Do you eat back the calories earned from exercise?

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  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    No I don't cuz from the way I understood it you have to have a calorie "deficit" to lose weight. If you eat them all bk that is what you are suppose to need to eat to maintain your weight and still have the proper nutrition you need. I do eat some of them bk just to have the extra fuel to keep going but I never eat them all bk while I am losing weight anyways.

    nope.

    This is how mfp is designed:

    MFP estimated daily burn (no exercise): 2500
    2lb per week loss: -1000
    Goal(without exercise): 1500
    exercise burn: -500
    MFP estimated daily burn updated with exercise: 3000
    2lb per week loss: -1000
    Goal (with exercise): 2000 or NET 1500

    So eating back your exercise calories, will not bring you to maintenance. Your deficit is built in prior to exercise unless of course you are doing the TDEE method.

    ++To add to what I said before, I eat my calories back and have an average loss of 2lbs per week.
  • Richie2shoes
    Richie2shoes Posts: 412 Member
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    Only a portion of them right now. I still have plenty of fat to burn.
  • norahwynn
    norahwynn Posts: 862 Member
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    Not usually unless my calorie intake is really low. But if you eat ALL your exercise calories back, how will you lose weight? xD
    So I usually never eat them back but on occasion I will eat 100-150 of my workout cals back. :)

    You lose weight because your calorie allowance + the calories you eat back is figured into your individual weight loss plan that MFP has figured for you when you signed up.

    And to answer the question, I eat back probably about 80% of the calories. Only because sometimes I'm just not hungry.
  • mumtoonegirl
    mumtoonegirl Posts: 586 Member
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    Not really. The boy thing I do differently on workout days is a post workout smoothie and a strong protein before my workout. I do eat more that day but not all back. Working well for me.
  • KAYRRIE
    KAYRRIE Posts: 201 Member
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    I want to but I have a hard time determining how many calories I REALLY burn during exercise.

    I got a heart rate monitor watch (wireless) and it's awesome thus far. It monitors my heart rate, uses my height, weight and age and calculates my calories burned during a workout. I use a simple smarthealth HRM (heart rate monitor) watch that I bought from the pharmacy at CVS. I'm sure there's better ones but I didn't want to spend too much.
  • LoveandGuns
    LoveandGuns Posts: 16
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    Sometimes, and usually on a portion of them because I strictly believe the calories they give you before the exercise is what someone needs to eat no matter what. Plus I am never really that hungry due to what I eat during breakfast (high protein, fiber, fat with some carbs). Not saying what someone else does is wrong, but I rather stay within my limit. :)
  • ecw3780
    ecw3780 Posts: 608 Member
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    I want to but I have a hard time determining how many calories I REALLY burn during exercise.

    if you are using the MFP database, I would only eat back about 80% of what they estimate...unless you are wearing a body bug or fitbit type monitor. Then eat all of them.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,136 Member
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    Nope
  • NoraisTreble
    NoraisTreble Posts: 25 Member
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    I have noticed that MFP does not tell me I am "starving myself" as long as I "eat" 1200 calories irregardless of how much I exercise. So, I eat the calories, if I am hungry, or want some snacks. If I am not hungry, but my nutrition for the day is good - I don't bother.
  • ecw3780
    ecw3780 Posts: 608 Member
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    If I don't, the next day I tend to want to eat everything in sight, so I eat most of my exercise calories back.

    Sometimes it takes me about 8 hours to really get hungry enough to eat my exercise calories, especially if I exercise at night, so I will save them for the next day. Your body doesn't reset at midnight!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    You bet I do.

    What a waste of effort and exercise for improvement if I didn't give my body something to improve with.
  • eellis2000
    eellis2000 Posts: 465 Member
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    I have noticed that if I don't I get a headache and feel weak. Plus I only have 1200 cals to start with...lol
  • HoneySunrise
    HoneySunrise Posts: 29 Member
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    I absolutely do.

    MFP sets up your daily goals with a deficit in place already. If you don't eat back your exercise calories you could be doubling your deficit, which can have some bad side effects (i.e. no weight loss).

    Running your car with no gas isn't gonna get you anywhere any faster, right?
  • 2stepscloser
    2stepscloser Posts: 2,900 Member
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    Nope. The only time I may consider eating them is if it's a special occasion.
  • ken_hogan
    ken_hogan Posts: 854 Member
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    I eat as many as I can....
  • T_X_L
    T_X_L Posts: 140 Member
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    I keep my macros in check and eat if I'm hungry, but usually no.
  • PepperWorm
    PepperWorm Posts: 1,206
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    No. TDEE - 20%...I eat for my activity level. :)
  • jojo86xdd
    jojo86xdd Posts: 202 Member
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    Not usually unless my calorie intake is really low. But if you eat ALL your exercise calories back, how will you lose weight? xD
    So I usually never eat them back but on occasion I will eat 100-150 of my workout cals back. :)
    You will still lose weight. MFP has set up your net calorie total to already include a 500 cal deficit or a 1000 cal deficit depending on whether you selected to lose 1 or 2 pounds per week. It is adviced you eat those calories back because your body needs those calories for basic function, especially if you work out and muscle repair is necessary.
  • SeaStar
    SeaStar Posts: 113
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    YES I LOVE FOOD!!!

    :wink:
  • VeinsAndBones
    VeinsAndBones Posts: 550 Member
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    If I'm hungry

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