Newbie question

stacibuk

Hey I've been lurking for a while & I need some advice as to how the calorie counter system on myfitnesspal works. Initially, my calorie goal was 1200 but when I added my exercise, the calorie goal increased. Is this the new amount of calorie I would need to intake to lose weight or to stay at my current weight?

dls06

Eat your exercise calories to lose.

ladybug1620

Is this the new amount of calorie I would need to intake to lose weight or to stay at my current weight?

It is the amount you need to eat to lose weight. MFP already accounts for a deficit. In other words, even if you do no exercise you should still lose the amount of weight per week that you set up when you made your account. Exercising deducts from those calories, so you need to eat them back to avoid starvation mode.

BeachLife76

You should eat your weight loss calories. If you are at 1200 and burn 400, it would drop your daily calorie intake to 800 which is VERY low! So you should eat that 400 back to stay at your calorie goal and stay healthy!

jennydims

In other words, if you do not exercise you need to intake your set amount of calories, i.e. 1200 a day. If you exercise you are allowed (and should) eat more, thats why your calorie count went up.

marianne_s

Have a look at these:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition

http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com

stacibuk

ok thank you all