Advice Needed: extra calories are earned from exercise?

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christiandiaries
christiandiaries Posts: 13 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello,

I'm in need of a little guidance. My calorie goal is 1200, which I have been sticking to. However, I like to exercise at least three times per week. When I exercise I gain more calories. When I turn in my food and exercise plan, I get a warning stating that I'm eating too few calories.

Does this mean that I should eat more until I am at 0 calories left?
Am I starving myself if I do not eat more?

What is the best approach?

Replies

  • TheSlorax
    TheSlorax Posts: 2,401 Member
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    MFP gave you the 1200 calorie goal with the assumption that you will eat back your exercise calories. the intention is to NET 1200 calories. you are not "starving" yourself if you do not do so, but for optimal health and adherence it is important to make sure you are eating enough. I would highly recommend eating back the calories you earn from exercise.
  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 Member
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    When MFP assigns you a calorie goal, it already includes the necessary deficit to lose the amount of weight you specify. The program is designed for you to eat your exercise calories back. When you exercise, you burn more calories and create an even larger deficit, which is not necessarily a good thing.
    So yes, eat them back. It works. :smile:
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
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    ^^ What they said. Also, unless you are using a HRM and know how much you are burning, the calorie estimates in MFP may not be accurate. Some people eat back fewer calories to compensate for that. It might take some playing around with your calorie intake and tweaking to find the optimal number for you.
  • christiandiaries
    christiandiaries Posts: 13 Member
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    Thanks guys. I was afraid that I would over eat.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    Thanks guys. I was afraid that I would over eat.

    Most people significantly over-estimate their exercise calorie burn, so the harsh reality is that you probably will in fact over eat if you eat them all back.
  • christiandiaries
    christiandiaries Posts: 13 Member
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    No I leave 25-50 just in case the calories are not calculated correctly.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    You should eat to the goal that MFP shows, yes. So if MFP is giving you 1200 calories, and you exercise and burn 300 calories, you should eat 1500 for that day. MFP already gives you a deficit for you. All you have to do is eat. Think of those 300 calories as the fuel to use for your exercises. You can't drive 300 miles on no gas, you have to fill up first. Think as those 300 calories as gasoline to use for your exercises. If you are worried about what the machines give or what MFP gives you, then do as you have been and leave 25-50 calories.
  • lauraboyce3
    lauraboyce3 Posts: 1
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    For the way the site is designed, maybe. But the site is flawed in the way that you use yesterday's food/calorie consumption for today's energy. Therefore, if you eat garbage for your calories yesterday, you will perform like garbage today. That being said, it is the view of most fitness professionals is that when you are working out you should eat the same amount every day to a situation where you are wearing out more calories than your body has stored. My recommendation is to average how many calories you burn per week and average that over 7 days and add those calories to your diet. You will have more energy to burn if you ate enough calories the previous day for today's workouts. Additionally, it's not all about the calorie. It's what is in it. :)

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