Exercise versus Food Calories

sevangelista

ok I will try and ask this more carefully by way of example

if MFP , based on my goals, suggests 1500 calories, and I eat 5, 300 calorie meals I would be fine. Now lets say that I exercise and I burn 500 calories on a run.

My question is do I need to eat an additional 200 calories minimum? therefore eating 1700 calories for the day?

thank you all...I love this site!

stormieweather

I burn 500 calories on a run.

My question is do I need to eat an additional 200 calories minimum? therefore eating 1700 calories for the day?

thank you all...I love this site!

Yes (or up to 500 calories). You still need to get a net of 1500 calories.

MacMadame

It depends on your goals and your individual circumstances. Some people eat them all, some eat half and some don't eat any. It's up to you.

NoAdditives

ok I will try and ask this more carefully by way of example

if MFP , based on my goals, suggests 1500 calories, and I eat 5, 300 calorie meals I would be fine. Now lets say that I exercise and I burn 500 calories on a run.

My question is do I need to eat an additional 200 calories minimum? therefore eating 1700 calories for the day?

thank you all...I love this site!

Yes, to get to 1200 net calories. Unless you actually want to meet the calorie goal you have set, then you'd need to eat 500 calories. If you don't try to meet your goal, what's the point of setting one in the first place?

sevangelista

The goal per se is to lose weight in a healthy way. I don't want to starve myself, but if I am eating enough and don't feel the need to eat more...then why eat all 500...that was all

MacMadame

Exactly. A goal is just a guideline.

I've got mine set to maintenance calories without exercise and then I add in exercise. But some days I go over and some I go under. If I feel hungrier one day, I'll eat more. It's not like my body burns *exactly* the same number of calories a day outside of exercise. Some days I have two meetings in other buildings at work (lots of walking) and some days I sit at my desk all day, for example.

unckat09

The goal per se is to lose weight in a healthy way. I don't want to starve myself, but if I am eating enough and don't feel the need to eat more...then why eat all 500...that was all

Depending on how much you are burning, your body might NEED those calories. You should at least net 1200.

Paige1108

The goal per se is to lose weight in a healthy way. I don't want to starve myself, but if I am eating enough and don't feel the need to eat more...then why eat all 500...that was all

I found I had to eat my calories to lose weight. If I under ate I stopped losing. For me there was a definite deficit sweet spot. It I ate what MFP told me to eat I lost. If I thought I could speed things up by eating less, I stopped losing.

Good luck on your journey I hope you find a way that works for you.