I dont understand the flex calries

melleyshelley

Hi everyone,

Oops (sorry for the typo in the subject line. I cant edit that now). I love MFP so far. I'm hoping you can help me. So, I get the calories in, calories out thing fairly well now and I love that MFP help you adjust your calorie goals based on your activity for the day.

My question is that how does MFP know when to adjust for you? Meaning, if I wasn't working out in the morning and entering my fitness right away, how do I know that I wont be misleading myself throughout the day with my eating? If I need to eat more on the days I work out, but I dont work out until the evening, than I guess I am missing out on those calories. Then again, what if I have the best of intentions, eat my increased activity calories, but then dont work out?

So I guess - how and when does MFP calculate your day (is it based on yesterday?)
And, how do you budget your meals and workouts and when?
Also, should I be eating my calorie goals for the day? They vary significantly. Yesterday I was supposed to eat 1500 calories, today 1900. Thats a big difference (an entire meal).

Thanks!

wanttolose40lbs

If I know I'm working out after work, and know what I'm doing, I enter it in in the morning and know what I can eat the rest of the day

melleyshelley

That's a good method for people who can definitely keep themselves accountable. I would say that's what I would normally do, but my life has been hectic lately (which is another reason why I started working out in the morning) so that I can ensure that I work out and have no excuses later. Thank you for your reply.

Mokey41

I set my budget to sedentary and don't eat back exercise. At least if you don't have the exercise calories in your budget then you can't eat them until you earn them!

melleyshelley

I set my budget to sedentary and don't eat back exercise. At least if you don't have the exercise calories in your budget then you can't eat them until you earn them!

Interesting. I had thought that I did that too. Here's what my front page says about me today:

1906 Calories Remaining
Goal Food Exercise = Net
1200 0 - 706 -706

When I enter in my food for the day, its calculating for 1906 calories. Should I be striving to eat the 1906, or the 1200? Such a BIG difference. I'm not working out to be able to eat more darned it, lol. I dont like how my food log is deducting from 1906. Unless, thats the point. I think I have a little learn about nutrition.

3bambi3

MFP calculates your goal calories by the goals you entered when you joined the site. It will never give you less than 1200 calories. MFP also calculates your goal calories with a deficit and assumes that you are sedentary, which is why it gives you the calories you earn from exercise back.

The 1200 calories is 1200 NET calories that MFP wants you to eat. That means that if you eat your 1200 and then workout, you need to eat those calories back to get to your net number.

So, eat your workout calories on the days you work out, and stick to your 1200 when you don't work out. This isn't how everyone does it, but it's the way MFP was designed to work. If you want to find one number and stick to it everyday regardless of whether or not you work out, you need to figure out your BMR and TDEE and eat somewhere in between the two. Check out this link:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

nturner612

i put in my exercise cal ONLY after i work out. If i work out in the am then its ok because i have plenty of time to eat some of them back if i feel hungry (ier) . If i work out in the pm after work, i usually dont eat them back and its okay because ill be in bed soon after.

heybales

I set my budget to sedentary and don't eat back exercise. At least if you don't have the exercise calories in your budget then you can't eat them until you earn them!

Interesting. I had thought that I did that too. Here's what my front page says about me today:

1906 Calories Remaining
Goal Food Exercise = Net
1200 0 - 706 -706

When I enter in my food for the day, its calculating for 1906 calories. Should I be striving to eat the 1906, or the 1200? Such a BIG difference. I'm not working out to be able to eat more darned it, lol. I dont like how my food log is deducting from 1906. Unless, thats the point. I think I have a little learn about nutrition.

Then go into your settings, and change the weight loss goal to Maintain.

Now exercise and don't eat them back. Your exercise is creating your deficit.

That's how many diet programs work, but easily sabotaged. It's very easy to eat back exercise calories. Like, what told you you burned 700 calories? if that was for 90 min, that's believable.

Otherwise, the way MFP works is, they give you a deficit without any exercise even being considered. And when you actually do exercise, and eat those calories back, guess what is still there? Your deficit!
Too big a deficit isn't good and will backfire on you. Look at how many in your circle of friends has probably yo-yo dieted for years.

You aren't working out to eat more?

Then why waste time working out? No need stressing your body asking for it to improve with exercise but then not feed it so it really can to the best of it's ability.

Yes, you do have some to learn, great attitude wanting to know.

Basic premise to keep in mind.

Diet is for weight loss, hopefully just fat loss but you can make it more than fat, not good.

Exercise is for heart health and body improvements, many of which have no weight loss associated with it, and can make what you lose worse.

melleyshelley

I seriously can't believe how supportive and amazing everyone is here. So willing to share your knowledge. I really appreciate all of you.

Great thoughts and points, Haybales. I'm going to try those things. And 3bambi, I will take a look at your link. I've been looking for something like that.

THANK YOU!!!:flowerforyou: