Calories in, calories out
Charliegirl1974
Posts: 28 Member
Hi, I probably sound stupid, but I never mind! I always thought to lose a few pounds one must eat fewer calories (bad calories) and exercise more. Why, when I input my food intake and exercise, does My Fitness Pal day I need to still eat X amount of calories for the day?
Thanks!
Thanks!
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Replies
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Because eating too few calories is unhealthy. This site does not support very low calorie diets.15
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What are bad calories? A calorie is just a calorie?
MFP gives you a deficit before exercise, that's why you should then eat exercise cals back too, or you risk underfueling your body.14 -
Here read through the Sticky posts in "Getting Started" - the last one is about Exercise calories, but they are all important.
Getting Started Sticky posts9 -
Because your body burns calories even at rest. In fact the majority of your daily calorie burn comms from your Basal Metabolic Rate (calories burned at rest). Daily activity and exercise add too that.
MyFitnessPal bases your calorie goal on what you burn before exercise (so just BMR and daily activity). It then subtracts the deficit required to lose at the rate you wanted. If you exercise your daily burn has now increased and to maintain the same rate of loss your calories have to increase.4 -
MFP is designed for you to eat back at least a portion of your exercise calories. You need to eat a minimal amount amount of calories for your health (so your body doesn't start cannibalizing your hair, nails, heart muscles, etc.)--but if you've done a lot of exercise and are shy by 100 calories or so, it's not a big deal--but just eating 500 calories a day is a VERY big deal. Plus you can "bank" them for later in the week if you would like. Your goal should be a slow and steady weight loss. A lot of people come here, freaking out and wanting to lose 10 lbs a week and frantically doing hours of cardio every day, but the tool helps them to learn eating habits sustainable for the long term.
Also, it's not really helpful to think of foods as bad. If you are under by 100 calories and have eaten nutritionally dense foods all day, two oreos are not going to hurt you, and in fact might be helpful for providing an energy boost for working out.
Edit: spelling3 -
Example:
MFP estimates my BMR to be 1371.
For Sedentary activity level I should burn about 1710 a day.
To lose 1 lb per week -500.
Goal without exercise to lose 1 lb per week 1210.
Let's say I burn 300 through exercise.
1710+300 = 2010
2010-500 = 1510
With an exercise burn of 300, I should eat 1510 to lose 1 lb per week.
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A good minimum calorie goal for women is 1200. For men, 1500.
Basically, your body needs a certain amount of calories and nutrition to stay healthy. Your muscles, hair and nails need protein to be healthy. Your brain and organs need enough dietary fat to be healthy.
And if you don't eat enough calories, you can become dizzy and faint from lack of energy. And your body will start eating your muscles for sustenance.2 -
Charliegirl1974 wrote: »Hi, I probably sound stupid, but I never mind! I always thought to lose a few pounds one must eat fewer calories (bad calories) and exercise more. Why, when I input my food intake and exercise, does My Fitness Pal day I need to still eat X amount of calories for the day?
Thanks!
Your body needs a certain amount of calories to function. Calories are fuel. So you put in your stats and you tell MFP you want to lose (let's say) 1 lb per week. The calorie goal MFP gives you is how much you need to eat, to fuel your body adequately but still be in a calorie deficit so you lose 1 lb per week. If you eat less, you will lose quicker (maybe too quick) and underfuel your body. If you exercise and don't eat additional calories, again you will lose weight quicker (maybe too quick) and underfuel your body and your workout.2 -
Charliegirl1974 wrote: »Hi, I probably sound stupid, but I never mind! I always thought to lose a few pounds one must eat fewer calories (bad calories) and exercise more. Why, when I input my food intake and exercise, does My Fitness Pal day I need to still eat X amount of calories for the day?
Thanks!
You need to eat fewer than maintenance calories...this calculator calculates your calorie target based on your stats and stated weight loss goals...your calorie target isn't maintenance...it's your diet calories.
Calories are a unit of energy...your body needs energy to exist. You burn calories 24/7...I burn around 1800 calories merely existing and doing nothing else...I burn more calories going about my day to day...I burn more calories with exercise, etc.2 -
Eater fewer calories yes to lose but not under the recommended calories given by MFP, aim to meet those.1
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shadow2soul wrote: »Example:
MFP estimates my BMR to be 1371.
For Sedentary activity level I should burn about 1710 a day.
To lose 1 lb per week -500.
Goal without exercise to lose 1 lb per week 1210.
Let's say I burn 300 through exercise.
1710+300 = 2010
2010-500 = 1510
With an exercise burn of 300, I should eat 1510 to lose 1 lb per week.
I don't agree with this at all, unless you are wearing a heart monitor, and getting perfect calorie burn. Don't trust what apps tell you. I would would add 50 - 60% of that back, or just stick with 1210.18 -
shadow2soul wrote: »Example:
MFP estimates my BMR to be 1371.
For Sedentary activity level I should burn about 1710 a day.
To lose 1 lb per week -500.
Goal without exercise to lose 1 lb per week 1210.
Let's say I burn 300 through exercise.
1710+300 = 2010
2010-500 = 1510
With an exercise burn of 300, I should eat 1510 to lose 1 lb per week.
I don't agree with this at all, unless you are wearing a heart monitor, and getting perfect calorie burn. Don't trust what apps tell you. I would would add 50 - 60% of that back, or just stick with 1210.
Except HR is about the worst possible way to estimate caloric burn.12 -
shadow2soul wrote: »Example:
MFP estimates my BMR to be 1371.
For Sedentary activity level I should burn about 1710 a day.
To lose 1 lb per week -500.
Goal without exercise to lose 1 lb per week 1210.
Let's say I burn 300 through exercise.
1710+300 = 2010
2010-500 = 1510
With an exercise burn of 300, I should eat 1510 to lose 1 lb per week.
I don't agree with this at all, unless you are wearing a heart monitor, and getting perfect calorie burn. Don't trust what apps tell you. I would would add 50 - 60% of that back, or just stick with 1210.
It's just an illustration of the math behind why MFP recommends eating them back. I didn't state how I came to that calorie burn. So I'm not sure what you are disagreeing with here. I'm also not saying trust MFP'S database numbers. It's just an example of why exercise calories get added back to the goal with MFP.
Eating just 1210 would have me under-eating. I actually lose weight eating around 2k calories a day. About 1 lb per week on about 2k calories a day. I just have my activity level set to Sedentary because my Fitbit adjusts my calories for me based on my activity.5 -
For the record, I've always eaten 100% of the calories from exercise, from day one.
I lost exactly at the rate predicted.
The only way to know is to keep good records and adjust over TIME based on results and energy levels.18 -
cmriverside wrote: »For the record, I've always eaten 100% of the calories from exercise, from day one.
I lost exactly at the rate predicted.
The only way to know is to keep good records and adjust over TIME based on results and energy levels.
Exactly.2 -
If you set mfp to determine the amount of calories for your goals (which is losing a little bit in your case) AND you log in your activities, then yes, you eat back your calories.
If however you set your own calorie goal that you wish to hit every day (where all your activity is accounted for) and don't log your activity, then no. Which is my approach btw, cause after a few years of doing this, I know exactly how many calories I need to bulk, cut or maintain. And it's less complicated for me and less work3 -
Charliegirl1974 wrote: »Hi, I probably sound stupid, but I never mind! I always thought to lose a few pounds one must eat fewer calories (bad calories) and exercise more. Why, when I input my food intake and exercise, does My Fitness Pal day I need to still eat X amount of calories for the day?
Thanks!Charliegirl1974 wrote: »Hi, I probably sound stupid, but I never mind! I always thought to lose a few pounds one must eat fewer calories (bad calories) and exercise more. Why, when I input my food intake and exercise, does My Fitness Pal day I need to still eat X amount of calories for the day?
Thanks!Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Because eating too few calories is unhealthy. This site does not support very low calorie diets.
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Argh, I maybe didn’t make myself clear!
I usually eat about 1800-2000 calories a day, (by bad calories I just meant crap!) and of course I know it’s fuel. I want to just streamline, get a bit trimmer, and that’s why I thought I’d use MFP to keep account. I have a mega healthy veggie diet but like everyone I am prone to a little ‘sin’, mine being the odd glass of wine.
I did my BMR and it calculated I needed to take away 500 to set my calorie goal, so I’m looking at 1500. To be honest, I know I just need to cut out the wine, (and the cheese in such quantities!) and maybe do more squats! But MFP is great to keep you on track!
I just wondered if I need to eat more once the exercise is done to shift the odd pound or two...4 -
Charliegirl1974 wrote: »Argh, I maybe didn’t make myself clear!
I usually eat about 1800-2000 calories a day, (by bad calories I just meant crap!) and of course I know it’s fuel. I want to just streamline, get a bit trimmer, and that’s why I thought I’d use MFP to keep account. I have a mega healthy veggie diet but like everyone I am prone to a little ‘sin’, mine being the odd glass of wine.
I did my BMR and it calculated I needed to take away 500 to set my calorie goal, so I’m looking at 1500. To be honest, I know I just need to cut out the wine, (and the cheese in such quantities!) and maybe do more squats! But MFP is great to keep you on track!
I just wondered if I need to eat more once the exercise is done to shift the odd pound or two...
You take calories from your TDEE not BMR0 -
Also, just for the record, I’ve never counted a calorie in my life! I’ve always gone by eating clean, eat bright coloured veg, exercise, and don’t beat yourself up about it! All things in moderation. Only thing is, I want abs NOW!!6
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Charliegirl1974 wrote: »Argh, I maybe didn’t make myself clear!
I usually eat about 1800-2000 calories a day, (by bad calories I just meant crap!) and of course I know it’s fuel. I want to just streamline, get a bit trimmer, and that’s why I thought I’d use MFP to keep account. I have a mega healthy veggie diet but like everyone I am prone to a little ‘sin’, mine being the odd glass of wine.
I did my BMR and it calculated I needed to take away 500 to set my calorie goal, so I’m looking at 1500. To be honest, I know I just need to cut out the wine, (and the cheese in such quantities!) and maybe do more squats! But MFP is great to keep you on track!
I just wondered if I need to eat more once the exercise is done to shift the odd pound or two...
READ the sticky posts I linked above.
You don't subtract 500 from your BMR, you subtract it from your TDEE. This site uses different math.
1500 MAY be where you need to be (plus exercise calories on those days. 1800-2000 MAY be good.) You need to run the experiment.
Wine is fine. Cookies are fine. Cheese is a staple in my daily calories. Log it all, keep good records, read the stickies.
Have I mentioned to read the stickies?
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how does that flowchart get a "woo"? 
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Charliegirl1974 wrote: »Also, just for the record, I’ve never counted a calorie in my life! I’ve always gone by eating clean, eat bright coloured veg, exercise, and don’t beat yourself up about it! All things in moderation. Only thing is, I want abs NOW!!
If that is your goal, I suggest looking over this thread: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1.8 -
cmriverside wrote: » how does that flowchart get a "woo"?
A full 2/3 of my posts since the first of the month have been woo'd. Someone out there clearly wants me to sit down and stop giving advice, but I take them as a sign to keep going, even if it's just to annoy the people who are downvoting me.27 -
stanmann571 wrote: »shadow2soul wrote: »Example:
MFP estimates my BMR to be 1371.
For Sedentary activity level I should burn about 1710 a day.
To lose 1 lb per week -500.
Goal without exercise to lose 1 lb per week 1210.
Let's say I burn 300 through exercise.
1710+300 = 2010
2010-500 = 1510
With an exercise burn of 300, I should eat 1510 to lose 1 lb per week.
I don't agree with this at all, unless you are wearing a heart monitor, and getting perfect calorie burn. Don't trust what apps tell you. I would would add 50 - 60% of that back, or just stick with 1210.
Except HR is about the worst possible way to estimate caloric burn.
I was going to say the same thing.
And calories for certain things can be pretty well estimated. I ate back all my calories from medium and short runs, for example.2 -
diannethegeek wrote: »cmriverside wrote: » how does that flowchart get a "woo"?
A full 2/3 of my posts since the first of the month have been woo'd. Someone out there clearly wants me to sit down and stop giving advice, but I take them as a sign to keep going, even if it's just to annoy the people who are downvoting me.
Either that or you've got the portion of people who misunderstand the woo button trying to give you a positive high five in the wrong way. 3 -
PikaJoyJoy wrote: »diannethegeek wrote: »cmriverside wrote: » how does that flowchart get a "woo"?
A full 2/3 of my posts since the first of the month have been woo'd. Someone out there clearly wants me to sit down and stop giving advice, but I take them as a sign to keep going, even if it's just to annoy the people who are downvoting me.
Either that or you've got the portion of people who misunderstand the woo button trying to give you a positive high five in the wrong way.
Pika!!!
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PikaJoyJoy wrote: »diannethegeek wrote: »cmriverside wrote: » how does that flowchart get a "woo"?
A full 2/3 of my posts since the first of the month have been woo'd. Someone out there clearly wants me to sit down and stop giving advice, but I take them as a sign to keep going, even if it's just to annoy the people who are downvoting me.
Either that or you've got the portion of people who misunderstand the woo button trying to give you a positive high five in the wrong way.
I almost did that. I've been away so long the Woo button wasn't even here when I left. Took me a second to realize that it was meant to indicate that kind of woo and not celebratory woo.
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@diannethegeek You always give good advice honey. Keep on doing that.
I wish they would change the woo button to a less ambivalent button. I suggest "Bull Crap" with a Poop emoji myself
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