trouble with calculating how much i should be eating..

corinnemcvicar

Did MFP change the goal calories or is it me? I am 5'5 and now weight 150 pounds (finally!) i want to lose 5 more pounds.. How many calories a day should i be eating?! I am very confused on what the "net" means... and what happens when i don't want to lose any more weight? Do i eat more? Im sorry if this all sounds very dumb but i am so confused.. I work out very lightly but have been lazy the past month or so..

willowglimmer

I think like with any diet once you reach your goal weight, your input should equal your output. But other than that I'm not sure about how mfp changes - I'm a long way a way yet :-(

corinnemcvicar

that actually makes sense... for some reason i am stuck on the "net calories"

erickirb

I would suggest setting your weekly lose at 0.5 to 1 lb a week at the most and go with what MFP says. If you exercise eat most of those calories back to keep your caloric deficit to lose the 0.5 or 1 lb/week.

Net means if you goal is 1400 cals and you exercise for 500 you now have to eat 1900 to get a net of 1400 (1900-500)

willowglimmer

I struggle with that, on the days I'm active I can never eat enough to make up the extra calories I've burnt so it always tells me off!! Lol. Don't know how to get round that one :-(

corinnemcvicar

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was always under the notion not to eat back the calories burned.. guess i was wrong!

erickirb

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was always under the notion not to eat back the calories burned.. guess i was wrong!

If you were eating your maintenance calories you could use your exercise to create your caloric deficit but MFP already gives you a deficit and you must eat your exercise calories to keep the deficit at your goal level.

corinnemcvicar

I didnt know that... hmm.. i still lost the weight thou so i guess its ok