Confused about calorie deficit/exercise
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katanakira
Posts: 1 Member
I am new to myfitnesspal and have a couple of questions about calorie deficits and exercise. 2310 calories are needed to maintain my current weight and it is recommended that I consume 1810 calories to lose a pound a week which would create a 500 calorie deficit. Does that count towards my deficiency alone or is exercise required as well? I want to burn around 500 calories a day so my question is would the calorie deficiency along with exercise make 1,000 calorie deficit per day? I exercise 6 days a week for 45 minutes.
Thanks!
Thanks!
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MFP does not include exercise. That is why when you log it, it adds calories to you daily goal.
So if your goal is 1810, you should lose 1 lb a week. If you exercise and burn 500 calories, you would eat the 1810 plus 500 for a total of 2310. That would keep your deficit at 500 calories, and you should los 1 lb a week.
If you ate the 1810, that would put you at 1000 calorie deficit for a 2lb a week goal (since your maintenance number would now be 2810, the 2310 plus 500 exercise).
Keep in mind many people err on the side of caution and do not eat all their exercise calories because estimating can be inflated.0 -
3dogsrunning wrote: »MFP does not include exercise. That is why when you log it, it adds calories to you daily goal.
So if your goal is 1810, you should lose 1 lb a week. If you exercise and burn 500 calories, you would eat the 1810 plus 500 for a total of 2310. That would keep your deficit at 500 calories, and you should los 1 lb a week.
If you ate the 1810, that would put you at 1000 calorie deficit for a 2lb a week goal (since your maintenance number would now be 2810, the 2310 plus 500 exercise).
Keep in mind many people err on the side of caution and do not eat all their exercise calories because estimating can be inflated.
She's hit it right on the nail. I do this and it absolutely works. Some people are scared to eat back their calories but the reason it's important is because it's the fuel your body needs to keep that metabolism continually moving. And what you eat does matter when you get to eat more. We still need balance.
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MFP is only giving you a calorie in goal. Burning calories is a hit and miss exercise as far as logging. If MFP is giving you a goal of 1810 calories, that does NOT assume you are exercising. Any exercise you do will be an additional deficit you create. So if your TDEE is 2310 and your goal is 1810, but you exercise for 30 minutes and burn 100 calories, you now have a 600 calorie deficit for that day. Or, you could use that 100 calorie exercise burn to earn back so calories you can eat, so you could now consume 1910 calories and still be at a 500 calorie deficit for the day (1810 goal+100 burn-1910 eaten=0). Some folks like to exercise and eat back some, all, or none of their exercise calories. The problem is that exercise calories are very difficult to estimate, since it is very individual and dependent on heart rate, size, weight, effort, etc. A lot of people just log it in as 0 calories, just to track their activity but don't use the calories that MFP suggests. And never use what is on the treadmill/bike/elliptical, etc. Those things are notorious for WAY over-estimating calorie burns.
I hope that makes some sense?0 -
That 500 calorie value comes from the approximation of there being 3,500 calories in a pound of fat. Seven days times 500 is 3,500. So in this case, it's deficit alone.
It's best to NOT count exercise calories as part of that deficit. Consider them as a bonus instead. They are almost impossible to measure accurately anyway. Realise too that that 2310 value (TDEE) is a very rough approximation as well.
What exercise actually does during weight loss, is retain muscle mass while you lose the weight.
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That 500 calorie value comes from the approximation of there being 3,500 calories in a pound of fat. Seven days times 500 is 3,500. So in this case, it's deficit alone.
It's best to NOT count exercise calories as part of that deficit. Consider them as a bonus instead. They are almost impossible to measure accurately anyway. Realise too that that 2310 value (TDEE) is a very rough approximation as well.
What exercise actually does during weight loss, is retain muscle mass while you lose the weight.
That is a very broad statement. In some cases it might be just fine. For those with a lot of weight to lose, smaller deficits or not very active, it isn't as much of an issue.
For someone with a large deficit already/lower end calorie goal, little weight to lose or very active, it is far more important.
Anyone who has performance goals should be taking into account their exercise in some way.
There is a big different between not eating the calories back for a 30 minute regular weight session or walk and not eating back calories when doing an intensive lifting program or 2 hour run.0 -
3dogsrunning wrote: »That 500 calorie value comes from the approximation of there being 3,500 calories in a pound of fat. Seven days times 500 is 3,500. So in this case, it's deficit alone.
It's best to NOT count exercise calories as part of that deficit. Consider them as a bonus instead. They are almost impossible to measure accurately anyway. Realise too that that 2310 value (TDEE) is a very rough approximation as well.
What exercise actually does during weight loss, is retain muscle mass while you lose the weight.
That is a very broad statement. In some cases it might be just fine. For those with a lot of weight to lose, smaller deficits or not very active, it isn't as much of an issue.
For someone with a large deficit already/lower end calorie goal, little weight to lose or very active, it is far more important.
Anyone who has performance goals should be taking into account their exercise in some way.
There is a big different between not eating the calories back for a 30 minute regular weight session or walk and not eating back calories when doing an intensive lifting program or 2 hour run.
Agreed. Not eating back at least some of the exercise calories is like not putting gas in a car...eventually it will stop working correctly.
The suggestion is to ensure you are logging accurately and consistently so you are sure of the calories in part and for the calories out part try eating back 50-75% of them (as logged here in MFP)0 -
3dogsrunning wrote: »That 500 calorie value comes from the approximation of there being 3,500 calories in a pound of fat. Seven days times 500 is 3,500. So in this case, it's deficit alone.
It's best to NOT count exercise calories as part of that deficit. Consider them as a bonus instead. They are almost impossible to measure accurately anyway. Realise too that that 2310 value (TDEE) is a very rough approximation as well.
What exercise actually does during weight loss, is retain muscle mass while you lose the weight.
That is a very broad statement. In some cases it might be just fine. For those with a lot of weight to lose, smaller deficits or not very active, it isn't as much of an issue.
For someone with a large deficit already/lower end calorie goal, little weight to lose or very active, it is far more important.
Anyone who has performance goals should be taking into account their exercise in some way.
There is a big different between not eating the calories back for a 30 minute regular weight session or walk and not eating back calories when doing an intensive lifting program or 2 hour run.
+1.
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3dogsrunning wrote: »That 500 calorie value comes from the approximation of there being 3,500 calories in a pound of fat. Seven days times 500 is 3,500. So in this case, it's deficit alone.
It's best to NOT count exercise calories as part of that deficit. Consider them as a bonus instead. They are almost impossible to measure accurately anyway. Realise too that that 2310 value (TDEE) is a very rough approximation as well.
What exercise actually does during weight loss, is retain muscle mass while you lose the weight.
That is a very broad statement. In some cases it might be just fine. For those with a lot of weight to lose, smaller deficits or not very active, it isn't as much of an issue.
For someone with a large deficit already/lower end calorie goal, little weight to lose or very active, it is far more important.
Anyone who has performance goals should be taking into account their exercise in some way.
There is a big different between not eating the calories back for a 30 minute regular weight session or walk and not eating back calories when doing an intensive lifting program or 2 hour run.
Yes, this.0
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