Extra Calories earned through Excercise

aewhitehouse
aewhitehouse Posts: 3
edited December 20 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all. 49 YO male here. Looking to go from 264 to 200 (currently 252 after 5 weeks). Generally able to keep my waistline around 38 as long as I stay under 255, but extra body mass has been an issue since my early 30s.

My question is: when your MFP food journal grants you extra calories on the days you work out, should you actually consume all these extra calories? If you operate at this pretty significant calorie deficit, can it throw your body into starvation mode, thereby causing it to store fat? It seems that when you input your weekly weight loss goal (example 1 kilo per week) into your settings, the calorie allowance gives you the number of calories you can consume daily without exercise and still meet that goal. However, I hear the last thing you want to do is consume too few calories and put your system into starvation.

I would appreciate any feedback. Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • Anayalata
    Anayalata Posts: 391 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/206951-asked-my-trainer-re-eating-back-calories
  • fbichick
    fbichick Posts: 9 Member
    I highly recommend eating your exercise calories because you will stop losing pounds and lose only inches (which isn't bad but I'm a numbers person and want to see the numbers move on the scales). You need to figure out what your BMR and TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is. I google searched "what is TDEE" and found several websites that would figure up your BMR and TDEE and then give you suggestions on how many calories less a percentage to keep losing weight. For me I went from eating 1200 (which is what MFP suggested) to eating between 1700 and 2400 a day. I still exercise at least a hour or more a day and I started losing pounds along with my inches. I'm a much happier person cause I can eat a little more food and be happy and still get the weight off. Don't skip your exercise calories cause it will create a plateau for you!! Keep on working though. You'll reach your goal in time. Good luck!
  • aewhitehouse
    aewhitehouse Posts: 3
    Brilliant! Just what I was looking for. Thanks again! (Both of you guys.) :)
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