Net calories and exercise

hillysuze
hillysuze Posts: 18 Member
in Food and Nutrition
MFP gave me a calorie goal of 1390 per day to lose 1.5 lbs per week. When I enter in my exercise, as you know, my burned calories are now "available" to consume again. Am I supposed to be eating my 1390, exercise and then eat the difference in what I burned? It doesn't seem to make sense to me since I am trying to lose weight but there's a reason I am overweight to begin with!

Replies

  • akjmart2002
    akjmart2002 Posts: 263 Member
    Yes, eat those back. That is called "eating your exercise calories". There are many many many many topics previously posted about this.

    Your exercise calories.

    Eat. Them.

    Your body needs fuel.

    Read these:

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

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/9433-expectations

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo


    Executive summary: MFP factors in your exercise in a way to keep you at your planned weight loss rate; .5 lb / week, etc. This is usually within a healthy, sustainable range, so you don't want to increase your weight loss rate too much lest you plateau quicker or burn too much lean mass and sabotage your long term physique goals.

    Use the planned deficit for weight loss and the exercise to be very healthy by the time you reach your target weight goals.
  • irisheyez718
    irisheyez718 Posts: 677 Member
    Yes, eat those calories! MFP already gave you a calorie deficit. Now you've exercised and made that deficit bigger. Your body needs fuel. Good luck!
  • beckybernardo
    beckybernardo Posts: 93 Member
    I have been on here for a good while, and understand what everyone means, and why we need to eat back our calories, but I have heard for sooo long that in order to lose weight, you need to burn more calories then you take in. So that would defeat the purpose of losing weight, right?
  • calroseangelo
    calroseangelo Posts: 144
    So basically, we need to be close to the calorie limit mfp gives us? Just want to clarify because I too was confused about this issue.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    I have been on here for a good while, and understand what everyone means, and why we need to eat back our calories, but I have heard for sooo long that in order to lose weight, you need to burn more calories then you take in. So that would defeat the purpose of losing weight, right?

    Much of your burn (your maintenance value, as a matter of fact) is not in the MFP equation. So while you do need to burn more calories than you take in, don't forget that just living burns calories as well.
  • beckybernardo
    beckybernardo Posts: 93 Member
    Thanks, There are so many different theories about weight loss and everything that you could just go crazy trying to follow everything. I think it comes down to listening to our own bodies
  • gaia3rd
    gaia3rd Posts: 151
    I have been on here for a good while, and understand what everyone means, and why we need to eat back our calories, but I have heard for sooo long that in order to lose weight, you need to burn more calories then you take in. So that would defeat the purpose of losing weight, right?
    No it won't defeat the purpose, because you're still going to lose weight when you eat those exercise calories back - that's how MFP is set up. And you're going to lose it in a more healthy fashion.
  • joyfulperson84
    joyfulperson84 Posts: 3
    Think of the swimmer Michael Phelps. He swims a lot! He also, eats a lot! Like a lot! lol He has to do this so he can keep his body stable.

    I've gotten low blood sugar in the past for not eating enough when I exercise. Trust me, you don't want that to happen!

    Losing weight in a way that keeps your body healthy will help you keep the weight off once you've lost it! :)
  • fitnotfluffy
    fitnotfluffy Posts: 213 Member
    Read this. This explains it better than any other post I've ever seen.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/539912-why-eating-exercise-calories-is-so-important

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