Dumb question..I know I know!

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LML79
LML79 Posts: 697
in Health and Weight Loss
So I know this question has probably been answered ..like a trillion times.. But I am still new to this..and don't really know what eating all your calories mean? How many calories should we eat per day..and how many calories should we burn to loose weight ? I just don't know the magic numbers! A lot of times I go over on my calories and everything..and then work out..to get me back out of the negatives...but isn't that just covering my tracks..keeping me at the same weight..instead of burning more than I am consuming? I am so confused!

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  • LML79
    LML79 Posts: 697
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    So I know this question has probably been answered ..like a trillion times.. But I am still new to this..and don't really know what eating all your calories mean? How many calories should we eat per day..and how many calories should we burn to loose weight ? I just don't know the magic numbers! A lot of times I go over on my calories and everything..and then work out..to get me back out of the negatives...but isn't that just covering my tracks..keeping me at the same weight..instead of burning more than I am consuming? I am so confused!
  • sculley
    sculley Posts: 2,012 Member
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    Maybe someone else can answer this better than i, maybe banks

    But it's kind of like a trick in my opinion to keep the body from thinking that it's going into a starvation mode.

    on your exercise list it will tell you the amount of calories you have to burn daily and your weekly goal


    like I said maybe someone can clarify more but i just wanted to give you a quick answer.
  • GTOgirl1969
    GTOgirl1969 Posts: 2,527 Member
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    You should eat most, if not all of your exercise calories. When you set your goals on MFP, you are automatically at a calorie deficit (let's say you want to lose a pound a week, that would be a 500 calorie deficit per day).
  • LML79
    LML79 Posts: 697
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    Ok so if I have my calories set at 1200... but I go over..lets say I end up eating 1350 ... then walk on the treadmill burning the extra 150 ...doesn't that just mean since I am back to 1200 I really only burned what I overate anyways? Some days I am able to stay in the 1200 range without working out at all.. but most days I end up going over...forcing myself to work out just to get back out of the negative marks at the end of my food log!! When I do work out I usually walk on the treadmill between 30-60 minutes.. burning about 400 calories ( says my treadmill) But I guess I didn't know how many calories you need to eat and burn to lose an actual pound
  • MontanaGirl
    MontanaGirl Posts: 1,251 Member
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    Ok so if I have my calories set at 1200... but I go over..lets say I end up eating 1350 ... then walk on the treadmill burning the extra 150 ...doesn't that just mean since I am back to 1200 I really only burned what I overate anyways? Some days I am able to stay in the 1200 range without working out at all.. but most days I end up going over...forcing myself to work out just to get back out of the negative marks at the end of my food log!! When I do work out I usually walk on the treadmill between 30-60 minutes.. burning about 400 calories ( says my treadmill) But I guess I didn't know how many calories you need to eat and burn to lose an actual pound

    Yes it means that you are back at a net of 1200 - you should be. MFP already factors in a defecit for you to lose weight - 500 cals for 1 lb per week, 1,000 for 2 lbs per week but won't go below 1200 cal per day. You may actually need to eat a little more than 1200 just regular. And you should eat most of your exercise calories. If you have a heartrate monitor that is accurate - eat all it says otherwise the others tend to over-estimate what you burn. Let me find some of the links to other posts for you in case you missed them.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/9614-newbies-please-read-me
    This one has links to other great posts. Good luck - and keep posting questions if you have them. We can't learn if we don't ask!!
  • gabi_ele
    gabi_ele Posts: 460 Member
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    There are no magic numbers, everyone is different and every day will be different. It all depends on what you have planed on that day . If you know you will be going to the gym eat a good breakfast because you will have extre calories to burn and yes if you know you are going out, do extra cardio to give you more calories. I log my excersise right after I do it ( that's best for me) and my food bevore I eat it that way I know what I have left for the day.If you log it it will tell you how much you have left for the day and if it is too little I'll do some aerobics or turn the musik up or go to super wally world and get one thing from the grocery side and one thing from the beauty isle and back to the grocery side.....just keep mooving.there are a lot of good posts on this that Banks wrote newbies read me 2nd edition?I think.... I wish you sucsess:drinker: and by the way you have to burn off 3500 calories for 1 pound of body fat
  • mamaof2girls
    mamaof2girls Posts: 332 Member
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    The 1200 calories that you are supposed to eat is already at a deficit.....in other words for myself for example, MFP says I need 1531 calories just to function, so it sets my calorie goal at 1200. So essentially I can eat the 1531, but I need to exercise off those other 331 calories to still be able to lose weight. If I ate the 1531, I would just be maintaining the current weight that I am at.

    Hope this helps!
  • MontanaGirl
    MontanaGirl Posts: 1,251 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    I think this link is not in the newbies please read me post - but was in the 2nd edition. Those should help you understand!!
  • escheenstra
    escheenstra Posts: 1
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    1 pound is equal to about 3500 calories
  • LML79
    LML79 Posts: 697
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    I get it now!! Thank you for all the help everyone!! :heart: :heart: :heart:

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