Exercise calories - use them or not?

casalt102169

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!

diannethegeek

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

I log it but don't always eat them all

TnTWalter

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

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

I log the exercise but do use that as a reason to eat more.

ncfitbit

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

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

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

Eat 50-75% of your exercise back, that's how MFP is set up and it works a treat