Hi I'm new to MFP....quick question about calories?

buzymom

Hi my name is Jessica. I just joined MFP this week and I'm allowed 1450 calories a day according to MFP. I exercise 5 days a week and usually I burn 400 to 500 calories a day. Now my question is do I have to eat those extra calories? if I do will it slow down my weight loss?? I'm allowed 1450 and add 400 or 500 calories to that.....it seems like alot. Can anyone help me???

red01angel

The links in these threads will help answer all of your questions! Welcome, and good luck!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again

tfrost75

Hi! I'm only allowed 1260 calories a day, and I try to stick to that whether I work out or not. I actually try to ignore the extra calories I'm granted when I work out. I'm also working with a personal trainer, and he tells me to stick to the 1260 regardless.

lt_mrcook

If you input that your goal was to lose 1 or 2 lbs per week, then the calories are based on that. If you eat to that number, you should lose the 1 to 2 lbs you're planning on. The exercise will just be bonus, and you should end up losing more. If you eat those calories, you should still end up losing the 1 to 2 lbs per week. That is what I have seen personally.

hbmelissa

The way I understand it - those 400 - 500 calories you burned - you now get to eat if you want. So 1450 that you are allowed to eat + 400 = 1850 that you are allowed to eat and still lose the amount of weight that you said you wanted to lose to come about to the 1450 calories a day limit that it gave you. If you don't eat the extra 400 calories then you will probably lose more weight than the amount you said you wanted to lose with the 1450 guideline. Wow, I wish I could eat 1450 calories a day! Good luck.

stormieweather

If you read the stickies at the top of the forums, there is a lot of discussion on this.

As briefly and succinctly as possible:

MFP automatically creates a HEALTHY deficit for you. Not so large that you will gain back all the weight you lost when you reach goal weight and start eating normally and not so large that you cannot maintain it long term and not so large that it will slow down your metabolism, makng you feel crummy. It's set at a 500 calorie deficit if you say you want to lose 1 pound a week, 750 if you entered 1.5 pounds a week and 1,000 if you entered 2 pounds a week, but never lower than 1,200.

You do not HAVE to exercise to lose weight as long as you adhere to the calorie goals set by MFP.

If you do exercise, MFP adds those extra calories to your daily goal because a) you need extra fuel for the extra effort and b) the MFP plan is to maintain exactly the deficit I mentioned above.

A lot of people say you shouldn't eat less than 1,200 calories a day (actually that's a rather unsubstantiated number), because your body requires a certain number of calories just to function (organs such as heart, brain, liver, etc.)

If you are only eating 1400 calories and you burn up 600 calories that you do not eat back, your net calories are only 800. For a lot of people, that isn't enough to sustain long term and when they begin to eat normally, they gain the weight back. MFP works because it's a lifestyle change, rather than a temporary "diet".

dre860

so heres my question it says i have to eat 2120 calories a day to loose 2lbs a week. Do i have to eat the entire 2120 calories if i dont exercise to loose the weight or can i eat below that to loose the weight.

buzymom

Thanks to everyone!!! I understand now.....it makes total sense. Thanks again!

Najah5150

Hi! I'm only allowed 1260 calories a day, and I try to stick to that whether I work out or not. I actually try to ignore the extra calories I'm granted when I work out. I'm also working with a personal trainer, and he tells me to stick to the 1260 regardless.

I tend to do the same. I workout a lot so there are many more calories I can consume in a day but I try my best to stay away from doing that.