Working out lets me eat more calories? confused

Kytee19
Kytee19 Posts: 7
in Health and Weight Loss
I am new to this whole weight loss thing. I have been keeping a diary and recording how many calories I am eating so that I can keep it below my suggested intake of 1550. I am working out and burning about 100 calories a day. I don't understand how it says that if I burn more calories I can eat more food. I mean I understand to an extent. But I am burning calories to lose weight... so why does it say if I can eat more calories if I work out more?

Replies

  • highervibes
    highervibes Posts: 2,219 Member
    Because you can. If you don't want to in order to create a larger deficit, that's fine as long as you're eating at your BMR but some people actually work for food hehehe
  • Dunsirn
    Dunsirn Posts: 82 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    seems legit - i'm going to try it for a couple of weeks. it's upped my intake by about 400 calories
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    Also, keep in mind that the level that MFP sets for you is already at a deficit. If it recommends the 1550, eat that. If you work out, at least eat a portion of your exercise calories back.

    The goal here isn't to eat the fewest amount of calories.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    seems legit - i'm going to try it for a couple of weeks. it's upped my intake by about 400 calories
    It worked for me. Give it 4-6 weeks after starting to adjust again.
  • bethannien
    bethannien Posts: 556 Member
    You want to be at a calorie deficit to lose weight. However, the deficit shouldn't be too much. Exercise is for fitness but you need to fuel your body to exercise. I exercise every day and eat back most or all of the cals and I lose weight every week.
  • Moonbeamlissie
    Moonbeamlissie Posts: 504 Member
    This topic is prob going to gain a lot of responces. You will have those who say OMG you have to eat back every tiny calorie or you will go in to starvation mode. You will have those that say nah you dont have to eat any back. My thoughts...if you have exercise calories and your hungry then eat. If you are not hungry then don't worry about it. Nothing is 100 percent correct so I use mine as a safety net. If I go over a bit thats ok if I don't then thats ok too.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    All the numbers involved are estimates. Establish a baseline - do what MFP tells you to do for 4-6 weeks. Then evaluate the results, and adjust as necesary (IE, drop calories consumed a bit if weight not going down).
  • Kytee19
    Kytee19 Posts: 7
    This has me totally confused. It I am supposed to eat the calories I burn then why am I even working out in the first place? Why not just sit on my butt doing nothing while eating less calories? This is why I think you people who are telling me I need to eat whatever calories I burn are crazy. I want to burn extra calories and take in less calories than normal in order for my body to use the fat calories I have stored in my body.
  • ladynocturne
    ladynocturne Posts: 865 Member
    This has me totally confused. It I am supposed to eat the calories I burn then why am I even working out in the first place? Why not just sit on my butt doing nothing while eating less calories? This is why I think you people who are telling me I need to eat whatever calories I burn are crazy. I want to burn extra calories and take in less calories than normal in order for my body to use the fat calories I have stored in my body.

    You are working out so you can be more healthy.

    In any case, the number MFP gives you as a goal to eat already contains your deficit, you could seriously just eat that and not exercise and lose weight.

    Since you seem confused about how this tool works, I'd suggest reading some of the stickies around the forum that contain some of the questions you have.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    It's understandably confusing, as many sites don't work the way MFP does. On MFP, NO exercise whatsoever is figured in to your base-level calories, aside from your daily activities and job. Even though they ask you how often you plan to workout, it's not figured in to your goal (I really wish they would just get rid of that part of the intake questionnaire). You could put that you're going to exercise 180 minutes 7x a week, or 0 minutes ever, and the goal will be exactly the same.

    You are expected to add exercise and eat the calories back, per how MFP is designed to work. You will still be at a deficit to lose weight.

    Also, try to aim to hit your goal every day, not come in under it. Too many leftover calories are a bad thing.
  • godsgrl33
    godsgrl33 Posts: 307 Member
    Working out not only lets you eat more calories if you choose, but is helpful for cardiovascular health and strength. Sure, you can sit on your butt, as you say, but I'm sure you don't want to be "skinny fat", either. You might look good in a pair of jeans, but you would have little strength if you don't work out. As you lose more weight, you may have to eat less calories to keep losing weight. You may start to get hungry then, and need to work out just so you can eat more.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    You're eating at a deficit. exercise puts you at an even larger deficit. Sometimes huge deficits work against us. I recommend eating them back for healths sake.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    It's understandably confusing, as many sites don't work the way MFP does. On MFP, NO exercise whatsoever is figured in to your base-level calories, aside from your daily activities and job. Even though they ask you how often you plan to workout, it's not figured in to your goal (I really wish they would just get rid of that part of the intake questionnaire). You could put that you're going to exercise 180 minutes 7x a week, or 0 minutes ever, and the goal will be exactly the same.

    You are expected to add exercise and eat the calories back, per how MFP is designed to work. You will still be at a deficit to lose weight.

    Also, try to aim to hit your goal every day, not come in under it. Too many leftover calories are a bad thing.

    This.

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