confused about burning calories

I'm on my 4th week. The first 2 I did but now I'm not eating all back. Either none of 60 percent. The reason I do this is I track everything but the database may not be accurate on foods that I can't see label. For example, my husband and I go out at least twice a week and hard to tell exact calories at restaurants. By doing this is feel like I can reach my goal better. However if you are not feeling hungry or not tried, you might want to eat more. Make sure you are getting your protein.

I eat back my excercise calories if I feel hungry or weak or if I just want to eat. Some people don't. If your body takes 2000 calories a day to function and you're eating 1530 calories, you will lose weight. If you exercise and burn 200 calories, that means that your body is now taking 2200 calories to function today. If you eat 1730 calories, you will still maintain your deficet and lose weight. Also you will give your body the extra fuel it needs to be able to recover from your workout so you can push the limits again next time. You don't have to eat them back if you don't want them and still feel strong on your base budget. The exception would be if you started regularly burning enough calories to put your net calories (calories eaten - calories burned in exercise) below about 1200. Going under that for a day or two wouldn't hurt you but regularly going under could lower your metabolism which would lower the number of calories your body burns in a day and would also lower your energy.

It's really not a question to focus on at this point. First get your your BMR... using tools online -- or even better -- get a hrm/calorie tracking watch and WEAR IT ALL DAY LONG. That way you know EXACTLY what your burning. It's best to know what you're burning before dieting vs the other way around.

In the end, you gotta burn MORE calories than you're eating -- without restricting too many calories 'cause that slows down your metabolism. You want to BOOST or ACCELERATE your metabolism. Best way is movement -- exercise -- not strict dieting. I use the saying Stop Dieting, Start Burning. Just Eat Foods.

A HRM will not give you your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) if you wear it all day long. The number it will give you will be inflated. HRMs are based on a relationship between VO2 max and calories burned during moderate steady state cardio exercise. It is not accurate for low intensity.


The simple answer is - if you are following MFP's guide, yes, you "eat" those calories back. Some people choose to eat a portion, not all but you should be eating more on days you exercise.

Oh I beg to differ.... it won't be inflated at all. Try it.

Based on?