Exercise Calories

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Jbell0213
Jbell0213 Posts: 189 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I know this has been brought up before in many posts. Do you eat back your exercise calories or not?

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  • KatherinePM
    KatherinePM Posts: 22 Member
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    Nope.
  • sarabushby
    sarabushby Posts: 784 Member
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    Some people do and some people don't, it depends on a) how accurate the calorie burn is e.g. Estimated or measured with a HRM and b) what your goals are. If you're trying to lose weight then generally it'd be fair to say you'll achieve this quicker with a greater deficit by not eating back the calories. But if you're working out a lot then you might want to eat up to say 50% back to curb hunger. It's a personal choice.
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
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    1/2 if at all.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
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    Yes. Eat to fuel your exercise.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    Yes.

    Since this has been discussed in many previous posts, is there something you're looking for that isn't in all those previous threads?
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,741 Member
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    Absolutely. I estimate my exercise carefully (heart rate monitor where appropriate, checking subject-specific exercise calculators with more input values as a double-check - such as bicycling sites for biking, etc.). Then I eat most all of them back. I've done that from 183 pounds to under 120 pounds since I started losing about a year ago, and lost at the expected rates. You need fuel for exercise.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Yes - I want to maximize fat loss. As others have said weight loss (fat+lean muscle) will be faster with a larger deficit.

    But there's a price for fast weight loss.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    If you know it's been asked before why ask again?

    MFP is setup so you should eat back your exercise calories....it doesn't matter what people do or think about it...the app is setup that way.
  • lemmie177
    lemmie177 Posts: 479 Member
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    Nope. I find that my appetite trails my activity levels rather than tracks with it. Big workouts suppress my appetite, but I'm ravenous the next day. So, I just estimate my TDEE and manage my deficit on a weekly basis rather than daily.
  • dgobbett
    dgobbett Posts: 53 Member
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    I don't eat them back. I find that MFP overestimates exercise calories. I also tend to overestimate my calories as well, so if I eat something I didn't weight I guess then add 20% to it when I track it. So far it has all balanced out because I know that I miss things in my tracking from time to time.

  • MommyMeggo
    MommyMeggo Posts: 1,222 Member
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    Nah. But if I have them and I want a treat I will.
  • WilsonFilson
    WilsonFilson Posts: 83 Member
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    Are you trying to cut or gain muscle?
  • Jbell0213
    Jbell0213 Posts: 189 Member
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    Thanks for the responses. I truly didn't want to search through 20 million posts to find, and everyone has a different response. Not trying to gain muscle. I've just hit a plateau and not sure if this could be the issue
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    Jbell0213 wrote: »
    Thanks for the responses. I truly didn't want to search through 20 million posts to find, and everyone has a different response. Not trying to gain muscle. I've just hit a plateau and not sure if this could be the issue



    how long has it been since you lost weight?

    If under 4-6 weeks not a plateau...

    Do you use a food scale and weigh and log accurately and consistently?
    How do you record your exercise calories? MFP defaults or another app/tracker?

    MFP is setup so you are suppose to eat them back so if you aren't losing you aren't logging accurately.
  • Jbell0213
    Jbell0213 Posts: 189 Member
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    Since around March 7th. I had the flu dropped about 3 pounds and haven't moved since. I do use a found scale, log everything. I get my exercise calories from fitbit. Walking steps.
  • Jbell0213
    Jbell0213 Posts: 189 Member
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    Sorry food scale. I tend to teeter around 1/2 pound diffirence but don't move beyond that. I have been told to drink more water and switch up my foods
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    I wouldn't be concerned just yet....I've gone 4 or 5 without losing then woooosh.

    It happens.

    If you haven't in about 6 weeks it's time to check your logging of food and exercise...fitbit should be fairly accurate (I personally don't like them but lots find them good) so I would look at intake first but only after it's been longer.
  • Jbell0213
    Jbell0213 Posts: 189 Member
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    Thank you so much for the help. Much appreciated

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