Do you guys eat back the calories you have burned exercising?

missprecocious

I eat them back, but not all. I'll have an extra snack in the evening if I have 500 or more calories left. I'm not really "in a rush" to drop weight fast. So, some pretzels, veggie chips, or a square or two of chocolate keeps me happy!

MountainMaggie

I try not to eat all of them back, but I do eat some back, within reason. I firmly believe that if you're hungry, you need to eat. Munchies and cravings are one thing, a rumbling stomach is a different thing entirely.

If I run 10 miles, I don't need an extra 1000 calories. I'm not sure I could do that if I tried. I'm not that big. But the next day I might eat a few extra cals even if it's a rest day. I personally try to look at it over a period of a few days instead of one at a time, because my activity levels vary so much. But an overall deficit is the goal.

whmscll

CrystalConsults wrote: »

Oh gosh, 1200 cals sounds sooo low! Are you sure that's enough? Just checking because it's proven that we can mess up our metabolisms by not eating enough! I'm at 1500 cals a day (54 y/o) and I rarely eat back my exercise cals. Although, once I reach goal of 20% fat, I'll consider it! :-) (No disrespect intended on my comment of 1200 cals a day.)

Eating 1500 calories without eating back exercise calories and eating 1200 plus exercise calories are basically the same thing.

GillianLF

Definitely! I couldnt manage on just 1200 calories a day. Well not every day.

frankiesgirlie

I lost 20 lbs very fast in the past on 1200 calories,but I didn't have the energy for strenuous exercise. I'm 5'9" and my BMR is around 1400. So basically,I was starving myself. Lost the weight fast,but hated my muscle tone and the look of my skin. I'll never do that again.

snowflakesav

I eat them back. I need them to fuel my workouts. I have been losing slow.

titotito48

My treadmill says I burn 888 calories for a 5.15 mile 65 minute run. I don't know if this is accurate. But I do high intensity intervals so maybe. Mfp set me at 1200 calories. I am 5'2". I eat anywhere between 1400-1600 calories a day even on my 3 rest days. I started at a 2 pound loss per week and now maybe a 1/2 pound a week. I have 5 pounds left for healthy bmi and maybe another 5-7 pounds for vanity

frankiesgirlie

I've decided since I'm so close to my goal weight...11 pounds to go on a 5'9'' frame,I'm NOT going to eat back all the calories I burn off through exercise,but I am going to try and keep my total food calories at around 1500 per day. I think that should be enough for me to still have the energy for my high intensity circuits and still continue to lose weight. I hope. Slow and steady is alright with me as long as I see a steady decline in weight.

frankiesgirlie

I keep seeing people posting their body fat percentage. Since I don't work out at a gym,what's the most accurate way to get my percentage?

frankiesgirlie

stephaniepeake1 wrote: »

Ntje wrote: »

Do you mean that your goal is 1200, and then you eat let's say 1500 if you did 300 exercise? I do that for sure when I feel hungry. But also the other way around, when I eat too much I'll make sure that I exercise enough to meet my calorie goal.

Yes! That's what I'm doing, well I was doing that but I am going to try and eat half back and see how I go. I tried not eating any back before and it was impossible on a 1200 limit.

Could you please post with your results of eating back only 1/2 in a couple weeks. I would greatly appreciate it!

gypsyish

I'll eat 100-200 back if I'm really hungry, but usually I don't feel like I need them (5'2", 121lbs). I feel like I've got my 1200 calories pretty much dialed in nutrient wise for me.

amillenium

I try not to eat them back on a regular day--I use them as a "cushion" or "bank" for days that I go over or have no control over the circumstances and have to estimate like work events or going out to dinner where I try to make good choices but it is hard to stay in my allotment. Not sure if that makes sense to you...

hallene

I use the exercise calories for the food prep condiments, ie. olive & vegetable oils, maple syrups, pad of butter etc.
I try not to be to obsess with my food journal knowing I have an " exercise cushion"

amyjeanw84

I have been but my weight loss has not been great so I would say it depends on how your body reacts. 1200 calories a day (which is my goal) and a 45 min run do not really work well together for me though.

amirahadla

I started with a 1600 per day, burning from 500 to 800 cals a day. I end up eating only my 1600 cals limit, without being hungry and having more calories left. It's slower this way, but safer and a permanent loss.
Now l want to alternate my calorie limit for around 4 weeks, putting it a littler bit down to 1200 cals a day, burning the same (500-800) but, eating carbs only for my workout so l get energy and only protein and fat out of my workout time.

I think calories are very important numbers we should pay attention to, but the most important thing for me are the numbers that represents the nutrients in those calories.

Let's you eat 200 cals after workout in a: spinach, arugula, tomato, balsamic vinager, mushrooms, tuna salad (lots of vitamins). That's awesome. Even lf those calories are part of your burned calories.

aleisagpearce448

I generally try not to eat back mine, my daily calorie limit is 1650 without exercise so I find it pretty easy to just eat that, in saying that, if I have exercised and I do go over a little bit I don't feel bad for using the calories earned in exercise. The important thing is to not starve or limit yourself too much, if you are hungry, eat, just eat smartly and choose the right options, not eating enough is just a detrimental if not worse for your health as eating too much, I am a recovering anorexic and I know this all too well.

veephil31

I'm on a 1200 calorie restriction. This is just not enough, I would be too hungry! If I'm hungry I eat and if I'm not I don't. Some days I don't hit the 1200 calorie mark other days I eat about 1500 calories. It all depends on how hungry I am if I am going to eat my exercise calories or not.

tiffanyfoundit

I have a 1200 calorie limit. I try not to eat my exercise calories back, but I have them there as cushion just in case I do go over. On the weekends I can do longer exercise and burn a lot more calories so I can

lisaloolovesblue

I don't; this is my first time using MFP to maintain my weight. I went about a year without weighing myself, and realized I had lost 14 lbs. With maintenance, my calorie limit is 2,030.

Most days, it's honestly really difficult for me to eat that many calories, especially when I've burned an extra 250. I usually have around 600-700 calories left at the end of the day, so I'll pack in a nighttime snack, maybe 300 calories. I'm at the point that if I lose a little more weight because I've exercised it off, that will be okay with me. But I'm not going to force it either way.