Eat back calories burned?

Should I eat back my calories burned? I have found mixed reviews on the Internet. I'm trying to lose fat and build muscle. What are your thoughts?

Replies

Kalikel

Yes, it's the easiest way to do it and the way they design these apps.

If, after a couple weeks, you find that you aren't losing any weight, then think about maybe eating half back.

Everyone does it differently, but try the way way first. Don't make it harder than it needs to be, KWIM?

samantha0131

I never really thought too much into it. I am doing the very low cal life change to lose some weight so I figured I needed more when the app tells me so I can replenish myself. I eat clean and don't eat if I am not hungry and stick to 3 meals and 2 snacks and I'm ok. I think average I eat maybe half the calories back! Hope that helps

adcrag1

My boxing trainer just told our class that in order to loss weight you have to consume more calories to cover the calories burned. So I try to have a protein & small carb after that class. Plus I drink 3-4 glasses of water too.

Good luck.

Osiris275

I usually do about 600-800 exercise calories a day. I eat maybe 300-400 of those if I'm actually a hungry. I don't eat them all back because I feel MFP might be over estimating with how many calories I've burned in certain exercises.

RoxieDawn

Eating back exercise calories is tricky to me. First it all depends on how your exercise calories are calculated? I am also using a fitbit to track my activity and exercise (big help)..

If I use MFP, then I know without a shadow of a doubt it is over estimated and will only eat a portion back. I will compare MFP calorie burn for the same exercise and a machine computer and they never match. So, on exercise day (cadio) I eat back a small portion and on lifting days, I do not eat back, I just eat what I need to replenish and recover from the workout...

kami3006

There are mixed reviews because there are different methods. MFP uses NEAT which does not include exercise in its calculations, you add those calories in as you go which allows you to eat more. Many eat only a portion back to make up for overestimated calorie burns.

TDEE is the other way of calculating and it already includes your exercise calorie estimate so you don't eat back calories burned.

editorgrrl

gia07 wrote: »

Eating back exercise calories is tricky to me. First it all depends on how your exercise calories are calculated? I am also using a fitbit to track my activity and exercise (big help).

When you connect an activity tracker (like Fitbit), MFP adjusts your daily calorie goal to TDEE minus deficit.

OP, your default MFP calorie goal is activity level minus deficit, so you're supposed to eat back your exercise calories. All the calorie counts & burns are estimates, so some people reduce the margin of error by eating back a percentage of their exercise calories.

Food is fuel, and we should all be looking for the maximum number of calories at which we lose weight—never the minimum. It'll take trial & error to find out what works for you.

Ironmaiden4life

Personally I use TDEE and then go by the biofeedback my body gives me each week to make any adjustments. So no I don't eat back calories.

As others have said the method you choose really comes down to what works best for you and results in you reaching your goal.

adcrag1 ... I know where your trainer is coming from but way to generalize and confuse his class

He's talking about a very specific diet protocol that is implemented very slowly, and carefully monitored over time to get metabolism running as fast as possible. If only it were as simple as he made out but great choice on your post work refuel

B_TEEN

Pooh973 wrote: »

Should I eat back my calories burned? I have found mixed reviews on the Internet. I'm trying to lose fat and build muscle. What are your thoughts?

This is a really confusing subject. Last year, when I was on my health kick, I did eat back calories. I did lose weight and gain muscle, albeit slow. This year, I used the IIFYM calculator to determine my daily caloric need which already included a general estimate of weekly activity; therefore, I no longer eat back the excess MFP calories unless I have been substantially more active in a week than my estimation.

TeaBea

Ironmaiden4life wrote: »

Personally I use TDEE and then go by the biofeedback my body gives me each week to make any adjustments. So no I don't eat back calories.

As others have said the method you choose really comes down to what works best for you and results in you reaching your goal.

adcrag1 ... I know where your trainer is coming from but way to generalize and confuse his class He's talking about a very specific diet protocol that is implemented very slowly, and carefully monitored over time to get metabolism running as fast as possible. If only it were as simple as he made out but great choice on your post work refuel

TDEE includes exercise up front....so technically you DO eat them back.

cwolfman13

there are basically two methods of calorie counting...you have to know which one you're doing to even begin to have an intelligent conversation. You also have to understand that this is all just a simple 5th grade math equation...that's all weight loss is.

There is the NEAT (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) method (MFP) and the TDEE method. The difference between the two methods is where you account for exercise...because you should be accounting for it somewhere...fueling your fitness is important.

With the NEAT method (MFP), your activity level when you set your account up is only to include your day to day hum drum WITHOUT exercise. As such, your calorie targets are derived from your day to day hum drum WITHOUT exercise...thus exercise is a completely unaccounted for activity. This is why you get calories to eat back when you log exercise...I mean really, do you think MFP is just trying to trick you or something? With the NEAT method (MFP) you account for exercise activity on the *kitten* end of the equation.

With the TDEE method (Total Daily Energy Expenditure....TOTAL being the key word here) you include some estimate of your exercise activity in your activity level...thus your calorie targets include some estimate of the calories that would be required to fuel your fitness...thus, if you ate back exercise calories using the TDEE method, you would be double counting as they are already accounted for in your activity level.

Also, when you start to wrap your head around fitness for the sake of fitness rather than weight loss or weight management, fueling your fitness makes a lot of sense...I mean really, if I didn't fuel my 30 mile ride today, I'd be on my *kitten*. Healthy and fit people know how to eat and train.

rh091

^ good answer

mistikal13

I usually eat most of them back.

rmitchell239

I feel that MFP over estimates most calories burned through cardio exercise. I currently do weight training plus cardio. I do not add in calories done during weight training. I log my cardio workouts as minutes performed rounded down to the nearest 5 min mark. This takes some of the excess calories away. I've been losing 2-6 lbs a week. My opinion is to slightly underestimate my calories via exercise and slightly overestimate my calories from food and then stay under the calorie goal. If you're doing almost anything over 15 minutes your body will need some of those calories back for recovery.

JenD1066

It's a personal decision. And personally, I only workout so that I can have wine and popcorn!