what settings to use, questions about net, please help.

ambernricketts
ambernricketts Posts: 2 Member
edited January 29 in Health and Weight Loss
I am trying to use MFP again and I am unsure what settings to use. I am 5'8, 248lbs. I am trying to go to the gym 5 days a week for at least an hour. I am a stay at home mom. What activity level should I use lightly active or something else? My goal weight is 160 so I've put in losing 2lbs a week as a goal. It is showing I should consume 1540 cal a day.

I also have a question about when I do exercise. When I put in my calories burn it adds more calories to consume. If I consume those that it is saying will I still lose the 2lbs a week?

For example today cal goal is 1540, I have consumed 745, exercise was 656 and net is 89 and it says I still have 1451 remaining. If I don't take those in will my body throw itself into starvation and not lose weight?

Replies

  • ladynocturne
    ladynocturne Posts: 865 Member
    Yes, if you eat your exercise calories that you logged, you will still lose your 2lbs a week. MFP is designed so that you can lose weight without exercise, so when you do exercise, you definitely need to eat more.

    You want your net to say 1540 and your calories remaining to say 0.

    It isn't so much that you won't lose weight, it's more like the weight you lose will be lean muscle. Lowering your metabolism over time. Higher deficit doesn't always mean more fat loss.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,864 Member
    With MFP you're supposed to set your activity level WITHOUT exercise...just your daily hum drum. Then you log estimated exercise burn and eat those calories back, thus netting to MFP's calorie goal
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    the dreaded "starvation mode" doesn't happen in one day. Or one week. What it is is damage to your metabolism from undereating for a prolonged time. Not eating enough makes your metabolism slow down...to try to save your life--your body thinks theres a famine. That's partly why you are supposed to eat back your exercise calories if you are following the MFP program. MFP sets you at a deficit. You can lose weight on that number without exercising. If you exercise...which you should...now you have a double deficit....probably not enough nutrition to properly fuel your body and brain. Eat those calories---but make sure your exercise calories are correct, the MFP numbers are notoriously high.
    It really is a lot less complicated than it sounds. Just log everything, watch your net calories...and you'll do great! You can do this!
  • ambernricketts
    ambernricketts Posts: 2 Member
    Thanks! I wear a Polar HRM so that is how I calculate my calories burned. I understand that it won't happen in one day. Problem is I probably do not eat near enough every day so my body probably is messed up because of that. Not that I am trying to starve myself I just don't care to eat or get hungry enough to eat that much, especially on a day after going to the gym.
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