Eating Fitbit Points?

TCakes14

Hello guys, quickie question. My calories keep increasing due to Fitbit update, do u consume your extra calories or do you just stick with your daily allowance?

Jruzer

Exercise calories are the best calories. If you are following MFP's calorie recommendations, you are supposed to eat them. Otherwise you risk underfueling your exercise.

malibu927

I eat them. I'm set to lightly active and already have close to 17,000 steps today. Otherwise I'll be pretty hangry.

TCakes14

Thanks for reply, Do you still lose each week?

mifow86

Sorry for the noob question but if you are eating your exercise points/ calories are you not in the same position you would be in if your hadn't done the exercise?

Stella3838

mifow86 wrote: »

Sorry for the noob question but if you are eating your exercise points/ calories are you not in the same position you would be in if your hadn't done the exercise?

That "position" though is the calorie deficit needed for weight loss. So, if you can eat 2000 calories a day to maintain and want to lose a pound a week, you eat 1500 per day. That's your MFP goal. If you exercise for 500 calories, netting you 1000 calories, eating another 500 gets you back to that 1500 daily target to lose one pound per week. That's the magic of MFP.

ETA (for my safety): There is an entirely different conversation regarding the accuracy of calorie burns. Most time are overestimated, so general recommendation is to eat 50-75% of the calories burned back.

janejellyroll

mifow86 wrote: »

Sorry for the noob question but if you are eating your exercise points/ calories are you not in the same position you would be in if your hadn't done the exercise?

It does put you at your original deficit (which should be your goal anyway), but you keep all the physical and mental benefits of the exercise. You're in a better position *and* you're properly fueling your activity.

NorthCascades

TCakes14 wrote: »

Thanks for reply, Do you still lose each week?

I'm down around 70 pounds and I eat my exercise calories back. I don't lose the same amount every week, though, all kinds of things affect it, and when you look at the chart, it's chunky not smooth. As long as it's going down, I don't freak out about what the scale says any particular day.

mifow86 wrote: »

Sorry for the noob question but if you are eating your exercise points/ calories are you not in the same position you would be in if your hadn't done the exercise?

Nope, I wouldn't be as strong without exercise, and I'd have more cabin fever too.

The way this works is you choose how fast you want to lose weight: 2 pounds a week, 1 pound, 1/2 pound, whatever. Eating your exercise calories back keeps you from losing weight too fast, so your hair doesn't fall out and your muscles don't wither. Basically, it helps you look as good as you possibly can when you finish your journey.

CoachJen71

I eat mine back. Lost muscle mass when I didn't.

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Down 140lbs: My story.