How to figure out how many calories I need to burn?

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afull416
afull416 Posts: 24 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Sorry if this is worded weird. I'm trying to figure out how many calories I need to burn to lose weight. I see the 1200 calorie intake. I'm kind of confused though. For example, yesterday I went over the 1200 calorie intake but because of the calories I burned from exercise I burn about 500 calories. I didn't know if that meant I now needed to eat 500 calories so I got back to 1200 or not. Plus this is what made me wonder how many calories do I need to burn.
I really hope this isn't too confusing. It makes sense in my head, I just can't get it out right. Thank you!

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  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
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    Works best at 1200 if you eat the calories back for most things, the 1200 calories is with your weight loss deficit built in. You will need to do a bit more research though, 1200 could be too low, do the BMR calculation and the BMI then set some goals. Don't try to lose too fast, it will likely end up in a stall.
  • lilybug13
    lilybug13 Posts: 154
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    You do not NEED to burn any as long as you are eating in a deficit. If you burn calories you can just eat more and still lose. So really, the benefit of buring calories is to tone and to add to the amount you can eat while still losing weight.
  • scatmaster
    scatmaster Posts: 17
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    I do not think the question is weird at all. Every day I come close to my caloric intake but my exercise takes me well below it and when I complete my entry it tells me I am not eating enough. I do not have the answer however. Hopefully someone else with training in the nutrition field will be able to answer it.
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    Sorry if this is worded weird. I'm trying to figure out how many calories I need to burn to lose weight. I see the 1200 calorie intake. I'm kind of confused though. For example, yesterday I went over the 1200 calorie intake but because of the calories I burned from exercise I burn about 500 calories. I didn't know if that meant I now needed to eat 500 calories so I got back to 1200 or not. Plus this is what made me wonder how many calories do I need to burn.
    I really hope this isn't too confusing. It makes sense in my head, I just can't get it out right. Thank you!
    Where did you get 1200?

    Anyway, your MFP settings based on your gender, weight and activity level set a daily goal based on 1 lb per week weight loss.

    That is what you should be eating daily.
    Further, when you exercise, you enter these into your exercise log, and they add those calories burned to your daily goal.
    You eat back those calories.

    Simply stated MFP has already figured out your total calories you need to eat per day to lose 1lb etc. a week.
    That's WITHOUT exercise. You'll notice that when you actually add exercise in, the calorie limit goes up.
    Why? Because it's telling you to eat your exercise calories.
    Large deficits aren't really good to do because while you will lose weight, what kind of weight will it be?
    In many cases you'll lose lean muscle tissue which LOWERS your metabolic rate even more.
    Then you have to eat even less to compensate for less of a calorie burn to continue to lose the same amount
    of weight each week.

    Be efficient.
    Exercise hard and eat back the calories. The hard exercise will RAISE your metabolic rate and burn more fat at rest.
  • mcarden86
    mcarden86 Posts: 59 Member
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    It's kind of dependent on your body.
    First, calculate your BMR (go to TOOLS at the top of the page).
    Your BMR is how many calories your body needs to maintain its weight if you do absolutely nothing throughout the day.
    You have to burn an average of 500 calories per day to lose a pound per week. Then, compare that to your 1200 calorie per day diet.
    For example, my BMR is 1600. If I eat 1200 calories and burn 100 every day for a week, I should lose a pound. If I eat 1400 calories and burn 300, I should still lose a pound.
    Like I said, it kinda depends on your body.
    Hope this helps!
  • georgia98_98
    georgia98_98 Posts: 123 Member
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    Should I eat all my calories?

    Yes. MFP is already figuring a deficit for you to lose weight. This deficit is based on what you need to eat based on your everyday activity, not counting exercise. In the end, it's all about "net calories" (you can view yours under reports)

    Example: you need to eat 2,000 calories to maintain your current weight (random number)
    MFP will tell you to eat 1,500 to lose one pound per week (500x7=3500=one pound loss).

    Let's say you exercise, and burn 500 additional calories.
    UH-OH, now you are at a 1,000 calorie a day deficit. You need 2,000 calories to maintian, are already restricted to 1500, so now your net calories are a 1,000 a day. This is starvation central. Your body, which is very good at keeping you alive, will store and save calories. You WILL stop losing weight. You WILL want to throw your scale out the window.

    Eat your exercise calories. At least eat most of them.

    Question #2:
    I'm eating 1200 calories, I feel like crap and I'm not losing weight. What gives?

    Answer:
    Run, don't walk, to "tools" and use the BMR calculator. Please, please, please, eat at least your BMR calories every day. You might lose weight more slowly, but you will still lose, and you will not longer feel a sudden urge to fall over every time you do,

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6556-the-answers-to-the-questions

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