Eating Exercise Calories?

Do you eat the calorie allowance for when you exercise? Share your experiences.
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Replies

  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    Sometimes yes, sometimes no. A lot of it depends on whether I'm hungry or not. On average I'd say over the course of a week I'll eat (or drink!) about 1/3 to 1/2 of my exercise calories back.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    when i did MFP i did...it is the way this tool is designed...there are stickies that you're supposed to read that explain all of this. you should make some kind of allowance for estimation error though.
  • emhunter
    emhunter Posts: 1,212 Member
    I do not. For me, it feels like why did I work out. But if eating them back works for you, I say go for it! I definitely am not in the eat more to weigh less camp because it does work for me.
  • jbuzzed
    jbuzzed Posts: 10,172 Member
    I don't often but sometimes, if I'm extra hungry or have a special occasion.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
    I do now I'm maintaining, apart from walking.

    When I was losing I ate 75%.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    emhunter wrote: »
    I do not. For me, it feels like why did I work out. But if eating them back works for you, I say go for it! I definitely am not in the eat more to weigh less camp because it does work for me.

    IDK...fitness maybe? the purpose of exercise isn't burning calories or losing weight...if that were the case, why would anyone in maintenance exercise...burning calories is a nice bi-product of fitness...but fitness is for fitness sake...it is essential to overall health and wellbeing...it is completely unnecessary for weight loss.

    you should probably read the stickies too....

    once you wrap your head around fitness for the sake of fitness, it makes sense...also, when you understand that your deficit is already built into your goals it makes sense.
  • emhunter
    emhunter Posts: 1,212 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    emhunter wrote: »
    I do not. For me, it feels like why did I work out. But if eating them back works for you, I say go for it! I definitely am not in the eat more to weigh less camp because it does work for me.

    IDK...fitness maybe? the purpose of exercise isn't burning calories or losing weight...if that were the case, why would anyone in maintenance exercise...burning calories is a nice bi-product of fitness...but fitness is for fitness sake...it is essential to overall health and wellbeing...it is completely unnecessary for weight loss.

    you should probably read the stickies too....

    once you wrap your head around fitness for the sake of fitness, it makes sense...also, when you understand that your deficit is already built into your goals it makes sense.

    You are right. Working out for fitness is a reason to work out. A very good reason. Also working out is not necessary for weight loss. Some of my biggest losses came during not working out.

    But for me if my goal is to lose weight, if I exercise and then eat back the calories I burned, I do not lose weight. I am not saying that it is everyone's truth. It is mine.

    The OP asked for an opinion based on our experiences and I gave it.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    emhunter wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    emhunter wrote: »
    I do not. For me, it feels like why did I work out. But if eating them back works for you, I say go for it! I definitely am not in the eat more to weigh less camp because it does work for me.

    IDK...fitness maybe? the purpose of exercise isn't burning calories or losing weight...if that were the case, why would anyone in maintenance exercise...burning calories is a nice bi-product of fitness...but fitness is for fitness sake...it is essential to overall health and wellbeing...it is completely unnecessary for weight loss.

    you should probably read the stickies too....

    once you wrap your head around fitness for the sake of fitness, it makes sense...also, when you understand that your deficit is already built into your goals it makes sense.

    You are right. Working out for fitness is a reason to work out. A very good reason. Also working out is not necessary for weight loss. Some of my biggest losses came during not working out.

    But for me if my goal is to lose weight, if I exercise and then eat back the calories I burned, I do not lose weight. I am not saying that it is everyone's truth. It is mine.

    The OP asked for an opinion based on our experiences and I gave it.

    Then you ate back more than you burned.
  • emhunter
    emhunter Posts: 1,212 Member
    emhunter wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    emhunter wrote: »
    I do not. For me, it feels like why did I work out. But if eating them back works for you, I say go for it! I definitely am not in the eat more to weigh less camp because it does work for me.

    IDK...fitness maybe? the purpose of exercise isn't burning calories or losing weight...if that were the case, why would anyone in maintenance exercise...burning calories is a nice bi-product of fitness...but fitness is for fitness sake...it is essential to overall health and wellbeing...it is completely unnecessary for weight loss.

    you should probably read the stickies too....

    once you wrap your head around fitness for the sake of fitness, it makes sense...also, when you understand that your deficit is already built into your goals it makes sense.

    You are right. Working out for fitness is a reason to work out. A very good reason. Also working out is not necessary for weight loss. Some of my biggest losses came during not working out.

    But for me if my goal is to lose weight, if I exercise and then eat back the calories I burned, I do not lose weight. I am not saying that it is everyone's truth. It is mine.

    The OP asked for an opinion based on our experiences and I gave it.

    Then you ate back more than you burned.

    Not necessarily. I am not a newbie to mfp. Been logging for over 3 years. I know my body.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    emhunter wrote: »
    emhunter wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    emhunter wrote: »
    I do not. For me, it feels like why did I work out. But if eating them back works for you, I say go for it! I definitely am not in the eat more to weigh less camp because it does work for me.

    IDK...fitness maybe? the purpose of exercise isn't burning calories or losing weight...if that were the case, why would anyone in maintenance exercise...burning calories is a nice bi-product of fitness...but fitness is for fitness sake...it is essential to overall health and wellbeing...it is completely unnecessary for weight loss.

    you should probably read the stickies too....

    once you wrap your head around fitness for the sake of fitness, it makes sense...also, when you understand that your deficit is already built into your goals it makes sense.

    You are right. Working out for fitness is a reason to work out. A very good reason. Also working out is not necessary for weight loss. Some of my biggest losses came during not working out.

    But for me if my goal is to lose weight, if I exercise and then eat back the calories I burned, I do not lose weight. I am not saying that it is everyone's truth. It is mine.

    The OP asked for an opinion based on our experiences and I gave it.

    Then you ate back more than you burned.

    Not necessarily. I am not a newbie to mfp. Been logging for over 3 years. I know my body.

    So how do you explain eating back your exercise calories and that preventing you from losing? It should be neutral and have zero effect, unless you eat more than you burned.
  • emhunter
    emhunter Posts: 1,212 Member
    Because some people need a larger deficit to lose. Accordingly eating back hurts me.

    It does not matter though, this is my experience. As the OP asked.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    emhunter wrote: »
    Because some people need a larger deficit to lose. Accordingly eating back hurts me.

    It does not matter though, this is my experience. As the OP asked.

    Your experience is trumped by science.
  • emhunter
    emhunter Posts: 1,212 Member
    emhunter wrote: »
    Because some people need a larger deficit to lose. Accordingly eating back hurts me.

    It does not matter though, this is my experience. As the OP asked.

    Your experience is trumped by science.

    My experience includes science.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    emhunter wrote: »
    emhunter wrote: »
    Because some people need a larger deficit to lose. Accordingly eating back hurts me.

    It does not matter though, this is my experience. As the OP asked.

    Your experience is trumped by science.

    My experience includes science.

    Then you would understand that a calorie is a measure of energy and that stored fat has a known number of calories per unit of weight. If you think you "need a larger deficit to lose" ... you are wrong. Science trumps your statement.
  • emhunter
    emhunter Posts: 1,212 Member
    emhunter wrote: »
    emhunter wrote: »
    Because some people need a larger deficit to lose. Accordingly eating back hurts me.

    It does not matter though, this is my experience. As the OP asked.

    Your experience is trumped by science.

    My experience includes science.

    Then you would understand that a calorie is a measure of energy and that stored fat has a known number of calories per unit of weight. If you think you "need a larger deficit to lose" ... you are wrong. Science trumps your statement.

    Okay whatever you say!

    OP- whatever you choose I hope it works for you and keep us posted!
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    It isn't what I say. It's what physics and biology say.
  • emhunter
    emhunter Posts: 1,212 Member
    It isn't what I say. It's what physics and biology say.

    Whatever you say in your post! It doesn't matter to me :)
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    emhunter wrote: »
    It isn't what I say. It's what physics and biology say.

    Whatever you say in your post! It doesn't matter to me :)

    I honestly don't care if facts matter to you or if you choose to lie to yourself about how your "truth" is different than what science dictates. Facts and reality are posted to help others so they don't believe untruths about the science at work here.



  • emhunter
    emhunter Posts: 1,212 Member
    emhunter wrote: »
    It isn't what I say. It's what physics and biology say.

    Whatever you say in your post! It doesn't matter to me :)

    I honestly don't care if facts matter to you or if you choose to lie to yourself about how your "truth" is different than what science dictates. Facts and reality are posted to help others so they don't believe untruths about the science at work here.



    Ok!

    OP if you eat back your exercise calories, it can make it harder or slower to lose for many. Try eating them back and if it works for you, you are all set! If it does not, don't eat them back and watch the scale :)
  • Faithful_Chosen
    Faithful_Chosen Posts: 401 Member
    emhunter wrote: »
    emhunter wrote: »
    Because some people need a larger deficit to lose. Accordingly eating back hurts me.

    It does not matter though, this is my experience. As the OP asked.

    Your experience is trumped by science.

    My experience includes science.

    Then you would understand that a calorie is a measure of energy and that stored fat has a known number of calories per unit of weight. If you think you "need a larger deficit to lose" ... you are wrong. Science trumps your statement.

    ^^^100% this.
  • Lynzdee18
    Lynzdee18 Posts: 500 Member
    I don't. And I try to get a walk or some other activity in in the evening if I am close to my calorie limits for the day. Just me, but that motivates me to move the body more.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    MFP creates the deficit needed to lose without factoring exercise into the equation. It is designed for people to eat back what they actually burn to keep that equation balanced.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    When I select a tool to do a specific job I tend to use the tool as designed.
    Seems a bit dumb to do otherwise.

    So yes I ate back my exercise calories when losing and of course also when maintaining.
  • Right now I eat them. I don't always eat all of them, it's more listen to my body based. I've only been doing this for 2.5 weeks faithfully and I'm down 4 lbs. I have quite a bit to lose and The weight has always come off fast in the beginning of I'm at a high weight. I had two kids in 19 months, so it's time to reclaim my body :).
  • misterdale67
    misterdale67 Posts: 171 Member
    emhunter wrote: »
    I do not. For me, it feels like why did I work out. But if eating them back works for you, I say go for it! I definitely am not in the eat more to weigh less camp because it does work for me.

    Same here!!
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    What I usually recommend is (if you are not set to a super high deficit) to start by eating back 50% of your exercise calories and adjust according to your weight of loss. So if after a month you've lost more than expected, eat back a higher percentage. If losing less, tighten up your logging :D
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    When I was very overweight and did pretty consistent cardio, yes. Now that I'm leaner, and rarely do cardio-no. If I pedal on a bike or something, I know I'm not getting a big calorie burn so I try to keep it real with myself.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Depends how accurate you are with your food logging. If you're just eyeballing, you're often better off not eating them to make sure you're still keeping a deficit (as people tend to underestimate their food intake).