Help / knowledge appreciated

Ianhd
Ianhd Posts: 5 Member
edited 4:19PM in Fitness and Exercise
As a newbie - I track my calories etc but I want / need to lose 20kilos … yes, 20 kgs! ( 6 months I'm guessing ) …..

MFP has allotted me 1720 calories allowance a day and I'm happy with that -

I also have started the gym doing weights 3 times weekly and cardio three times a week. The question is ….

If I'm aiming to lose the Kgs should I add the calories 'burned' ….. apologies in advance if this has previously been asked / answered …..

I'm 49.... don't wanna be fat at 50. 167cm and 91 kgs

Replies

  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10503681/exercise-calories-do-i-eat-these-a-video-explanation/p1
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
    Calories in and out are calculations and estimates. So don't stress too much about math.

    Food is doing two things for you now:
    1) Providing energy so you can workout (hard).
    2) Providing nutrients to rebuild and recover from that hard work.

    As long as you're getting these two things done, there's no reason to eat more (aka add exercise calories back). I typically do add back the cardio calories as I find I don't get enough protein if I don't. I never count lifting as calorie burning.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    If you are using the numbers MFP provided for your deficit, you are supposed to eat your exercise cals back, lifting and cardio.

    As the little, older, sedentary woman who quite correctly gets 1200 cals, 200 exercise cals from 90 min lifting are just as valuable as 200 cals from 60 min cardio.
    I would be undernourished, underperforming, and lethargic if I didn't eat them.

    If you think you are getting too high an estimate for your exercise cals, eat back a consistent 75% for 4-6 weeks and reevaluate from there.

    Cheers, h.
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