Need an explanation on calories burned

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foreverhopesndreams
foreverhopesndreams Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
I just started (again) to try to lose weight and one thing that I am confused on is when I record my workout it says I now have XXX amount of additional calories remaining. Am I supposed to re eat those calories to replenish? If so, how does that make me lose weight when I'm supposed to be burning more calories than I eat? Thanks!

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  • Owlie45
    Owlie45 Posts: 806 Member
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    Mfp already has removed calories so if you eat to their recommended calories intake you will lose weight.
    Mfp does over estimate exercise calories so if you choose to eat them back I would recommend eat about half back.
  • crossuturn
    crossuturn Posts: 15 Member
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    I didn't eat my exercise calories back for 2 weeks and didn't loose any weight. I started eating most of my exercise calories back (if I was actually hungry) and lost 5 pounds this week. So, I'd definitely eat your exercise calories but not quite all of them since calories burned in MFP can sometimes be an overestimate.
  • trelm249
    trelm249 Posts: 777 Member
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    hypothetical scenario:

    For goals - you put in weight + age + sedentary + want to loose 1 pound a week; MFP spits you need to net 1800 calories

    Option 1 - You choose to not exercise so you go about your sedentary life and track everything that crosses your lips, get your 1800 calories and lose your 1 pound for the week.

    Option 2 - You choose to exercise (many reasons for this). You go burn 300 calories jogging for 1/2 an hour on the beach 3 days a week and log it. Those days would eat an additional 300 calories to maintain your net caloric intake of 1800 calories to keep on track for your 1 pound loss for the week.
    You may ask "Why the hell would I eat them back when those days I could have a net intake of 1500 calories and lose faster". Because exercise puts a strain on your body, albeit a positive one when the stress is accounted for. The additional protein and other nutrients in those extra calories are used for repair and recovery. Thus in addition to losing weight, you are preserving muscle and getting more fit.

    Losing the weight will take time. Be patient and persistent and look at a picture of total health rather than a scale.

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