Eating exercise calories back or not?

Nidda_C
Nidda_C Posts: 81 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I did some reading on previous similar posts on the forum, but I still find this confusing.

I think I read somewhere that MFP has it set that if a person eats 1200 calories/day and does no exercise they will still burn the predicted fat, because of a persons BMR. This is why it is okay to eat back exercise calories otherwise you will be in 'starvation mode'.

But, when I plug my stats into a calculator it does not add up?
-My BMR is 1573 calories/day
-I am set to eat 1200 calories per day
-According to this plan I will lose 1.6 calories per week

1200 - 1573 = -373 (only)

1 lb of fat = 3500 calories
That means I would need to burn an excess of 500 calories per day to reach at least 1lb of fat loss per week (and my goal is higher than that).

Doesn't this calculation mean that I should do exercise, yet not eat my exercise calories in order to burn more calories?

I am confused, someone who knows this stuff please help me. Thank you.

Replies

  • kiwitechgirl
    kiwitechgirl Posts: 145 Member
    Your BMR might be 1573, but your TDEE will be higher - BMR is what you'd burn if you were in a coma lying in bed doing nothing. You burn more by moving around, particularly if you set your activity level to anything higher than sedentary. So eat those exercise cals back without worrying!
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
    Do it, they give it back for a reason. Just make sure your calories burned is accurate.

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