sedentary vs lightly active calorie gain question

shosh413

Ok this is something i still don't quite understand....

MFP's intention is to eat back your calories right? I know people do different things... but assuming that's the intention...

If you change your lifestyle from sedentary to lightly active your calorie allowance will go up right? But why is that so? I'm just really confused because my assumption is that if you burn normally 1800 calories and you want to lose weight MFP will just have a deficit. and If your going to practice an active lifestyle and burn 500 calories everyday anyway... your going to eat them back... so why add or subtract calories (i'm talking about the green number) before all of this fact? Whats the point of stating your lifestyle and why does it change it?

I know i'm missing something here. I'm just under the assumption that you can lose weight with a deficit, it's calories in calories out and an active lifestyle is good to be healthy but why does your overall calorie go up before you even exercise?

Thank you

Greenrun99

your lifestyle is your work and movements between that.. exercise is extra activity outside of that... one thing you probably do everyday (like go to work, walk around, etc etc) and then you exercise everyother day but you need to eat that back..

mschicagocubs

MFP puts you in a deficit when you enter in your stats. You dont need to exercise to lose weight.

When you add in added exercise it's a bonus. So you want to eat those back so that you aren't eating under 1200 Net.

ChrysalisCove

Lifestyle is your typical day - your constant activity level. A daycare provider is likely more active at work than a waitress, who is more active than a cubicle worker. Someone who walks & always takes the stairs is more active than someone who drives & takes the elevator. Exercise is anything above & beyond your normal daily activity, like going to the gym or playing sports once a week.