Calorie Goal?

awade2989
awade2989 Posts: 1 Member
edited October 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Ok a bit confused about what they say my calorie goal is, I am trying to maintain so they said the goal was 1500, but then I added in my exercise for the day and it jumped to 1800...am i suppose to eat the calories I burned during exercise?

Replies

  • I think you are technically allowed to eat up to that amount but if you aren't hungry, go with the bigger calorie deficit for faster weight loss!
  • TooFatToFit
    TooFatToFit Posts: 285 Member
    To my understanding, yes. It is still less calories then you would probably eat if you weren't tracking. Not eating enough puts your body into starvation mode...slow the metabolism and hang onto those calories, and that's not what you want.
  • I did the same thing and it confused me a little. When you burn the calories during exercise, MFP feels that you can handle getting the extra calories back and that is why you get an adjustment. Don't do anything crazy and go up to the adjusted calorie goal. Just know what you are supposed to have and stick with it. You will be better off doing that.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    Yes, eat those calories.
    MFP calculates your daily allowance without counting exercise, so if you exercise you need to add extra calories.
    That's even more important as you are trying to maintain not lose weight.

    Have a look at the Help section/FAQs to understand how MFP works.
  • MissMaryMac33
    MissMaryMac33 Posts: 1,433 Member
    The 1500 they gave you already contains your deficit to lose weight --- -so yes, you should eat back your exercise calories, or at least half.
  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
    You can try reading the links provided here for a better understanding of how MFP works and why you should eat at least some of your exercise calories back so as not to create too large a deficit for health purposes:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition
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