Confused about calorie intake and loss?

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Hello! I started using the app for here today, and I became quite confused on the way the calorie calculator works. Now, I know this question has been asked many times, but what I've read did not answer my question completely.
My calorie goal is 1900. I ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner - then exercised inbetween them all. But now, the calories remaining are 2418. I know, this is under my limit by, I think, 518 calories. I'm just really confused because, I hear that this is bad... But in other sites I've read that it's a good thing to be under your calorie goal. Can someone please help me understand a little better? I know, this question is silly, and that's putting it lightly.

Replies

  • jzaz903
    jzaz903 Posts: 306 Member
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    MFP doesn't act like all other calorie counters- it gives you a goal, INCLUDING the deficit. you can eat all those 1900 calories WITHOUT EXERCISE and still lose weight.
    if you do exercise, it adds those calories to your goal for the day, so you can eat them back. not eating them back puts you at more and more of a deficit, which is harmful in the long run.

    Hope that makes sense. Think of your calorie goal like it's "The Price is Right"- you want to be as close as you can, without going over.
  • xXBadInfluenceXx
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    Thank you! This really clears things up.