Eat back exercised cals?

xox_jen_1991_xox

Hi guys,

Just wondering everyone's opinion on eating back exercised calories..

I worry if I don't eat back all the calories I burned, my body will go into starvation mode and weight loss will stop!

Has anyone had any experience or opinions on this ?

tyia

x

JakeBrownVB

2 points to be made here

1. You will never go into starvation mode, your concept of what that is is, is a distorted myth.

2. Eat the same calories every day with your workout factored in. So take your cardio and weight lifting into consideration and up your calories accordingly. Do not just eat more on gym days as this does not help your recovery from your well managed weight lifting routine I hope you are on.

Example:

My calories if I didnt go gym- 2400
My calories every day because I gym 3x a week- 2800
My calories because I am bulking right now- 3200
My calories if I was cutting every day- 2200

TavistockToad

Hi guys,

Just wondering everyone's opinion on eating back exercised calories..

I worry if I don't eat back all the calories I burned, my body will go into starvation mode and weight loss will stop!

Has anyone had any experience or opinions on this ?

tyia

x

MFP is set up to give you a deficit BEFORE any exercise, which is why you can then eat the extra calories back.... there is such thing as eating too little, so if you are following MFP then you should eat them.

alternatively, work out your TDEE, which includes exercise and dont eat them back.

I'm not touching the 'starvation mode' bit....

CyberEd312

If you are using the MFP approach then you are instructed to eat back your calories burned during exercise because 1.) your calorie deficit has already been predetermined when you set up your goals here. and 2.) this makes the importance of eating back those exercise calories for fueling your body for the workouts that you are asking of it to do..

Now the term starvation mode around these forums gets taken in the literal sense by alot of people... Of course you will not starve to death I think we all have enough common sense to know that will not happen in this context but your body going into starvation mode in the sense that by not eating enough your metabolism will slow to a crawl and your body will start holding on to everything you are taking in because you are not eating enough is true and will more than likely happen. I would suggest investing in a heart rate monitor for your cardio and not relying on the MFP guesstimate and/or equipment at the gym.. The HRM monitor will get you a better calorie burned it still is only an estimate but more so accurate.... Best of Luck