? about MFP Cal vs. Exercise????

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reese1206
reese1206 Posts: 229
edited September 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I am allowed 1200 Calories a day. I notice when I work out it adds Calories to that. Am I supposed to consume all of those calories or would that just be to maintain my current weight? I have ONLY been eating 1200 a day. I'm a bit confused by that. I am wanting to lose weight.

Replies

  • Jena_72
    Jena_72 Posts: 1,057
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo:wink:
  • MissAnjy
    MissAnjy Posts: 2,480 Member
    everyone is different. I NEVER eat my exercise cals. I eat 1200 a day to fuel my body and i leave the deficit. It's what works for me.
  • SafariLara
    SafariLara Posts: 172
    I try not to eat back my exercise unless I'm super hungry. Thats just me though. I think mfp gives you your calorie goal regardless of exercise, so it wants you to eat back those calories
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    MFP already calculates a calorie deficit for you. The 1200 calories you eat put you below what your body needs just to survive. If you exercise with a calorie goal that low you probably should eat your exercise calories. The general rule is that you need at least 1200 net calories (calories consumed minus calories burned) in order to achieve weight loss without going into starvation mode.
  • snobuny032
    snobuny032 Posts: 82
    If you are feeling hungry you need to eat some or all of those calories so your body does not go into starvation mode.. Most people I know eat at least half if not more.. Good Luck !
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    Since you are already at a deficit with 1200, exercising increasing your deficit. If your deficit is 500 calories, and then you workout and burn off 500, then your deficit is actually 1000 calories! That is why if you eat those 500 calories back from exercise then you are not making exercise pointless. You will still have the same deficit as originally, but you will now have increased cardio performance, more lean muscle mass, and that means you have a higher metabolism and burn more calories at rest...and keep it up, and you can actually eat more and still lose the same amount.

    If you do NOT eat any of your exercise calories, your deficit might be HUGE. Sounds like a good thing at first until you factor in that you are not giving your body enough fuel to recover after exercise. And this can lead to catabolism meaning that any weight you lose will be not just fat, but will be fat, muscle, and water. And yeah, you'll be lighter, but wouldn't you rather want to keep all that muscle that you are adding to your body?
  • mfpchris
    mfpchris Posts: 279 Member
    When you decide how quickly you want to lose weight (like 1.5 lbs a week) in you goal section
    it comes up with a grand total of calories per day to make that goal.

    So: 1200/day you make your goal. Burn 200 calories doing something and then eat 1400 cals (1200+200)
    you still be on your pace of 1.5 lbs a week.

    It isn't supper accurate because it guesses you BMR (basal metabolic rate) then does the calculations.

    It guess BMR based on your sex, age, weight, and then it ask if you are 1) sedentary, 2) sort of active
    3) really active, etc.

    Should be pretty close though. If you are eating 1200 and not doing much else you should be fine,
    but if you take a six day a week 5-mile run routine you will be fine/and you should/ eat the higher
    number of calories it offers you.
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