Concerned about calories on the MFP calculator.

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Birlioz
Birlioz Posts: 20
in Food and Nutrition
Hello all,

Whenever I enter an exercise for the day, it will say on the Food page that I've "earned" calories from my workout.

What does this mean?

I thought the point was to burn whatever calories I eat?

Unless I am terribly mistaken. I asked a friend, and he mentioned that the body requires calories to survive, so burning them all off is terrible news.

Also, it seems that I'm having a really hard time getting my calories - there's always a warning on the bottom of the page after I submit my daily stuff that I'm "eating too few calories," even if I'm eating things all day long. I never ever count my calories, someone suggested that if I eat more boxed stuff, I'll bring in a few more calories rather than eating fresh stuff.

Can someone explain this whole calorie thing to me?

Because I'm having a hard time getting my calorie count to be over 700. I have to literally gorge myself on food to get it higher than that, but apparently, according to the little Warning/Suggestion, eating such few calories will make me malnutritioned and hold more weight because it's in "Starvation mode,"

all I know is that it might explain why I am ALWAYS sick, and anemic, and always so tired, do you think that has anything to do with it?

Looking for info / suggestions on how to eat more calories but not more fat/sugar/etc.
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Replies

  • unicornpoop
    unicornpoop Posts: 178 Member
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    This sounds like a serious trolling.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    the MFP setting is designed so that you "net" X amount of calories per day....

    so if your goal is 1500 and you burn 300 with exercise you have 'earned' 300 calories because you can now eat 1800 calories for the day, so that you net 1500 (1800 consumed - 300 earned = 1500 net)

    I will say that if you are having a hard time eating 700 a day, you probably need to seek help as that is a sign of some kind of eating disorder...

    I crush 700 in one meal ...easily
  • Birlioz
    Birlioz Posts: 20
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    Trolling?

    How so?

    I'm not trying to troll, I am seriously trying to get some info on calories, and ask what foods are rich in calories but not in fat/sugar. I've done some reading online, but it doesn't match up with why everyone says to "work off more than you take in," and there's not a lot of food info.
  • conniemaxwell5
    conniemaxwell5 Posts: 943 Member
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    Nuts, avocados, chicken breast, whole grain breads and cereals and yogurt are good choices. Some of them contain fat but it's healthy fat, which is essential to your overall health.

    Your friend is right, you need more calories. You should never "net" less than 1200, which means the calories left AFTER you subtract (or eat back) your exercise calories. Example: if your calorie goal is 1400 and you worked out and burned 300 calories you would need to actually consume 1700 total calories.
  • SRB8710
    SRB8710 Posts: 90
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    I added you on here so if your diary is open I can view it daily and help ya! :)
  • Tiffa0909
    Tiffa0909 Posts: 191 Member
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    MFP has already calculated the amount of calories you need to eat for the weigh loss , so if you are truly burning those calories in most cased you will still lose the weight you want even after eating the calories burned.

    If you are feeling sick and don't have any health condition , you probably are not eating enough
  • SRB8710
    SRB8710 Posts: 90
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    the MFP setting is designed so that you "net" X amount of calories per day....

    so if your goal is 1500 and you burn 300 with exercise you have 'earned' 300 calories because you can now eat 1800 calories for the day, so that you net 1500 (1800 consumed - 300 earned = 1500 net)

    I will say that if you are having a hard time eating 700 a day, you probably need to seek help as that is a sign of some kind of eating disorder...

    I crush 700 in one meal ...easily

    He explains it pretty easy to understand. But Yes you want to "net" at LEAST 1200 a day. :)
  • chandanista
    chandanista Posts: 986 Member
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    There are TONS of threads on this topic.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    This sounds like a serious trolling.

    disagree, trolling is usually way more obvious..unless one is an expert.
  • Birlioz
    Birlioz Posts: 20
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    I'm just wondering if it's the type of food I eat that causes this. I get sick if I eat greasy things, so I'm always cooking fresh, and I can't eat pasta because it gives me a stomach ache, so my normal food is like

    boiled chicken
    lemon fish
    anything I can do with a tomato
    too much garlic on everything i eat
    and potatos

    For example.

    On some Saturday a few weeks ago, I had some chicken and eggs for breakfast. Went out to eat, got a smoothie, a burger, some fries, and onion rings. Came home, had some soda because I was upset, and had a piece of pie.

    All amounted to a pitiful 740 calories, and I just don't understand how. That night before I went to bed, I ate some oatmeal, a couple bananas, and some coconut cake just to get my calories up, but I don't want to have to keep doing that, so I'd like to just incorporate more calorie-rich food into my normal diet.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    First: Yes, your body burns a lot of calories just existing, depending on your height and weight. You absolutely don't want to be trying to burn off everything you eat with exercise alone -- that would give you an enormous calorie deficit that may well lead to health problems.

    Second: If you don't count your calories, how do you know the MFP counts are accurate? It's very common for people to underestimate, so I would make sure that your calculations are accurate, by weighing if possible and measuring if not.

    Assuming that they are -- really, you need to eat more than 700 for health, to give your body energy to repair itself after exercising and fight off infections, to avoid loss of muscles (btw, muscle loss doesn't just mean your biceps, it means your heart). If you are having trouble reaching this, you are probably eating a lot of fibrous vegetables/low-cal diet foods. Switching to more calorie-dense foods will enable you to reach your calorie goal.
  • LAW_714
    LAW_714 Posts: 258
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    You are not 'literally gorging' yourself on 700 calories a day.

    Seriously.

    I ran a calculation for a 4'-6" tall 84lb sedentary woman and still came out with a minimum of 1300 calories to maintain weight.

    (And now I've read your list of food with hamburger, French fries, etc. Either you ate significantly more than 700 calories that day or you didn't eat (or perhaps properly log) the food.)
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
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    I'm just wondering if it's the type of food I eat that causes this. I get sick if I eat greasy things, so I'm always cooking fresh, and I can't eat pasta because it gives me a stomach ache, so my normal food is like

    boiled chicken
    lemon fish
    anything I can do with a tomato
    too much garlic on everything i eat
    and potatos

    For example.

    On some Saturday a few weeks ago, I had some chicken and eggs for breakfast. Went out to eat, got a smoothie, a burger, some fries, and onion rings. Came home, had some soda because I was upset, and had a piece of pie.

    All amounted to a pitiful 740 calories, and I just don't understand how. That night before I went to bed, I ate some oatmeal, a couple bananas, and some coconut cake just to get my calories up, but I don't want to have to keep doing that, so I'd like to just incorporate more calorie-rich food into my normal diet.

    Are you sure of your calorie counts? When I have a burger, fries, and onion rings it's usually at least 800 calories. Add a smoothie and pie and it's over 1000. Sometimes the MFP entries by people aren't always accurate.
  • moondawg14
    moondawg14 Posts: 249 Member
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    I'm just wondering if it's the type of food I eat that causes this. I get sick if I eat greasy things, so I'm always cooking fresh, and I can't eat pasta because it gives me a stomach ache, so my normal food is like

    boiled chicken
    lemon fish
    anything I can do with a tomato
    too much garlic on everything i eat
    and potatos

    For example.

    On some Saturday a few weeks ago, I had some chicken and eggs for breakfast. Went out to eat, got a smoothie, a burger, some fries, and onion rings. Came home, had some soda because I was upset, and had a piece of pie.

    All amounted to a pitiful 740 calories, and I just don't understand how. That night before I went to bed, I ate some oatmeal, a couple bananas, and some coconut cake just to get my calories up, but I don't want to have to keep doing that, so I'd like to just incorporate more calorie-rich food into my normal diet.

    You're not setting your quantities correctly.

    If you had a burger, fries, onion rings, soda and a piece of pie, it should be WAY over 740 calories.

    You can't just select "fries" from the list. You also need to tell MFP how MANY fries you had. The best way to do this is by weight.

    Same for the pie.

    Same for the burger.

    Also: make your diary public.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    I'm just wondering if it's the type of food I eat that causes this. I get sick if I eat greasy things, so I'm always cooking fresh, and I can't eat pasta because it gives me a stomach ache, so my normal food is like

    boiled chicken
    lemon fish
    anything I can do with a tomato
    too much garlic on everything i eat
    and potatos

    For example.

    On some Saturday a few weeks ago, I had some chicken and eggs for breakfast. Went out to eat, got a smoothie, a burger, some fries, and onion rings. Came home, had some soda because I was upset, and had a piece of pie.

    All amounted to a pitiful 740 calories, and I just don't understand how. That night before I went to bed, I ate some oatmeal, a couple bananas, and some coconut cake just to get my calories up, but I don't want to have to keep doing that, so I'd like to just incorporate more calorie-rich food into my normal diet.

    LOL now this is trolling...you had a burger, onion rings, smoothies, and onion rings AND you came home and had cake, oatmeal and bananas and were only 740 calories???? pleeeassse ....that would at least get you to 1500 probably more...LOL
  • Cadori
    Cadori Posts: 4,810 Member
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    You mentioned avoiding fats. Your body needs fat and fat grams are more calorie rich (9 calories) than protein or carbs grams (4 calories). Avocado, peanut butter, nuts, seeds, oils, eggs...are all great ways to get calories in.

    But are you calculating your calories correctly? Do you have a food scale? I don't see how some chicken and eggs, a smoothie, a burger, some fries, onion rings, soda and pie can add up to 740 calories.
  • Birlioz
    Birlioz Posts: 20
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    Okay, I think I'm beginning to understand. Basically, I have to have 1200 calories in me regardless. Gosh! That's really just, like, strange. xD It's just the opposite of everything I've ever heard about calories, so it's just kinda surprising to me.

    Thanks for the food suggestions, I've been looking to eat nuts and such since they're so good for the body, I basically never eat them but it's good to know it'll help me with the calorie thing. I try to eat yogurt every day, and chicken I have a few times a week, so at least
    I'm good on that note.

    Also,

    I can see why you think I'm trolling, parading on here talking about how few calories I'm taking in on a weight loss board - I'm sorry, but I'm not trying to troll or make anyone uncomfortable or anything of that nature. I still have a weight issue too, that's why I'm here, and I'm just trying to learn a little. I'm sorry if it doesn't seem that way. I am just very surprised at what I heard recently about calories, and I'm simply curious if it has something to do with my health issues.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    For example.

    On some Saturday a few weeks ago, I had some chicken and eggs for breakfast. Went out to eat, got a smoothie, a burger, some fries, and onion rings. Came home, had some soda because I was upset, and had a piece of pie.

    All amounted to a pitiful 740 calories, and I just don't understand how. That night before I went to bed, I ate some oatmeal, a couple bananas, and some coconut cake just to get my calories up, but I don't want to have to keep doing that, so I'd like to just incorporate more calorie-rich food into my normal diet.

    I really don't see how this could amount to only 740 calories, unless all the portion sizes are really tiny. Did you get the calorie count from the place that you ate?
  • djc315
    djc315 Posts: 585 Member
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    MFP is set up with a calorie deficit already. So, say you have it set to lose half a pound a week and they set you to eat 1500 calories a day, they already put in a deficit from your maintenance (the amount you'd need to eat to maintain your current weight) calories. If you burn 300 calories, your deficit is now larger and you need to close the gap to lose 1/2 pound a week. You don't HAVE to close the gap, but most find it helpful because their body needs a certain amount of NET calories to function. For me, I am pretty good at 1500 calories. Others are better at 2000. Others are better at 1300. But MFP doesn't like you going below 1200 (net), and you really should consider eating more than that UNLESS you are being monitored by a doctor.

    You might not know right away if you are eating too low calories, which is also why 1200 seems to be a good number to not go below. But, I was eating 1300-1400 calories and I was getting light headed, mood swings, dizzy, hungry all the time and once I raised it to 1500, those went away. Yes, only 100-200 calories did it for me.


    Fat isn't the devil. If you are looking for higher dense calorie foods, lean towards things with healthy fats. Nuts and avocado, trail mixes (personally I'd stay away from the trail mixes with dried fruit or candy) are a great snack. Eggs, lean meats, beans are excellent too.


    Also, measure your food. You might be eating more calories than you think. I agree on what the others said that a burger, fries, shake and onion rings would be way more than 700 calories. The shake alone could be 700 calories.
  • sammichlady
    sammichlady Posts: 7
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    Burger,fries,cake,chicken, etc....sounds like more than 740. You can't always trust what other people put in the food database. If it doesn't look right or I'm entering a food for the first time, I always double check on google for nutritional information for food that doesn't come with a nutritional label.

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