Eating Back Your Exercise Calories

BeccaKay96

I know this has probably been posted on here a million times but I don't feel like scrolling and trying to find one of the old ones! What does everyone think? My trainer says you can do it either way but she recommends not to eat them back, she has me keeping an average of 1500 calories a day, maybe a few extra when I add in extra protein on strength days.. What do you all do? Extra calories or keep it the same?

diannethegeek

It really depends on how your calorie goal is set up. If you're using MFP's setup then eat some of them back. If you're using a TDEE calculator or other program then adjust accordingly.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818082/exercise-calories-again-wtf

EatPaleoStyle

There is no scientific way to determine how many calories you burn during different types of exercise as well as there is no way to measure how many calories of the food that you consume you are actually absorbing, therefore there is no way to ensure how many calories are you "getting back", sorry.

pdwhitlock

I've seen people post on here both ways. Most argue that you should eat them back. There was an article I read on MFP Facebook however that said a personal trainer or maybe it was a nutritionist suggested you do not eat all of them back because there is no exact way of knowing how much you are burning and you could over eat. I sometimes eat some back sometimes not. If I've exercised a LOT I find I'm hungry more so if I'm truly hungry I will eat small snacks to compensate for the calories burned.

FitPhillygirl

I go by my level of huger. If I'm hungry after doing my HIIT workouts and weightlifting I will eat a few calories back. Usually no more than 150, though.

ramseyarose

I underestimate my workouts so I teach 7- 60 min Zumba classes in 5 days but I only record that I do 30 min so I eat half of the calories I burn back .

hill8570

Most people underestimate calorie intake and overestimate burn, so for most smaller (under an hour) workouts, you probably shouldn't eat them back. Or, at most, just a small percentage. If you go out on a multi-hour hike or something, then eating back becomes a lot more necessary.

And remember, everyone is different: you adjust what you do based on your results. If you're losing too fast, adjust your calories up. And vice versa.