Help, confused!

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simatif
simatif Posts: 32
in Health and Weight Loss
I am sure there are a million threads on this, but I just need some help figuring this out. I only use MFP as a guide. I am not super diligent about it, but i do love being accountable to myself :) My question.

My daily goal is 1390. But then everytime i exercise my goal increases. Every day so far ( 5 weeks today) i have tried to consume to my calories remaining. I feel like this isnt to my advantage.

I guess I am wondering how the majority do it? Do you try and stay within your goal regardless of exercise? Or do you eat, and eat, and eat to make up for calories burned?

I lost 8 lbs in the first 3 weeks, and now I am stuck. I am blaming it on sodium, my nemesis, but now I wonder if I should be moving away from balancing out my calories with exercise.

Replies

  • ifiwasurvampire
    ifiwasurvampire Posts: 181 Member
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    Please go read the newbies please read topic. It explains eating back your exercise calories.
  • AmeChops
    AmeChops Posts: 744 Member
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    MFP calculates your calorie allowance for weightloss and therefore builds in the calorie deficit needed. In theory this is the amount you will need to eat to lose weight without exercise. You exercise, burn calories therefore are at more of a deficit than is actually needed, therefore you should eat those calories back - in order to make sure your eating enough for your body to function properly and healthily.

    In reality, I personally use the figure as a guideline and if I'm hungry I'll eat them and if I'm not then I won't eat them.
  • renatadelarose
    renatadelarose Posts: 9
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    Hi, my daily goal is 1430 a day..I stay at 1200 cals a day, I don't add my exercise calories which are usually a additional 700-800 cals. so far I lost 7.2lbs in 10 days.
  • simatif
    simatif Posts: 32
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    WOW! Good for you :)
    Hi, my daily goal is 1430 a day..I stay at 1200 cals a day, I don't add my exercise calories which are usually a additional 700-800 cals. so far I lost 7.2lbs in 10 days.
  • simatif
    simatif Posts: 32
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    Thank you, I will :)
    Please go read the newbies please read topic. It explains eating back your exercise calories.
  • steplaj
    steplaj Posts: 586 Member
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    If you are not eating enough calories, MFP will tell you so and will recommend you eat more.
  • simatif
    simatif Posts: 32
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    I guess that is why I was wondering if I was doing the right thing. Most times, I am not hungry, only because I eat well. Maybe I will try just not eating, if i am not hungry :) I was just spending so much time trying to eat back those calories, and not seeing any results.
    MFP calculates your calorie allowance for weightloss and therefore builds in the calorie deficit needed. In theory this is the amount you will need to eat to lose weight without exercise. You exercise, burn calories therefore are at more of a deficit than is actually needed, therefore you should eat those calories back - in order to make sure your eating enough for your body to function properly and healthily.

    In reality, I personally use the figure as a guideline and if I'm hungry I'll eat them and if I'm not then I won't eat them.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
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    Hi, my daily goal is 1430 a day..I stay at 1200 cals a day, I don't add my exercise calories which are usually a additional 700-800 cals. so far I lost 7.2lbs in 10 days.

    That's not sustainable. Please, for the sake of your health and sanity, read the stickies - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition .

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