This article explains why your calorie goal and nutrient values increase when you log exercise, and shows Premium members how to customize this behavior.
Your calorie goal isn't just a number. It's built around you, and it flexes a little when you move more. Here's what's happening behind the scenes.
When you create your profile, we ask for your age, height, weight, gender, and normal daily activity level. We use these factors to determine the calories required to maintain your current weight. We also ask how much weight you'd like to lose or gain per week, and with that goal in mind, we adjust your daily calorie goal accordingly. For more on how we calculate your initial goals, see how MyFitnessPal calculates your initial goals.
Because your daily calorie goal already accounts for your weight loss or gain rate, you can reach your goal by eating the specified number of calories, with no additional exercise required. If you do exercise, your daily calorie goal increases for the day, to keep your rate of loss or gain on track. The calories added to your goal are divided among nutrients like fat, carbs, and protein, which is why those values increase too.
Turn Exercise Calories on or off with MyFitnessPal Premium
If you're an advanced user, MyFitnessPal Premium lets you control how logging cardio exercise affects your goals. This can help if you have a carb limit you can't exceed, or if you want to redistribute exercise calories across fat, carbs, and protein for your own performance goals.
iOS
- Open the MyFitnessPal app.
- Tap your Profile Icon in the upper right of your screen to open the menu.
- Tap Goals.
- Tap Exercise Calorie Adjustments.
- Toggle the setting on or off.
Android
- Open the MyFitnessPal app.
- Tap your Profile Icon in the upper right of your screen to open the menu.
- Tap Goals.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and tap Exercise Calories.
- Toggle the setting on or off.
- Tap the check mark in the upper right to save.
Website
- Log in to the website using the same email and password you use with the app.
- Click the Goals tab near the top of the page.
- Click Edit for the Fitness goal section.
- Turn Adjust my daily calorie goal on or off.
- Click Save Changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to log exercise to reach my calorie goal?
No. Your goal already reflects your intended rate of weight loss or gain. Logging exercise is optional and simply adds calories back for the day.
Is the Premium customization available to everyone?
No, this level of control over exercise calorie distribution is a MyFitnessPal Premium feature.
What happens if I turn exercise calories off?
Your nutritional goals stay the same no matter how much cardio you log that day.