For those who are losing...do you use your activity calories

RoseBred

Just wondering if there are people who use their regular MFP calories and also use all their activity earned calories and still lost weight?

Nuka_Gina

This is such a great question, and it's something I've been wondering about, too.

Kelll12123

I usually burn at least 500 calories a day though exercise and I eat most of them back. Most people will tell you to eat back about half of them since MFP tends to overestimate calories burned.
Sometimes I don't have the desire to eat back all or any of my exercise calories, and sometimes I'll eat them all and more. It depends on the day and how hungry you are. I've lost almost 50 pounds so far

JayRuby84

I eat some of them back and sometimes more and still lose weight. I see many people lose weight here eating their calories back, however you have to log very accurately. If you are eating more than you log and think you are burning more, it won't work. Be consistent and tweak your calorie goals if you are plateauing/ gaining.

KeepItSimpleGirl

As a rule, I try not to use eat back more than half of what I earn. Since The accuracy of the calories burned and the calories you use are not 100% it makes sense to just be on the safe side and give yourself a little cushion.

TavistockToad

RoseBred wrote: »

Just wondering if there are people who use their regular MFP calories and also use all their activity earned calories and still lost weight?

yep. exercise calories taste the best!

SarahKhristan

I do not, but I follow a different plan than standard MFP. I do a TDEE - 20%. I manually input my daily calorie goal. TDEE includes "expected" caloric burn (and I log cardio as 1 calorie).

Both ways are effective, but I found that I have better results on TDEE.

Sued0nim

I eat my calories from my fitbit / HRM

When I was using the MFP database I would eat half - same with machine burns

At the end of the day the one who loses weight eating the most calories wins

runfoorun

I'm losing slow and steady eating back about 75% of what I burn

saadiyah11

Well, I am new at MFP, and its always saying to me that I am under my calory goal and It wont calculate projections for me, which pretty much sucks. but I do not eat my gained calories from excercise

sijomial

Exercise calorie are not activity calories - two different things!
Your sedentary/lightly active/active (etc.) base setting covers your day to day activity so don't double count routine stuff that is part of your normal work/lifestyle routine.

Agree with the others that exercise calories taste the best - you have earned them so enjoy them, every single one.

I estimate my burns with:
HRM or power meter for cardio or cycling.
Guesswork for strength exercise.

FatMoojor

I'm looking to leave maybe around 200 odd calories at the end of the day. Mostly because I don't trust my HRM to calculate exactly what I burned and MFP to get the exact calories for generic stuff.

If I believe I burn less than I do at the gym and I eat more than MFP is showing me, I should hopefully come out somewhere close to the correct number.

cyclingrick73

I try to stay under the MFP calorie count and don't eat back my exercise calories.

RoseBred

Thanks all!! Yes, I meant "exercise" calories, not so much regular activity. I mean those calories you earned in deliberate/intentional calories from the gym, biking, going for a walk, etc.

shadow2soul

I assume your talking about exercise calories. Yes I eat mine back. If I didn't (and I've actually tried it, so I know it to be true) my workouts would suffer, I'd feel miserable, and it would be miserable for others to be around me.

If your wondering about progress:


I aim to lose 1lb per week. Here is a trend chart that I took a screenshot of for someone else who was asking more specific questions about this method.

pinkiezoom

I dont often eat back, but i have my cals set to a sensible amount. I have lost nearly 2.5 stone, and it seems to be working for me. If i had my cals set low 1200 or something then i would have to eat them back, as no way i am going to feel hungry

snaapz

I do not eat them back... sometime I'll use a few of them for a treat.

carolena63

I dont eat back my calories because I want to maximize my weight release. I find 1200 cals sometimes hard to manage so I keep a minimum of at least 1300 cals per day. I exercise 5 times per week because of my schedule which works out perfect because I am working towards a lifestyle change and I want to have balance across the board. I want to experience and enjoy life at all levels and some of those exercise days could be yoga, a class or swimming.

Sdanni64

I eat some of them...since hunger is my biggest issue of present. Try and not eat them all and so far am losing weight

carolena63

This picture is not current as life challenged me last year and I gained back 30lbs because I was not dealing with the emotional baggage that I was carrying. For 2015, I expect success!

michelle_816

I eat most, if not all, of my exercise calories back and I have lost over 30 lbs since last March!

GatesOfDelirium

I eat close MFP recommendation but never over then exercise in the evenings making it more under. I may have a snack in the evening staying under but not a conscious 'eat back all my exercise calories'....Lost 9 lbs in 6 weeks and feel great.

eeelizabeth2012

If I feel hungry. Otherwise, no.

adwilliams03

It really just depends on how hungry I am each day. Exercise actually seems to help curb my appetite a bit so on days I work out I eat less than I do on days I don't work out!

Cerakoala

rabbitjb wrote: »

I eat my calories from my fitbit / HRM

When I was using the MFP database I would eat half - same with machine burns

I agree with this. If you use a HRM and log your food correctly you can eat them all back and still lose what you have your expected loss set as. However, if I use MFP database or machines I also only eat back 1/2 as they are not as accurate as an HRM etc.

970Mikaela1

If I feel I need them I will. Depend on my hangry.

dawnna76

most days i do not. But i eat 1700-1800 a day already. some days if i worked really hard i will eat some back.

stevesample76

I dont log my activity here. I only use MFP to log my food.

sdado1013

I calculated my TDEE with my nutritionist based off the exercise that I do each week then I chose TDEE-20% for my daily calories. I eat this amount every day no matter how much exercise I do. I am losing about 1 lb per week.

susang19

cyclingrick73 wrote: »

I try to stay under the MFP calorie count and don't eat back my exercise calories.

Thats been working best for me too !

JeanMBK

I eat some back, depends on the day and the intensity of exercise that I have done.