Question about allowed calories and exercise

Dmg114

Usually I just track calories I have eaten so I stay within my range of allowed calories but today I decided to put in what exercise I did and it added all the calories I burned to my daily caloric allowance. I'm confused?! I thought the point was to make a caloric deficit by eating a little less and exercising more. How does this work if MFP adds all the calories I burned off onto my daily allowance?! It seems like I am supposed to and/or allowed to eat all the calories I burned but that doesn't make sense to me. Maybe I shouldn't track my exercise? Somebody please explain how this works! Thanks!

Pandorian

It's how MFP's "program" works. When you signed up here you chose a rate of weight loss (or gain... or even maintain) but assuming loss then MFP gives you calories to eat to lose that weight without doing a lick of exercise.
Exercise burns calories so makes your defecit greater than "it should be", so we're supposed to eat back our excercise calories to keep our deficit at the intended level.

Angeladobush

The more you exercise, the more calories (fuel) your body will need. Too much exercise and too few calories will send your body into starvation mode. It will hold onto fat to keep from starving. I always eat some of my exercise calories back, some people eat them all back. Remember that MFP has already allowed for a deficit before any exercise comes into play.....hope this helps.....

erickirb

Yes, but you don't want your deficit to be too large or you can damage your metabolism. MFP is set up so you lose your goal amount of weight, whether you exercise or not. When MFP gives you your daily goal it gives you a caloric deficit to lose your goal weight/week. So if you chose to lose 1 lb/week mfp gives you a daily deficit of 500 calories. If your maintenance calories are 1800 MFP would give you 1300/day to lose 1 lb/week (1800-500). So now if you burn 600 at the gym your deficit is now 1100 (500+600) which is more than your goal of 500, so MFP adds the 600 back in and you eat all 1900. This way you meet your weekly goal. If you don't eat them back you may not be getting enough fuel. If you ate 1300 and burned 600 your body would function like you only ate 700 (1300-600) and did not exercise. 700 is not enough.

Ecaswick

When I exercise I normally stick to my original calorie goal...sometimes a LITTLE bit over. I think it's counteractive if you eat ALL the calories you're burning...My advice is to make sure you're eating at least to your original calorie goal on the days that you exercise. That's at least what I aim for!

rcgrissom

Here's some in depth/no so in depth answers to your question.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6556-the-answers-to-the-questions?page=1

You should be eating at least 1/2 if not all your exercise calories so your metabolism stays regulated and you don't enter "starvation" mode. MFP already figures a daily deficit for you which, should never drop below 1200 Calories for Females and 1500 Calories for Males.

I have been following the plan, using my goals, and have lost 25 pounds in about 2 months.

:flowerforyou:

Dmg114

Ok so the calories MFP initially assigned me is without exercise included. But when I signed up MFP asked me how many days and for how long I planned on exercise so I thought they did factor that in. Is that not true?

erickirb

When I exercise I normally stick to my original calorie goal...sometimes a LITTLE bit over. I think it's counteractive if you eat ALL the calories you're burning...My advice is to make sure you're eating at least to your original calorie goal on the days that you exercise. That's at least what I aim for!

Be careful with this. It may work if you have a lot to lose but the less you have to lose the smaller your caloric deficit should be. Not eating enough to fuel your workout can actually cause your body to burn muscle, instead of fat, to use as fuel.

erickirb

Ok so the calories MFP initially assigned me is without exercise included. But when I signed up MFP asked me how many days and for how long I planned on exercise so I thought they did factor that in. Is that not true?

MFP ignores that it only takes into account exercise that you actually do, not plan on doing.

Dnsnyder

Ok so the calories MFP initially assigned me is without exercise included. But when I signed up MFP asked me how many days and for how long I planned on exercise so I thought they did factor that in. Is that not true?

This is just to set a fitness goal for yourself and is supposed to help hold you accountable for exercise you intend to do throughout the week.

Dmg114

Thanks everyone! This makes a lot more sense now. And I should probably start tracking my exercise and eating a little bit more on the days I workout because I have not been doing that. I appreciate the quick responses!