Confused??

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jendonehoo
jendonehoo Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello. I have been stuck at the same weight for 3 weeks now (after losing 4.5 kg/10 lbs), and I was wondering if I am doing this right. Basically, after I put in my food and exercise, if my MFP app has a green number on the calories, and I want a snack, I eat one as long as I don't go into the red. Is this correct? Or am I supposed to just try to eat the 1200 calories and then exercise and not eat any more?

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  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Your goal is 1200 calories? You need to NET 1200. If you do not exercise, then you eat 1200. If you do exercise, you eat 1200 PLUS exercise calories too.

    1200 (food) -300 (exercise) = 900 + 300 (more food needed for fuel = 1200 NET.

    Your calorie deficit will still be the same, so you will still lose weight.

    The reason for this is that MFP calculates your calorie goal just for your ordinary daily life not including exercise. When you do exercise, you need more fuel for that.
  • JunkFoodJane
    JunkFoodJane Posts: 150 Member
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    If your goal is set to give you a calorie deficit, you're doing it right. If you're set to maintain and want to lose, then no.

    If you are using MFP to calculate your calorie burn it might be estimating too high.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
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    Your goal is 1200 calories? You need to NET 1200. If you do not exercise, then you eat 1200. If you do exercise, you eat 1200 PLUS exercise calories too.

    1200 (food) -300 (exercise) = 900 + 300 (more food needed for fuel = 1200 NET.

    Your calorie deficit will still be the same, so you will still lose weight.

    The reason for this is that MFP calculates your calorie goal just for your ordinary daily life not including exercise. When you do exercise, you need more fuel for that.

    ^^^This!!!
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
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    Your goal is 1200 calories? You need to NET 1200. If you do not exercise, then you eat 1200. If you do exercise, you eat 1200 PLUS exercise calories too.

    1200 (food) -300 (exercise) = 900 + 300 (more food needed for fuel = 1200 NET.

    Your calorie deficit will still be the same, so you will still lose weight.

    The reason for this is that MFP calculates your calorie goal just for your ordinary daily life not including exercise. When you do exercise, you need more fuel for that.

    ^^^This!!!

    ^^^^ That!!
  • jendonehoo
    jendonehoo Posts: 6 Member
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    So, I *am* doing it right? It says that I burn 1900 calories per day, and that I should consume 1200. So, I have been eating more if I exercise. I should keep doing that?
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    So, I *am* doing it right? It says that I burn 1900 calories per day, and that I should consume 1200. So, I have been eating more if I exercise. I should keep doing that?

    You see on your diary where it says "your daily goal"? That number is 1200 before you log anything, right? But when you log exercise, that number goes up. So, after you exercise, maybe that number is 1500. And at the bottom, it tells you how many more calories you have to eat today. Yes, you can eat that much. When you go over, then it turns red with a minus sign. Yesterday I had a red -4 which means I was 4 calories over my goal. 4 calories isn't going to matter so I'm not worried, just as long as I am close most days.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    So, I *am* doing it right? It says that I burn 1900 calories per day, and that I should consume 1200. So, I have been eating more if I exercise. I should keep doing that?

    MFP is likely overestimating your burns (unless you workout 3 hours a day). Back when I calculated burns, I only ate back about 60-75% of the calories it told me I burned. If you actually are working out that intensely, realize that you don't need to since you're eating back the calories. And you could be inducing a lot of stress on your body. There really is no reason for extreme workouts unless it's something you absolutely love (like all day hikes or a sport that you need to train for).

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