Calorie deficit

hannah2x3
hannah2x3 Posts: 6 Member
in Getting Started
So this may be a really dumb question but I see it gives you calories for a day then has the + exercise. The app says you need to have a 500 cal deficit to loose weight. Does that mean in the exercise slot I have to hit 500 calories a day to loose weight?

Replies

  • harper16
    harper16 Posts: 2,564 Member
    Mfp is designed for you to eat back your exercise calories.

    So if your calories are 1500 and you burn 400 from exercise, you eat the 1500 + the 400.
  • lauriekallis
    lauriekallis Posts: 4,765 Member
    The 500 cal deficit mean you eat 500 less calories than is required to maintain your current weight. If you need 2000 calories to maintain your weight, to achieve a 500 calorie deficit you eat only 1500 calories that day.

    If you do an extra 500 calories worth of exercise - you get to eat an extra 500 calories and still achieve a 500 calorie deficit!
  • hipari
    hipari Posts: 1,367 Member
    The goal is to have zero in the ”remaining” section of the equation.
  • nanastaci2020
    nanastaci2020 Posts: 1,072 Member
    No.

    Your body uses energy/calories all day long. Even if you did not get out of bed, your body would still burn energy for the process of keeping you alive: breathing, heart beating, brain functions, etc. And then when you do move thru your day (basic, normal daily activity) your body uses additional energy just to carry you thru it.

    MFP estimates that energy/calorie use based on your stats (height, weight, age, gender) and by asking your regular activity level. It then asks about your weight loss goal. If you select 1 pound per week, MFP takes 500 off of that # and tells you how much to eat.

    When you exercise, you burn additional energy/calories. You get to choose if you wish to eat additional based on that.

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