Technical question about exercise/calories

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WinnerMom27
WinnerMom27 Posts: 21 Member
in Getting Started
Hi y'all!
I just joined MFP yesterday and am hoping to reach my goal by mid January 2015!

I put in all of my details - age, weight, that I will exercise 5 times a week/20 min each time, and that I want to lose 1.5 lbs a week.
MFP allotted me 1470 calories a day to reach that goal.
But is that with or without the exercise?
But when I exercised, I saw that I was allowed more calories. So does that mean I'm always allowed to stick to 1470 calories, regardless of whether or not I exercise?

Thanks in advance for any replies :)

Replies

  • heavydron
    heavydron Posts: 19 Member
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    MFP estimates calories based on your lifestyle activity that you entered into your profile. So if you say you exercise frequently (3 to 5 times per week) then it accounts for that. Any extra cardio that you do isn't included and as you noticed, it'll allot you more to eat. But only for the specific day you did the extra work. Personally, I try to ignore the cardio and treat it as a "bonus" calorie burn. Hope this helps.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    1,470 calories is your activity level minus your deficit. Yes, you get more calories when you exercise. The calorie burns are just estimates, so some people compensate by only eating back half their exercise calories.

    This post should be required reading: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • WinnerMom27
    WinnerMom27 Posts: 21 Member
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    thank you for the replies.
    please forgive me if I sound a bit silly...I'm just very new to all of this.
    So let's see if I got this straight -
    1470 is under the assumption that I exercise 20 min a day/5 times a week.
    So should I not track this exercise after I do it? (in the "add exercise" section here?)
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    thank you for the replies.
    please forgive me if I sound a bit silly...I'm just very new to all of this.
    So let's see if I got this straight -
    1470 is under the assumption that I exercise 20 min a day/5 times a week.
    So should I not track this exercise after I do it? (in the "add exercise" section here?)

    No, it doesn't. It is a confusing set up but the 5 times a week is a separate goal that does not affect calorie estimates. It is basically a fitness goal. You can go back and change it, your calories won't change.

    MFP expects you to log the exercise and eat those additional calories.
  • WinnerMom27
    WinnerMom27 Posts: 21 Member
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    You're right. I just tried putting in 0 min of exercise/0 days a week, and my daily calories still stand at 1470 calories. Woohoo!
    (though I still am planning to exercise 5 days a week, of course).

    Now, another question -
    do I have to eat those calories that I've burned? I usually exercise at night and don't like eating then...
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    You're right. I just tried putting in 0 min of exercise/0 days a week, and my daily calories still stand at 1470 calories. Woohoo!
    (though I still am planning to exercise 5 days a week, of course).

    Now, another question -
    do I have to eat those calories that I've burned? I usually exercise at night and don't like eating then...

    It is recommended that you eat at least some of them. If you don't want to worry about changing calorie goals, you can try the TDEE method.
    You also don't have to wait until after you exercise, if you know you are going to exercise you will have an idea of what you will burn.

    Here is a good thread
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • joepage612
    joepage612 Posts: 179 Member
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    I always eat my calories back 100% and am losing 2 pound per week right on schedule.
    You can ether eat extra during they day and then work it off at night if that is your preferred workout time.
    or
    Drink your calories back at night with juice. Fruit juice has a lot of calories. Thats why I avoid it :)
    Or warm milk/coco.
  • WinnerMom27
    WinnerMom27 Posts: 21 Member
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    Just read that whole post! Really great advice!
  • beautifulwarrior18
    beautifulwarrior18 Posts: 914 Member
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    I don't use MFP goals. I set my own. MFP uses your Basal Metabolic Rate to determine how many calories you should eat a day. Your Basal Metabolic Rate is the rate at which you would burn calories if you could do nothing but lay in bed all day (ie. if you were comatose). I believe that it's extremely important to fuel your body while losing weight, because losing weight is hard on your body. That human body wasn't meant to lose weight it was meant to store energy. I calculated my TDEE and created a defecit that was above my BMR but below my TDEE. I don't eat back my exercise either. I just try to stay around 2000 calories per day.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    As I said above, MFP is structured in such a way that you must eat back at least a portion of your exercise calories. Your calorie goal has your deficit built in.

    People who customize their goal using TDEE cannot eat back any exercise calories—TDEE includes exercise.

    The Sexypants post should be required reading: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

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