activity calories

natzkj

If i eat 1200 cals and burn 200...... do i eat 200 cals back to make food intake 1200 again?
I am having to use mfp calories burned as i dont have heart rate monitor .

natzkj

Bump

melaniecheeks

That's the theory, yes. But you'll find many MFPers who don't eat back all their exercise calories.

GingerLolita

Yes, this is especially important since you're eating 1200 cals/day, which is generally regarded as the safe minimum

KaterinaTerese

Eat 1200kcals - 200kcals = 1000kcals (this is called "net" or the total your body has left to use). A lot of people recommend eating back 50%-75% of those calories burned, because MFP and even the cardio machines at the gym can't be totally accurate.

However, it's possible that you can have a higher calorie allowance/net (e.g., eat 1600kcals - 200 kcals = 1400kcals net).
Many people on here are losing at much higher levels than the site initially gives them. I eat at 1800kcals to lose ~0.5lb a week.

KaterinaTerese

Eat 1200kcals - 200kcals = 1000kcals (this is called "net" or the total your body has left to use). A lot of people recommend eating back 50%-75% of those calories burned, because MFP and even the cardio machines at the gym can't be totally accurate.

However, it's possible that you can have a higher calorie allowance/net (e.g., eat 1600kcals - 200 kcals = 1400kcals net).
Many people on here are losing at much higher levels than the site initially gives them. I eat at 1800kcals to lose ~0.5lb a week.

Oops, forgot to add: Look up TDEE, find yours, and eat a bit under that every day. A lot of people on here recommend this site
http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

brianpperkins

MFP is based on net calories. More importantly, what data did you provide MFP to reach a 1200 calorie net goal? Height, current weight, weekly loss goal, how much do you have to lose etc ... many people here set a far too aggressive weekly loss goal to get that net daily intake as low as possible rather than do it the smart way.