Eating your exercise

ana3067

SuzyH wrote: »

My most successful weight loss was not even counting the calories burned from exercising. However, (I fell off the wagon!), this time around I log the exercise because I like to see it, but try to keep really close to the calories before exercise. There are days, though, when I am really hungry that I allow myself to eat some of the calories back. Weight loss for me is better, however, not eating the calories back.

Because you are increasing your calorie deficit. If your calorie deficit is a goal of 1lb/week or less, then that's okay (although if you find it tough to not eat them back, that should be a clear indication of doing something wrong for your body). If your goal is 2lb/week then ou NEED to be eating them back.

Need2Exerc1se

I usually drink them in a long stemmed glass. ::drinker::

Lounmoun

I eat a portion of them... usually about half.

LivingtheLeanDream

AmyRhubarb wrote: »

My goal is to eat as many calories as I can and still lose weight. Like ana3067, I also do the TDEE method, so I know my upper and lower calorie limits. My daily goal is 2000 cals, but I know I can go a bit higher if I want to and I'll still come in under maintenance cals and I won't gain.

^^ this, same method, works a treat

enterdanger

I do a lot of cardio which I find leaves me starving. (Love the way I feel after cardio, though) I eat them back. I try to leave a 100-200 calorie buffer since I'm pretty bad about weighing and measuring. That's why I've got myself set at 1200. It makes me go to the gym every day or I'm too hungry.

bunnywestley81

Sort of....i go by weekly cal average.

I see my boyfriend at weekends so do all my gyming and tend to under eat in the week and do what i like within reason at the weekend.

My average for this year is 1384 in and 750 out a week. I leave them as some weekends I am a horrible logger/i guess/i eat out/i like wine. I guess it all works out!

FitnessTrainer69

Always eat them back when trying to gain weight/muscle. Not as important during weight loss.

earlnabby

I eat about 75% of the ones I earn from my Fitbit but only about 25% of those I earn from my swimming and water exercise (unless I am really hungry). I am thinking of changing to TDEE, but we'll see. I am currently experimenting with my numbers. 2/3rds of the way to goal and I feel like changing things up a little for the final push.

juleszephyr

I don't eat them back as a general rule, but I do 'save' some up for weekend treats, or should I say I eat some of them back on a weekend but never more than 50% of what I earned over the 2 days. During the week I stick to my allotted calorie goal regardless of what I have earned with exercise.

alexistexas33

I never do, I lost 24 pounds my first month. I eat 1500-1800 calories a day
I do 600 calorie work outs 5-6 times a week also

jenniferinfl

I'm on a very low calorie diet, so I do eat back around 60-70% most days. Otherwise I'm sure I'd be in serious trouble.

kristinhowell

Most of the time, I eat all or most. Some days I'm not as hungry and I won't eat as many back to balance out days I want to eat a little more than I burned, lol.

scaught78

I use it as a buffer. I don't consciously think "I have to eat them back!" I instead like knowing it is there so I don't freak out if I go over.

lizek316

I try to eat part of them back everyday. Some days I eat all of them back depending on how hungry I am. You just have to listen to your body.

Marianne802

Is there a different setting on MFP to do the TDEE?

Oldbitcollector

I don't eat them back, and it's working for me. (I have been on a weight loss of at least 1 pound per week.) I don't have a food scale, so I know there are times when my entries are an estimate. Regular exercise has given me a little wiggle room in my counting.

SemperAnticus1643

I eat most to all of them back because on workout days, I want all the food!

rebeccaschlaht

i have an extra snack of 15 almonds and fruit or cheese and fruit. I do not eat my calories. I dont trust that my 60 minute hike actually burned 750 calories. But I am trying to lose a lot of weight. If I was maintaining or gaining I would eat my calories

sweetdixie92

Some days I don't eat any back. Other days, I'll eat all of them back.

As a general rule for myself, I *attempt* to eat no more than 50% back.

stw1974

I don't make a concerted effort to eat them back, but I know how much I've got 'banked' by the time a Friday night comes around.

earlnabby

Marianne802 wrote: »

Is there a different setting on MFP to do the TDEE?

No. you have to go into your settings and change it manually. just don't log any exercise and disconnect any fitness trackers (or ignore any additional calories they give you)

kailadriel

I eat back all my burned calories, just not necessarily the same day. I eat ~1600 on rest days, ~1800-1900 on workout days, and ~2100-2200 on social events. I burn around 400-600 calories from weight training and cardio 3-5x/week. I am about 5'7" and 185 lbs. I lose on average around 1.3 lbs per week.

ana3067

infateshands1 wrote: »

I never do, I lost 24 pounds my first month. I eat 1500-1800 calories a day
I do 600 calorie work outs 5-6 times a week also

So you're netting like 1000 calories. Cool. Almost a lb a day is not healthy weight loss.

Being healthy by eating enough for your body > super quick weight loss.

RGv2

FitnessTrainer69 wrote: »

Always eat them back when trying to gain weight/muscle. Not as important during weight loss.

Care to elaborate? What if not eating back any exercise calories is causing an extremely large deficit, or quite low net intake which can keep people from getting the proper fuel, nutrition, and could expedite lean muscle loss?

If you are using MFP as designed, yes you eat back your calories. You enter in your info, and weight loss goals and MFP spits out a calorie allowance assuming you will do no exercise. By eating back your exercise cals you are properly fueling your body while still hitting the deficit MFP gave you to lose the weight per your goals.

Example: Lets say the person has a maintenance of 2000 cals, and puts in a 1lb per week loss. MFP spits out the person should eat 1750 to lose that 1lb per week.

Lets say that person goes out for a run and burns 300 cals. Now maintenance is 2300 calories, not 2000, so now that person can eat 2050 to stay in that exact same deficit.

2000cals - 250 MFP cals = 1750 = a 250 cal deficit. 1lb per week loss for individual

2000cals + 300 exercise cals = a maintenance of 2300, so now 2300 - 250 MFP cals = 250 cal deficit for 1lb per week loss for individual.

Keep in mind that MFP can overexaggerate, so many start out by eating back 50% and adjusting from there.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818082/exercise-calories-again-wtf/p1

TeaBea

FitnessTrainer69 wrote: »

Always eat them back when trying to gain weight/muscle. Not as important during weight loss.

No, I have to disagree. During weight loss many people (myself included) try to minimize lean muscle loss. Eating at an (extra) large deficit week after week doesn't help loss fat & keep muscle.

MFP as designed already gave me a deficit before exercise gets factored in....exercise is extra deficit.

RGv2

WeddedBliss1992 wrote: »

i do not. i don't even log exercise.

Since this is the 2nd thread you've advised not to, can I ask what you're actually netting since you're going for a gross 1000-1200?

tracie_minus100

I do the TDEE method as well, so yes, I end up eating some back.

TeaBea

Marianne802 wrote: »

Is there a different setting on MFP to do the TDEE?

You can set personalized goals. You can over ride the numbers MFP gives you, it won't be TDEE exactly because exercise calories will still get added back (can't be turned off). If you want to log workouts make sure you change the calorie count to 1.

williams969

I do (well, sometimes I drink them, too). I did when I was losing, I do now that I'm in maintenance, and I certainly will (plus some more) once I am bulking.

Like others, I was concerned about MFP's "notoriety" for over-exaggerated exercise calories. Instead of NOT eating any of them back (or just a portion), I overrode the number with a proper estimate (Google for heart rate based calorie calculators, walking/running calorie calculators, or get an activity tracker/HRM/running app/etc. to do the work for you).

Asher_Ethan

I eat half back. Sometimes MFP overestimates what I burnt so I figure if I eat half I'm good. I'm still loosing so I'm good.