Do you use your excercise calories?

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nursing_hopeful
nursing_hopeful Posts: 13
in Getting Started
I've recently started jogging, and don't know wheather I'm supposed to use my excercise calories or not.

Could someone advise me?

Thanks x

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  • lisaabenjamin
    lisaabenjamin Posts: 665 Member
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    MFP gives you a calorie goal that, if you stay at or under it, would allow you to lose weight even if you did no exercise. So yes! Eat your exercise calories! You've earned them!

    The only thing I would say is that it's quite hard to accurately determine how many calories you've burned through exercise, even if you have a heart rate monitor. So maybe don't eat them *all* back all the time.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Of course you are supposed to eat them - that's why they get added to your daily total!
    Your ticker is showing you have lost about two thirds of your intended weight and you probably know you should be reducing the size of your calorie deficit as you get closer to goal.

    If you add exercise (burn more calories) and don't eat them back you are increasing your deficit, the opposite of what you should be doing.

    It is actually extremely easy to estimate running/jogging calories. It's a very standard exercise that has been studied for years and years - the running calculators on running websites should be plenty accurate for your purpose. No special equipment needed.
  • nursing_hopeful
    nursing_hopeful Posts: 13
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    No I wasn't aware about reducing my calorie deficit, I was just updating MFP and sticking to what calories it told me to eat.

    However I have noticed, the amount I can eat reduce as I loose more weigh, if thats what you mean?

    I've lost the weight that I have through other methods, not solely MFP.

    I have a heart rate monitor, from before so I do use it.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    This is a great read - as a nurse you should find it very interesting!
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

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