Calories earned from Exercise?

88keys · October 2011

Question:

This is my first week using MFP- I love it, by the way. My only concern is how your remain calories for the day increases when you exercise... For those of you who have lost weight, do you stay under 1200 calories total, or do you adjust it with your exercising?? For instance, my calorie goal is 1200 a day. I've been doing some serious workouts on the elliptical, burning 500 calories. Then my calorie goal for the day goes up to 1700. If I eat those back, am I really going to lose weight? I feel like that's a lot of food for dieting losing 2 pounds a week.

Any feedback would be great. The only way I have ever lost weight is by only eating 1200 plus lots of exercise.

Thanks.

Larius · October 2011

Eat your exercise Calories. That is why the number goes up.

Runnermadre · October 2011

Yes, you can and should eat your calories from exercise. :-) I've lost all of my weight on here eating them. Your body needs a certain amount just to take care of your every day needs. Your calorie allowance on here is made so that you will lose weight just by eating that amount. When you exercise, you're increasing that deficit. So, you can eat those back and still have your original deficit, and still lose weight. Does that make sense?

thinnerisstronger · October 2011

1200 is generally the lowest I would recommend for net cals (intake minus burned calories). I suggest you look up a calorie calculator that can tell you you basic metabolic rate. You BMR is the number of calories your body needs in a day to keep you alive and moving. These cals make your hair grow, your heart beat, they keep you alive.
Personally, I do tend to eat back exercise calories. You gotta fuel your body, girl!
Also, welcome to myfitnesspal!

powderwave · October 2011

I think that if your calorie goal is 1200 this means that in order to lose the weight you want (per week) you need to eat 1200 calories or less per day...In other words...There is some number above 1200 that you can eat and stay at the same weight.

therefore if you workout and burn 500 Calories then you can eat a total of 1700 for the day and still be on track to lose the weight you want per week (prob 2 lbs per week)

Does that answer your question? Someone correct me if I am wrong here.

Good Luck

88keys · October 2011

Wow, you guys are all awesome. Thank you so much! I feel like I have so many extra calories to eat every day. Thanks again!!!

Nette_54 · October 2011

Welcome to MFP, never go below 1200 calories and if you are exercising then eat your extra calories, if you have less than 1200 calories then your body will go into starvation mode and you won't lose weight, you could even put more on as your body stores what ever food you eat

surfrgrl1 · October 2011

Yes, I eat my exercise calories, sometimes before I've earned them! :devil:

lauristewart · October 2011

Yes, I eat my exercise calories, sometimes before I've earned them! :devil:

And that is why I love you, surf girl! LOL!!! :laugh:

Slimmer_J · October 2011

It seems everyone eats theres... I think it is ok to eat some of them and I suppose they caculate for a reason, my trainer recommended this site to me but she does not like that it says you can eat your workout calories burned. I suppose you need to see how your body reacts. It seems on some days 1200 is to little for me. I never go under the 1200 though and it all depends some people have more starting calories than 1200. I would just go off what your body does since we are all different. I know for me, I can not eat an addition 650-800 calories day when I have burned that.

harmonysdream · October 2011

Calories earned from Exercise?

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