Comfused about Daily Calories going up after exercise...

DarciesMam
DarciesMam Posts: 9
in Food and Nutrition
Just looking for some advice as Im new and only started last weekend....

I have a daily calorie allowance of 1200, but when I do a class and enter it on my log, it increases my calories .....

Im just wondering, as Ive always lost weight in the past by eating about 1000-1200 cals a day but burning about the same or half in order to loose weight.....

For an example I went to a Boxing class this morning which put my cals up to 1700, and I have 1009 cals left to eat but I only have dinner to go....Can I really loose weight if I ate 1009 cals by the end of the day??? Seems too much or am I maybe stuck in the thinking you have to eat very little in order to loose? Confused.com! lol

Replies

  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    MFP increases your calorie allowance when you exercise because it's caloric recommendations do not include any expenditure you create by exercising.

    Please read here:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf


    In closing, exercise expenditure is often over-stated. I think a good general practice is to eat back a portion of your exercise calories, something like 50-75% is a reasonable target.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    This should get you going. It's a bit of reading and research time but well worth it.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    Do you want to lose bodyfat or lose weight? Do you want to lose this weight and keep it off or pile it back on again as you have before? Do you want to remain healthy or be slim at any cost? Don't try to eat 1000 calories in one meal, eat four to six times a day, splitting your calories reasonably evenly so you don't have to stuff yourself.

    Exercise increases you body's needs for every nutrient - you cannot get enough for health in 1000 to 1200 calories and certainly not if you are netting 700 calories which is way below your basal metabolic rate (the amount your body would need even if you were in a coma). Exercising doesn't just burn calories during the hour, if you do it right your metabolism goes up for anything up to two days, plus you maintain or build muscle which also positively affects your metabolism so your ability to continue to lose fat.
  • Sunflowergirl1
    Sunflowergirl1 Posts: 33 Member
    You answered your own questioning your final sentence. :) MFP sets your calorie intake at the deficit you need to lose weight, so if you don't log your exercise and eat back at least most of those calories your net caloric intake will drop too low for healthy weight loss.
  • DarciesMam
    DarciesMam Posts: 9
    Thanks everyone for your replies! In answer to one of the questions... I want to loose weight and keep it off this time... I keep loosing it and then gaining again within a month.

    Lots to go and read up on......x
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    In closing, exercise expenditure is often over-stated. I think a good general practice is to eat back a portion of your exercise calories, something like 50-75% is a reasonable target.

    I agree! I think A LOT of people overestimate and thus, eat way too much and negate that great workout. 50% is a good estimation.
  • tashiaberman
    tashiaberman Posts: 48 Member
    I understand the reason for it -- see link someone else posted here -- but doing it is another matter. By the time I finish exercising and put it into the food section and exercise section and it tells me how many more calories I'm supposed to eat, I've finished for that day and am ready to go to bed. I'm certainly not going to eat another 900 calories before bed!

    Soooo...I just try to beef up my caloric intake the next day, if possible, with lean protein, veggies and maybe throw in a little treat for myself that I wouldn't usually have -- some pasta, bread or not-too-fattening desert. Otherwise, since I usually exercise late evenings, the only other thing I could imagine doing is knowing in advance that I'm going to class that night and beefing up the caloric intake in advance of exercising. Preferably during breakfast and lunch.

    Of course, I'm having no luck losing anyway, so what do I know.

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