Burning calories vs eating them back?

thisoldroutine

So say you burn 500+ cals per day, how many of these would you eat back?

diannethegeek

If you're using MFP as it's designed and are able to determine your calorie burn accurately, you should be eating all 500 back.

JustJennie1

Depends on how hungry you are.

I am not of the mindset that if I burn XXXX amount of calories I can eat them back. I don't do cardio to create a bigger deficit so that I can eat more either. The reason being is I don't know how accurate said 'burn' is and I could be over eating on a day to day basis. If I eat some of them back great. If not I don't stress over it but again, I don't consciously eat them back.

It's really up to you. Try eating some of them back for a month and see what happens.

cwolfman13

I used to deduct about 30% of what my HRM said to account for estimation error. What exactly were you doing? That's the equivalent of running about 5 miles give or take. If you're using a database, who knows...could be high, could be low, could be dead on...machine is a bit more accurate but I'd still knock some off. When really in doubt, eat back 50% to make sure you're getting something to fuel that activity...then listen to your body if you can and know how to do so.

You do need to realize that this is the way MFP is designed to work. It is to give incentive to people to get off the couch and move. The goal MFP gives you is a calorie deficit from maintenance net of exercise...thereby exercise is extra activity that is NOT included in your activity level when you set your profile up. If you use TDEE then exercise is already included in your activity level and thus included in your deficit calorie goal...thus you would not eat those calories back.

If you don't eat them back with a NEAT method calculator like MFP you are just creating a bigger deficit...sounds good...but can most definitely be counterproductive to your weight loss and fitness goals.

nack49

I agree with the last post.
MFP definitely helps you make your own decision. i personally don't try to eat up all the calories I've burned.
However i can treat myself to respectable snack at night.
Bottom line is calories in vs calories out\, and of exercise 45 minutes daily.
It's worked for me for 4 months now ,and I have no plan to stop .
Hope it helps.

nack49

:glasses: I agree with the last post.
MFP definitely helps you make your own decision. i personally don't try to eat up all the calories I've burned.
However i can treat myself to respectable snack at night.
Bottom line is calories in vs calories out\, and of exercise 45 minutes daily.
It's worked for me for 4 months now ,and I have no plan to stop .
Hope it helps.

Pangea250

Ah, and here we have a question that has NEVER been asked.

cingle87

Eat your exercise calories just don't eat them all back, machines, hrm and MFP vastly overestimate calories burnt, so if you burn 500 calories says figure for me to eat back would be 300-375

nack49

I agree with that formula . However, if your not hungry don 't force feed yourself.
Treat yourself to something you haven't had in a while, just don't make a habit of it.:glasses:

teaparty75

i've wondered about this too .....i use a body bugg so i think i'm accurately tracking the calories i burn during my workouts - in the beginning i was eating most of them back daily BUT recently the "light bulb" went off and i decided to ATTEMPT to not do that , i figure the deficient will come in handy on the 2 days a week i don't work out !

teaparty75

Eat your exercise calories just don't eat them all back, machines, hrm and MFP vastly overestimate calories burnt, so if you burn 500 calories says figure for me to eat back would be 300-375

great advice !