This is probably a dumb question....but

TIFFYBABY83
TIFFYBABY83 Posts: 24
edited September 28 in Health and Weight Loss
I am suppose to consume 1520 calories a day, but when I exercise, a note pops up saying I can eat the calories I earned from exercise but if I do that I won't lose right? BTW my calorie intake is 1520 because I would like to lose 2lbs a week and my daily exercise level is sedentary because I am at a desk all friggin day. I am confused can someone help me understand ?

Replies

  • christinathompson1
    christinathompson1 Posts: 144 Member
    my calorie intake is 1200 with or WITHOUT exercise.. i do NOT eat back any of my exercise calories, carbs, sodium, sugar, anything..
    i don't add my exercise till i'm done logging in for the day.
    since doing that i've been losing weight more. :)
  • Jenscan
    Jenscan Posts: 694 Member
    You'll get a lot of differing opinions on this, but here's the logic:

    MFP already builds in a deficit so you can lose the weight
    Then you exercise
    You have a bigger deficit
    You eat back the exercise calories
    You still have a deficit

    The problem with not eating the calories back from exercise is that the deficit becomes TOO large (especially if you're wanting to lose 2 lbs per week - you might need to rethink that as you continue losing weight), you will stop losing completely. Your body wants to hold on to what you eat because you're not giving it enough calories.

    Does this help? Look at the link in my signature. There are threads in there that explain eating back exercise calories far better than I just did.
  • dubaigal
    dubaigal Posts: 10
    There's no such thing as a dumb question!!! If you DON"T ask the question thats what makes us dumb!!
  • fridayjustleft04
    fridayjustleft04 Posts: 851 Member
    MFP has a built in deficit, so even if you eat back all of your exercise calories, you still have a deficit, so don't worry.
  • pittielover23
    pittielover23 Posts: 268
    You should try to at least NET 1200 calories, which means that you are gonig to need to eat back some of your exercise calories. If you don't, you could go into starvation mode. You can even eat all your exercise cals if you want, but that is a personal preference. I prefer to just eat some of them back.
  • CodyD18
    CodyD18 Posts: 161 Member
    As long as you're net calories are the same then you should lose the same amount of weight. :) Exercise is very important for losing weight. Make sure you do resistance training as well because muscle is very good for your metabolism and overall health!
  • _Johanna_
    _Johanna_ Posts: 125 Member
    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com

    Look at the links on that website - that 1500 calories is already accounting for your 2 pound weight loss. Any calories you burn beyond that via exercise, if not eaten back, *could* put you into starvation mode, slowing your metabolism and causing you to lose nothing. Read the links and you will get some good information that will help you decide how to move forward!!! :) Good Luck and Way to go for exercising!
  • DestinyDarbi
    DestinyDarbi Posts: 260 Member
    Exercise anyway! It speeds up your metabolism, so even if you see the same number of net calories at the end of the day, your body will be able to burn them off more efficiently. Way to go!
  • zml_mom
    zml_mom Posts: 270 Member
    I usually do not eat my exercise calories either, mine is 1200 daily to loose 2lbs a week and I very seldom go over 1000
  • TIFFYBABY83
    TIFFYBABY83 Posts: 24
    Thanks everyone for the help, I appreciate it!
This discussion has been closed.

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