Confused about calorie goals and some diary functions!

hoops1888
hoops1888 Posts: 93 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Say if i wanted to loss a 1lb a week and included this in my diary settings, I was wondering if I would have to keep 500 cals per day in order to accomplish this or would I eat to the calorie goal mfp gives me? I've been keeping 500 cals because I thought that's how it was done but I'm reading other things and getting confused about the whole thing. And also, what is the point of the net calories reading? Thanks!

Replies

  • simpsona5
    simpsona5 Posts: 24
    You should be eating all the calories MFP recommends. If you eat too little your body tries to preserve fat because it thinks you are starving.

    I don't think however that you have to eat the additional calories you gain from exercise?
  • mickeym5612
    mickeym5612 Posts: 5
    The net calories is the food you've eaten minus any excercise you record - this then gives you what you've "eaten" in total calories for the day, for example:
    1200 calories (recommended) 500 calories eaten - 160 calories in reported food = 340 Total calories eaten (not the 500) it's a tool to show how many calories of food you've had and now that you "earned" an extra 160 you can have an extra something...

    And yes if you eat 500 calories less each day in 7 days you can lose a pound because 1 lb of fat = 3000/3500 calories :o)

    One important thing to losing weight is not just what you eat but drink lots of water, Crystal Lite...and get the 7-8 hours of sleep each night!

    Wishing you success!
    Michelle
  • she2cute
    she2cute Posts: 19 Member
    Eat what MFP recommends. Do NOT eat the calories you gain from exercising. Those calories are ones you're burning for fat loss.

    Make sense? lol
  • hoops1888
    hoops1888 Posts: 93 Member
    Ah right I see. I lost 2 stone 2 years ago using mfp and thinking I had to keep the cals in order to lose a 1lb per week! So if I wanted to lose 2lb's a week, I would eat all my calories and in addition to that burn 500 cals?
  • she2cute
    she2cute Posts: 19 Member
    If you're letting MFP make your goals and you request to lose 2lbs per week, eat as many calories as it says to eat. If it tells you to eat 1200 calories every day, then eat just that. Not many more or less. If you burn 500 calories working out, don't eat those extra 500. You should only eat the 1200.
  • katevarner
    katevarner Posts: 884 Member
    Um, no. MFP is set as a goal to reach, and they expect you to eat back your exercise calories, that's why they are added to your total. If you use MFP's numbers, the 500 for 1 lb. loss is already figured in. Do not eat 500 under. If you are uncomfortable eating all of your exercise calories, that's fine, but you shouldn't NET under 1200.

    That said, if you are using MFP to calculate your exercise calories, the numbers may be off. Try this website:

    http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/activity-based-calorie-burn-calculator.aspx#
  • m0ns00n
    m0ns00n Posts: 11
    If you're letting MFP make your goals and you request to lose 2lbs per week, eat as many calories as it says to eat. If it tells you to eat 1200 calories every day, then eat just that. Not many more or less. If you burn 500 calories working out, don't eat those extra 500. You should only eat the 1200.

    This is wrong, and possibly dangerous, I'm afraid. Your body needs energy to sustain itself, and if you don't eat back exercise calories then the body won't be able to do so.

    A 1200 calorie NET means just that. If you do 500 calories worth of exercise, you'd now need to eat 1700 to net at 1200 (1700 - 500 = 1200).

    If you don't eat back exercise calories, then your body is not getting enough energy.
  • m0ns00n
    m0ns00n Posts: 11
    Eat what MFP recommends. Do NOT eat the calories you gain from exercising. Those calories are ones you're burning for fat loss.

    Make sense? lol

    This is the exact opposite of what MFP recommends. The whole principle of MFP is net calorie intake.

    If your base is 1200, and you do 500 calories worth of exercise, then you should eat 1700 calories. You will still be losing the same amount of weight if you only ate 1200 and did no exercise (with the added gain of becoming fitter).
  • claireables88
    claireables88 Posts: 20 Member
    i never really understood it but what i do is eat up to that amount not over if i can help it and work out but dont eat that part back...but if i one day say feel iffy and dont eat alot i just work out a tiny bit but no matter what i always eat over 600 kcals even after exercise as you need 500kcal for your body to function properly :) my cousin is a personal trainer and gave me that advice about the 600kcal :)
  • greenfalls107
    greenfalls107 Posts: 87 Member
    I think that is 500 calories less than a heathly weight person. Not that you should only eat 500 calories a day. Omg that would be impossible. I want to lose 1lb a week and I eat over 1000 calories a day.
  • quirkytizzy
    quirkytizzy Posts: 4,052 Member
    If you're letting MFP make your goals and you request to lose 2lbs per week, eat as many calories as it says to eat. If it tells you to eat 1200 calories every day, then eat just that. Not many more or less. If you burn 500 calories working out, don't eat those extra 500. You should only eat the 1200.

    False. Doing so would result in extremely low net calories - which will not only hinder your weight loss, but also damage your body. MFP already calculates a deficit into your goals, too much of a gap and you are in trouble.

    Dropping to eating-disordered calorie goals does not make for a healthy body.
  • hoops1888
    hoops1888 Posts: 93 Member
    Okay thank you for your replies. Where does the exercise goals you enter come into it? Or is that just something to aim for yourself I take it?
  • CrazyAnne
    CrazyAnne Posts: 217 Member
    http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/activity-based-calorie-burn-calculator.aspx#
    [/quote]

    Good website, thanks.
  • quirkytizzy
    quirkytizzy Posts: 4,052 Member
    Okay thank you for your replies. Where does the exercise goals you enter come into it? Or is that just something to aim for yourself I take it?

    Right below your "track food" option on your homepage is the "Track Exercise" option. Click on that and search for the exercise. MFP has a hit or miss collection of various exercises, so you can either go with something close if not exact or calculate from another site and manually enter it in. From the type of exercise and minutes you enter having done, MFP automatically updates calories burned and adds that onto your daily goal.

    You just kinda gotta decide for yourself what exercise works for you. I do Pilates and the occasional cardio because that's what I enjoy. Lots of people love walking or weight lifting. There's no real "number" to aim for outside of what you think would be helpful (and achievable without hurting yourself.)
  • hoops1888
    hoops1888 Posts: 93 Member
    Cheers, brill :)

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