Can I trust the calorie exchange?

jgartenman
jgartenman Posts: 6 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I just started MFP a couple weeks ago and am at the end of my first week of couch 2 5K training. Every run gives me back 215 calories but I'm wondering I can really trust that? My diet is SO clean now that I'm tracking and exercising for three weeks (exercise is the only way I'll clean up my diet) and I feel so much better all around. I've lost about 2.5 pounds (water weight I assume) but I'm curious if I really should be eating those calories back.

Replies

  • edlanglais
    edlanglais Posts: 39 Member
    I personally don't go by those calories. I do use them as a guide and enter 65% of them. I then feel free to eat back all of those. Bot no, they aren't known to be incredibly accurate.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Start by eating about 50% of them back, and see what your results are in the coming weeks. Real life data with your own numbers will be more accurate than anything the program gives you. If you are losing at your expected rate, keep at it. If slower, eat fewer of those calories. If faster, eat more.
  • jgartenman
    jgartenman Posts: 6 Member
    This makes perfect sense - thank you!
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    My diet isn't "clean" at all, and I eat back 100% of my exercise calories. I just did my homework to understand what my calorie burns actually are. If I ate back 50% I would be starving, but I routinely do 500-1000 kcal exercise days.

    The way MFP is designed, you are supposed to eat your exercise calories.

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