Not understanding the exercise calories added to food intake

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ldias3
ldias3 Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
I wear the bodymedia armband and it automatically syncs and connects accounts so my exercise is automatically updated. I dont understand why the calories that I burn are added to my food allowance. ie so far today I have burned 594 calories and it added that number of calories to my food diary for today. How am I losing weight if I am eating the number of calories that I am burning??? I dont get it...can someone answer this?
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Replies

  • Mousiechan
    Mousiechan Posts: 11
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    Hi,

    It just means that if you have set a calorie goal, say, 1200 per day, and you burn 500, theoretically you can eat your 1200 plus the 500 as you have already burned it! However, you do not have to eat the amount you burn but it just adds a bit of leeway.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    MFP is designed with a weight loss built into your daily calories. If you never eat back you exercise calories, you won't have enough energy to keep up with your exercise, you may become malnourished and will likely end up bingeing.

    The point of the exercise is to keep your body strong. People who lose weight without exercise generally lose a lot of muscle and are generally less healthy than those who exercise.
  • lexlyn14
    lexlyn14 Posts: 290 Member
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    HI...I DO NOT LIKE THAT THEY ADD THE EXERCISE CALORIES TO FOOD CALORIE ALLOTMENT...SO I JUST IGNORE THAT PART...I TRY TO CONSUME 1200 CALORIES A DAY LIKE THEY SUGGESTED AND I DO NOT PUT IN THE EXERCISE PART ANY MORE...THE EXERCISE IS WHAT IS GOING TO HELP YOU BURN MORE CALORIES...BY ADDING THAT TO YOUR DAILY CALORIC INTAKE YOU WILL NOT REALLY LOSE MUCH WEIGHT...ALTHOUGH I FIND 1200 CALORIES NEAR IMPOSSIBLE LOL...
  • wsuduce
    wsuduce Posts: 68 Member
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    HI...I DO NOT LIKE THAT THEY ADD THE EXERCISE CALORIES TO FOOD CALORIE ALLOTMENT...SO I JUST IGNORE THAT PART...I TRY TO CONSUME 1200 CALORIES A DAY LIKE THEY SUGGESTED AND I DO NOT PUT IN THE EXERCISE PART ANY MORE...THE EXERCISE IS WHAT IS GOING TO HELP YOU BURN MORE CALORIES...BY ADDING THAT TO YOUR DAILY CALORIC INTAKE YOU WILL NOT REALLY LOSE MUCH WEIGHT...ALTHOUGH I FIND 1200 CALORIES NEAR IMPOSSIBLE LOL...

    ^^^ This is my plan too. Forget the exercise part. But listen to your body and adjust as needed. :)
  • whipdancer
    whipdancer Posts: 21 Member
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    "...generally less healthy" is a generalization not based on fact. They may be less physically fit, but that is not the same as being less healthy.

    As for adding the exercise calories back in...

    If you are honest when you fill out the profile that helps you decide on a daily calorie allotment (weight, activity, etc), and set an honest achievable goal (I want to lose 1.5lbs per week), then the calorie allotment is based on your NORMAL activity level. Meaning, if you normally sit at a desk all day you will burn fewer calories than someone who is perhaps working retail (on their feet).

    As a result, for you to lose 1.5lbs per week (or whatever the goal is) you will need to consume fewer calories than the person who is more active. When you add exercise into the equation, you are changing the fuel needs of your body. Because you are using up more fuel, you will need to compensate for that by putting more fuel in -- IF (big IF) you want to maintain your consistent goal.

    However If you don't care about that, then don't worry about it. Eventually your body will get even with you.
  • RobinvdM
    RobinvdM Posts: 634 Member
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    To maintain, that is not lose any weight at all, you should eat a certain amount of calories. let's say 2000 is that number.

    When you sign up for MFP and say I want to lose weight, it says well eat 1500 cals a day and you should lose 1lb per week. (500 per 7 days = 3500 = 1lb)

    Since you are living at a deficit of 500 cals, if you workout and burn another 500 calories you will be at a 1000 cal deficit (not good, btw) so it's recommended you eat back as much of that as possible (who wouldn't want that?!) That way you NET 1500 calories for the day (1500 -500 workout +500food = 1500 net.)

    If you aren't comfortable eating back all 500, eat as much as you can to stay above a healthy net number. Good luck and hope that helped.
  • WinnerVictorious
    WinnerVictorious Posts: 4,735 Member
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    I wear the bodymedia armband and it automatically syncs and connects accounts so my exercise is automatically updated. I dont understand why the calories that I burn are added to my food allowance. ie so far today I have burned 594 calories and it added that number of calories to my food diary for today. How am I losing weight if I am eating the number of calories that I am burning??? I dont get it...can someone answer this?

    the key fact of the MFP recommendation is that your calorie goal for the day is a FIXED amount less than your TDEE for that day. as your TDEE changes, your calorie goal changes.

    so adding 200 to your TDEE with exercise means that your calorie goal increases by 200 as well.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    MFP gives you a caloric intake to lose your goal amount of weight assuming no exercise. Once you exercise in order to lose your goal amount of weight you must eat those cals back, or your caloric deficit is larger than the goal you told MFP to give you.
  • benso2jm
    benso2jm Posts: 1
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    when you set up your profile, you select your weight loss goal (ex: lose 1 lb a week). The equation used to calculate your calorie allowance for each day factors your weight loss goal in. So, when you're given your calorie allowance, it have already removed what is necessary for you to lose that one pound a week. However, if you select "weight maintenance" as your goal, it would not automatically do this. Basically, any calories you burn exercising are a bonus (you'll lose more weight, or you can eat more calories that day and still be on track to lose that one pound a week). However, you don't ever want to be under 1200 calories per day because this can actually put your body in "starvation mode" and slow your metabolism, actually making it harder to lose weight.
  • tamaralaine1970
    tamaralaine1970 Posts: 18
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    It is a bonus, you stay under your normal calorie allotment, the extra calories are a bonus, more along the idea that you have a bit of leeway, if you have something, that may be high, or some special treat, you have already burned them and have a bit of wiggle room. You do not need to eat them or even use them, but if you need them they are there. Do not count on them to use or be there as a standard, just in case of. keep to your allotted amount, and keep with your exercise. Congratulations and keep up the good work.
  • ldias3
    ldias3 Posts: 2
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    Wow! You guys are awesome. Thank you for all the pointers. I think listening to your body is key and although I will not plan on eating back all of the calories i will keep them in my hip pocket if needed and use them as I see fit. Big birthday bash on Friday so perhaps I can withdrawal them then for my wine and other goodies :wink: . Thanks again!
  • samanthawardle31
    samanthawardle31 Posts: 58 Member
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    I thought it would be better to never eat my exercise calories back, as I wanted results, but I like high impact body combat plus brisk walking and thats a lot of extra calories. I am eating more now (averaging 1500 after exercise or below if not) and while this isnt ALL my workout calories I feel better and I am still losing. Its good to know those calories are there if I am hungry, now I dont overeat I know what hunger feels like again!
  • nlsthompson
    nlsthompson Posts: 4 Member
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    This is a flaw in this system, as far as I"m concerned. If you want to create a calorie deficit, and most of us in here do, then it should not add the exercise calories burned back to your daily calories. It should show the deficit and the approximate pounds of bodyweight that you are on track to lose because of the daily deficit.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    "...generally less healthy" is a generalization not based on fact. They may be less physically fit, but that is not the same as being less healthy.

    Calorie cutting alone is more likely to have a suppressive effect on the immune system and less likely to affect abdominal fat, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

    Excessive calorie deficits, even combined with exercise are also likely to have negative effects on the immune system. Rapid weight loss from any cause affects the liver...

    Yes, I did mean health, not fitness.

    It is not a flaw in the system, it is MFP's way of encouraging exercise. Not eating back any of those calories is flawed thinking.
  • violinkeri
    violinkeri Posts: 212
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    This is a flaw in this system, as far as I"m concerned. If you want to create a calorie deficit, and most of us in here do, then it should not add the exercise calories burned back to your daily calories. It should show the deficit and the approximate pounds of bodyweight that you are on track to lose because of the daily deficit.

    The recommended calories they give you IS at a deficit of your calories burned just by existing day-to-day. If you burn 500 calories doing something really intense and your goal is 1200 (the lowest MFP will go), you only put 700 calories in your body that day, the same as eating only 700 calories on a day you dont exercise. See how long you can do that before your body starts using your muscles for fuel. not to mention that WHOA i could eat that in a sitting, let alone all day! you will most likely feel extremely fatigued if you do that for an extended period of time.
  • WinnerVictorious
    WinnerVictorious Posts: 4,735 Member
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    This is a flaw in this system, as far as I"m concerned. If you want to create a calorie deficit, and most of us in here do, then it should not add the exercise calories burned back to your daily calories. It should show the deficit and the approximate pounds of bodyweight that you are on track to lose because of the daily deficit.

    the deficit is built in whether your exercise or not. by adding exercise, you increase your overall burn for the day. to keep the deficit constant, you are supposed to eat back those calories. if you don't, then your deficit for that day is even larger than you have set for yourself.

    e.g.

    set your deficit at 500 and MFP gives you a number. if you do no exercise and eat at that number, your deficit will be 500 that day.

    the next day, you add 500 extra exercise calories. if you eat those back, you'll still be at a 500 calorie deficit that day. if you do not eat them back, you'll be at a 1000 calorie deficit that day.
  • lexlyn14
    lexlyn14 Posts: 290 Member
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    I agree with nisthompson...
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    This is a flaw in this system, as far as I"m concerned. If you want to create a calorie deficit, and most of us in here do, then it should not add the exercise calories burned back to your daily calories. It should show the deficit and the approximate pounds of bodyweight that you are on track to lose because of the daily deficit.

    Wow, you are way off on this. If you don't add cals back then your original goal should be much higher than MFP gives you. i.e. 1600 instead of 1200.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    I agree with nisthompson...

    That's fine, but she is wrong. MFP is set up the way it is for a reason.

    As an example say MFP gives you 1450 calories to lose 1 lb/week, and you plan on exercising 5x/week for an average of 400 cals per workout. well MFP will tell you to eat 1450 on the days you don't workout and 1850 on the days you do whereas a "professional" may tell you to eat 1700 everyday regardless if you workout.

    So for the week MFP will have you eat 12,150 (1450*2+1850*5) whereas doing it the other way will have you eat 11,900 (1700*7) almost the same number of cals for the week (250 dif). The issue in not following MFP is if you don't workout the full 5 days or burn more or less than planned. If that is the case you may lose more or less than your goal, whereas MFP will have you lose your goal amount regardless how much you actually workout.

    What many MFPers do is take the low 1450 and not eat back exercise calories which is wrong, if you are not eating them back then your daily activity level should reflect the higher burn with would be covered in the 1700/day above.
  • HotrodsGirl0107
    HotrodsGirl0107 Posts: 243 Member
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    This is a flaw in this system, as far as I"m concerned. If you want to create a calorie deficit, and most of us in here do, then it should not add the exercise calories burned back to your daily calories. It should show the deficit and the approximate pounds of bodyweight that you are on track to lose because of the daily deficit.


    The system isn't flawed the problem is a lot of people don't take the time to understand the way the site works.

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