300 calories a day?!?!?!

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fitgal411
fitgal411 Posts: 668
in Health and Weight Loss
I just looked at my nutrition report for the last 7 days and it said on Saturday I only ate 300 calories. But that's NOT TRUE!!!! Then I looked at my actual food diary for that day and it said I had ate 700-something calories but burned 400-something. I know that's not a lot of calories to consume anyway, but I think I skipped lunch that day (not on-purpose). Why does the calorie counter have to subtract the amount I burned from the amount I consumed? It doesn't make sense to me!!!!!!!

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  • fitgal411
    fitgal411 Posts: 668
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    I just looked at my nutrition report for the last 7 days and it said on Saturday I only ate 300 calories. But that's NOT TRUE!!!! Then I looked at my actual food diary for that day and it said I had ate 700-something calories but burned 400-something. I know that's not a lot of calories to consume anyway, but I think I skipped lunch that day (not on-purpose). Why does the calorie counter have to subtract the amount I burned from the amount I consumed? It doesn't make sense to me!!!!!!!
  • thejarviclan
    thejarviclan Posts: 465 Member
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    Are you looking at NET calories consumed? This would be your calories consumed less calories burned. I think that's what happened.

    Try Reports/Nutrition/Calories and see if that's what you're looking for.
  • aprilvet
    aprilvet Posts: 724 Member
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    To maintain your daily calorie deficit, MFP actually adds your exercise calories to your daily goal. But this can look like it sutracts it from what you ate.

    IMHO, if you burned 400 cals, you should be eating closer to 1500-1600 that day. DO NOT go under 1200!!!!! I understand this was one busy day, but just make sure it doesn't happen too often!!!:flowerforyou:
  • pipinana
    pipinana Posts: 2,356 Member
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    It subtracts what you burn because you are supposed to eat your exercise calories.

    Read this from Banks....

    http://www.ask.com/bar?q=why+should+I+eat+my+exercise+calories?&page=1&qsrc=0&ab=0&u=http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    :flowerforyou:
  • kerrilucko
    kerrilucko Posts: 3,852 Member
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    because it's calculating your net calories which is calories eaten- calories exercised away. your net calories are thus 300... which is extremely low... as in over an extended time you will starve.... to DEATH. eat more. a LOT more.
  • soxygirl
    soxygirl Posts: 173
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    Do a topic search for "exercise calories" -- this has been a hot topic lately and there are a lot of great explanations on the forums about this. But basically, when you exercise your body is depleted of the energy and nutrients it gets from food. If your body needs 1200 calories to sustain basic body functions (or whatever number is your base calorie intake), then if you burn 400 calories you need to add those back in for your body to continue to perform it's basic functions. I always compare it to filling the gas tank on a car . . . if your car can go 300 miles on a full tank of gas, you cannot take a 100 mile detour and still reach your destination without refilling the tank. I know it doesn't make logical sense at first to have to eat more when you exercise, but in the long run it is the safest and healthiest thing for your body.
  • soxygirl
    soxygirl Posts: 173
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  • fitgal411
    fitgal411 Posts: 668
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    Well, usually I do not eat that amount of food, like I said before. That was the first time I looked at my reports, and . . . yeah. So it doesn't really make sense to eat the exercise calories. I mean, why did I just exercise if I'm going to make it up by eating more? But I'll try it anyway.

    Thanks!
  • havingitall
    havingitall Posts: 3,728 Member
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    You lose weight because when you set your goals MFP deducts the calories up front. If you are allowed 1200 calories a day, that is allowing for the weight loss already. When you burn calories through exercise, that is extra above and beyond the shortfall already allowed for.

    Some people do not eat their exercise calories. I myself eat some but never all of them.

    That being said, 700 calories is pretty low and you aren't giving your body a lot of fuel.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    Well, usually I do not eat that amount of food, like I said before. That was the first time I looked at my reports, and . . . yeah. So it doesn't really make sense to eat the exercise calories. I mean, why did I just exercise if I'm going to make it up by eating more? But I'll try it anyway.

    Thanks!

    Many reasons to exercise and eat it back. 1st, because it increases your endurance level and VO2 Max, which will make it easier to exercise in the future. 2nd, because aerobic exercise has been proven by research to strenghten bones, increase muscle density, and increase all the good, fat burning hormones produced in the body, like HGH and Testosterone. 3rd, exercise increases blood flow, which increases your capacity to burn calories at rest. 4th, aerobic exercise has been proven to lower LDL cholesterol levels and raise the percentage of HDL cholesterol in the blood, as well as lowering blood pressure and reduce free radicals in the body.

    There you go, that's why you exercise and eat back calories. Will you lose weight if you eat a deficit and don't exercise? Sure you will, but you will be far more healthy and lean if you do the two together, and be consistant and smart about how much you are eating.

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