Calorie Counting Confusion

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LadyOdd
LadyOdd Posts: 26 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I recently joined and this may have been asked by many people before, but I have a question about the calories MFP says i should be eating. When I signed up I put in my information and had put in exercise 4 days a week 30 minutes. I haven't been able to work out as often as I'd like to due to working some very long hours. My question is the calories it says I should eat daily (1810) is that based on my workouts? And if I cannot work out 4 days a week do I need to eat less calories a day to continue losing?
Any advice would be great. Thanks

Replies

  • kit_katty
    kit_katty Posts: 994 Member
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    Personally I have it set up to have no workouts and count when I do have them!
  • LadyOdd
    LadyOdd Posts: 26 Member
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    I went in to my profile and changed it to 0 workouts but it didn't change the calories, they stayed at 1810. Is there another way I have to change it? I just want to make sure I'm doing it right.
  • Glenda0707
    Glenda0707 Posts: 16
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    LadyOdd, Think about it if your weight is 300+ lbs 1810 calories is not that much. You will do fine and still lose weight. I don't think you want to starve yourself. This is a live it, not a diet! You'll be just fine! Keep up the good work, you can do this!!!
  • FlyingNunley
    FlyingNunley Posts: 18 Member
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    Your calorie intake from MFP is based off your Basal metabolic rate (BMR). When you workout you earn more calories.

    On days you don't workout just keep to the BMR.
  • LadyOdd
    LadyOdd Posts: 26 Member
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    LadyOdd, Think about it if your weight is 300+ lbs 1810 calories is not that much. You will do fine and still lose weight. I don't think you want to starve yourself. This is a live it, not a diet! You'll be just fine! Keep up the good work, you can do this!!!

    Thanks Glenda. That makes sense, I just haven't dieted well in the past so wanted to keep in line with this tracking.
  • LadyOdd
    LadyOdd Posts: 26 Member
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    Your calorie intake from MFP is based off your Basal metabolic rate (BMR). When you workout you earn more calories.

    On days you don't workout just keep to the BMR.

    On the days I do workout I should be tracking the workouts right? Cause I know it takes calories off. I want to make sure I a correctly tracking with MFP
  • mommyhof3
    mommyhof3 Posts: 551 Member
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    Your calorie intake from MFP is based off your Basal metabolic rate (BMR). When you workout you earn more calories.

    On days you don't workout just keep to the BMR.

    On the days I do workout I should be tracking the workouts right? Cause I know it takes calories off. I want to make sure I a correctly tracking with MFP

    Yes you should be tracking your workouts. It is recommended that you use a heart rate monitor for your calorie burn. If you can't afford one or chose to not use one be aware that MFP over estimates your exercise calories burned. I made that mistake when I first started and I was eating more than I was actually burning
  • treetop57
    treetop57 Posts: 1,578 Member
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    I recently joined and this may have been asked by many people before, but I have a question about the calories MFP says i should be eating. When I signed up I put in my information and had put in exercise 4 days a week 30 minutes. I haven't been able to work out as often as I'd like to due to working some very long hours. My question is the calories it says I should eat daily (1810) is that based on my workouts?

    No. It hasn't factored in your workouts into your calorie allowance. That is why the calories didn't change when you changed from 4 times/ week to 0 per week.
    And if I cannot work out 4 days a week do I need to eat less calories a day to continue losing?

    No. The calorie allowance has a deficit built in assuming no exercise (500 cal/day for 1 lb per week or 1000 cal/day for 2 lb per week). If you exercise, then you can eat more and still maintain a deficit.
  • LadyOdd
    LadyOdd Posts: 26 Member
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    Thanks everyone. That was exactly the info I needed. :)
  • EnchantedEvening
    EnchantedEvening Posts: 671 Member
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    Yes you should be tracking your workouts. It is recommended that you use a heart rate monitor for your calorie burn. If you can't afford one or chose to not use one be aware that MFP over estimates your exercise calories burned. I made that mistake when I first started and I was eating more than I was actually burning

    Not always. It underestimates my calorie burn by quite a lot. I burn 1000+ calories doing Turbo Jam, but MFP gives me about 437 calories for 41 minutes of high impact aerobics.

    I also burn quite a bit more when I walk, despite what MFP says. It's usually off by 400 calories. People who weigh more, like me and the OP, tend to burn more because we have to work so much harder to move our bodies around. It would be like a thinner person jogging with a backpack and ankle weights.
  • EnchantedEvening
    EnchantedEvening Posts: 671 Member
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    OP, let me make this a little easier.

    To lose two pounds per week, I can eat 1840 calories if I don't exercise at all. I can sit on the couch all I want as long as I don't go over 1840 calories.

    So let's say I eat 1840 calories today. Then I go home and go for a walk, which burns 400 calories. When I enter the exercise into MFP, it says I can eat an extra 400 calories (because when you subtract my exercise from my food, it's 1440 calories for the day).

    If I eat 2100 calories and burn off 300, that puts me at 1800 for the day, which means I can eat another 40.

    This is why it's important to enter your exercise. It's sort of like getting "free" calories, as long as you don't go over your limit for the day. :)
  • LadyOdd
    LadyOdd Posts: 26 Member
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    OP, let me make this a little easier.

    To lose two pounds per week, I can eat 1840 calories if I don't exercise at all. I can sit on the couch all I want as long as I don't go over 1840 calories.

    So let's say I eat 1840 calories today. Then I go home and go for a walk, which burns 400 calories. When I enter the exercise into MFP, it says I can eat an extra 400 calories (because when you subtract my exercise from my food, it's 1440 calories for the day).

    If I eat 2100 calories and burn off 300, that puts me at 1800 for the day, which means I can eat another 40.

    This is why it's important to enter your exercise. It's sort of like getting "free" calories, as long as you don't go over your limit for the day. :)

    That made it very clear, thank you. I will definitely track my exercising.

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