Confused about exercise

muddybts

Hi. I have been a member for only 5 weeks, but after reading more posts I have become confused about exercise calories. When I signed up I put in all my info and that I would exercise 3 days a week for 45 minutes. It calculated that I should eat 1200 calories a day. I have been eating those calories, and when I exercise I put it in the log and it tells me I can eat more for exercising. I have been eating those extra calories, but just read a post that said that is wrong, because it already figured in my exercise calories. Should I only be eating the 1200 no matter what?? Help!

lisawest

Read this thread. It explains it pretty well! http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

ETA:
It is a continued debate. If you have more questions after reading, please ask!

sml522

I used MFP last year to help me lose 10 pounds, and now I'm back at it again. I was able to lose that 10 pounds in about 5 weeks by eating my 1,200 calories a day plus what I earned from exercising. When they calculate the amount of calories you should intake each day, I believe they don't figure in the calories you'll be burning from exercising. I think that just sets the exercise goals you see under the exercise tab. Plus, on the food log, below your totals for the day, it says "* You've earned ____ extra calories from exercise today." I take that to mean we can eat the amount of calories we burned.
Hope that helps! It worked well for me when I did it that way and it's working well now!

Sarah

muddybts

Thanks. I think your right. I re-did my goals and put in that I would not exercise at all and it still calculated that I should eat 1200 calories! I think putting in your exercise just gives you a goal to shoot for!

linzismith

that's exactly right! make sure you eat more if you exercise because MFP's calculators do not assume that just because you say you'll exercise three times a week that you actually will.

they don't give you extra cals until you actually enter the daily exercise.

kwardklinck

The deficit is built in and doesn't include the exercise. I'm taking it to mean that people could still lose weight if they eat their calories and don't exercise at all. It doesn't give you credit for it unless you put it in. I lost 10 pounds really fast and I ate within 50 calories of what it told me to. It was 1200 on days I didn't exercise and more on days I did.