Do you eat back the calories earned from exercise?

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  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Some, but not many. I already eat above my BMR and I'm trying for a 700-800 calorie daily deficit...so I have to burn an awful lot of calories in a day to be able to eat some back.

    Your net calorie goal already has that deficit built in if you've properly set it up...you don't need to burn anything with exercise using MFP...the deficit...100% of the deficit you need to lose weight is built into your calorie goal already. MFP is a NEAT method calculator...as such, exercise is should NOT be included in your activity level..as such it becomes extra activity that needs to be fueled...thus NETTING to your calorie GOAL to lose weight.

    Once again, MFP calorie goals aren't maintenance...they are a HUGE deficit from maintenance already built in.
  • cookiealbright
    cookiealbright Posts: 605 Member
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    Sometimes & sometimes I drink them back. :flowerforyou:
  • supermodelchic
    supermodelchic Posts: 550 Member
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    No I do not..
  • RCottonRPh
    RCottonRPh Posts: 148
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    I actually set a separate goal from what MFP set for me. I eat slightly above my BMR and wear a fitbit all day. So...I try to eat 700-800 calories less than what the FitBit tells me I've burned. I don't like calorie burn estimations...I'd rather have a more accurate reading from my fitbit. If I were eating what MFP told me, I'd be starving!
  • Isakizza
    Isakizza Posts: 754 Member
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    Yes, about 50-75% of them.


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    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • janicelo1971
    janicelo1971 Posts: 823 Member
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    I try not to...however I have enough fat stored up to live off of for a long time:)
  • kylamaries
    kylamaries Posts: 291
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    Nope! Logically, it doesn't make sense to me to exercise just to make room for more food. I've lose about 5 pounds so far (which is about a third of what I want to lose) so the deficit seems to be working for my body type. If I do happen to eat them back, I try not to eat more than 50% of them back since I'm afraid MFP overestimates calories burned (and I don't have access to a gym or HRM).
  • Stargrace2
    Stargrace2 Posts: 48 Member
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    I actually set a separate goal from what MFP set for me. I eat slightly above my BMR and wear a fitbit all day. So...I try to eat 700-800 calories less than what the FitBit tells me I've burned. I don't like calorie burn estimations...I'd rather have a more accurate reading from my fitbit. If I were eating what MFP told me, I'd be starving!

    I use my fitbit too, I go 500 under whatever fitbit has told me I've burned (and log any exercises there that fitbit may not recognize very well). Then I sync it here and log my food here through the day. MFP overestimated how 'lightly active' I was since I work from home, I prefer working with numbers that are at least a bit more accurate.
  • Bernadette60614
    Bernadette60614 Posts: 707 Member
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    It depends.

    I think when I eat more than I should I'm tempted to record exercise calories on the high end (a brisk walk instead of a leisurerly one.e.g.).

    So, what has worked for me is to underestimate my exercise calories burned.
  • arcticfox04
    arcticfox04 Posts: 1,011 Member
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    yes
  • JenM76
    JenM76 Posts: 38 Member
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    No way. You aren't supposed to do that. In order to loose, you have to burn more calories than you take in. If you burn X amount of calories then take back in X amount, you are back to square one.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    No way. You aren't supposed to do that. In order to loose, you have to burn more calories than you take in. If you burn X amount of calories then take back in X amount, you are back to square one.

    You haven't read the replies in this thread, have you?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    No way. You aren't supposed to do that. In order to loose, you have to burn more calories than you take in. If you burn X amount of calories then take back in X amount, you are back to square one.

    You don't understand how this tool of MFP works, do you?

    Learn to use your tools properly, before you get hurt with them.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    I don't' eat exercise calories but I have it figured into my TDEE. So I eat a standard 2500 calories daily. Below is a good thread about this. Essentially, eat too little you will lose more muscle. More muscle lost, the longer it will take you to get lean and fit. I look to optimize fat loss and minimize muscle loss because I rather only need to lose 20 lbs than 30 lbs because I lost muscle.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/729141-exercise-calories-to-eat-or-not-to-eat-results?hl=exercise+calories+psulemon&page=1#posts-10742097
  • starlaca
    starlaca Posts: 779 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.

    Thanks! Maybe I'll look into getting one. MFP says I burn around 400 calories a day during exercise, which I know is not accurate. This week I started eating an extra 100 calories a day to see if that helps the scale go down. We shall see. :happy:
  • Nimadi486
    Nimadi486 Posts: 93 Member
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    Yup. I do. Because they are delicious.
  • hilaryhill
    hilaryhill Posts: 156 Member
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    I do, to be honest my main motivation to workout is so that I can eat more, lol.

    LOL me too.
  • quicklabs
    quicklabs Posts: 254 Member
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    I'm starting to do that, since I bought a HRM. I trust the numbers that I see there.
    I want to but I have a hard time determining how many calories I REALLY burn during exercise.
  • thesophierose
    thesophierose Posts: 754 Member
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    No. But I should.
  • cosmicjenn
    cosmicjenn Posts: 32 Member
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    Depends on what you have had and what you plan to consume. If a lb a week is something you're shooting for than you need a 500/day deficit. They only way to truly know what you are burning is to use some kind of monitor. I use the BodyBugg and I have lost almost 10 lbs. I advise to get it asap!

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