Working Out and Calorie Intake

FitnessDynasty

Now when I was first introduced to MyFitnessPal my friend told me that when I work out I log that work out and that can give me "extra" calories for the day but I shouldn't eat those extra calories. Example:

Daily Calorie Goal: 1500
Calories Burned During Exercise: 450

1500 + 450 = 1950 total calories

Should I allow myself to eat those extra calories I just burned off in working out or stay with the original Daily Calorie Goal? Thoughts?

lclarkjr

Eat them. They are good for you.

Acg67

ht/wt? 1500 cals seems pretty low for a guy

Pebble321

It sounds to me as though your friend doesn't understand how MFP calculates your daily calorie allowance.

There is a calorie deficit built in to your basic allowance before you add in exercise. When you add your exercise calories you still have that deficit there.

If you burn off 450 calories and DON'T eat them then you are taking your calorie deficit from 500 or 1000 (for example) to 950 or 1450.

If you have a lot of weight to lose this might work out OK for you. Or, it might mean that your body isn't getting enough energy to function well and your weight loss can slow down or stall.

I don't see the point in depriving yourself unnecessarily - so my advice is to try eating those exercise calories for a few weeks and see how your body reacts. Then you can adjust up or down to suit yourself.

lunaephiliac

eat 'em! eat too little, and your body will think you're starving. it'll quit burning fat and conserve instead. it's a fairly fine margin, actually.
I actually did it to myself the first few weeks i used this site, trying to eat only 1200 kcals per day. I'm still trying to restart my metabolism.

FitnessDynasty

ht/wt? 1500 cals seems pretty low for a guy

5'8" / 212 LBS. MyFitnessPal says to take in 1410 calories daily to lose 2 pounds a week.

MissMaryMac33

ht/wt? 1500 cals seems pretty low for a guy

5'8" / 212 LBS. MyFitnessPal says to take in 1410 calories daily to lose 2 pounds a week.

That's the problem... you dont need the 2lb goal unless you have like 100 lbs to lose... try setting it to 1lb or 1/2 lb a week and thats more realistic. The a better choice with <30 to lose.

VemmaMom

definitely eat them!!! You would be surprised that sometimes you work so hard and deprive yourself only to find you worked hard for nothing because your body goes into starvation mode and hoards on to the fat you have and eats the muscle. As you can see EAT THEM!!!! lol as you can see....:laugh:

FitnessDynasty

Thanks for all your help, guys and gals!