Added calories when logging exercise???

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Kjcamaro
Kjcamaro Posts: 13
in Fitness and Exercise
Why is it that when I log my exercises on MFP, it adds calories to my overall suggested intake for the day?? For example, this morning I burned 470 calories and my daily intake went up by that amount. If I ate those calories and kept working out trying to burn those then wouldn't I gain weight because my net would be somewhere around +1400?? I think there may be something I'm missing.

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  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    :flowerforyou:
  • mayana2002
    mayana2002 Posts: 192
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    It is because you are supposed to eat the burned calories as well... There are thousands of tipoics explaining why you have to eat those calories. If you don't your body will slow down you metabolism and you will take longer time to lose weight... Also your body will not have enought energy and it will burn muscle instead of fat.
    This as a reward for exercising and eat some of the extra calories you've lost!
    Try the search and you will get a lot of info about it.
    Have a great day
  • Kjcamaro
    Kjcamaro Posts: 13
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    Thanks for the input, its very appreciated. So does this mean that I will want my net calories to be on the plus side? I always heard that you are supposed to burn what you take in.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    if you see your calories for the day go into the red, you have overeaten, or you need to do more exercise to earn it. When you add exercise to the day, you get to eat more. be careful not to overestimate your calorie burn, because then you'd be eating too much. That's why many people say to eat half or "most" of the calories you have earned. But you are aiming to be within 100~ish of your daily goal. does that help?
  • Kjcamaro
    Kjcamaro Posts: 13
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    Yea that helps a bit more but I'm still kind of confused.
    Here's my situation:
    As of right now I did a ton of exercise for today.
    My daily goal is 1400
    My exercise for today is about 1550
    My net for the day is +30 something, so I've eaten somewhere around 1580 (?)
    And my calories remaining is like 1350

    I don't understand how eating 2800 calories would help me lose weight.
    I guess I'm just new to this whole thing
  • Kjcamaro
    Kjcamaro Posts: 13
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    Anyone??
  • MzBug
    MzBug Posts: 2,173 Member
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    When you signed up for MFP and answered the questions you gave it the amount you wanted to lose per week (1-2 pounds). When MFP gave you your calorie goal for the day, they took that into account, and built a deficit in so that you would lose weight eatting just those calories WITHOUT exercising. When you exercise you are going below that amount. MFP will add calories BACK IN to get you back to that original NET calorie count. If you choose to consume (some or all) of those calories is up to you.

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