MFP caloric intake is wrong?????

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ukq727
ukq727 Posts: 50 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am supposed to consumer a net calorie value of 1630 so does that mean I am supposed to consume that amount then burn off 249 calories per day or take in 1879 calories so that I can burn off 249 calories..someone please clarify how MFP works.

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  • afteil
    afteil Posts: 162 Member
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    Where are you getting the burn off 249?
    The way your intake is set up is that after you say how active you are, your height, weight, and how much you want to lose per week it will give you the amount of calories you need to eat to do so, with or without burning any extra calories working out. So, if it is telling you 1630 is what you want to consume to lose ___ per week, then you can eat that much and lose ___ without working out. If you do work out, then your caloric intake can go up, because it will then alter it so you would still lose the same amount. You can choose to eat those calories or leave your intake at 1630, depending on how quickly you want to lose weight. There are a ton of threads about whether or not you should eat back your exercise calories, but that was the basics of it:)
    Hope this helps!
  • cuddlegrl
    cuddlegrl Posts: 101 Member
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    I am supposed to consumer a net calorie value of 1630 so does that mean I am supposed to consume that amount then burn off 249 calories per day or take in 1879 calories so that I can burn off 249 calories..someone please clarify how MFP works.

    Welcome!!

    MFP is set up so that when you burn calories you "earn" them back as "extra" calories that you can then eat. (also a controversial topic here and everywhere in the fitness / nutrition world)

    So if you do not exercise then you shouldnt go over 1630 calories. If you do exercise and say you burn 249 calories you could then eat 1879 if you choose to eat all of those calories back. Not everyone chooses to eat back their exercise calories. You will need to decide if that is something you want to do and if it is something that works for you :).

    Also:

    You'll see a lot of discussion about "starvation mode". Just to clear it up some for you now as you're reading posts:
    Generally it is believed to be a net calorie (the calories you consume minus any exercise) of 1200. For you this means if you burn more than 430 calories you will want to eat at least some of those back so your "net" doesnt go below 1200. The theory is that if you go below a net of 1200 you will be doing your body more harm than good because instead of burning through the fat youve consumed it will instead store it for fear of not knowing when it will need it. Basically make sure your eating enough and try to make as healthy of a choice as you can :).

    There is a TON of information in these forums that you will find helpful from nutrition, to exercise and anything else you may need help with :)

    Good luck! and again welcome!
  • minxblack
    minxblack Posts: 40
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    Most of the folks in my support system on here have decided to eat our stated calories (your original 1630) and whatever calories you work off, don't eat those. It only says you'll gain weight if you go over your calories plus your exercise calories. If it feels you aren't eating enough, it tells you to eat more calories.
  • slimmerchick
    slimmerchick Posts: 189 Member
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    When you start logging your food and exercise you will see that exercise calories are added on to your daily calories, so I guess it's 1630 + exercise cals earned. However if you've told it you are going to do a certain amount of exercise a week I am not sure if this is taken into account in the original calculation. Have a look at your food diary and you should get your answer. Hope that helps x
  • ukq727
    ukq727 Posts: 50 Member
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    Thank you all my caloric intake is 1630 per day (that calories burned was hypothecial) but I really burn about 350-425 in calories per day thought it says I only need to work out 3 times a week and burn 730 weekly. I am so appreciative of MFP and all of the support from the other members here. Here's to shedding the pounds. BTW I don't eat back my earn calories seems counterproductive to me
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
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    Here are some threads that help explain how MFP works. Good luck to you!

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

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/196589-exercise-cals
  • jkq2003
    jkq2003 Posts: 27
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    Be careful and make sure that you stay above at least 1200 calories to help you stay on track. The system will allow you to customize your plan and to increase your exercise goal on the system to give you more effective info.

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