stupid question?

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I'm relatively new to MFP and actually for the last three weeks have made the effort. Couldn't say that with confidence before. Anyway, I have ready many post on whether to eat your exercise calories or not. One post read, not to if you have it already in your plan. To be honest, I don't know if I do or don't. This is where the stupid question comes in. I put on there I would like to work out at least three times a week for 45 minutes, so does that mean I do or I don't eat the calories? Sorry, I'm new at this.

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  • JuveMom
    JuveMom Posts: 12
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    I will share my plan and this is not to say that it's right or wrong. I do not add my excercise to my diary I only count my calories going in. I do this is simply because , walking my dog twice a day, riding my horse 6 days per week, hiking. golfing are, to me, ADLs = activities of daily living. My problem was that I was clearly over eating and I need to be aware of every calorie that I consume to get control back. Best of luck!
  • HealthyGinny
    HealthyGinny Posts: 821 Member
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    I'm relatively new to MFP and actually for the last three weeks have made the effort. Couldn't say that with confidence before. Anyway, I have ready many post on whether to eat your exercise calories or not. One post read, not to if you have it already in your plan. To be honest, I don't know if I do or don't. This is where the stupid question comes in. I put on there I would like to work out at least three times a week for 45 minutes, so does that mean I do or I don't eat the calories? Sorry, I'm new at this.

    I think saying you plan to work out x times a week is just sth to keep yourself accountable. Whether you should/should not eat back your calories is linked to whether you put sedentary or active in your goals. if you put sedentary then you should eat back your exercise cals. Just what I think, hope it helps (and sorry for the grammar, English is not my first language) :)
  • Sindaelys
    Sindaelys Posts: 37 Member
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    Your target amount of exercise does not get added in to your calorie limit. In addition to the food journal, there's also an exercise journal that you can log your workouts in, should you chose to do so. If you log workouts in there it adds those calories burned to the amount of calories you can eat for that day. (If you eat 1200 a day, and burn 200 calories exercising one day, MFP will tell you you can eat 1400 calories that day.)

    Personally I just eat my BMR (basal metabolic rate) calories and don't bother logging activity. I figure that since I'm NOT in a coma I'm burning more calories than I'm eating. If you need some reading material, http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12 is an excellent thread to check out on what your calories should be/what you should do with them!