To ask what this means in MFP

[Heckneck]

Posting for traffic due to not getting a response in the weight loss section. Can anyone tell me if I can eat these remaining calories and still create a defecit?

[amusedbush]

If you eat the remaining calories, you will not have a deficit. You will need to eat some of them though as you are only netting 800kcal for the day.

[picklemepopcorn]

Yes, if the calories allowed each day is set to a deficit. You have earned a lot in exercise, there!

[amusedbush]

Sorry, you will STILL have a deficit!

[Spurtle]

Is 1440cal the amount MFP says you need in order to lose weight? If so, yes, you can eat the exercise ones and still lose weight. If it was me I’d maybe eat half of them.

(Well, real me wouldn’t, but good-at-losing-weight-imaginary-me would.)

[Areyoufree]

But 1440 calories for a day is a deficit, surely? If you eat the calories, you will have a net intake of 1440. However, I would be wary of the exercise calories - seems quite high.

[amusedbush]

However, I would be wary of the exercise calories - seems quite high.

Yes, did you wear a heart rate monitor or did you work them out on MFP? Because MFP is notorious for over-estimating exercise calories. I'd eat half of them.

[peachgreen]

I don’t trust their exercise calories - I found I got the best results by just sticking to the calorie goal regardless of exercise. If I was hungry on a day when I’d done a lot of exercise I’d allow myself an extra 200-300 calories for a snack.

[LivingDeadGirlUK]

You shouldn't be nettinh less than 1200 calories but most likely need more than that. If you look on the mfp general weight loss forum there is a sticky post explaining how to calculate the minimum calorie intake you need for your body to function.

[kaytee87]

Once you’ve entered your current weight and goal weight mfp sets a calorie target that is already 500 less than you require per day to remain the same weight (unless you’re relatively small in which case the minimum it will recommend is 1200 for anyone). So you are meant to eat those calories. Unless I’m really hungry I often don’t eat the ‘exercise’ calories though.

[Heckneck]

It's connected to my step calculator. Yes I thought it was high too. Thanks.

[Areyoufree]

Problem with the calorie estimators is that they don't take into account how used to the exercise your body is. I run a lot, and various apps tell me I have burnt 1000+ calories on long (10 miles +) runs. If I ate that many extra calories, I would put on weight. It's a bit of an inexact science!

[Heckneck]

Thanks. I'll just stick to the calories it's given me then and not go over. want to lose it lol

[TheViceOfReason]

It's best to not eat back exercise calories - MFP massively overestimates what the calorie burn of exercise it!

If you are genuinely hungry allow yourself 100-150 cal of something, but no more.

[amusedbush]

793kcal burned via steps is a LOT. I burn 500-600kcal at an intense spin class and I am two stone overweight.

[Heckneck]

Yeah I agree. The actually step counter doest say that much but i didn't know if mfp calculated it differently. But I'll forget about those now.

[Sarahh2014]

U not supposed to eat the exercise calories

[Papafran]

Unless you walked about 20,000 steps, I don't think you burned that many calories. I think a lot of people err on the side of caution and don't eat back the exercise calories. Might be worth upping your daily limit to e.g. 1600 if you are doing a lot of activity though.