whats the point?

Whats the point in eating back exercise calories? As long as you meet atleast 1200 calories net. Im not sure why we would spend all that time working out just to eat bk everything we just did.

When you enter your goals in MFP, it set up your calories with your deficit which does not include any exercise. If you do cardio, you need to eat a portion of the exercise calories back in order to properly fuel your body to keep up your exercise and other activities of daily living.

Didn't read anything when you got here, did you......

WOW... don't be so mean. Everyone has questions and the forums can equal 'information overload'.

When I first got here and tried to read various posts, it was SO overwhelming. Thankfully I read just enough not to get thrown into the 1200 calories flame-a-rama. Full disclosure, I did start at 1200 calories. But I learned from the smart people on here.

Fat loss is through your calorie deficit, which is calculated for you when you sign up. Adding any exercise will increase your deficit, but you don't need a higher deficit, so in order to give your body enough fuel to properly function you must eat. The purpose of exercise to shape your muscles, thus shaping your body when the fat comes off through your diet. In addition to that, exercise's purposes also includes making your muscles stronger, improving posture, improving balance, increasing your cardiovascular endurance, regulate hormones etc etc etc. But without the fuel for the exercise none of that will occur.

Whats the point in eating back exercise calories? As long as you meet atleast 1200 calories net. Im not sure why we would spend all that time working out just to eat bk everything we just did.

The only way to net 1200 is either to eat 1200 and do zero exercise, or if you do exercise, to eat back those cals in order to bring your net back up to 1200.

Hence the need to eat them back. That and the fact that whatever goal you're given by MFP already has you at a deficit before exercise - meaning eat all your calories every day, do zero exercise, and you'll lose weight. Burning off more cals through exercise leaves you with a much larger deficit - too large, and can do you far more harm than good over time. Eating back the exercise cals keeps you at a reasonable, and much more sustainable deficit, fueling your body for workouts and daily activities.

That's how MFP is designed to work. That's why someone asked if you didn't read anything before starting here. It's good to know how the tools you're using are supposed to work in order to get the best benefits from it.

Because I'm like a trained rat and am motivated to move for food. :bigsmile:

I did read same of the stuff but it was a information over load that was normally conflicting info. I have a fit bit and it often shows a different calorie goal each day, I'm wondering if I should go by it since it knows what I've done....

Thanks for the awnsers guys. I think what really has me messed up is my doctor told me for my age/weight/activity level I should only eat 1400 a day. But that was to hard and MFP said something different so I went with what MFP said...

That different calorie number that you are seeing on your Fitbit isn't the number of calories it is telling you to eat, it is telling you how many calories you are burning for the day. If you eat that much you will maintain your current weight.