Calories - What if I don't Consume all of Them

JudyBrunton
JudyBrunton Posts: 7 Member
in Getting Started
Does it matter if I don't consume all of my calories on one day - or are you supposed to?

Replies

  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
    You're supposed to consume them all (at least get as close to 0 left over as possible). Your deficit to lose your weight loss goal is already calculated into that number, so you'll lose weight eating your entire calorie allotment.
    When you exercise, you will "earn" more calories. These calories are to fuel that workout. Many say that the exercise calculations are high and that one shouldn't eat back more than 50-75% of the calories "earned". From experience, that does seem to work.
    If you occasionally don't eat all the calories, that's okay because there will be occasional days when you overeat, so it all balances out. The idea is to get a good notion of what portion control is for you and learn to maneuver within the boundaries over a lifetime to stay in a healthy weight range.

  • murp4069
    murp4069 Posts: 494 Member
    You can eat every single calorie MFP gives you every day and still lose weight, because the calories given by MFP already factor in a deficit depending on the weight loss goal you've chosen. You may find that you have certain days that you eat more/less than other. Ultimately by the end of the week you should have eaten enough calories to meet or almost meet your weekly intake total, particularly if you have a low daily goal. Your body needs the energy you get from calories, so if you are consistently eating too few calories you may start getting tired or noticing other effects of undereating.

    One other note - if you are tracking your exercise in MFP, be wary of the calorie burns MFP has in the database. Most people think they are very inflated. So, for the purpose of eating back exercise calories, just be careful about how many calories MFP is giving back to you. From what I've seen on the forums many people only eat back 50-75% of the extra calories MFP gives them for exercise due to the number inflation.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    PaytraB wrote: »
    You're supposed to consume them all (at least get as close to 0 left over as possible). Your deficit to lose your weight loss goal is already calculated into that number, so you'll lose weight eating your entire calorie allotment.
    When you exercise, you will "earn" more calories. These calories are to fuel that workout. Many say that the exercise calculations are high and that one shouldn't eat back more than 50-75% of the calories "earned". From experience, that does seem to work.
    If you occasionally don't eat all the calories, that's okay because there will be occasional days when you overeat, so it all balances out. The idea is to get a good notion of what portion control is for you and learn to maneuver within the boundaries over a lifetime to stay in a healthy weight range.

    Great answer!
  • JudyBrunton
    JudyBrunton Posts: 7 Member
    Perfect thanks everyone. So just to verify - I will eat all my calories - or as close to possible - got that - AWESOME.

    Am I though ok to NOT eat my calories that I gain from exercise - or am I supposed to eat them as well?

  • lesleyloo7879
    lesleyloo7879 Posts: 439 Member
    JudyBrunton wrote: »
    Perfect thanks everyone. So just to verify - I will eat all my calories - or as close to possible - got that - AWESOME.

    Am I though ok to NOT eat my calories that I gain from exercise - or am I supposed to eat them as well?
    You do not have to eat those back.....but you can if you want too
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    JudyBrunton wrote: »
    Perfect thanks everyone. So just to verify - I will eat all my calories - or as close to possible - got that - AWESOME.

    Am I though ok to NOT eat my calories that I gain from exercise - or am I supposed to eat them as well?

    Plan to eat back part of them.

    MFP as designed gave you a calorie deficit before any exercise was factored in. That way people who can't/won't exercise still lose weight.

    The reason it's not eating back 100% of exercise calories....exercise calorie burns are estimates (often generous). Start by eating back 50% or so. Then tweak up or down as weight loss progresses/slows. Large calorie deficits make is hard for your body to support existing lean muscle mass. Because most people want fat loss, we keep the deficit in check.
  • JudyBrunton
    JudyBrunton Posts: 7 Member
    Perfect, this makes sense. thanks a lot
  • tej220
    tej220 Posts: 19 Member
    I use a fitness band to track calorie burn it is more accurate than the ones programmed into MFP
  • Ducky193
    Ducky193 Posts: 1 Member

    Here is my take on this.

    If you hit your calorie goal you should lose the weight you have set as a goal, if you have a deficit you will lose more weight (the opposite is also true).

    Now there is a minimum that you must eat otherwise MFP will not post any results (for me it is 900'something calories/day). This minimum calorie intake is calculated by MFP using your personal information. This minimum is what you need (in theory) to eat in a healthy way.

    Exercise burns calories and MFP calculates how much you burned. Because my goal are fairly reasonable (losing one pound per week) I do not eat back the calories I burn exercising. If I was on a severe program (minimum calorie intake to maximize weight loss) I would eat that back to stay with a healthy diet (above 900'something calories/day for me).

    I tend to run a deficit on my calorie intake during the week because I know I might go over during the weekend.
  • cgvet37
    cgvet37 Posts: 1,189 Member
    I'm in a deficit on a daily basis, except on the day I have my eat what I want meal. I eat enough to stay full, and able to work out at the intensity I wish to.

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