calories confused

PaulaGeminBell
PaulaGeminBell Posts: 14 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone! Simple question MFP cal intake per day is 2000 cals
I burn up to 600 cal per workout.
i need to loose! So do i eat the 2000 and thats it? or do i eat the extra given to me from working out?
I know silly question....

Replies

  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    edited January 2016
    Technically, the answer is yes.
    But.
    I would say the answer depends. What are you doing to burn 600 calories? That is a pretty big burn, and sometimes estimates can be inflated.
    Some people choose to eat a portion of them back to be on the safe side.

    It's hard to say without knowing your stats but I will say 2000 is a pretty good base to start with so I wouldn't be as worried about eating all your exercise calories back. If you were at the bottom end of intake, around 1200 and doing a huge amount of exercise, I'd be more concerned about eating enough back.
    If you have a lot of weight to lose, larger deficits aren't as big of an issue as has only a few pounds.

    So my answer is - if it were me, I'd eat a portion of them back, not necessarily all. But again, it's hard to say without knowing your stats, what exactly you are doing and what your goals are.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Eat 2300 to be safe, as that's a really high burn amount. But as MFP sets you to lose without exercise, you're expected to eat those calories back to keep your deficit consistent.
  • PaulaGeminBell
    PaulaGeminBell Posts: 14 Member
    I do 2 days a week spin class, 2 days a week (pump class) these classes are tough! one day of yoga I do need to lose a lot.. Ive been at this for 2 years, and i keep gaining fat. I don't use the scale, i go by how my clothes feel. Im 47...I really appreciate the feed back... !!
  • AdrianChr92
    AdrianChr92 Posts: 567 Member
    edited January 2016
    I found it easier to just not count calories from exercise If I am on a cut. Because they sometimes they are over estimated. Strava gives me 600 cals for a 5km run at 30 minutes. Some people report you only burn 300. Better not to bother. Weight yourself frequently and adjust.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    PaulaGeminBell wrote: »
    I do 2 days a week spin class, 2 days a week (pump class) these classes are tough! one day of yoga I do need to lose a lot.. Ive been at this for 2 years, and i keep gaining fat. I don't use the scale, i go by how my clothes feel. Im 47...I really appreciate the feed back... !!

    They are definitely tough but I'd be cautious with the 600 calorie estimate. I'd definitely stick with a lower number for them. Even less for yoga.

    What has your calorie intake been at for the past two years?
    Do you track your food?
  • PaulaGeminBell
    PaulaGeminBell Posts: 14 Member
    I use to track.. then i fell of the band wagon...yikks! Im also going through perimenoupase.. which isn't helping either...I think i will start tracking again, and find out exactly how many cal those classes actually burn...
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
    If you've been at this for 2 years and you keep getting fatter then obviously what you are doing isn't working. You either are eating more than you think or are burning less than you think, or some combination of the two. That said, you aren't weighing yourself either so you don't have good data on weight gain/loss. Start weight yourself. And, as much of a royal pain the hind end weighing food is, buy a food scale and make sure you're getting a reasonably accurate calorie count for a while and see if you start progressing. The trick in all of this is honest personal assessment, and sometimes we know the answers to what is wrong but don't want to admit it to ourselves. We've all been there.
  • kadelavergne
    kadelavergne Posts: 6 Member
    Paula, I'm with you. I fell off the wagon. However, I'm climbing back on! I like tracking my food through MFP because I can watch my sodium and sugar intake. I would prefer just to watch calories, but I'm a food addict and a liar when it comes to allowing empty calories in. Good luck to you!
  • PaulaGeminBell
    PaulaGeminBell Posts: 14 Member
    Good plan! i hate the scale, but i guess it needs to be done...THANK YOU!!
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    PaulaGeminBell wrote: »
    I use to track.. then i fell of the band wagon...yikks! Im also going through perimenoupase.. which isn't helping either...I think i will start tracking again, and find out exactly how many cal those classes actually burn...

    Outside of a lab there is no way of knowing exactly how many calories you burn. Every method of estimation, including using a heart rate monitor, has weaknesses. You don't need to know exactly. Pick a number, and consistently use that while tracking. Your results will tell you if it is too high.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    edited January 2016
    PaulaGeminBell wrote: »
    I do 2 days a week spin class, 2 days a week (pump class) these classes are tough! one day of yoga I do need to lose a lot.. Ive been at this for 2 years, and i keep gaining fat. I don't use the scale, i go by how my clothes feel. Im 47...I really appreciate the feed back... !!

    You have your answer. Whatever you are burning, it is less than what you are eating. So, this is not working.
    What is your weight and height?
    For a 47 year old woman to lose on 2600 calories, you need to start as very obese, which would make me wonder how you could participate in a spin class. Something seems off in the math here.
  • PaulaGeminBell
    PaulaGeminBell Posts: 14 Member
    Great! Thanks... I would appreciate it if any of you would add me as a friend for motivation....:) Happy New Year!

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