Still new and so confused

Heatherta22

Hi everyone. I'm about 5 days into using this program and have been very good maintaining my goal calorie intake of 1200 kcal per day. I just started adding exercise to my daily additions and I'm a bit confused on how to intrepret how many calories I have yet to consume? Should I make sure I only eat 1200 kcal regardless of how much physical activity I put in each day? Or do I east the number of calories it says I have left remaining. I'm sure I'm way over thinking this but I want to be able to understand what changes I make on a daily basis that supports my weight loss goals. If someone wouldn't mind taking the time to explain this to me I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks so much.

H

enlarsh

From what I understand, you should eat at least 75% of your exercise calories to give your body enough fuel.

indigoangel86

You eat your exercise calories as well.

danialicious17

Hi - I am new as well and I had the same question. But I think if you exercise and burn up some of your calories the you shouldn't replace them because you are trying to burn calories. Not sure if this is correct or not.

rileysowner

The way MFP is designed is you eat the calories you burn from exercise, so you eat the calories remaining.

mollymoo89

Make sure at the end of the day you have a NET of 1200 calories. That means that you should eat your exercise calories.

ladyhawk00

Should help to read these threads that explain how MFP works:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

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

jimmyz19

I have only been doing this for two weeks and I have lost 10lbs so far. I do not eat my exercise calories back, I eat when I am hungry and try to get close to my daily calorie goal. From what I can tell on this site is that there are some that eat them back and some dont, do what works for you I guess. Good luck.

Mustangsally1000

Eat the exercise calories...all of them. Especially if your base is only 1200.

TinaS88

I don't eat my exercise calories back if I am not hungry.. I always make sure to try and get to at least 1200 in a day though.

nancypants1

Logic tells me if you want to accelerate your weight loss, do not eat the exercise calories. Sometimes I eat a few of the exercise calories, but not all.:drinker:

Countrymade

I don't eat all of my exercise calorie back. I may eat a few if I am hungry but never all of them.

LaneDraven

Those links that ladyhawk00 posted are really helpful, at least they were to me!

Here's the thing though, MFP sets it up so that you have a calorie deficit at your caloric goal. So if you are supposed to eat 1200, then you should be already at deficit. Of approximately 400 or 500 calories.

If you do exercise then you need to eat those calories, because you will have two much of a deficit. Loosing too much weight too fast is dangerous.

Also the American College of Sports Medicine recommend that you never go under 1200 calories a day.... by the way

But seriously check out those links they are really helpful.

ladyhawk00

Logic tells me if you want to accelerate your weight loss, do not eat the exercise calories. Sometimes I eat a few of the exercise calories, but not all.:drinker:

Unfortunately, the body is not always "logical". A larger deficit does not necessarily result in faster/more weight loss. It often leads to adaptive thermogenesis, loss of lean mass, feelings of deprivation, binges, quitting and weight regain (to name just a few.)

Might help to read these (as well as the others in my PP):

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/230930-starvation-mode-how-it-works

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/222019-60-lbs-in-60-days

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/175241-a-personal-view-on-exercise-cals-and-underfeeding

ladyhawk00

Those links that ladyhawk00 posted are really helpful, at least they were to me!

Here's the thing though, MFP sets it up so that you have a calorie deficit at your caloric goal. So if you are supposed to eat 1200, then you should be already at deficit. Of approximately 400 or 500 calories.

If you do exercise then you need to eat those calories, because you will have two much of a deficit. Loosing too much weight too fast is dangerous.

Also the American College of Sports Medicine recommend that you never go under 1200 calories a day.... by the way

But seriously check out those links they are really helpful.

Glad they helped :flowerforyou:

Heatherta22

Wow, what great advice all of you have provided in such a short amount of time. I was wondering if I wanted to accelerate my weight loss I shouldn't eat back my exercise calories. Has anyone had experience with that? The idea of maintaining a net of 1200 sounds logical too, I just have to play with the program to see how that works (or at least what my estimated weight will be in 5 weeks).

What a great support network I have found here. I hope to contnue to receive your support and be able to return the favor. Best ishes for all of you as you proceed along your journies.

H

lexiwho

Wow, what great advice all of you have provided in such a short amount of time. I was wondering if I wanted to accelerate my weight loss I shouldn't eat back my exercise calories. Has anyone had experience with that? The idea of maintaining a net of 1200 sounds logical too, I just have to play with the program to see how that works (or at least what my estimated weight will be in 5 weeks).

What a great support network I have found here. I hope to contnue to receive your support and be able to return the favor. Best ishes for all of you as you proceed along your journies.

H

MFP isn't a crash diet to lose weight fast, it's encouraged to lose weight slow and steady. This is the reason the site sets it up for you to eat back your exercise calories. Please read through the links that were provided above, they give you a ton of information on why you should eat back your calories.

LaneDraven

What a great support network I have found here. I hope to contnue to receive your support and be able to return the favor. Best ishes for all of you as you proceed along your journies.

I totally feel the same way! I joined a week ago, and already I'm in awe of how much support people give each other. How encouraging! It's also nice to not be afraid to ask questions, and to not be afraid of judgement.
Thanks ya'll for... being there for each other, and indirectly for me.