Not exercising EVERY day?

rybo

The daily calorie goals suggested by MFP are calculated based on the assumption that you will not be working out. On the days that you don't have time to exercise, just stay near your calorie goal and you should be fine! Good luck!

Hey everyone, I'm new to MFP (been doing it a few weeks on an app on my phone but first time checking out the msg boards) and I'm a bit confused about the exercise and taking off the calories.

I totally get that if you burn off calories, you're allowed to eat the same number...but are the workouts not already taken into consideration from the info you put in when you sign up, to calculate how many you need each day???

I don't think I'm explaining myself very well...

When I signed up I put in my details that my lifestyle was sedentary but that I would aim to go to the gym 5x a week for 45 minutes...and that gave me a calorie allowance of 1350.
But when I record each 45 minute session (usually about 500 calories running) I get 500 extra calories to eat...Is this right? Or should I only be recording EXTRA exercise other than what I predicted I would do at the beginning?

Confused

The part where you aim to workout 5x a week for so many calories is not included into your allowable calories until you actually record that exercise, and that is when you get the extra 500.
The calorie goal that you see, is taking your sedentary input for your base rate minus the deficit of 1 or 2 pounds per week.

princesshazzoura

Thanks Rybo! Great to get that confirmation! I have been doing it right! It's working anyway