calorie intake and calorie estimates on MFP

bridge1101
bridge1101 Posts: 15 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello!
I am only three days old on MFP and just a bit confused about my personal calorie intake for the day. This states my goal should be at around 1200 per day. I work out and burn on average about 400 calories, once i log this in..im being told that i need to eat more and replace the calories I burned off.

Im very new to counting calories, and correct me if I'm wrong but, isn't the whole point to create a deficit...? I just want to make sure Im not over eating, thereby causing myself to gain weight as I am not sure the estimated calories burned are even that accurate.

How accurate would most people say MFP is when logging in exercise?

Replies

  • kikicooks
    kikicooks Posts: 1,079 Member
    MFP's suggested goal is just based off your normal daily activities with a deficit already in it. So if you do exercise you should eat those calories burned so you don't eat too little.
    MFP's exercise calorie burns probably aren't accurate but they could be. It's just hard to say, every body is so different. If you really want a more accurate idea of what you are burning you could get a heart rate monitor that shows your burn or something like a BodyMediaFit.
  • andycet
    andycet Posts: 55 Member
    I got stuck when I joined and it confused me.

    What I did was read the post about using a road map, search the forum it is well commented on. I stopped having a net and then eating back calories as it was too hard to judge.

    I used this well recommended calculator to work out my daily calorie intake and set my MFP calorie limit to that and used the info below to get roughly the same macros.

    I then used this guide for my macros: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=121703981 (my PT that helped me get results before used similar numbers)

    For excercise I used a basic HRM and an online calculator to work out calories burned. Found this more accurate and when things like Insanity (that I do) said 600 calories on every workout, some are only 300 depending on size and intensity that day.

    I think log my food to make sure I hit the targets and then when the day's diary is done add in my excercise so that it doesnt adjust my calculations.

    Hope that helps.

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