Calorie goal

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julimclaughlin133
julimclaughlin133 Posts: 5 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have a weird question. So if I am allowed 1550 calories a day but I burn 589 do I have to eat the calories added too.. like right now since I worked out and burned 589 it added calories so I have over 1200 remaining am I expected to eat the 1200 or do I stick to the 1550???

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  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,620 Member
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    You can do either. Just be aware you almost certainly burned off fewer calories than is being recorded. Most devices overestimate calories burned. So, if you eat back all of them, you may wipe out your deficit.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,410 Member
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    MFP is set up such that you eat the calories you get assigned plus any exercise you do. When you chose an activity setting you chose this without exercise but just for your everyday life. However, exercise calories are often grossly inflated, thus it might be a good idea to only eat a part of it and re-evaluate after one full menstrual cycle: if you lose faster then eat more, if you lose slower eat back less. One important thing: very fast weightloss is not good, thus really, if you lose faster then eat more.
  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 878 Member
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    MFP is set up for you to eat your exercise calories back in most situations.
    Firstly, make sure you are logging your calorie consumption as accurately as possible (i.e. weigh/measure what you can so that you can learn to figure what's what).
    Secondly, make sure that the calorie burn you are logging is also as accurate as it can be. If you simply chose something from that database it has a high chance of being inaccurate...same if you are using a calorie burn estimate from a machine that you did not input your own weight in (but likely it's still inaccurate).
    Ideally, use multiple sources to estimate the calories you burned and try to choose a number that seems in between them (so like an avg or median number). Over time you'll be able to figure out what's what.

    So, if your goal (given to you by MFP) is 1550 --- this calorie goal is theoretically already at a deficit to your maintenance calories if you told MFP you wanted to lose weight. So, then if you burn (ex.) 500 calories, you will only have consumed a NET of 1050 calories which is likely below your BMR and too little. So you should eat back those workout calories so that your NET consumption is 1550 (or you should eat back ~50-80% if you are worried you've overestimated your calorie burn). You will also start to learn your bodies actual hunger cues and be able to choose to eat more when you are truly hungry.
  • bh602019
    bh602019 Posts: 3 Member
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    If you're trying to manage your daily calorie intake, whether you should eat additional calories burned through exercise depends on your specific goals and preferences. Here are some considerations:

    1. Weight Loss: If your goal is to lose weight, you can choose to eat the 1,550 calories allocated to you and not necessarily consume the additional calories burned through exercise. This creates a calorie deficit, which is typically needed for weight loss.

    2. Maintenance: If you're trying to maintain your current weight, you may want to eat the extra calories burned during exercise to ensure you're meeting your daily energy needs.

    3. Flexibility: The decision can also be based on how you feel. If you're hungry or fatigued after exercising, it's reasonable to eat some of the additional calories to refuel and aid recovery.

    4. Individual Variation: Caloric needs can vary greatly between individuals. It's important to pay attention to your body's signals and adjust your calorie intake based on how you're progressing toward your goals and how you feel.

    5. Professional Guidance: Consulting with a registered dietitian or nutritionist can provide personalized recommendations to help you determine the most suitable approach for your specific situation.

    In summary, you have flexibility in deciding whether to eat the calories burned through exercise or stick to your daily calorie target. Your choice should align with your goals, how you feel, and your overall nutritional strategy.

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