Calorie question?

randilea
randilea Posts: 140
edited September 28 in Food and Nutrition
My current calorie goal is 1370 but when I work out I burn anywhere from 350-800 calories. Should I be eating my calorie goal excluding my burned calories or should my net calories be above 1200 after my workout calories are figured in? Usually I will eat 1370 calories for the day but then when you figure in my workout my net calories for the day could end up been less than 1200. Also, how many, if any of my workout calories should I eat back?

Thanks for the help.

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,420 Member
    With 15 pounds left to lose, I have to say eat them. Otherwise, no weight loss. Eat till your "calories left" are near zero (you are adding calories on here, right?
  • shopgirl192
    shopgirl192 Posts: 102
    I have the same question! And it never gets answered. I'm wanting to maintain, so when it says to consume 1500 calories, of course I'll burn 1/3 of that off working out.... After I workout, the last thing I want to do is eat 500 more calories - I just burned it all off! So my net is always under 1200... Way under!

    Sorry I was no help to your question... I just wanted to explain my dilemma too! ha! :)

    Good luck!
  • kevinsherrell
    kevinsherrell Posts: 21
    That was sort of confusing, but you should eat the calories your burn. MFP's goal puts you at a weight losing deficit, so eat away and enjoy your hard workouts :)

    You have to remember, that your "maintain" calorie target will do just that - maintain. if you burn 500 extra calories you will lose weight so if you want to keep at your current weight, you'll need to eat more.
  • shopgirl192
    shopgirl192 Posts: 102
    I'm sorry - I reread and it was quite confusing! But thanks for answer my question! :)
  • randilea
    randilea Posts: 140
    Sounds like my post may have been confusing. Here is the gist.
    Should my net calories at the end of the day be above 1200 (after all my food and workouts are figured in) or is it ok that if after my workout calories are subtracted from what I ate for the day that my net calories are under 1200?

    Also, do you typically eat all your workout calories?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,420 Member
    As we said, figure out your Goal. At your weight, you should set your goal to 1/2 pound loss per week.


    Let's say it tells you to eat 1500 calories. (That should be pretty close to what you actually get told by MFP.)

    You Food Diary says "Remaining" 1500 at the beginning of the day.

    You eat brkfst. 300 cals. Now your Net ("Remaining") is 1200.

    You go for a run and burn 250 cals. You add that exercise to your Exercise log here on MFP.

    NOW your "Remaining" (Net) is 1200 + 250 = 1450.

    You eat lunch and dinner (for a total of 894 caloires) 1450 - 894 = 556

    You now have 556 "Remaining" (Net) EAT THEM.

    IF you were extremely overweight, you could afford to not eat some of them . You cannot afford that at the point you are at. You do not have enough body fat to give you a safe cushion.

    There are literally hundreds of threads here about this. Eat as long as you have calories left.
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