do you have to eat all the calories?

Toniithia

Alright, well I've noticed that I'm aloud to eat a certain amount of calories each day, well with watching what I eat, I am normally way under the recommended amount, because I am constantly watching what I eat, I don't go hungry, and if I do I normally eat something. Well, I'm on lunch, and I still have over a thousand calories that I can consume, which I know I wont do! is that bad? will this stop me from losing weight? or should I find more things to eat?

carrie_eggo

http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

BigDaddy822

I would say you want to keep it close. Just make sure your body is getting the right amount of nutrients. That is one of the most important parts.

ladyraven68

How many calories are you allowed, and how many are you eating?

you need to make sure you are eating at least 1200 net calories (Food calories in - exercise calories) to fuel your body properly.

When you set up your MFP goals, at xlb per week, MFP worked out your maintenance calories (the calories you can eat every day to maintain your weight) and then decucts calories depending on what goal you set
i.e -250 calories for 1/2lb loss per week, -500 calories for a loss of 1lb per week etc.

That deficit is set whether you exercise or not. If you then exercise you are making that deficit even bigger, so to make you are taking in enough calories and still meet your goal you need to eat back those extra exercise calories.
This is more important as your target gets closer to 1200 otherwise you will be trying to survive on too few calories.