How do I use my calories?

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jnlynn
jnlynn Posts: 101
in Health and Weight Loss
My question is, how do I use my calories to lose weight? Do I eat all of my calories or do I leave some, especially when I exercise. I have been eating every last drop of my calories and I am thinking that is wrong. I get confused, because I heard if you do not eat enough calories you can actually gain because your body thinks you are starving yourself.

Please help?!?!

Replies

  • jotaylorx
    jotaylorx Posts: 2
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    I don't have an answer but would also be interested in knowing this too. Plus, does your daily calorie total go down as you lose weight?... I've only lost 4lbs so far and its not changed!
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    If you set a weight loss goal in MFP then your calorie target includes a deficit---it increases when you exercise. The reason you eat your calories back is this:

    You selected X pounds lost per week and MFP gave you a goal to lose X pounds WITHOUT exercise.

    Now if you exercise you will burn more calories...do if you didn't eat the calories you burned off in addition to your initial target you'd be losing X pounds plus Y pounds (amount lost from working out).

    MFP doesn't want X+Y because that could create too large a deficit and lower your metabolism by causing a loss of lean muscle mass and negatively impacting your hormones.

    Make sense?
  • Emilia6909
    Emilia6909 Posts: 309 Member
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    Eat your daily required calories and bank the exercise calories until one day when you feel you really need more.

    I'm exercising 7 times a week, and have not once touched my extra calories. Each person different, so go with what your body is telling you. If you are super hungry then eat something like nuts/fruit. Many folk would suggest that you eat more protein to combat hunger pangs. I generally eat 97% of my daily calories.... my body has not gone into starvation mode and weight coming off nicely.

    The calorie total does not change automatically as you go down. You can reset your goals each month and that will effect the calories you are suggested to eat.

    Good luck on your weight loss journeys. FOUR POUNDS loss... EXCELLENT!!!

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