Confused

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lyricalLies13
lyricalLies13 Posts: 151
in Food and Nutrition
The more articles I read on here the more confused I get. So my question is, do I need to be calculating other stuff for my calories or would it be okay to leave it all up to MFP to tell me how many calories i should be eating?

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  • CEQuick75
    CEQuick75 Posts: 311 Member
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    So far, I've found MFP to be pretty good. As with anything, you can get as detail oriented as you want. Just try to be conservative with logging calories burned, liberal with logging calorie intake, and just keep at it!
  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
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    If all you get is more confused, let MFP do the work for you. Don't forget to eat back most of your exercise calories if you do let MFP do the work!
  • spoulsen82
    spoulsen82 Posts: 30 Member
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    i agree. don't over analyze. i just went with what it recommended. but definitely track everything and do eat back exercise calories (at least most of them).
  • Lollypops44
    Lollypops44 Posts: 16 Member
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    Hi, I would let Mfp do the calculations but be careful to only add cardio if you go over and above your normal routine. Ie, don't add normal housework and everyday walking etc but if you do extra stuff like gym or serious spring clean or heavy duty gardening then be sure to add those and eat them. Good luck
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,112 Member
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    Keep It Simple.

    Use the Tools here honestly, and be conservative....if you have 30 lbs to lose, don't set your goal at "Lose 2 pounds a week." It won't work.

    This site works fine if you use it as it is intended to be used. Update your weight and goals regularly, eat your exercise calories, try to keep your macros in line.
  • ladykate7
    ladykate7 Posts: 206 Member
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    No, do the research, learning it will be helpful in the future.

    But maybe I don't understand how to use mfp the way its meant to be used. Because when I let it calculate for me it puts my daily calories at 1200, for a .5 lbs weekly loss. According to on-line calculators I'd burn around 1400 just laying in bed all day - which is probably why mfp puts me at 200 cals below that and the mfp system will not put anyone lower than 1200 ever.

    According to my FitCore I burn an average of 1800 calories each day I go to work (I have a desk job) I'll burn more than 1800 if I go to the gym, walk during lunch, run errands after work, or plain old walk around in my house on the phone (which is hard to guess the calorie burn and therefore hard to know how many calories to eat back! Which is why I bought the tracker armband.)

    Two months following mfp's 1200 suggestion I didn't lose a thing, actually gained 3 lbs. I was hungry and cranky. The results of two months left me with low energy levels and, I believe, less muscle than I had at the begining of that two months. So 1200 is too low for me. And Two months wasted being cranky and frustrated.

    BUT, plenty of people have had good results letting mfp do the math.

    But learning your BMR, TDEE, and other various mumbo-jumbo is good knowledge to have and might save you two months if your exeriepence happens to be the same as mine was.

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