Eating back calories from exercising

jem302
jem302 Posts: 373 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I always thought you should NOT eat back the calories you burned off, but from everything I've read here I should be netting 1200 calories a day. Well, I'm at just about 1000 consumed calories right now and I'm full, it's just about 7pm and I have no idea what else to eat except maybe some popcorn later. I don't want to eat another 800 calories, I feel like that is too much for how I feel right now! The only thing I would want to eat right now is junk food, which I don't see as a good idea just to burn up some extra calories. Not sure what to do! I had the same problem yesterday, and just ended my night with some air-popped popcorn with butter, but still only ate about 1200 without eating back burned calories.
I guess what I'm asking is if I feel full and satisfied, should I keep eating just to eat back the calories I burned?

Replies

  • wannabpiper
    wannabpiper Posts: 402 Member
    Nuts! I don't always eat back all of my exercise calories because there are days when I go over (weekends and such). It levels out over time. But if there's a big disparity between cals in and cals out, I have a handful of nuts. They're packed with protein and taste good. If I eat too little, then I'm in hell the next day wanting to eat every five minutes. Best of luck!
  • ajbltn
    ajbltn Posts: 57
    Our bodies are good at telling us what it needs. If you're not hungry, don't worry too much about it. Eating for the sake of eating is something I had t stop doing!! I have my calorie goal set at a number I'm happy with and I do NOT eat back calories burned. Unless I'm feeling a little off. If I need to eat, I eat!
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Our bodies are good at telling us what it needs. If you're not hungry, don't worry too much about it. Eating for the sake of eating is something I had t stop doing!! I have my calorie goal set at a number I'm happy with and I do NOT eat back calories burned. Unless I'm feeling a little off. If I need to eat, I eat!
    No. If your body was good at telling you what it needs, you wouldn't be here needing to lose weight in the first place. Your body is controlled by hormones, and is built around habit. Eat too much, your hormones adjust and your body tells you to keep eating more. Eat too little and your hormones adjust and your body keeps telling you to eat too little.

    This is why actual logging and tracking is important. It's also why we have brains.
  • teagirlmedium
    teagirlmedium Posts: 679 Member
    If you think you should consume more calories, but do not want to eat them, drink them. When you get thirsty instead of drinking water have some lemonade, milk, soda if you feel like it or any other drink with calories in it.
  • jem302
    jem302 Posts: 373 Member
    Thanks guys! So what if I had a treat or something, like ice cream or frozen yogurt? I just don't want to add too much junk in just to use up my extra calories but I also don't want to be too deficient.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    Thanks guys! So what if I had a treat or something, like ice cream or frozen yogurt? I just don't want to add too much junk in just to use up my extra calories but I also don't want to be too deficient.

    There is nothing wrong with either of those things. And you shouldn't think of these things as junk food.
  • csheltra26
    csheltra26 Posts: 272 Member
    I went to a nutritionist once and probably the only piece of good advice I got from her that I still use is allow yourself a treat each day. The idea is to make this a realistic way you can continue to live AFTER the weight loss. So eat a little less now to lose weight but you can still eat snacks and treats.
  • sylf1966
    sylf1966 Posts: 52
    If you think you should consume more calories, but do not want to eat them, drink them. When you get thirsty instead of drinking water have some lemonade, milk, soda if you feel like it or any other drink with calories in it.

    Good Idea!
  • lindseygibeault
    lindseygibeault Posts: 30
    Im kinda in the same situation. When I first started trying to lose weight and eat healthy I was constantly starving, Well now Im the opposite. Im under about 200 calories a day this week, and I couldnt even imagine trying to eat some or 1/2 of my exercise calories. It makes no sense to me that you would eat back what you worked off.
  • faithsimmons526
    faithsimmons526 Posts: 162 Member
    It really all depends on how fast you want to lose the weight. Losing it too quickly can cause issues with your skin 'keeping up', but the exercise does speed up that process. Eating 1200 calories a day has been found to be safe, and if you eat nutritious food, all the better. I think that the choice is yours to make. The exercise just gives you more choices.
  • perfect_storm
    perfect_storm Posts: 326 Member
    I like the person with the nuts idea, they are good for you. Cashews and Pistachios are yummy also almonds.
  • jem302
    jem302 Posts: 373 Member
    There is nothing wrong with either of those things. And you shouldn't think of these things as junk food. They have good attributes to them too.

    My danger zone with it is that I can share an entire tub in one sitting with my boyfriend. It almost helps for me to buy a sized portion from an ice cream shop or something because it stops me from eating the whole bucket - and then it's definitely a treat because I like to get a hot fudge sundae or something like that if I'm at one of those places :)
    Thanks for the advice!
  • jem302
    jem302 Posts: 373 Member
    Im kinda in the same situation. When I first started trying to lose weight and eat healthy I was constantly starving, Well now Im the opposite. Im under about 200 calories a day this week, and I couldnt even imagine trying to eat some or 1/2 of my exercise calories. It makes no sense to me that you would eat back what you worked off.

    Yeah exactly! And the more nutritious the food I eat, the more filling it is so I'm finding myself satisfied by 1000-1200 calories eaten.
    Maybe I'll try what some people are saying here and add more nuts to my diet - I don't like them plain so much but if I toss a handful into my lunchtime salad that would work for me.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    Im kinda in the same situation. When I first started trying to lose weight and eat healthy I was constantly starving, Well now Im the opposite. Im under about 200 calories a day this week, and I couldnt even imagine trying to eat some or 1/2 of my exercise calories. It makes no sense to me that you would eat back what you worked off.

    Do you want to lose fat or lose fat and muscle? Because if you want to keep your muscle, then you need to supply your body with enough calories and nutrition to sustain your muscle and allow for fat loss.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    Im kinda in the same situation. When I first started trying to lose weight and eat healthy I was constantly starving, Well now Im the opposite. Im under about 200 calories a day this week, and I couldnt even imagine trying to eat some or 1/2 of my exercise calories. It makes no sense to me that you would eat back what you worked off.

    Yeah exactly! And the more nutritious the food I eat, the more filling it is so I'm finding myself satisfied by 1000-1200 calories eaten.
    Maybe I'll try what some people are saying here and add more nuts to my diet - I don't like them plain so much but if I toss a handful into my lunchtime salad that would work for me.

    You can also add cheese, avocado, protein shakes or protein bars.
  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 Member
    MFP intends for you to eat most or all of your exercise calories back. The necessary deficit for your weight loss goals is already built into the calories that MFP has assigned you, so you should be netting that number every day. If you don't eat any of your exercise calories, you're creating a larger-than-necessary calorie deficit. Food is fuel, and the calorie goal that MFP gives you is designed to help you lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way while providing your body with the nutrients it needs to function properly.

    If you can't eat any more tonight, don't stress about it. Just try to hit your calorie goal from here on out. If you feel like you're eating too much volume, add in more calorie dense foods, like peanut butter, olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, cheese, and eat full fat foods instead of low fat or fat free.
  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
    Nuts, steamed vegetables, melba toast with almond butter, fruit. A lot of times, I'll make a spinach salad with pecans if I have extra calories to consume (I just have to be careful to not go crazy with the dressing).
  • sunshinestater
    sunshinestater Posts: 596 Member
    It's good to eat back those exercise calories, but some days your body just won't want them. I rarely have trouble finding something to eat, and I allow myself treats on heavy exercise days. But some days I really don't feel like eating all the calories the MFP says I can, and I just roll with that. Try to eat them back most of the time, but listen to what your body tells you if you just don't feel like it on a few days.
  • jem302
    jem302 Posts: 373 Member
    You guys are helpful, thanks! I have another question (sorry if my questions are dumb, I'm new!) - would the fact that I have mostly been doing cardio workouts have anything to do with my feeling full?
    I've only really done weights with my 10lbs at home but my workout at the gym is all cardio.
  • h9dlb
    h9dlb Posts: 243 Member
    I don't eat back, you should only eat back if you are at the correct weight!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    You guys are helpful, thanks! I have another question (sorry if my questions are dumb, I'm new!) - would the fact that I have mostly been doing cardio workouts have anything to do with my feeling full?
    I've only really done weights with my 10lbs at home but my workout at the gym is all cardio.

    Exercise will cause increases in your metabolism which can lead to hunger signals... its a natural response.


    I would suggest start doing more weight training and less cardio. While cardio is important there are a lot more benefits to a good weight training program; muscle retention, strength gains, helps prevent osteoporosis. The only downside to weight training is it makes you hungry.... at least for me. I get 2500 calories and I am still starving.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    I don't eat back, you should only eat back if you are at the correct weight!
    this is non sense.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    I don't eat back, you should only eat back if you are at the correct weight!

    Um No.......... I eat back my exercise calories and always have... You fuel your body to do the workouts.. Unless I have been doing this all wrong.... creating to large of a deficit can have a negative effect....
  • h9dlb
    h9dlb Posts: 243 Member
    I don't eat back, you should only eat back if you are at the correct weight!
    this is non sense.

    that's probably why you're fat

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