Ok, I really do not understand this.

I hate asking questions but I really don't get this...

I need 1500 calories a day with my lifestyle, to lose 2 pounds a week healthily right?

But I do exercise on some days, like today where I have burnt 326 calories at the gym.

...does that mean i have to eat 1800 today to keep up with my body, or do I still eat 1500?

1500 + eating back the calories you burned working out, so 1800 for today.

If you don't work out, then on those days, eat 1500, but on the days you work out, you need to eat back what you burned.

This seems to be the most common misunderstanting i've seen on the forums in my short time here but here's how it works.

If you burn 326 calories at the gym then you need to eat an extra 326 calories on top of your 1500.

Think of it like a ballance sheet.

You've got some income of calories for the day...
300
500
200
700
200
+__
1900

then you subtract what you burned while exercising

1900
-400
____
1500 and you get your total for the day


Eating back the calories is an easier way to grasp this... but just don't separate your intake of food from your outgoing expendature of energy in exercising and you'll get it as well.

Some people choose 'sedentary lifestyle' and add in activities. If you do it that way, then 1800 would be a good number of calories for you on workout days.

If you choose 'moderate activity' (etc.) because of your gym workout, then the base number includes your activity and you don't need to add more.

It might be easier to think of it in a different way. Instead of "eating what you burn off" from exercise, just try to keep a 500 calorie deficit. Like Librarygirl said, log all of your activities while on a sedentary lifestyle. Subtract 500 from the calories burned, and you have your proposed daily caloric intake.

Ooh!! Thank you, I understand now!

just a quick FYI...as far as i understand it...a 500 cal defecit/day will equal about ONE pound of fat loss per week...not two.

500 x 7 = 3,500 cal

~3,500 cal = 1lb

You would need a 1,000 cal deficit per day to lose 2lb/week.   This is probably only "safe" if you have a lot of weight to lose still.

1lb/week is probably a safe range for anyone that's overweight

Ah ok :] Thank you :]