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Exercise calories - use them or not?

casalt102169
casalt102169 Posts: 2 Member
in Getting Started
Hi Folks! Question for you. Do you log your exercise and eat the calories earned or do you exercise but not log it and not eat the calories? I'm afraid to eat the added calories! Thanks!

Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    This is one of my favorite write-ups on the subject: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818082/exercise-calories-again-wtf/p1
  • jackie_van_d
    jackie_van_d Posts: 240 Member
    I log it but don't always eat them all
  • TnTWalter
    TnTWalter Posts: 345 Member
    no. i put in 1 calorie. it was messing me up getting them back. i also upped my allowed calories to 1500 to even it out [instead of the recommended 1200].
  • mommazach
    mommazach Posts: 384 Member
    I eat back about 1/2 of my calories, or at least 200 extra. Every time I do, my 5 weeks out stats are much better.
  • Rick_1953
    Rick_1953 Posts: 596 Member
    I log the exercise but do use that as a reason to eat more.
  • ncfitbit
    ncfitbit Posts: 1,058 Member
    A lot of people here say to eat half of them back, as MFP tends to overestimate calories burned, especially for cardio exercises. I would say experiment and see what feels right to you. If you are already carefully logging your food (using food scale etc.) make notes of how many calories you can eat back and still lose weight. If you are not carefully logging your food (estimating a lot or using cups and spoons to measure portions) then it will be harder to pinpoint where the difficulties lie.
  • ElizabethOakes2
    ElizabethOakes2 Posts: 1,038 Member
    I eat back half. If I don't, I get kind of hangry. (Okay, like eat-the-neighbor's stupid yapping chihuahua kind of hangry).
    Try not eating them back, but if you find yourself fatigued or hungry, then eat some of them back. You can also just change your settings in MFP to reflect your activity level WITH exercise, instead of without. :)
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    casalt102169 wrote: »
    Hi Folks! Question for you. Do you log your exercise and eat the calories earned or do you exercise but not log it and not eat the calories? I'm afraid to eat the added calories! Thanks!

    You're "afraid" of using this tool exactly the way it's designed to be used?
    That's a worry to be honest.
    If you trust it enough to set your goal why would you also not give the method a chance?

    Think ahead to goal weight and maintenance, you will have to account for exercise then so why not learn the skill now?
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Eat 50-75% of your exercise back, that's how MFP is set up and it works a treat :smile:

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