Can I Believe the Amount of Calories I've Been Given?

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RRaffield
RRaffield Posts: 3
in Introduce Yourself
Can I really eat all the calories MyFitnessPal says I can, i.e. when I work out it says I can eat as much as I've burned. -but I have been told you need to burn more than you eat in order to lose weight. Wouldn't I be negating all the work I've done by eating what I've burned? I feel like I work out for nothing when I eat the amount of calories it says I can eat! Does anyone else have this concern? Or am I retarded? I am aware and prepared for the latter to be true, unfortunately... (:

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  • ruststar
    ruststar Posts: 489 Member
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    The numbers MFP gives you include a calorie deficit without any exercise. If you add exercise you should eat that much more to still be at a safe level for losing weight.
  • KELacey
    KELacey Posts: 5 Member
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    Your baseline calories takes into account your goal rate of weight loss. The exercise is sort of a "bonus." However, I generally recommend people estimate low as far as their initial activity level then add the extra calories through working out, which is probably a little more accurate. Does that help? If you really feel like MFP gives you way too many calories and you aren't seeing weight loss when you stick to those numbers, consider revising your general activity level to a lower setting.

    Best,
    Karen
  • breahroxanne
    breahroxanne Posts: 3
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    The way I took it is that I have 1200 calories to eat in a day. However, my baseline body composition actually needs 1500; so even if I don't burn any calories that day, and even if I eat my entire 1200 calories, I should still lose weight. Does that make sense?

    Breah
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    I've found that MFP doesn't give me enough calories - even when I eat back my exercise calories. So, I think it really depends on your body.

    Weight loss isn't a one size fits all kind of thing. You have to take the information you're given and go from there. It's okay to adjust things so they fit your own personal needs.
  • sweetie89207
    sweetie89207 Posts: 361
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    do what works...if it aint working change it up...until it does
  • Moonbeamlissie
    Moonbeamlissie Posts: 504 Member
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    I understand the "eat your calories back theory" I just don't live by it. In my little world I do not like to eat them back. Maybe if I wasn't over weight to begin with it would make more sense to me. However, if I want to eat something I have those calories to fall back on. That is what I use mine for. About 3 days I go over my allotted cals by 100 or 200 so I use those extra to cover it.
  • amberlineilene
    amberlineilene Posts: 153
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    You're suppose to eat back your exercise calories, MFP already creates your deficit of calories. I don't ALWAYS eat mine back, and it hasn't seemed to hurt my progress.. For instance, if I burn 900 calories at the gym at night, the last thing I want to do is come home and have a feast! lol yuck.

    PS>

    You are not dumb, if that's what you meant by 'retarded'. That is insulting, it's painful and it hurts people.

    Especially mothers with handicapped children.
  • RRaffield
    RRaffield Posts: 3
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    Oh gosh, I'm sorry...now I feel really stupid! ): I realize I use that word way too flippantly and too often as a term of slang. I promise I didn't mean to offend anyone, and if I did, I sincerely apologize!!! Thank you for all your help.

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