Daily calorie intake question

Whynotoatmeal
Whynotoatmeal Posts: 15
edited March 7 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been dieting for 4-5 years now and yesterday, while using myfitnesspal app on my phone, something made me ponder.

For my weight loss, my current calorie consumption is at 1500 calories (when I really should be at 1600ish). So as I complete my diary entry for the day, the app tells me I should still eat 500 calories for the day because I worked out.

What?

On workout days, should I compensate the exercise burned calories by eating more so I stabilize my calorie intake with my rest days?

This?
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Replies

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    MFP's algorithm works on the assumption of a constant calorie deficit per day whether you exercise or not. So more exercise = more food, to maintain the original calorie deficit.

    If you don't log exercise calories you can set a daily custom goal that is the average intake you need, the so called "TDEE method".
  • haildodger
    haildodger Posts: 181 Member
    edited November 2014
    Whether you eat them back or not, is up to you. Consuming a net amount is a good idea, in my opinion.

    I factor in my workouts at the beginning of the week, and set my own daily goals accordingly. I still record my cardio on MFP, and to my friends it may appear that I do not eat those calories back, when in fact I always do. The choice is yours, but I will say that your body does require you maintain a certain intake to perform at or near it's best.
  • Whynotoatmeal
    Whynotoatmeal Posts: 15
    edited November 2014
    I see. What % under TDEE would you sugges as a net amount?
  • haildodger
    haildodger Posts: 181 Member
    Most say 20% max, but it really depends on how overweight you are to begin with. On an average week for myself, I aim for a one pound loss(3500 calorie deficit). Sometimes I do push it though.
  • Whynotoatmeal
    Whynotoatmeal Posts: 15
    At -20%, I'm at 1859 calories and should lose 0.93 pound. I think I'll sit around 1700.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    The problem I see with averaging versus eating more when you workout is that your body processes food differently when you are exercising than what it does when you aren't. Excess food on rest days will be converted into fat and stored. However, food eaten near and during a workout will be used by the muscles as fuel during the workout or for repairing the muscles after the workout. The end result is that you can workout longer if you are eating the extra calories near and during the workout. Of course, if you aren't working out for more than two hours, it probably doesn't matter.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    20% is the recommended max. Also how light are you? Because 1500 for a male is reaaaaaaaaaally not a lot. I'm 167, female, TDEE-20% is about 1900. I just ran my stats as male though so if you're around my stats this makes sense.

    MFP does NEAT, non-exercise needs. So if you're estimating everything on this website and IF calculator without including exercise, then you either need to recalculate to include exercise or need to log/eat back exercise cals.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Whynotoatmeal wrote: »
    At -20%, I'm at 1859 calories and should lose 0.93 pound. I think I'll sit around 1700.

    how much weight do you have left to lose?
  • Whynotoatmeal
    Whynotoatmeal Posts: 15
    ana3067 wrote: »
    MFP does NEAT, non-exercise needs. So if you're estimating everything on this website and IF calculator without including exercise, then you either need to recalculate to include exercise or need to log/eat back exercise cals.

    Well it does seem to include activity level in the formula. I put in Moderately Active since I workout 5 times a week.
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    how much weight do you have left to lose?
    I'm at 137 aiming for 126-127.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Whynotoatmeal wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    how much weight do you have left to lose?
    I'm at 137 aiming for 126-127.

    with 10lb to lose you should be aiming for TDEE -10% at the most.

  • Whynotoatmeal
    Whynotoatmeal Posts: 15
    TavistockToad wrote: »

    with 10lb to lose you should be aiming for TDEE -10% at the most.
    Would you mind giving some explanation behind your statement please? :)

  • haildodger
    haildodger Posts: 181 Member
    edited November 2014
    TimothyFish wrote: »
    The problem I see with averaging versus eating more when you workout is that your body processes food differently when you are exercising than what it does when you aren't. Excess food on rest days will be converted into fat and stored. However, food eaten near and during a workout will be used by the muscles as fuel during the workout or for repairing the muscles after the workout. The end result is that you can workout longer if you are eating the extra calories near and during the workout. Of course, if you aren't working out for more than two hours, it probably doesn't matter.

    My workouts are forty-five minutes on average, and six days a week, with only a single day of rest. I'm satisfied with my progress/results so far.

  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Whynotoatmeal wrote: »
    ana3067 wrote: »
    MFP does NEAT, non-exercise needs. So if you're estimating everything on this website and IF calculator without including exercise, then you either need to recalculate to include exercise or need to log/eat back exercise cals.

    Well it does seem to include activity level in the formula. I put in Moderately Active since I workout 5 times a week.
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    how much weight do you have left to lose?
    I'm at 137 aiming for 126-127.


    If you're including your exercise in your daily activity level then you don't need to be eating those back. MFP already assumes you're burning more calories on a daily basis.

    Although, I must say. 1500 for a man is very low. I lose 2lbs/week on about 14-1500. Generally for women they recommend not consuming less than 1,200 and 1,600 for men to ensure there are no nutritional deficiencies. Additionally, many men will suffer loss of testosterone with extended low calorie diets.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    Whynotoatmeal wrote: »
    ana3067 wrote: »
    MFP does NEAT, non-exercise needs. So if you're estimating everything on this website and IF calculator without including exercise, then you either need to recalculate to include exercise or need to log/eat back exercise cals.

    Well it does seem to include activity level in the formula. I put in Moderately Active since I workout 5 times a week.
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    how much weight do you have left to lose?
    I'm at 137 aiming for 126-127.
    That seems awfully low for a man. How tall are you?

  • Whynotoatmeal
    Whynotoatmeal Posts: 15
    I'm 5'3,5". What do you think of 1700 calories? I consumed 1600 yesterday.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Whynotoatmeal wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »

    with 10lb to lose you should be aiming for TDEE -10% at the most.
    Would you mind giving some explanation behind your statement please? :)

    You don't have the excess fat to sustain a large deficit.
  • Whynotoatmeal
    Whynotoatmeal Posts: 15
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    You don't have the excess fat to sustain a large deficit.

    I see. So, is my muscle mass at risk at this point?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Whynotoatmeal wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    You don't have the excess fat to sustain a large deficit.

    I see. So, is my muscle mass at risk at this point?

    Yep.

    For me, losing the vanity pounds is all about eating as much as possible but maintaining a small deficit and getting enough protein to retain muscle.
  • Whynotoatmeal
    Whynotoatmeal Posts: 15
    I just posted a diary if you wanna follow my weight loss :)
    Here is the link.
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