MFP ALREADY GIVES YOU A CALORIE DEFITCIT- EAT CALORIES!

Lisa__Michelle
Lisa__Michelle Posts: 845 Member
edited September 24 in Health and Weight Loss
It is driving me crazy at how many people are asking why they should eat their exercise calories. I see this same post EVERYDAY instead of people searching for previous posts on this topic, they clog up the forum with the same question every single day,

MFP already gives you a calorie deficit when you choose to lose 1 lb, 1.5 lbs, or 2 lbs. If you are eating 1300 and burn 500 in exercise your NET calories is 800 calories (1300 eaten - 500 burned = 800 net calories YOUR BODY THINKS YOU ACTUALLY ATE; HOW MUCH IT CAN TAKE IN AS NUTRIENTS AND SUCH). If you eat back the 500 you burned you are still in a 700 calorie deficit because MFP gives you 1300 calories out of a 2,000 calorie (maintenance level). You can eat back your calories and you will still be in a negative deficit because MFP has set you below your weight maintenance level!!!!

The NET calories is what you should be striving for (it is on your home page). This is the amount your body THINKS (can actually have a chance to absorb) you ate after you burned it off with exercise. You need to make sure your body gets at least 1200 NET calories to not enter starvation mode.

By the way, starvation mode is real for MFP users BECAUSE we are living a life constantly in a calorie deficit every day!! We are eating below 2,000 calories (or whatever your personal maintenance level is) so yes, we can EASILY fall in starvation. An average person not on MFP who is eating their maintenance calories everyday does NOT have to worry about starvation mode from eating below 1200 for one day because 1 day is not going to affect them that fast. WE AS A COMMUNITY ON HERE ARE BELOW OUR BMR (how many you calories your body needs to do neccessary functions like breathing) everyday to lose weight so one day can throw US off!

Hope this clarified some things for those of you confused.
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Replies

  • damonmath
    damonmath Posts: 359 Member
    Thank You! It is a common misconception.
  • ifiwasurvampire
    ifiwasurvampire Posts: 181 Member
    Awesome post! Quick question how do you do the mini goals? I keep seeing them and can't figure out how to add them. Thanks!
  • kacka68
    kacka68 Posts: 79 Member
    Well stated. It's tedious seeing the same questions asked day after day!! New peeps, please read the "sticky" posts that say "Newbies - please read"!!!! It will answer so many of your questions. Good luck in your journey.
  • jeninne
    jeninne Posts: 412 Member
    where I hear your frustration, your post was very helpful...thanks :)
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,253 Member
    As wonderful as this post is sadly some will still have trouble understanding it all. Sad but true :noway:
  • strandedeyes
    strandedeyes Posts: 392 Member
    Awesome post! Quick question how do you do the mini goals? I keep seeing them and can't figure out how to add them. Thanks!

    Too add mini goals, go in your signature and add them there... *points up at the tabs available*
  • strandedeyes
    strandedeyes Posts: 392 Member
    Awesome post! Quick question how do you do the mini goals? I keep seeing them and can't figure out how to add them. Thanks!

    Too add mini goals, go in your signature and add them there... *points up at the tabs available*
  • Lisa__Michelle
    Lisa__Michelle Posts: 845 Member
    Awesome post! Quick question how do you do the mini goals? I keep seeing them and can't figure out how to add them. Thanks!

    When you go to do a post or comment, it is above where you type in the box. Click on Signature ((located in between "My Topics" and "Search" (the button I wish more people would use ;0) )) Instead of typing your name you can write whatever you want. I chose a list of weights I want to reach!
  • ChristineMiller2
    ChristineMiller2 Posts: 116
    thats nice you posted this, too bad you couldn't have done it without coming across angry. :)
  • Lisa__Michelle
    Lisa__Michelle Posts: 845 Member
    As wonderful as this post is sadly some will still have trouble understanding it all. Sad but true :noway:

    I was thinking the same thing. I was afraid I was wasting my breath (or fingers for typing lol). It really isn't a hard concept. I wish more new people would read the sticky posts at the top about this before posting every freaking day. I have stopped replying to them because I was replying multiple times a day.
  • Lisa__Michelle
    Lisa__Michelle Posts: 845 Member
    thats nice you posted this, too bad you couldn't have done it without coming across angry. :)

    The only reason I came off angry is because it is frustrating when I see the same post over and over and people ignore the search button all together. If they used it they would find there have been 999999999999 other people who have asked everyday lol. It just clogs the forum when it is that much.

    I hope it helps the people who are confused.
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,253 Member
    As wonderful as this post is sadly some will still have trouble understanding it all. Sad but true :noway:

    I was thinking the same thing. I was afraid I was wasting my breath (or fingers for typing lol). It really isn't a hard concept. I wish more new people would read the sticky posts at the top about this before posting every freaking day. I have stopped replying to them because I was replying multiple times a day.

    Really! If they don't want to read the sticky posts they could look up one of the other oh 9,992,876 posts on the same topic. It just isn't a hard concept ...insert the little smilie that bangs his head against the wall here *
    *
  • ifiwasurvampire
    ifiwasurvampire Posts: 181 Member
    Thank you!
  • Cyanon
    Cyanon Posts: 2
    Its true that MFP already includes a deficit but I find it hard to believe its an *absolute* rule. MFP's base calories for me is 1940 (for 2lb a week). Most days I eat somewhere between 1400 and 1800 actual calories.
    Unless something comes up I generally get in 2-3 hours of fairly vigorous exercise daily (inline skating or elliptical machine).

    This would put me in a fairly deep deficit constantly and in starvation mode, by the net calorie rule.

    I still have lots of energy and don't feel like I'm starving myself.. I really can't see trying to stuff myself with another 2-3k of calories, and I enjoy the exercise I do. If I was closer to my ideal weight I could see how it might cause more issues (less fat to access), but until then I just don't really see it.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    Agreed, I've mostly stopped answering them too.
    Now I'd like a button that says: I've worked this out, hope you do too!
  • amccrazgrl
    amccrazgrl Posts: 315 Member
    I know it took me a few months to 100% get it but eventually you will. The best thing to say is make sure you at least eat 1,200 NET calories no matter what. That is what I just keep thinking. One day you eat 1,300 NET so the next day if you eat 1,000 NET that is alright too!!
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 Member
    It would be nice if the search button actually had a realistic result when you use it.

    Searching for threads that I know contents of posts (like the biggest loser tryout post recently) in the first results that come up average 3 months old, and if there's more than 20 some posts in the thread the first page of results is 20 links to individual posts in that same thread.
    So search looks like something hasn't been mentioned in 3 months, which in an online community is forever. Stuff is going to come up repeatedly, we're all finding our way.
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    Its true that MFP already includes a deficit but I find it hard to believe its an *absolute* rule. MFP's base calories for me is 1940 (for 2lb a week). Most days I eat somewhere between 1400 and 1800 actual calories.
    Unless something comes up I generally get in 2-3 hours of fairly vigorous exercise daily (inline skating or elliptical machine).

    This would put me in a fairly deep deficit constantly and in starvation mode, by the net calorie rule.

    I still have lots of energy and don't feel like I'm starving myself.. I really can't see trying to stuff myself with another 2-3k of calories, and I enjoy the exercise I do. If I was closer to my ideal weight I could see how it might cause more issues (less fat to access), but until then I just don't really see it.

    For someone who has large amounts of fat to lose, it's not so much about "starvation mode", as it is about healthy weight loss. Yes, that person may be able to withstand a larger deficit, but there's still a point at which the body doesn't feel it's getting enough fuel. Also, it can be hard to get enough of the macros (protein/fat/carbs) to sustain all the functions, and hard to sustain the mental side of it. Large deficits are a key reason for people falling off the wagon and yo-yo dieting. And repeated, rapid weight fluctuations are just as, or more, unhealthy as being overweight.

    Also, rapid weight loss can be necessary, in very specific situations (health issues, needed before surgery, etc). But there are very serious risks associated with rapid weight loss. Including, but not limited to: gallstones, skin/hair/teeth problems, arrhythmias, kidney problems, skin flaps (skin doesn't have time to tighten), menstrual cycle problems, weight regain, bingeing, and hormone imbalances. For most people, these risks outweigh the benefits when there is an alternative - slow, steady, healthy weight loss that is easier to sustain and much more likely to be kept off.
  • Angela4Health
    Angela4Health Posts: 1,319 Member
    bump
  • beckajw
    beckajw Posts: 1,728 Member
    It may be frustrating to answer what you consider a dumb question. However, I'm sure you ask what other people consider to be dumb questions sometimes too. If you don't want to respond to the posts, just don't. It is a difficult concept. In fact, many other diet plans, very popular and successful diet plans, do not have you eat your workout calories. So, don't be down on people for asking the question and just not getting it. There are people that don't know how to search the boards and sometimes just one term will make a search come up empty. So, please don't be a hater.
  • Lisa__Michelle
    Lisa__Michelle Posts: 845 Member
    It may be frustrating to answer what you consider a dumb question. However, I'm sure you ask what other people consider to be dumb questions sometimes too. If you don't want to respond to the posts, just don't. It is a difficult concept. In fact, many other diet plans, very popular and successful diet plans, do not have you eat your workout calories. So, don't be down on people for asking the question and just not getting it. There are people that don't know how to search the boards and sometimes just one term will make a search come up empty. So, please don't be a hater.

    Searching the previous posts is actually how I learned what it was. I am not being a "hater." I'm not saying it is not a GOOD question, I was saying that when 99999999999 people clog the forum asking the same question back to back it needs to be addressed. Sometimes I will see two people ask back to back instead of reading the answers to someone else's question. If I thought it wasn't a good question, I would not have answered it in detail. I wanted to answer the question without 99999999 people posting different threads asking the same question.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    *Applause!*

    Now maybe if we keep bumping this up to the top, people will see it before they make a new post asking the same question. :laugh:
  • kbloodworth
    kbloodworth Posts: 107 Member
    Yep, I made this mistake the first time I lost quite a bit of weight. I limited my calories to 1400 per day even when burning 400-600 cals 6 days a week. My weight loss slowed to a stop, and then I started gaining all of it back. It wasn't until I had my metabolic rate tested that I learned I was eating way too little and doing more harm than good.
  • Lisa__Michelle
    Lisa__Michelle Posts: 845 Member
    bump
  • damonmath
    damonmath Posts: 359 Member
    Although you may feel great and think I don't need these calories.... There is a muscle dying to feed your energy depleted body. ;)
  • Lisa__Michelle
    Lisa__Michelle Posts: 845 Member
    Although you may feel great and think I don't need these calories.... There is a muscle dying to feed your energy depleted body. ;)

    EXACTLY. Muscle loss can = Weight loss but not the kind we want. People want FAT loss!
  • slaos07
    slaos07 Posts: 53 Member
    I think its dangerous to post something like this that generalizes everyone. I know that for me, I don't need to eat back my exercise calories. I still have energy, still losing weight, and am definitely not in starvation mode. I checked with my Dr about 2 weeks ago because I was worried after reading all of the posts and she said that 1200 calories total (eating only that no matter what I exercise) is not unhealthy unless I start to feel unhealthy. There are so many different studies on this and there is a post at least 2 or 3 times a week regarding the same thing. To lump everyone into one category is not smart. Everyone's body is different. What people need to know is that you need to listen to your body (and your doctor).
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,253 Member
    I think its dangerous to post something like this that generalizes everyone. I know that for me, I don't need to eat back my exercise calories. I still have energy, still losing weight, and am definitely not in starvation mode. I checked with my Dr about 2 weeks ago because I was worried after reading all of the posts and she said that 1200 calories total (eating only that no matter what I exercise) is not unhealthy unless I start to feel unhealthy. There are so many different studies on this and there is a post at least 2 or 3 times a week regarding the same thing. To lump everyone into one category is not smart. Everyone's body is different. What people need to know is that you need to listen to your body (and your doctor).

    I am interesting in knowing what your doctor would say if you said that you are eating 1200 calories total and then burning 1200 calories during the day. What is left for your body to function on?
  • Marla64
    Marla64 Posts: 23,120 Member
    I think its dangerous to post something like this that generalizes everyone. I know that for me, I don't need to eat back my exercise calories. I still have energy, still losing weight, and am definitely not in starvation mode. I checked with my Dr about 2 weeks ago because I was worried after reading all of the posts and she said that 1200 calories total (eating only that no matter what I exercise) is not unhealthy unless I start to feel unhealthy. There are so many different studies on this and there is a post at least 2 or 3 times a week regarding the same thing. To lump everyone into one category is not smart. Everyone's body is different. What people need to know is that you need to listen to your body (and your doctor).

    your doctor is an idiot.
  • slaos07
    slaos07 Posts: 53 Member
    Funny...but since she's been to medical school and you haven't...I think I'm going to go with her recommendations over what a website says. And I'm not burning 1200 calories a day. I tend to average between 300 and 600. I was just posting what I had been told and what I think. You can't generalize on something like a diet...everyone is different. No need to be rude about it.

    Edited to add: In response to the eat 1200 burn 1200 question...I'm sure if I was going to that extreme I wouldn't feel healthy or still have energy. Hence her feeling unhealthy recommendation.
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