused...

    I just did an aerobic work out and burnt off approx. 210 calories, so i put it into myfitnesspal and it now says i can eat another 210 calories.... then of course if i dont, it will say that i'm under calories for the day... but isnt the whole idea of exercise to burn off calories so that i get slimmer and then eat properly to support my changing body... not burn off calories so that i can eat more?! I dunno... seems a little odd

    Anyone?!

    No the point of exercise should be to improve your health, performance, and body composition. There is already a calorie deficit built into the calories MFP gives you. If you exercise beyond that then you need to eat back those calories to avoid being malnourished. More is not better when it comes to calorie deficit.
  • Happyhellybell
    Happyhellybell Posts: 6 Member
    Thanks. You have a very good point and i totally missed it! We'll say i had cloudy thoughts after lots of lovely exercise ;)

    It does seem weird actually trying to eat the required amount of calories though! I've started eating really healthily sine starting a new exercise regime 3 weeks ago. I've been trying to cover all the bases (especially protein as i usually fall behind on that one) but today for example its past lunch time and i've still got 5000kj's that i'm allowed to eat!... Not at all used to that! I'm usually scrimping lol! Ah well, if i have to eat, i'll just have to eat ;)

    AH exercise... how i love you :)

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