Exercise Calories

rebrafe

Could somebody please explain to me, like I am 5yrs old...lol...why I am supposed to eat my exercise calories? I really feels strange and I am really struggling to do this. Thank you!

brittanybark

thats weird.. i thought you were not suppose too eat those because that is what you are burning??

You wouldnt want to eat those calories I think they are just available to you if you are maintaining weight, if you want to lose weight you would not want to eat those!

bizco

Use the MFP message board search function and you will find a ton of information/threads regarding exercise calories.

kellybbowden

Don't quote me on this, but I will take a stab at it since nobody else has answered yet. When you set your weekly weight loss goal (mine is 2 lbs per week) it sets your daily calorie intake (mine is 1200). That is the number of calories you can eat and lose "X" amount of lbs per week WITHOUT exercise. So in my example, it is assuming that at the weight I am at, and with my normal daily activity (work etc) I naturally burn more than 1200 calories per day, so I will lose those pounds without working out. When you work out, you burn extra calories (on top of your normal daily activities) so then you can consume extra calories because you burned more.
I hope this helps. It makes sense in my head, but if you are still confused maybe someone else can answer it better.

dmaster555

Because the number of calories that myfitnesspal gives you is already enough to reach your goals.

Example:

If it says you need 1500 calories a day to lose 2 pounds a week, that is without exercise, that is diet alone. When you exercise, the amount of calories your body uses in a day can change dramatically from what myfitnesspal calculated and your deficit will be huge.

Another example: You burn 2,000 calories a day not exercising, so you are set to eat 1500 a day (500 calorie deficit to equal 3500 calories at the end of 7 days, which will be 1 pound of weight loss). If you exercised, that 2,000 that your body uses might become 2,500 for example. Now, your deficit is 1,000 if you continue with the 1500 calories a day and that is not the goal you chose. That would be 2 pounds a week. Eating the exercise calories because they weren't considered when myfitnesspal was calculating how many calories you need each day to lose your goal.

Sorry, ugh, this is hard to explain lol. I hope you get somewhat of an idea.

dmaster555

Just know this, it is OKAY to eat your exercise calories and you will still lose the weight. Trust me. But that is only if you're following myfitnesspal calorie guidelines.

You might be on some other kind of diet and not all diets allow for you to eat your exercise calories because the deficit comes from that rather than cutting your calories.

rebrafe

Ok thanks everyone! I keep reading that it is IMPORTANT to eat those calories and I've been thinking that it had some kind of magical metabolism effect or something that I didn't know about. I am on a low carb - high protein regimen (I am having a hard time eating 1200cals, but am for the most part, only in different gram ratios than MFP suggests). When one eats healthy so to speak - there is only so much food that one can take. (did I just say that!? lol)