****QUESTION about adding exercise calories****

chewysmommy
chewysmommy Posts: 26
edited September 23 in Fitness and Exercise
I am sure this question has prob. been asked to death, but I am confused since I am new and still trying to learn how everything works.

I am given X amount of calories per day. Then, I excercise and say burn 150 calories. Next thing I know 150 calories is added to my original amount of daily intake calories. From what I gather, this is "supposed" to happen. But I just don't get it. Could someone explain why it is okay to take in those extra calories, especially when I am trying to loose a lot?

Now, I also put that my goal weight loose per week is 1 lb. Should I increase this?

Thoughts are much appreciated!!

Replies

  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    Welcome! Recommend reading these threads that explain all those questions...

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

    Also, look through the Sticky Notes at the top of the page for each topic - always good info there.
    Good luck!
  • GURLEY_GIRL3
    GURLEY_GIRL3 Posts: 347 Member
    Im new too and It is confusing to me too! I just dont eat my exercise calories. I set my acct up light activty daily because I work at a desk all day..but have 3 kids when I get home! I supposed to eat 1470 daily I try to stay under that number everyday, But from what i understand its okay to eat ur exericse calories..if u wanna. I just know to eat between 1200 and 1470 daily.
  • tdesautel
    tdesautel Posts: 10
    Hi, I asked the same question of my nutritionist/trainer and she told me that is because you are burning them so you should replace them but in order to loose weight you want to burn about 1000 calories more than you eat each day. so i burn 3,000 plus calories a day and eat around 1800, she said if you eat the calories that you burn your body will just stay the same. you won't loose, so i am doing what she said and i lost 6.5 pounds last week
    Good Luck
  • kendrab76
    kendrab76 Posts: 7
    Hi Chewysmommy,
    Our bodies naturally use 2000 calories per day, My Fitness Pal has given you an amount that is less than this, based on light lifestyle should be 1200 Calories per day in order for you to lose weight by cutting calories back.
    You need to burn 3500 calories to burn 1lb of fat. so if you look at this weekly....
    ........14000 cals needed per week normally.
    MFP 8400 Cals dieting per week.
    the difference between the two is 5600 cals per week.
    if you then divide 5600 by 3500 this totals the amount you will lose,1.6lbs per week

    So, no matter how much you exercise you still get to eat up to 1200 calories and lose weight!
    Simple, always try stick to your calorie amount each day no matter how much you exercise (this is the healthy way!), The more you exercise, the more you get to eat, and the more toned you become, Perfect!
    I've just done over 400 calories so i can afford a bottle of wine tonight! lol

    Hope this helps and makes sense lol
    Kendra x
  • chewysmommy
    chewysmommy Posts: 26
    Thanks guys!! I read the articles and they confirmed to me that this "Banks" guy not only knows his health and fitness, he also has great taste in sports teams!


    What is a little confusing to me, and here I will be honest....I was given 1700 calories a day to eat. DOES THAT SEEM NORMAL??? And then my work out usually burns about 300 calories.....which ups me to 2000 calories. I am "lightly active" because of two small kids and housecleaning, etc.

    I guess I will go with it, because I am not really looking for a quick fix. I want a lifestyle change.
  • chewysmommy
    chewysmommy Posts: 26
    Why was I given 1700 calories??? BC I have more to loose or I weigh more???
  • kendrab76
    kendrab76 Posts: 7
    Your body is still only consuming the 1700 calories hunni as 300 you've burned away, you just need to change your perspective a little! Great comment about the lifestyle change, you go girl!!!

    Good luck xxx
  • FutureMsFit
    FutureMsFit Posts: 21 Member
    I sometimes use a few of those calories if I feel like I need something, but rarely. You can use them or lose them...your choice...never beat yourself up over a couple calories, you actually probably burned more than that doing laundry everyday and just didn't count them =)
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    Thanks guys!! I read the articles and they confirmed to me that this "Banks" guy not only knows his health and fitness, he also has great taste in sports teams!


    What is a little confusing to me, and here I will be honest....I was given 1700 calories a day to eat. DOES THAT SEEM NORMAL??? And then my work out usually burns about 300 calories.....which ups me to 2000 calories. I am "lightly active" because of two small kids and housecleaning, etc.

    I guess I will go with it, because I am not really looking for a quick fix. I want a lifestyle change.

    1700 is a perfectly "normal" number. MFP takes into account what you need on a daily basis to breathe, wiggle your toes, whatever. That's called your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). They then account for whatever activity level you chose, your height/weight, and age. Then it "backs out" whatever your loss/week goal is; if you chose 1 lb/week, it would be 500 cals/day. This creates a BUILT IN deficit, so you will lose weight at that cal level whether you exercise or not.

    If you exercise, you are burning more cals and need to replace at least some of them, both to help build muscle, and to prevent breaking down muscle you already have. Heavier people (ie more than 50 lbs to lose) can afford to eat less of their exercise cals, as they have more fat to lose. Leaner people (ie within 20 lbs of goal) need to eat more of those cals, as they have less fat to lose and their body will more readily break down muscle for fuel. MFP automatically adds more cals when you exercise, to keep you at that preset loss goal of 1 lb/week (or whatever you chose.) If you go lower than the cal goal, you MAY lose faster. But if you don't have as much to lose, you risk breaking down muscle and slowing/stopping weight loss.

    My daily goal is 1500 or so. When I exercise, it goes up to 2000 or more. I could try to eat less than that. I *might* lose faster. But probably not, as since I don't have that much to lose, my body isn't going to lose it quickly. I would probably just end up losing more muscle.

    Be patient and treat it as a lifestyle change - not as a race. Be the tortoise, not the hare! :wink:
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