What is meant by 'eat back' exercise calories?

ssilver64

Hi, I've sen people use phrases like 'try to eat back 25-50 percent of the exercise calories. What does that mean? Thanks!

NaturalNancy

If you're on for example a 1200 calorie plan... And you burn 200 calories exercising, the app will say that you can eat those 200 calories "back" that you just burned through exercise.
So if you "ate them back" you would really be eating a total of 1400 calories.
(Not sure if I explained this well, I tried lol)

middlehaitch

The way MFP is set up your calorie goal includes your deficit, but not any exercise.

If you exercise more than your regular daily activity, run, swim, lift weights, etc, you enter those into MFP and eat the extra calories it gives you.

It is advised to eat back 50-75% because of overestimation.

You eat them back to keep your body and mind healthy and well nourished as you lose weight.

Cheers, h.

ssilver64

Ok, I get it. Thanks! So when people say to 'eat back' only a percentage of those calories they mean maybe eat back 100 instead of the 200 MFP says I can eat. Makes me sad because I loved getting those extra calories...

Has anyone tried just not logging the exercise as a way of avoiding what some say are the over-inflated calorie burn estimates? Still exercising but then just eating the initial calories MFP recommends such as 1600 or whatever?

ssilver64

Thanks! What do you think of not logging the exercise (but still doing it) or recording only a portion of the exercise you do as a way of avoiding the over estimate?

middlehaitch wrote: »

The way MFP is set up your calorie goal includes your deficit, but not any exercise.

If you exercise more than your regular daily activity, run, swim, lift weights, etc, you enter those into MFP and eat the extra calories it gives you.

It is advised to eat back 50-75% because of overestimation.

You eat them back to keep your body and mind healthy and well nourished as you lose weight.

Cheers, h.

veganbaum

ssilver64 wrote: »

Ok, I get it. Thanks! So when people say to 'eat back' only a percentage of those calories they mean maybe eat back 100 instead of the 200 MFP says I can eat. Makes me sad because I loved getting those extra calories...

Has anyone tried just not logging the exercise as a way of avoiding what some say are the over-inflated calorie burn estimates? Still exercising but then just eating the initial calories MFP recommends such as 1600 or whatever?

The only reason there is for eating back a portion is to allow for overestimations in burns, as someone else mentioned. There are those for whom the estimation is accurate and they can eat 100% of those calories. You need to track accurately over a period of 4-6 weeks to determine how good the estimations are for you. Of course, you also need to be logging accurately as well.

If you already told MFP you want to lose weight, not eating those calories creates a bigger deficit. That may sound good, but in reality a person should eat those calories to fuel their bodies and get adequate nutrition.

Dandelie

ssilver64 wrote: »

Thanks! What do you think of not logging the exercise (but still doing it) or recording only a portion of the exercise you do as a way of avoiding the over estimate?

middlehaitch wrote: »

The way MFP is set up your calorie goal includes your deficit, but not any exercise.

If you exercise more than your regular daily activity, run, swim, lift weights, etc, you enter those into MFP and eat the extra calories it gives you.

It is advised to eat back 50-75% because of overestimation.

You eat them back to keep your body and mind healthy and well nourished as you lose weight.

Cheers, h.

Sometimes I feel a little pushed to eat back those calories. It depends on the day. Sometimes I do and sometimes I can't. Today...is one of the days I feel like I cannot. I feel full with my daily allotted food.

NaturalNancy

I think maybe I'll try not to log it and see what happens, good idea thanks!

middlehaitch

I don't like not eating any back. It makes me too tired to enjoy life and more susceptible to minor colds and flu.

You could start by eating back 100% and dropping to 75% if you are not losing at your preferred rate after 4 weeks.

If you do 1 hr classes you could enter it as 45 min to give you the 75% instead of having un-eaten calories showing.

I do think not eating back exercise calories deprives the body of needed nutrients to perform at ones optimum level.

Cheers, h.

veggiecanner

I eat some mine back because I'm doing this with my husband and he needs more exercise than i do .If I didn't the amount of walking we do now would make me loose weight to fast.

ssilver64

Thanks for the response. I've been there and it didn't last so what you're saying makes sense.

veggiecanner wrote: »

I eat some mine back because I'm doing this with my husband and he needs more exercise than i do .If I didn't the amount of walking we do now would make me loose weight to fast.

ssilver64

Thanks! I'm not losing at all in in fact gained 1/2 lb. I'll try logging only 75 percent of the exercise time so I eat back some calories but not all. Also get better with my diary accuracy.
quote="middlehaitch;35575182"]I don't like not eating any back. It makes me too tired to enjoy life and more susceptible to minor colds and flu.

You could start by eating back 100% and dropping to 75% if you are not losing at your preferred rate after 4 weeks.

If you do 1 hr classes you could enter it as 45 min to give you the 75% instead of having un-eaten calories showing.

I do think not eating back exercise calories deprives the body of needed nutrients to perform at ones optimum level.

Cheers, h.
[/quote]

ssilver64

Thanks for your response! I will try that too. I think seeing a number and then having to eat back only part of those calories will be hard for me to remember to do! quote="NaturalNancy;35575048"]I think maybe I'll try not to log it and see what happens, good idea thanks![/quote]