Confused with exercise calories.

quackers82

I have had a good read of this topic http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits but i am still a litte confused.

I have a desk job so i put my Activity Level as Sedentary. I am 6ft 3, 200lbs, Male and it thinks i should aim for a goal of 1440 calories a day for a 2lb a week loss.

Now take yesterday for example i spend all day walking more or less and did 1715 in excersie calories and ate 2556 calories and it still gave me a net of 841 calories meaning i was 600 calories under goal. Now i did not want to eat much more as if i had hit goal i would have consumed 3100 to 3200 calories in a day which just seems bonkers since i am trying to lose weight.

Should i eat to my goal with that amount of exercise? The previous day was quite close to it calorie/excercise wise too. I just really enjoy walking with my music on so i am doing loads at the moment.

jendraka

If you plan on exercising regularly, base your activity level on that instead of your job and then don't worry about eating back calories and your net, just eat to your goal. Here, figure your TDEE: http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html and that will tell you how many calories you need to maintain your weight considering how much exercise you do as your activity level. Now, to lose weight, you just reduce calories from your TDEE, but not going below your BMR: http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/bmr-calculator.html . Now, set your goal (for example 500 below your TDEE to lose 1lb a week) and then keep up the exercise regimen you used to determine your TDEE and you don't worry about eating back calories as they are figured into your goal. Just eat to your food goal...not to the ever changing "net".