Confused About Calorie Intake

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carlz82
carlz82 Posts: 19
in Food and Nutrition
I'm currently on 1500 cals a day, but obviously after exercise more will be available. Eg I burned 300 cals, MFP will tell me I have 1800cals left to eat today. What I want to know is do I eat those extra calories or not? I haven't been doing lately, but as my weightloss has stalled I am wondering if I'm not eating enough? I am just so confused by calories consumption....please help me!!

Replies

  • TracyJo93
    TracyJo93 Posts: 197 Member
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    I do it every other week. One week I'll eat them back and the next I won't. It keeps my loss from stalling :)
  • anewlife1980
    anewlife1980 Posts: 225 Member
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    Some people do - some don't, for me its almost impossible to eat back my calories because I don't get my workout in til after supper. Since the only thing left is my evening snack around 9pm I can't possibly consume them all. For example yesterday I had a light food day compared to usual, so after supper was done I still had a 1040 calories left (daily I get 2000). After my workout (between 730-8pm; 930-10pm) I burned off another 600 calories. So I still had over 1600 calories left. It wasn't possible for me to eat those in a snack which usually consists of a bowl of Special K & fruit, or low cal popcorn. I would have had to break my rules & had take out to eat all of those. So I had my snack & still had 1200 calories left.

    The only other option I would have is to work in the extra calories throughout the day but I don't do that for fear that something would happen to not allow me to get my workout in then I'd be after eating all those extra calories for nothing.
  • pichild
    pichild Posts: 72 Member
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    I don't actually believe the number of calories burned amounts to be accurate so I usually either don't eat them back or eat about half back....but that being said the best advice is to listen to your body...if you are hungry eat if you are not don't....I think too many people get caught up in trying to get in all their calories in to listen to what their bodies are telling them...good luck!!!
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
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    Bump up your intake.

    I struggle with eating enough so I am slowly increasing my intake.

    From what I undrstand MFP places you at a calorie defecit automatically, so eating back your exercise calories will still leave you in a defecit.

    I'm struggling through this too.. I have a good plan mapped out today.. hoping I can eat it all!
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
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    Some people do - some don't, for me its almost impossible to eat back my calories because I don't get my workout in til after supper. Since the only thing left is my evening snack around 9pm I can't possibly consume them all. For example yesterday I had a light food day compared to usual, so after supper was done I still had a 1040 calories left (daily I get 2000). After my workout (between 730-8pm; 930-10pm) I burned off another 600 calories. So I still had over 1600 calories left. It wasn't possible for me to eat those in a snack which usually consists of a bowl of Special K & fruit, or low cal popcorn. I would have had to break my rules & had take out to eat all of those. So I had my snack & still had 1200 calories left.

    The only other option I would have is to work in the extra calories throughout the day but I don't do that for fear that something would happen to not allow me to get my workout in then I'd be after eating all those extra calories for nothing.

    I have 2 numbers... a rest day and a workout day goal.. you can eat your calories prior to working out.. just make sure you then work out. I don't work out until 4:30pm on weekday.. but most of my calories are eaten prior to that. I only eat dinner after my workout. I usually dont' even have a snack.. although I eat dinner sort of late because I cook from scratch and workout after work.

    Eating too much for 1 day isn't going to stall your weight progress.. So if you do eat more one day adn dont' get your work out in you'll be fine, just don't make it a habit.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    MFP is set up so you eat them
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    I do it every other week. One week I'll eat them back and the next I won't. It keeps my loss from stalling :)

    um, srsly???
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    I'm currently on 1500 cals a day, but obviously after exercise more will be available. Eg I burned 300 cals, MFP will tell me I have 1800cals left to eat today. What I want to know is do I eat those extra calories or not? I haven't been doing lately, but as my weightloss has stalled I am wondering if I'm not eating enough? I am just so confused by calories consumption....please help me!!

    If you factored in exercise when you calculated the 1500 cals daily (as most TDEE calculators do), then no you don't need to eat them back. If you didn't factor in exercise (as is the case with MFP and most BMR calculators) then yes you should be eating them back.
  • tigerblue
    tigerblue Posts: 1,526 Member
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    I'm currently on 1500 cals a day, but obviously after exercise more will be available. Eg I burned 300 cals, MFP will tell me I have 1800cals left to eat today. What I want to know is do I eat those extra calories or not? I haven't been doing lately, but as my weightloss has stalled I am wondering if I'm not eating enough? I am just so confused by calories consumption....please help me!!

    If you factored in exercise when you calculated the 1500 cals daily (as most TDEE calculators do), then no you don't need to eat them back. If you didn't factor in exercise (as is the case with MFP and most BMR calculators) then yes you should be eating them back.

    Very well stated!

    Also, I believe that if you included your exercise in your activity level (moderately active, etc),then you don't need to eat cals back.
  • ctinawilson
    ctinawilson Posts: 127 Member
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    If you factored in exercise when you calculated the 1500 cals daily (as most TDEE calculators do), then no you don't need to eat them back. If you didn't factor in exercise (as is the case with MFP and most BMR calculators) then yes you should be eating them back.
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  • ctinawilson
    ctinawilson Posts: 127 Member
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    If you factored in exercise when you calculated the 1500 cals daily (as most TDEE calculators do), then no you don't need to eat them back. If you didn't factor in exercise (as is the case with MFP and most BMR calculators) then yes you should be eating them back.

    This ...
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