Eating the calories I've burned

heatherv4

I'm am new to MFP and according to my goal, I'm allowed 1350 calories a day. After I exercise it bumps my calorie allowance up with how many calories I burned. Am I supposed to be eating the xtra calories or am supposed to be keeping at my 1350 to reach my goal?

I lost 3.5 pounds my first week and 1 pound my second week.

echoecho11

Im also new to MFP and have the same calorie goal. MFP actually set 1200 cal as my limit according to my goal but this is too low for the TDEE 20% formula that is unhealthy to go under for my weight and height. I reset the goal manually to 1350 according to the TDEE 20% calculation. I eat back the calories I burn off with activity otherwise I would just be too hungry! The net calorie intake is always at 1350. I think this is the way to go, the weight loss will still be steady as you will be at caloric deficit but you won't be overly hungry and stressing out your body by eating less than that.

I will come back in a minute with a link to the calculator multiple people have recommended so you can work out your TDEE 20% (total daily energy expenditure minus 20%)

norrisski

Do not eat back your exercise calories if you want to lose weight. having said that, eat back the calories once every 5 days so you don't feel like you are starving your body to death.

SailorKnightWing

In theory yes, you should eat back all of your exercise calories. The number of calories you're given per day will allow you to lose weight and assume you do no additional exercise beyond what you told them your activity level was (sedentary, lightly active, etc). If you don't eat any of them back, you may create too large of a deficit and lose more lean body mass (LBM) than you want.

In practice, the numbers you're given by your exercise machine, the MFP database and even your heart rate monitor are usually exaggerated. Your safest bet is to start by eating half your exercise calories back. If you stop losing, eat fewer back. If you're losing but get really hungry, eat more back.

There's a lot of trial and error in weight loss.

echoecho11

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

this is the calculator. When Im eating back the calories Im still under my total expenditure by 300 cals every day. There have been studies that having higher than 300 - 500 cal deficit every day leads into metabolic slowing as the body goes into starvation mode.

echoecho11

In theory yes, you should eat back all of your exercise calories. The number of calories you're given per day will allow you to lose weight and assume you do no additional exercise beyond what you told them your activity level was (sedentary, lightly active, etc). If you don't eat any of them back, you may create too large of a deficit and lose more lean body mass (LBM) than you want.

In practice, the numbers you're given by your exercise machine, the MFP database and even your heart rate monitor are usually exaggerated. Your safest bet is to start by eating half your exercise calories back. If you stop losing, eat fewer back. If you're losing but get really hungry, eat more back.

There's a lot of trial and error in weight loss.

^^^^ this is spot on

starkiss0234

I found this calculator helps me. It talks more about NET caloric intake as opposed to daily totals which confused me last year when I tried starting myfitnesspal. Now that myfitnesspal tracks net caloric intake and after using this calculator I "get it"! LOL Hope this helps someone else like it helped me

http://www.webmd.com/diet/calc-bmi-plus

~ Hoping to lose 60 lbs by October 2014!

megsmom2

Do not eat back your exercise calories if you want to lose weight. having said that, eat back the calories once every 5 days so you don't feel like you are starving your body to death.

Ignore this. Eat your burn back...if you have good numbers. MFP calories for exercise are notoriously high, so only use half or so of those numbers. Or wear a HRM.

xcmtnracer

I would say it depends on the amount of burn, if I burn less than 500 a day I won't, if I burn more than that I will try to eat them back, on days I burn over 2000 I'll pig out. I mostly try to eat and exercise to stay at or just under my Remaining calories to maintain my weight.

heatherv4

Thanks everyone!

Cheeky_and_Geeky

In theory yes, you should eat back all of your exercise calories. The number of calories you're given per day will allow you to lose weight and assume you do no additional exercise beyond what you told them your activity level was (sedentary, lightly active, etc). If you don't eat any of them back, you may create too large of a deficit and lose more lean body mass (LBM) than you want.

In practice, the numbers you're given by your exercise machine, the MFP database and even your heart rate monitor are usually exaggerated. Your safest bet is to start by eating half your exercise calories back. If you stop losing, eat fewer back. If you're losing but get really hungry, eat more back.

There's a lot of trial and error in weight loss.

This! I strive to eat back half because I think MFP's guesstimations are often too high.

Holly_Roman_Empire

Do not eat back your exercise calories if you want to lose weight. having said that, eat back the calories once every 5 days so you don't feel like you are starving your body to death.

wtf is this? :huh: