I don't understand exercise calories

bobbyunangst

This may be better in the Nutrition thread, but I want to give it a try here first.

I am currently set to eat about 1400 calories a day. I try to work out 3 days a week with cardio.

If I burn 300 calories my daily intakes on MFP goes up to 1700. How is this helping me to loose weight if I now have to eat the number of Calories I just burned.

If I don't consume at least some of those 300 then MFP tells me that I have not reached my min 1200 and that I should go eat something.

From my end of things it looks like I might as well just keep my calories down without adding the exercise since I only have to eat more when I exercise anyway.

kellehbeans

MFP has already calculated your deficit, so when you exercise it gives you essentially 'free' calories. You should be eating these back to sustain a healthy weight loss.

Hendrix7

If MPF has set up you up with a 300 calorie deficit per day, if you eat all of your exercises calories you are STILL in a 300 calorie deficit.

Exercising also has other benefits other than simply burning calories.

EmmaKarney

Exactly - the site is designed for you to have the "optimum" calorie deficit in a day.

It is achieved through your diet calories alone - so if you workout, you need to replace these or you will be going into a too big a deficit and likely be tired/hungry.

EmmaKarney

Exercising also has other benefits other than simply burning calories.

I think people forget this!

kateroisin

I agree with your original post. If you don't eat back all of your exercise calories, you will lose weight faster because you will be at a greater calorie deficit. I try to eat back about half my exercise calories, especially since MFP and workout machines seem to overestimate burns.

AmazingTech

because if you have eaten and worked off those 300 calorie then they aren't adding to what you have eaten in the day, they have already been burnt off through doing that exercise

shell4short76

Your body needs a minimum amount of calories the function. That's your 1400. When you burn into those calories you need to replace them. That's why your intake goes up to whatever it needs to be. If you continually go beneath that minimum your body will go into starvation more and hoard any calories you consume. that's counter productive.

ladyraven68

This may be better in the Nutrition thread, but I want to give it a try here first.

I am currently set to eat about 1400 calories a day. I try to work out 3 days a week with cardio.

If I burn 300 calories my daily intakes on MFP goes up to 1700. How is this helping me to loose weight if I now have to eat the number of Calories I just burned.

If I don't consume at least some of those 300 then MFP tells me that I have not reached my min 1200 and that I should go eat something.

From my end of things it looks like I might as well just keep my calories down without adding the exercise since I only have to eat more when I exercise anyway.

you chose a goal of 1lb (for example) on MFp so it gave you a 500 calorie defict.

If you exercise and burn a further 500 calories, yuo have made your 500 deficit into a 1000 defict. But you said your goal was 1lb a week and you wanted a 500 calorie defict, so MFP tells you to eat back the 500 exercise calorioes, so that your deficit is back to the 500 you chose.

This may explain it better - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

bobbyunangst

you chose a goal of 1lb (for example) on MFp so it gave you a 500 calorie defict.

If you exercise and burn a further 500 calories, yuo have made your 500 deficit into a 1000 defict. But you said your goal was 1lb a week and you wanted a 500 calorie defict, so MFP tells you to eat back the 500 exercise calorioes, so that your deficit is back to the 500 you chose.

This may explain it better - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

Thank you, this is the best answer i have gotten and it makes sense.