Can someone explain this to me? Newbie!

ambrbrown
ambrbrown Posts: 14
in Health and Weight Loss
According to the mfp app, I should be eating 1490 caloriea a day to lose 2 pounds a week (bmi is around 39). I ate 1613 calories and burned 729 through exercise today. It says I still have 600 calories to Eat. I am stuffed. I actually ate more today than I usually do. Can someone explain what all this means so I'm not so confused?

Thank you!!

Replies

  • happyapathy
    happyapathy Posts: 44
    You gained back calories because you exercised. If you're full, you don't have to eat them. MFP sometimes overestimates your calories burned anyway, so if you have spare calories on a different day, try not to eat them all back. Maybe just half.
  • JosieMomGramma
    JosieMomGramma Posts: 727 Member
    Your goal is to stay under 1490 calories to lose 2 lbs a week. If you decide to eat the calories added by exercise you may be able to eat some of them without gaining, but some of us can not eat all of the gained exercise calories & continue to lose. It is definitely not neccessary to eat your added calories from exercise at all! Definitely do not eat when you are allready feeling full.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    The initial amount of calories MFP generates for you does not include exercise calories. When you add your exercise, MFP adds those calories to your total calories for the day. Exercise gadgets and machines tend to overestimate the amount of calories burned. Therefore, it is recommended that you eat back a portion (about 50%) of those calories in order to meet your body's nutrient requirements and properly fuel your workouts. Focus on your macros (carbs, protein, dietary fat) and micros (vitamins, iron, calcium, etc.). There is a "REPORTS" feature at the top of this page for you to run reports to make sure you are meeting your goals correctly.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    MFP adds exercise calories back in.

    Some people eat all those extra calories. Some eat none. Many eat half back and others eat some other percentage.

    It's a personal decision.

    My hunger differs on different days. I see no reason to force food into myself when I'm not hungry on Monday and then go to bed starving on Thursday because the number said I had to eat more on Monday and no more on Thursday. So, some days I eat more and some less. Everyone is different, though, which is why everyone does it differently. :)
  • ambrbrown
    ambrbrown Posts: 14
    Thank you for the feedback! If I choose not to eat back those 600 calories would I be at a 600 calorie deficit? Are the left over calories my deficit for that day?
  • cw106
    cw106 Posts: 952 Member
    The initial amount of calories MFP generates for you does not include exercise calories. When you add your exercise, MFP adds those calories to your total calories for the day. Exercise gadgets and machines tend to overestimate the amount of calories burned. Therefore, it is recommended that you eat back a portion (about 50%) of those calories in order to meet your body's nutrient requirements and properly fuel your workouts. Focus on your macros (carbs, protein, dietary fat) and micros (vitamins, iron, calcium, etc.). There is a "REPORTS" feature at the top of this page for you to run reports to make sure you are meeting your goals correctly.

    thanks for the reports heads - up.very useful.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Thank you for the feedback! If I choose not to eat back those 600 calories would I be at a 600 calorie deficit? Are the left over calories my deficit for that day?

    You would be at a 1600 calorie deficit, as your goal for 2 pounds a week is already a deficit of 1000.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    If you don't eat back your exercise calories, you will have an even larger deficiency which could affect your health in a negative way. Each person is different so you have to play it one day/week at a time and make adjustments as you see fit.

    Go to MY HOME > Goals and take a look at the way MFP structured your profile. Your daily calorie deficiency (before exercise calories) is listed on the right side of the screen.

    I don't force myself to eat all of my calories by the day. I budget my calories for the week and don't have any problems with my weight loss.

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