Help!!! Confused about how to track my calories in mfp!!

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Hi all!

So I just bumped up my calories to 1850 today, and after reading some stickys and posts, I'm a bit confused as to how to track my progress with mfp. I entered 1850 under custom goals but how do I make sure I'm tracking it correctly?
Do I enter the amount of calories I burn each day or just eat my 1850?
This confuses me' because when you enter exercise the amount of calories you need to consume goes up! Also, I've read that people keep track of their net calories but why is this? Is the net number what I'm supposed to be looking at as far as staying within calories or so I look at "food" number ?

One of the stickys also mentioned eating 200 calories more on the days you do strength training? Why is this so?

Would appreciate any kind of help on this! I want to make sure I am doing it right! =)

Replies

  • witrixie2011
    witrixie2011 Posts: 224
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    Here's what I did to keep it simple.

    Ignore all of MPF fitness settings and use the custom settings to set how many calories you want to eat. (click on Goals - Change Goals - Custom - Continue - change calories & macros here - click on Change Goals at the bottom to save)

    This is what my home screen looks like w/out exercise:
    Goal 2074
    Food 2066
    Exercise 0
    = Net 2066

    After I exercise this afternoon this is what it will look like:

    Goal 2074
    Food 2066
    Exercise 300
    = Net 1766

    As long as my NET calories stays above my BMR I don't have to worry about anything.

    Make sense?
  • ANewLucia
    ANewLucia Posts: 2,081 Member
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    Exactly.
  • mari5283
    mari5283 Posts: 28
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    Thank you!!! Yes, it makes perfect sense! I think I was confusing myself by looking at all the different numbers...This really simplifies it for me. So basically I will be making sure to always be at or above my bmr in the net and strive to eat my cut calories.
    I think I have it then =)
    Thanks again!
  • mari5283
    mari5283 Posts: 28
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    Just thought od something and was curious to know why we don't eat to net our cut amount?