Confuesd on Caloric Intake

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EliseWill1975
EliseWill1975 Posts: 5
in Getting Started
Hi again!
OK, so my caloric intake goal is 1200. On yesterday's goal, at the bottom, where it totals my calories for the day it says my goal was 1526 (or something like that). Then it also says I earned 326 calories from exercise. This may sound dumb but it appears it's telling me that if I burn 326 calories I get to eat those again. What doesn't make sense to me is that in order to lose weight I should be at 1200 calories-not 1526. If I'm at 1200 calories and burn 326 then I will lose weight. If I am at 1200 calories and eat 1526 then I will gain weight....right?? Sorry. New to how all this works. :blushing:
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  • GFH8
    GFH8 Posts: 5 Member
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    1200 cals is what it will take to lose on average 1 - 2lb aweek this is because you are not eatting around 5,600 - 7000 less than your body needs a week.

    it takes 3,500cals to burn 1lb

    any exercise you do will add to the total of cals that you burn or are not consuming so any exercise you do you can eat the cals burnt and if you dont eat the extra cals you should lose alittle bit more weight.

    but its safer to eat the cals and lose the weight at a slow pace.
  • GemskiB
    GemskiB Posts: 95 Member
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    It's net vs gross. 1200 will already take into account a calorie deficit. You don;t absolutely need to eat back you exercise calories, but here's an *example*.

    1800 is your TDEE (for maintaining).

    1200 is the deficit you have been set/set for yourself.

    1200 is what you've eaten today.

    -400 calories from exercise.

    =800 calories left for "energy" to get you through the day

    Personally I eat back 1/3 to 2/3 or my exercise calories, as when I am doing a lot of cardio I get really hungry so I feel my body needs it.
  • wesleycneill
    wesleycneill Posts: 64 Member
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    The MFP system is a bit confusing. Great for tracking what you eat, not so great in being a transparent system.

    Your body burns calories all day long. The amount of calories you would burn if you did nothing but sleep is called your Basal Metabolic Rate.

    Add on top of that amount of calories, your daily routine, not including exercise. Are you a nurse or a teacher who is on her feet a lot? You will burn more calories than a secretary who sits at a desk all day.

    Add your daily exercise on top of that, and you will get your total calories burned per day.

    So.

    BMR + Daily Routine + Exercise = total calories burned.

    Here is a calculator that will help you figure out your caloric needs for weight loss or gain, based on your age, height, weight and daily routine: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
  • CMB1979
    CMB1979 Posts: 588 Member
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    The 1200 goal already takes a certain amount of activity into its calculations. If you get extra exercise (your 300'ish cals), then you can eat those back (or partly if you don't want to eat them all) so your NET calories are 1200.

    Yes, you can eat those calories back. It's not the 1200 MAX calories you should focus on, but the NET calories AFTER exercise cals are added back in.
  • Corinne_Howland
    Corinne_Howland Posts: 158 Member
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    It is very confusing at first. If you figure out your BMR, that's the very least amount of calories you need to just stay alive. If you were in a coma, that's what doctors would use as a number so you didn't gain or lose. That being said......anything you do during the day, including the amount you exercise or just do on a daily basis is what your TDEE is.

    What I do is eat to my BMR. Mine is 1361. My TDEE is 1760. So, what ever MFP says I have leftover for calories is my deficit. On a daily basis, I'll have a deficit of at least 800 calories. If I do that every day, I'll have a weekly deficit on 5600 calories. I should lose 1 1/2 pounds a week, It's closer to 1. I'm 49 years old, so I accept what I can't change!

    Good luck.
  • shonaj80
    shonaj80 Posts: 16
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    hmmm now im confused...that calculator is saying i need to eat 1700 to loose weight but mfp says 1200?? which one is right?
  • wesleycneill
    wesleycneill Posts: 64 Member
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    hmmm now im confused...that calculator is saying i need to eat 1700 to loose weight but mfp says 1200?? which one is right?

    What is your maintenance number?
  • EliseWill1975
    EliseWill1975 Posts: 5
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    One of you asked for some numbers:
    Height= 5'4"
    Weight=141
    Goal Weight=130

    Thanks for all the feedback, it's helpful. I've lost 45 pounds over the last 18 months and need to get the last 10 off. It's a struggle!! Thanks for your help!! :happy:
  • CMB1979
    CMB1979 Posts: 588 Member
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    hmmm now im confused...that calculator is saying i need to eat 1700 to loose weight but mfp says 1200?? which one is right?

    How much per week do you have it set at? 0.5 lbs / 1 lb / 2 lb..etc.? If your TDEE is 1701 calories and you eat a perfect 1700 every day, then you'll lose 1 pound in 3500 days or so. If your TDEE is 2200 cals and you eat 1700 cals, you will lose 1 lb/week (in theory) because you're at a 500 cal/day deficit. If your TDEE is 2200 cals and you eat 1200 cals, you should lose 2 lbs/week (in theory) because you're at a 1000/cal day deficit (too much for most people).
  • EliseWill1975
    EliseWill1975 Posts: 5
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    What does TDEE stand for? MFP?? It's a whole new language-LOL
  • jdad1
    jdad1 Posts: 1,899 Member
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    What does TDEE stand for? MFP?? It's a whole new language-LOL

    Total Daily Energy expenditures.

    This is your BMR(calorie needs at rest) plus your daily energy use. (Not being at rest)
  • shonaj80
    shonaj80 Posts: 16
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    hmmm now im confused...that calculator is saying i need to eat 1700 to loose weight but mfp says 1200?? which one is right?

    What is your maintenance number?

    2305!! and rapid fat loss is 1792.....i am really overweight and this surprises me!..I have a good 80lbs to loose :(
  • beattie1
    beattie1 Posts: 1,012 Member
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    What does TDEE stand for? MFP?? It's a whole new language-LOL

    Total Daily Energy expenditures.

    This is your BMR(calorie needs at rest) plus your daily energy use. (Not being at rest)

    And MFP is My Fitness Pal = this website

    Well done on the 45lbs gone. I'd set your weight loss goal at 0.5 lbs per week as you have so little to lose and do it slowly. I'd recommend eating exercise calories (or at least half of them) on top of your daily allowance. Your target calorie allowance has been set up with a suitable deficit built in, so if you do more you need more calories.
  • Corinne_Howland
    Corinne_Howland Posts: 158 Member
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    hmmm now im confused...that calculator is saying i need to eat 1700 to loose weight but mfp says 1200?? which one is right?

    What is your maintenance number?

    2305!! and rapid fat loss is 1792.....i am really overweight and this surprises me!..I have a good 80lbs to loose :(

    If you are 80 lbs overweight, it takes more calories to function during the day. Your BMR will go down as the weight does. If you take in too few calories, your body will fight back and hang on to what it has in store.
  • Carmella9
    Carmella9 Posts: 171 Member
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    To put it simple for you with no jargon.

    My fitness pal (mfp) says for you to eat 1200 calories, if you input exercise i.e. 300 cals burned then it will increase your allowed calorie in take to (1500 calories) as it recommends that you eat the calories you have burned back in order to loose weight safely (you will technically still be sticking to 1200 calories consumed at that rate). You are not forced to eat your exercise calories back as some days you may eat over your amount of calories and not exercise therefore it will equal out per week.

    Hope this helps.
  • conniemaxwell5
    conniemaxwell5 Posts: 943 Member
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    hmmm now im confused...that calculator is saying i need to eat 1700 to loose weight but mfp says 1200?? which one is right?

    What is your maintenance number?

    2305!! and rapid fat loss is 1792.....i am really overweight and this surprises me!..I have a good 80lbs to loose :(

    The heavier you are, the higher your number will be because it takes more energy to move more mass. As you lose weight you need to recalculate every 10 pounds lost to keep your numbers accurate for your weight. It also depends on your activity level so if you increase or decrease your daily activity you need to recalculate also.
  • shonaj80
    shonaj80 Posts: 16
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    so does this mean i should up my calorie intake? as it has taken me a good 3 months to loose the 12lb i have lost on 1200 a day...I feel it is coming off very slowly :(
  • sumgrl
    sumgrl Posts: 8 Member
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    the thing about being overweight is y ou can eat more calories at first and still lose weight, as you lose your goals will need to be readjusted

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