Calorie question

acappy62
acappy62 Posts: 9
in Fitness and Exercise
I just started using Myfitness pal about 2 weeks ago and the question I have an not sure about is this.

I am allowed 1200 calories a day which is fine, ok so i go to zumba class say i burn 700 calories do you have to use the calories you burned to get back up to 1200 or is it ok not to use them.

this is the confusing part for me that i cannot seem to figure out..

Thanks for any help

Replies

  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Yes, in that specific case I would shoot for a calorie goal of 1900.
  • acappy62
    acappy62 Posts: 9
    and i will loose weight doing that.. this is so confusing to me this whole calories in and out
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    Yes this program is designed for your to eat back your exercise calories. Especially if you're going the 1200 cal route (IMO too low) but to each his own.
  • MMark2012
    MMark2012 Posts: 143 Member
    I must try "not" to eat back the calories burned. I try to stick with eating under 1300 calories a day!. I do not sweat about going over on some days(like tonight, is my friend Christa's birthday party!):smile:
  • bonnielake
    bonnielake Posts: 2
    My dietician says that you should not shoot for the higher calorie count.
  • acappy62
    acappy62 Posts: 9
    oh i know 1200 is too low but that is what myfitnesspal put as my goal.. so frustrating sometimes
  • alanzara
    alanzara Posts: 5 Member
    Agreed - I don't generally eat my exercise calories back, or at least not a lot of them. That's because it's hard to know exactly how many calories your body has burned, especially from just searching MFP and selecting an activity. Exercise is really important, but if you miscalculate how many calories you burn, you could end up eating a lot more than your calorie goal.
  • EndlessSacrifice
    EndlessSacrifice Posts: 325
    You need to net at least 1200. This means that when you eat 1200 calories, then burn 700, you need to eat 700 more calories to yourself back up to a net of 1200.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    oh i know 1200 is too low but that is what myfitnesspal put as my goal.. so frustrating sometimes

    So change it. MFP isn't the ruler of the world - you have a say in what happens with your body.
  • acappy62
    acappy62 Posts: 9
    i am going to start using a heart rate / calorie burning watch and see what i burn.. i work out 4-5 times a week. zumba, zumba toning, cardio weight training and conditioning class and scale not moving maybe i'm not eating enough maybe i should try and up the calories just a little see what happens
  • acappy62
    acappy62 Posts: 9
    thanks readytorock not to sound stupid what is mfp and how do i change it..
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    and i will loose weight doing that.. this is so confusing to me this whole calories in and out

    Don't over think it. It's literally the simplest thing to do in the world. You put your settings into MFP and it came up with a calculated calorie goal for you. It adjusts these goals automatically depending on your activity level and the exercises you do. Eat what the goal says. It could not get any more simple than that.

    If you find you're losing too much or too little, adjust from there. Trial and error.
  • notsosimplyabby
    notsosimplyabby Posts: 138 Member
    You can change it to a custom setting instead of the MFP "guided" setting that only gives you 1200
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Yes, in that specific case I would shoot for a calorie goal of 1900.

    Normally I would totally agree with you, except for the part where there is NO WAY zumba is burning that many calories. All year I have been racking my brain trying to figure out why zumba gets so much credit for these calorie burns.

    The process is correct; add your exercise calories to your intake. But shoot for something around 1500-1600 cals per day.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Yes, in that specific case I would shoot for a calorie goal of 1900.

    Normally I would totally agree with you, except for the part where there is NO WAY zumba is burning that many calories. All year I have been racking my brain trying to figure out why zumba gets so much credit for these calorie burns.

    The process is correct; add your exercise calories to your intake. But shoot for something around 1500-1600 cals per day.

    Oh that's fair enough, I have never seen Zumba so I have no idea what it entails, I was just assuming that calorie count to be correct. You forgot to mention purchasing a HRM too ;)
  • acappy62
    acappy62 Posts: 9
    Davpaul zumba does burn that many calories have you ever taken a class.. 1 hour of non stop dancing and she incorporates lunges, squats, jumping jacks you name it.. i have worn a monitor in class before using mfp faithfully and have burned more.. best workout i have ever done
  • acappy62
    acappy62 Posts: 9
    and thanks everyone for the input on this.. i just think i have never been eating enough and that is why i am having such an issue loosing the weight. i am going to up my calories for a week and see how it goes..
  • BAFilek
    BAFilek Posts: 139 Member
    not to sound stupid what is mfp and how do i change it..
    mfp is My Fitness Pal - go to your goals and change the number. :flowerforyou: good luck!
  • acappy62
    acappy62 Posts: 9
    not to sound stupid what is mfp and how do i change it..
    mfp is My Fitness Pal - go to your goals and change the number. :flowerforyou: good luck!

    thanks you .. i upped to 1300 see if that work... thanks again
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member

    Oh that's fair enough, I have never seen Zumba so I have no idea what it entails, I was just assuming that calorie count to be correct. You forgot to mention purchasing a HRM too ;)

    Oh, I could mention HRMs, but people with them support these calorie burning claims. Hence my disdain for relying on HRMs for anything other than monitoring heart rates (as their name implies).

    Oh looky, right below your post is someone with a HRM that backs the 1000 cal per hour claim
  • acappy62
    acappy62 Posts: 9

    Oh that's fair enough, I have never seen Zumba so I have no idea what it entails, I was just assuming that calorie count to be correct. You forgot to mention purchasing a HRM too ;)

    Oh, I could mention HRMs, but people with them support these calorie burning claims. Hence my disdain for relying on HRMs for anything other than monitoring heart rates (as their name implies).



    Oh looky, right below your post is someone with a HRM that backs the 1000 cal per hour claim

    where is that post haven't figured all this out yet. ... lol
  • RychelleD
    RychelleD Posts: 103 Member
    The calorie burned amount on here seems to be pretty generous. I wouldnt eat them all back. If your hungry, maybe half?

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