Need help with calories!!

moonchild6984

I have been told that can eat up to 1400 calories a day. I work out for 30min per day minumin, plus walk on campus for classes. When I enter my work out it says I can eat an extra lets say 450 calories why is that? Is it adding more calories to make up the ones I burn to make it 1400 calories or not? Or should I ignore those extra calories and only go for the 1400?
Danielle:ohwell:

moonchild6984

I have been told that can eat up to 1400 calories a day. I work out for 30min per day minumin, plus walk on campus for classes. When I enter my work out it says I can eat an extra lets say 450 calories why is that? Is it adding more calories to make up the ones I burn to make it 1400 calories or not? Or should I ignore those extra calories and only go for the 1400?
Danielle:ohwell:

songbyrdsweet

MFP builds in a 500 calorie deficit. When you exercise you're increasing your output. If you didn't make up for it by increasing your calories, your deficit would be too large. Eat those calories, don't be afraid of them hehe My BMR is about 1400...then I burn about 600 through exercise...so I eat 15-1600 cals a day.

moonchild6984

thank you, I was just not sure I read one message that said why would you want to eat those calories that you just burned off. SO i was confused but that it helps

loseronpurpose

It is adding for the calories you lost. A pound is worth 3,500 calories. The equation is that if you have a 500 calorie deficite, then you should lose a pound a week. Make it 1,000 calorie deficite, then it is 2 pounds a week. anything more than that is unhealthy. So, your diet has already taken ruffly 500 calories or more out of your diet. You already have that deficite without a work out. Your work out is bonus. I made this mistake when I was trying to count calories last year. The diet failed because I would have a 1,000 calorie deficite and exercize another 500 calories off. I wasn't healthy. So, just watch how your body reacts to losing so many calories. I have often times allowed myself a few more calories on the days that I work out heavily just so I feel better. It is up to you and how you feel if you ignore it or go with it. Good luck!

Erica92627

thank you, I was just not sure I read one message that said why would you want to eat those calories that you just burned off. SO i was confused but that it helps

I think I might have been one of those posters. :sad:

I still don't think I completely understand how eating back the calories can actually make you loose.

jessneill

thank you, I was just not sure I read one message that said why would you want to eat those calories that you just burned off. SO i was confused but that it helps

I think I might have been one of those posters. :sad:

I still don't think I completely understand how eating back the calories can actually make you loose.

The original calculations done by the site are based on what you want to lose. 1lb a week has already figured in a 3500 calorie deficit for the week, 2lbs a week is a 7000 calorie deficit. Let's say you then workout 6 days a week and burn 584 calories each time, that would equal another 3500 calories burned for the week, which would equal 1lb of weight lost.

So, if you are are already in a calorie deficit for 2lbs a week and you don't eat your exercise calories you will probably lose 3lbs a week, which is more than what is recommended for healthy weight loss. If you are exercising your body also needs the extra fuel to maintain your energy levels an repair any damage. This is why you want to try and eat at least some, if not all, of your exercise calories.

Hope that helps explain it.