Work out calories?

Lori07
Lori07 Posts: 136
edited September 24 in Health and Weight Loss
So if I am allowed to eat 1200 calories a day and then I work out and it changes to 1400. Do I eat 1400 or do I still just eat the 1200?

Replies

  • So if I am allowed to eat 1200 calories a day and then I work out and it changes to 1400. Do I eat 1400 or do I still just eat the 1200?

    1400
  • Try to eat your workout calories but dont worry if you don't. You can make it up on cheat day! : )
  • stevie_c
    stevie_c Posts: 2 Member
    You eat 1400, think of it like when you do exercise you buy back calories. If you do no exercies you cannot "buy back" extra cals so you eat 1200 for that day.
  • You eat the 1400. Your body needs to be fed back those calories :)
  • rmhand
    rmhand Posts: 1,067 Member
    if you eat under 1200 calories MFP will yell at you when you hit "Complete Entry". It will tell you about starvation mode. But if you eat between 1200 and 1400 then it will say you were under your calories which is a good thing. It is up to you to eat back the calories if you feel hungry, but you don't have to and it may produce faster results if you don't.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    To lose your goal amount of weight MFP gives you 1200 cals, which give you a caloric deficit. If your goal is 1 lb/week your daily deficit is 500, if you workout and burn 200 your deficit is now 700, MFP then gives you the 200 back to make sure your deficit stays at your goal of 500. So working out burning 200 and eating 1400 cals is the same as not working out and eating 1200 cals.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    if you eat under 1200 calories MFP will yell at you when you hit "Complete Entry". It will tell you about starvation mode. But if you eat between 1200 and 1400 then it will say you were under your calories which is a good thing. It is up to you to eat back the calories if you feel hungry, but you don't have to and it may produce faster results if you don't.

    It may produce faster results if you don't but it may also cause your weight loss to slow down, and if you don't eat enough there is a risk that you will burn muscle along with fat. MFP's goals (which includes eating exercise calories) will limit the amount of muscle loss during weight loss.
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