Help!! Confused

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Meggie43
Meggie43 Posts: 25 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone. Im really trying to get fit for summer. My starting weight was 148.5 a month ago and now I am 144. So I lost 4.5 lbs in a month. My goal is to lose another 10 pounds. I am 5 5. Anyways Im totally confused with this calorie deficit. Could someone explain very simply. My calories are 1200 a day. .right now I am at 1056 but will still be adding before day is through. My exercise for today is 472. Its usually higher but today was a pilates day . It says I have 616 remaining?? I really dont understand..am I supposed to be burning more than 1200 calories a day for weight loss???? Thank you everyone..I find this really overwhelming

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  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
    edited May 2017
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    You burn calories just by being alive - likely way more than 1200. You need to eat a minimum of 1200 plus at least a portion of your exercise calories. If it says to eat 616 more calories then if you've calculated everything correctly you can eat 616 more calories.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
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    MFP sets up your goal based on the activity level you tell it you have, along with the number of pounds you tell it you want to lose per week. Your base goal is independent of any additional exercise, so if you did no additional exercise, you'd still lose weight. You should eat at least your 1200 calories every day, no matter what you do.

    If you do extra exercise on top of your regular daily activity level, MFP gives you additional calories to eat. It's okay to eat back those calories, although some people choose to eat back only a portion of them to account for any estimate error (MFP is guessing that you burned 472 calories through exercise, but it's not 100% for sure that you burned exactly that number). You're safe eating back 50-75% of those calories, at least.

    To sum up...always eat your base 1200 calories, plus anywhere from 50-100% of your exercise calories.
  • hannahhenryhaas
    hannahhenryhaas Posts: 8 Member
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    You *should* eat at least the 1200 calories...so I would definitely add another 144. You *can* eat back your exercise calories if you are still hungry, but I personally only eat back about half of them.
  • Meggie43
    Meggie43 Posts: 25 Member
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    Thank you everyone....wow I didn't realize I could eat extra for the exercise. Im really new to this. If I keep on track I should lose weight??
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
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    Yes, as long as you're calculating your intake correctly, you'll lose weight. How are you measuring your food? (Eyeballing, using measuring cups/spoons, using a food scale?)
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
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    You have lost @ 1 pound per week, that's is a reasonable amount and a reasonable goal. If I were you I would keep doing whatever it is that you have been doing. I wouldn't change until the rate changes and I would adjust accordingly.

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