Exercise calories-- do you eat them or not?
Options
meltsaway
Posts: 7
So… it's been about 4 weeks. I'm exercising for the first time in my life (yay me) doing zumba and some other good cardio, but I'm not losing every week. I have been eating calories to make up for the exercise, but maybe I will cut back. Would love to hear from others! Do you eat your exercise calories?
0
Replies
-
Can you open your diary? Where are you getting your burns?0
-
It is the way this tool is designed. You didn't include exercise in your activity level...you have to account for it somewhere.0
-
Well assuming that you've set up MFP to give you a deficit then you should be eating them back to avoid overshooting your deficit.
Some people don't eat back all, to allow for measurement error in both intake and output, but equally errors could undercompensate so that's a pretty arbitrary approach. The value of using the tool properly might vary depending on how much phys you do. I burned 1500 calories this morning, on a goal of 2100 cals per day. No way I couldn't eat back most of them.0 -
Yes. I eat back some but not all.0
-
Exercise calories aren't really accurate. For that reason I don't eat them all back.0
-
Nope- Everything I read is that we tend to over estimate exercise and under estimate calories. Honestly, at 1400 cals, and burning 400-500 a day 5 days a week, I barely loose 1.5 lbs a week. I'm sure if I ate them all back I'd not be loosing at all. I will "allow" myself to eat an extra snack of 100-200 calories on a day I worked out a lot IF i'm actually hungry. That's still no where near the calories MFP estimates I burned in exercise though.0
-
I was on Facebook when I noticed your post Jeannette, this was on the MFP page and may be of help to you.
Nutrition Tips / January 6, 2015
Ask the Dietitian: Should I Eat Back My Exercise Calories?
Congrats! You’ve gone to the gym, put in some time on the treadmill and now have a few hundred extra calories in the bank. But what do you do with those extra exercise calories? Should you run to the kitchen and gobble them up, save them for a special weekend treat or ignore them altogether?
When faced with this decision, it’s important to consider several factors, most notably your weight goal (whether you’re wanting to lose, gain or maintain), the frequency, intensity and duration of your exercise, and your overall level of hunger.
For the average exerciser trying to lose or maintain weight (i.e. someone who burns an additional 200-500 calories a few times per week), exercise calories don’t make up a significant portion of overall calorie burn, generally in the 1500-2200 per day range. Unless you’re exercising at a moderate to high intensity for an hour or more, several times a week, or are actively trying to gain weight, you most likely don’t need to be worried about eating all of those calories back.
The main reason is this: It’s easy, and fairly common to overestimate calorie burn (both from everyday activity and from exercise) and underestimate calorie consumption. By going out of your way to eat back every calorie you expend during exercise, you may unintentionally undermine your efforts to lose or maintain your weight. Additionally, you could be overriding your body’s hunger cues if you don’t feel particularly keen for those exercise calories but eat (or drink) them back them anyway. If your body isn’t telling you it needs fuel, it’s best to save your exercise calories for when you want them–say, for an unexpected hunger pang or a weekend treat meal with friends.
Now if you’re trying to lose weight, chances are you’ll be on the hungry side even without exercising since MyFitnessPal’s weight loss calorie goals are calculated independent of exercise. The upside to this is that those exercise calories become a “bonus”–so if your workout leaves you feeling a bit hungry afterwards, by all means you should enjoy the bump in calories and eat something. (Just read the 5 tips below beforehand to make the most of them!)
The vast majority of us who are trying to shed a few pounds or maintain our weight need not be concerned about eating back all of our exercise calories, but those trying to gain weight, and/or who are training heavily several times per week should be mindful about getting in enough calories–both to fuel physical activity and promote muscle growth, repair and recovery. For those of you who fall into this category, here are some great pre- and post-workout meals and snacks.
Whether you’re exercising to lose, gain or maintain your weight, improve your fitness level, or just reduce stress, one thing to remember when eating back exercise calories is that the quality of those calories is just as important as the quantity.
To help you get the most out of those hard earned calories, here are 5 tips to healthfully handle those post-workout hunger pangs:
1. Start with a hydration check. Thirst can be misinterpreted for hunger so, if you’re on the fence about whether you need to refuel or not, make sure you’re not just dehydrated. Here are some hacks from other MyFitnessPal users for staying well hydrated.
2. Hone in on your hunger cues. Rather than running for the kitchen cabinet the moment you get home from your workout, trust your tummy to tell you if you need a post-workout snack.
3. Don’t get stuck on the number. Remember, the calories you eat and exercise off are estimations, and we’re more likely to overestimate calories burned from exercise. If hunger hits between meals, start slow–particularly if you’re trying to lose or maintain your weight. Begin by eat back a percentage of your exercise calories (say, 50%) rather than all of them, and see how you feel in 20-30 minutes.
4. Focus on high-quality protein and wholesome carbohydrates. Doing so will optimize muscle repair and recovery.
5. Spread ‘em out. Our bodies aren’t able to store protein like carbohydrates and fat so, if you have a significant number of calories to eat back (lucky you!), be sure to include protein with each meal and snack over the course of the day for optimal muscle building and repair.
Nutrition Note: Large calorie deficits over time, whether through calorie restriction, exercise or a combination of the two, can lead to nutrient deficiencies and other health problems, so it’s always a good idea to consult with a doctor or dietitian if you are unsure about how many calories (exercise or otherwise) you should be consuming.
Elle Penner, M.P.H., R.D., is the Registered Dietitian and Food & Nutrition Editor at MyFitnesssPal, as well as an active runner and food-enthusiast. For more healthy living inspiration, connect with her on Twitter and Pinterest.0 -
I eat up to half because I am fairly certain that my clumsy self doesn't burn 10 calories/minute jogging.0
-
No. Activity level (exercise, your job, and hobbies) is calculated in with TDEE. Since you're creating a deficit from your TDEE eating back exercise calories would put you at maintenance/in a surplus.0
-
Canadian_Empire wrote: »No. Activity level (exercise, your job, and hobbies) is calculated in with TDEE. Since you're creating a deficit from your TDEE eating back exercise calories would put you at maintenance/in a surplus.
^^^THIS!!0 -
TDEE=/=NEAT method, which is what MFP uses.0
-
I don't but I like to keep them in reserve. Also I simply can't afford to eat that much extra food as I'm not working at the moment.0
-
obscuremusicreference wrote: »TDEE=/=NEAT method, which is what MFP uses.
True, but you don't have to use that method. MFP also lets you edit calorie allowance, and your macros. You won't be able to get you exact needs (normally) but you can get them ball park...0 -
Over-estimating - and then over-eating - Zumba calories is one of the most common reasons for weight loss failure on MFP.
How many calories are you eating back, and how are you calculating that number?
0 -
Don't eat back all the exercise calorie burn...try to leave at least half of what you originally had.0
-
-
It depends.
If you're using the calories MFP gives you- which I do- I would eat back around half. Wait a week or two to see how your weight is. If you're unhappy with the rate of loss, you can try changing it to eating back 1/3.
If you're using TDEE, then exercise is already factored in- so if you journal your exercise on MFP, ignoring calories burnt is your best bet.
And remember- some ways of determining calories burned are more accurate than others. People often complain of the burns measured by MFP being too high. That is why I bought an activity tracker: paired with a heart rate monitor, it can fairly accurately determine calories burned during exercise. However, there are many other ways to determine calories burned.
Ultimately, it's all about experimentation, and if you're not losing weight, I'd try cutting back, at least for a little while.0 -
-
Canadian_Empire wrote: »No. Activity level (exercise, your job, and hobbies) is calculated in with TDEE. Since you're creating a deficit from your TDEE eating back exercise calories would put you at maintenance/in a surplus.
Except MFP doesn't use TDEE...it uses the NEAT method...your activity level with MFP is only supposed to be your day to day humdrum and exercise is extra...that's why you get those calories added to your GOAL when you log exercise.
You have to understand the method you are using. If you tell some noob on MFP not to eat those calories when they haven't included them in their activity level, you are giving *kitten* *kitten* advise.
0 -
Canadian_Empire wrote: »No. Activity level (exercise, your job, and hobbies) is calculated in with TDEE. Since you're creating a deficit from your TDEE eating back exercise calories would put you at maintenance/in a surplus.
^^^THIS!!
No not this!
MFP isn't a TDEE calculator and exercise isn't part of the activity setting here. If you want to count calories then you have to account for significant calories burns - TDEE method does that in advance, MFP does it after the event.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 391 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 922 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions