Not eating back calories after exercise.

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  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    I just did my TDEE calculation using the Harris-Benedict equation, and my TDEE was 3800! If I to -20%, I still have to eat 3000 calories (I work out 6 days a week). I sometimes have to force myself to eat my MFP default total of 2100! Sans going to fast food places every day I don't have the time or money to eat that much, haha. Oddly enough, these values come pretty close to what MFP gives when all is said and done.

    That's good... both methods SHOULD end up being pretty similar in the end, assuming you use reasonable numbers in your calculations.
  • snookumss
    snookumss Posts: 1,451 Member
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    If your calorie goal is only 1200, and your body fat is below I'd guess around 25% you should eat ALL of those calories.
  • jillianbeeee
    jillianbeeee Posts: 345 Member
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    Your answers will definitely vary. My opinion is that the more you exercise, the more you should consider at least partially eating them back. Taking a walk? No big deal. Doing a lot of high-intensity training? Definitely eat some calories back.

    This. I agree high intensity training requires a few extra calories. I have been trying to think long term now and realize I wont be able to stick to 1200 calories for the rest of my life. Realistically, we have to think of this as a life change not a diet. Many years ago I was on other diets, ediets, atkins, south beach.....none of them were sustainable. This one is BECAUSE we earn calories through exercise. Its motivational to know that working out gives us more calories for a day. I am not saying we should go have an ice cream sunday as a treat but being able to have a glass of wine or an extra 2 ounces of chicken is awesome!
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Just as a follow-up... The more arbitrary you are about this, the harder it will be to evaluate what's working and what isn't. IMO, eitiher eat them all back or eat none of them back. Then, after a month or so, you can be reasonably accurate evaluating things and it will be easier to make the proper adjustments.

    All this "listen to your body", "eat if you're hungry", "only eat part of them back" crap is nonsense (IMO), especially for someone just getting strated who doesn't know what their maintenance cals are or what they typically burn through exercise.

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