Do I eat back exercise calories?

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alligray4
alligray4 Posts: 9
in Getting Started
I've been wondering... If this apps says for me to eat 1200 calories, but then I burn 400 in a workout, am I to eat 400 extra calories to keep me at 1200, or do I just eat the 1200 calories, which would put me at 800 net calories? I want to do what is going to get me the best result for weighloss. Thank you!
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  • SonofNorthernDarkness
    SonofNorthernDarkness Posts: 64 Member
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    whats your height/weight and activity level?
  • Camarose79
    Camarose79 Posts: 86 Member
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    I'm trying to just eat my daily goal calories, and if I exercise that day I try not to eat that much back. As I'm also trying to lose weight. But I'll let it give me a little but of room but not the whole amount.
  • milkydud85
    milkydud85 Posts: 108 Member
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    i usually just eat 1200 calories i never eat what i have burned because i want to lose weight unless if i wanna cheat then i will go into what i just burned but overall i dont go in to the calories i just burned... :wink:
  • NewJessLP2015
    NewJessLP2015 Posts: 6
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    I think you are supposed to eat the calories, because the amount of calories you eating is already creating a deficit. I decide not to, so I have a larger deficit. It just make no sense to burn calories and then eat that same amount. It just seems counterproductive.
  • jnv7594
    jnv7594 Posts: 983 Member
    edited March 2015
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    milkydud85 wrote: »
    i usually just eat 1200 calories i never eat what i have burned because i want to lose weight unless if i wanna cheat then i will go into what i just burned but overall i dont go in to the calories i just burned... :wink:

    OP don't listen to this. Someone eating only 1200 calories should try and eat back most of their exercise calories, otherwise they will be way under net calories for the day, which is not healthy when only allowing yourself 1200 calories. However, if your calorie goal is not as low, it's not as big of a deal. My calorie goal for the day is around 1900. Sometimes I eat part of my calories back, sometimes I don't. Just make sure you are eating enough and hitting your macros. As your calorie allotment is lower, I would recommend you eat them back, but also make sure your calories burned are accurate.

  • alligray4
    alligray4 Posts: 9
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    lowendfuzz wrote: »
    whats your height/weight and activity level?

    I'm 40, weigh 190, 5'8" tall and I'm doing cardio 5-6 days a week and strength training 3-4 days.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    MFP is built around Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenisis (NEAT) calories. You are expected to eat back accurately calculated exercise calories to maintain a net intake at your goal.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    Be careful you dont overtrain (its not clear what and how much you are doing) and make sure you give your body enough nutrition to do and recover from the exercise.

    1200 calories is not very much and I think insufficient for your stats, especially considering the exercise. Too agressive can lead to all sorts of issues.

    Eat back 50% of your calories and see where you go from there.
  • ILoveGingerNut
    ILoveGingerNut Posts: 367 Member
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    at 40 you should know that posting such a question on a forum you'll only receive random answers. what do you want? attention?
  • Lois_1989
    Lois_1989 Posts: 6,410 Member
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    NoblankFRplease wrote: »
    at 40 you should know that posting such a question on a forum you'll only receive random answers. what do you want? attention?

    That's a bit harsh, I don't see what age has to do with it.
  • alligray4
    alligray4 Posts: 9
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    NoblankFRplease wrote: »
    at 40 you should know that posting such a question on a forum you'll only receive random answers. what do you want? attention?

    Just trying to get some feedback, not attention. I've been getting conflicting answers, so I'm still confused. Not sure what my age has to do with it, since I'm new to working out and counting calories. Thank you for your concern
  • alligray4
    alligray4 Posts: 9
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    999tigger wrote: »
    Be careful you dont overtrain (its not clear what and how much you are doing) and make sure you give your body enough nutrition to do and recover from the exercise.

    1200 calories is not very much and I think insufficient for your stats, especially considering the exercise. Too agressive can lead to all sorts of issues.

    Eat back 50% of your calories and see where you go from there.

    Thank you. I thought 1200 calories sounded a bit low, so what you said makes sense.
  • zira91
    zira91 Posts: 670 Member
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    aworkoutroutine.com/eating-back-calories-burned/

    please click the above link and u can find a very detail explanation regarding this matter.. :)
  • alligray4
    alligray4 Posts: 9
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    Lois_1989 wrote: »
    NoblankFRplease wrote: »
    at 40 you should know that posting such a question on a forum you'll only receive random answers. what do you want? attention?

    That's a bit harsh, I don't see what age has to do with it.

    I agree. Thank you
  • 4leighbee
    4leighbee Posts: 1,275 Member
    edited March 2015
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    OP, there's a reason why so many people ask questions about this - it is confusing. :) I usually eat back most of my exercise calories because it feels healthier (if I've run six miles, predictably, I will need more fuel) - and I'm not in a hurry to lose my last ten pounds and want them to stay off, so I'm more about listening to my body and making good choices that I can sustain. Also, due to cycle-related stuff, my level of hunger varies greatly, so I just try to respond according to my hunger cues, and not get hung up on whether I go over by 100 here or am under by 100 there. I do my best to stay under but I also trust my body to tell me what it needs (but not a pounder bag of M&Ms when my tummy is rumbling). :)

    Edited to say: ugh ... too many smiley faces. I am not actually as chirpy as I look this morning.
  • alligray4
    alligray4 Posts: 9
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    I just found where I can change my activity level, and my calories changed to 1500. It looks like I had it set to sedentary. Thank you all for your help :)
  • koronakona
    koronakona Posts: 15 Member
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    I have similar stats as you (177, 5'8", 40yo, cardio 3 days, weight lifting 3 days) and I have found eating back about half of my exercise calories works for me. I'm around 1500-1600 calories a day most days. And definitely get enough protein for all of that muscle repair! Good luck with your journey. :)
  • cebreisch
    cebreisch Posts: 1,340 Member
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    I say it depends on the level of activity, and if you're hungry or not.

    For someone like me who is pretty sedentary, NO. For someone like you, if you're truly sticking to a 1200 cal day, and doing 400 cal workouts, then you might consider eating back some of the calories.

    My husband has done P90X, and at first didn't eat back any of his calories, and was REALLY hungry. He did start to eat back some of his calories - he'd make healthy choices that would take care of the hunger issue. Sometimes that meant eating back all the calories, sometimes not.

    For what it's worth....
  • alligray4
    alligray4 Posts: 9
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    zira91 wrote: »
    aworkoutroutine.com/eating-back-calories-burned/

    please click the above link and u can find a very detail explanation regarding this matter.. :)

    Thank you for sharing this!
  • SemperAnticus1643
    SemperAnticus1643 Posts: 703 Member
    edited March 2015
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    I do but that's mainly because I'm super hungry on workout days.

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