Help me understand?

ilikejam33
ilikejam33 Posts: 252 Member
edited September 28 in Health and Weight Loss
I read a lot of posts about "eating back" your excercise calories. I am confused on why the site says that if i excercise i need to eat back all the calories i burned off.

It seems counterproductive to me, the website said to meet my goal and lose weight then i should not go over 1200 a day, but then tells me to eat 1700 becasue i went spinning. in theory even if i excercise should i not stay at 1200 total to loose the weight?

Would someone mind clearing this up for me?

Thank you:smile:

Replies

  • Troll
    Troll Posts: 922 Member
    THis site bugs me with things like that.

    My maintenence calories are at around 1900-2200. I work out for 3 hours a day/6 days a week. I typically burn around 1200 calories a day-that doesn't mean i'm going to go eat them back just so i can hit my target calories. After an intense workout, you need to replenish your muscles with high-quality protein (i just drink a protein shake myself) and if you're like me, a small dose of carbs just so you don't crash (escpecially if you work out early, you'll nee dthem to make it for the rest of the day).

    Try to eat about an hour before your workout, and them consume a decent (i try for at least 50 g, but that's just what works for me) amount of protien within 30-45 minutes of your workout. Add your calories accordingly, and just move meals and snacks until you find what works for you.
  • LimeyTart
    LimeyTart Posts: 303 Member
    Would someone mind clearing this up for me?

    Thank you:smile:

    MFP builds in a deficit for you, before your exercise, based on your calories burned during "Normal Daily Activity" and your weight loss goals.

    For example, my NDA calories burned is 1,940. My calorie recommendation is 1200, based on what I'd like to lose. So I already have a 740 calorie deficit before I work out.

    Your exercise calories get added back in when you log exercise because MFP wants your NET calories to be 1200.

    Click on "Goals" from your main MFP page and you'll see your deficit already built in.
  • michalita
    michalita Posts: 27
    I think the confusion would be removed if MFP showed your goals in terms of maintaining the deficit number rather than staying under a specific number of calories; if you want to lose X pounds a week, keep XX calories in deficit. However much you eat a day would vary based on your activity level, but so long as you maintained that specific deficit, you'd be meeting your goals. Does that make sense?
  • dee_sea_tea
    dee_sea_tea Posts: 12 Member
    I don't like it either bc no matter how many lbs I say I want to lose or how often I want to work out it ALWAYS gives me a 1200 calorie goal. So bc I choose to not eat the extra calories I "earned" every day through exercise I wait until I've completed all my food logging to add in my workout.
  • ilikejam33
    ilikejam33 Posts: 252 Member
    Thank you toeveryone who has replied, i appreciate your thoughts and opinions. :)

    Another question..is there a way i can change the "if every day were like today, in 5 weeks....." I'd rather it told me what i should be at now, so then i could judge if what i am doing is working.
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