Do you eat your exercise calories?

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13

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  • NicoleMckenzie2017
    NicoleMckenzie2017 Posts: 141 Member
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    I personally don't eat them back. Although I know a lot of people do- and it works for them! I am on 1200 cals and honestly I almost find it hard to fulfill the full 12 some days. Given I also eat tons of veggies and fruits and I do fill up on water throughout the day. So I never really get hungry enough to eat them back.
  • azkabanned
    azkabanned Posts: 79 Member
    edited January 2018
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    Psychgrrl wrote: »
    meowthhh wrote: »
    I was told to eat more calories since I was eating 1200, so I’ve been eating the exercise calories back. But I’ve had 0 progress since, and even gained 3 pounds back that stayed on all week. I don’t know, maybe my lifestyle is tooo sedentary and I don’t burn as many calories as I think I do exercising.

    It’s hard to get to a sweet spot where I can still lose 1lb a week but still have a “healthy” diet at my already normal BMI.

    I don’t think I want to eat my exercise calories back anymore though, unless I’m really hungry.

    My logging is pretty tight, I even log low sodium soy when I use it which is only like 10cal, use no oil, and measure butter. I measure my food etc. Drink nothing except 0 calorie water or tea.

    Could be an over-estimation of calories out, but it more likely a combo of errors with calories in and out. Logging can be tight, but if the information in the logging is inaccurate, you can still be off in your calculations. Weigh all solid foods on a food scale (including pre-packaged foods and things like slices of bread of eggs), and measure all liquids in measuring cups/spoons (they're aren't accurate for solids). And there are a lot of whack entries in the database. Be sure and use one that matches the packaging of your product or the USDA database. When you have a small deficit, it all matters. Like my 1.15 slices of bread and my eggs which are always 1.5 eggs. :neutral:


    Yeah I just ignore the database entries and scan the barcode on the packages.

    I honestly think the easiest thing for me to do is keep the exercise deficit because that’s the only thing I’ve changed. Weight loss was slow to start with because I was 133lb at 172cm/5’8 (went down to 130 for the first two weeks of my diet but now 133 again ugh), but the way I was logging worked for me despite it might have been half an egg off.

    I don’t want to wear a Fitbit, nor do I want to weigh every egg (steak I understand). I need my food routine to be easy enough for me to follow through with as a lifestyle... am just not the type to be weighing every egg or piece of bread.

    Ahhhh I just want to wear my jeans again and do notttt want to start buying a size up, losing 10lbs is so much work.
  • karahm78
    karahm78 Posts: 505 Member
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    meowthhh wrote: »
    I was told to eat more calories since I was eating 1200, so I’ve been eating the exercise calories back. But I’ve had 0 progress since, and even gained 3 pounds back that stayed on all week. I don’t know, maybe my lifestyle is tooo sedentary and I don’t burn as many calories as I think I do exercising.

    It’s hard to get to a sweet spot where I can still lose 1lb a week but still have a “healthy” diet at my already normal BMI.

    I don’t think I want to eat my exercise calories back anymore though, unless I’m really hungry.

    My logging is pretty tight, I even log low sodium soy when I use it which is only like 10cal, use no oil, and measure butter. I measure my food etc. Drink nothing except 0 calorie water or tea.

    To gain 3 pounds of fat you'd have to eat 10,500 calories over maintenance. Most likely you have some water weight... I see you mention soy sauce, even the low sodium is sky high.
  • lucerorojo
    lucerorojo Posts: 790 Member
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    meowthhh wrote: »
    Psychgrrl wrote: »
    meowthhh wrote: »
    I was told to eat more calories since I was eating 1200, so I’ve been eating the exercise calories back. But I’ve had 0 progress since, and even gained 3 pounds back that stayed on all week. I don’t know, maybe my lifestyle is tooo sedentary and I don’t burn as many calories as I think I do exercising.

    It’s hard to get to a sweet spot where I can still lose 1lb a week but still have a “healthy” diet at my already normal BMI.

    I don’t think I want to eat my exercise calories back anymore though, unless I’m really hungry.

    My logging is pretty tight, I even log low sodium soy when I use it which is only like 10cal, use no oil, and measure butter. I measure my food etc. Drink nothing except 0 calorie water or tea.

    Could be an over-estimation of calories out, but it more likely a combo of errors with calories in and out. Logging can be tight, but if the information in the logging is inaccurate, you can still be off in your calculations. Weigh all solid foods on a food scale (including pre-packaged foods and things like slices of bread of eggs), and measure all liquids in measuring cups/spoons (they're aren't accurate for solids). And there are a lot of whack entries in the database. Be sure and use one that matches the packaging of your product or the USDA database. When you have a small deficit, it all matters. Like my 1.15 slices of bread and my eggs which are always 1.5 eggs. :neutral:


    Yeah I just ignore the database entries and scan the barcode on the packages.

    I honestly think the easiest thing for me to do is keep the exercise deficit because that’s the only thing I’ve changed. Weight loss was slow to start with because I was 133lb at 172cm/5’8 (went down to 130 for the first two weeks of my diet but now 133 again ugh), but the way I was logging worked for me despite it might have been half an egg off.

    I don’t want to wear a Fitbit, nor do I want to weigh every egg (steak I understand). I need my food routine to be easy enough for me to follow through with as a lifestyle... am just not the type to be weighing every egg or piece of bread.

    Ahhhh I just want to wear my jeans again and do notttt want to start buying a size up, losing 10lbs is so much work.

    Well at 133 lbs. and 5'8" you are already at a normal weight. Probably the most you can lose is .25-.5 lb. per week. Have you considered strength training instead of losing weight to get the body you want?
  • karahm78
    karahm78 Posts: 505 Member
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    kazgorat1 wrote: »
    kazgorat1 wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    kazgorat1 wrote: »
    I don't either. What's the point in working out to assist with weight loss if you are just going to eat it all back? :smile:

    Because you're set to lose without exercise, and while creating a larger deficit may sound appealing it isn't necessarily a good thing. Plus your body needs the additional fuel if you work out.

    Meh. When I add up the calories burned from the weight lifting and cardio I do, it maybe comes out to 1,500/week, which won't even equate to 1/2 a pound of loss.

    If you are at your ideal bodyweight, that's one thing, but when you are carrying around 35 lbs of excess fat like I am, your body can tap into those reserves for energy.

    Good for you.

    I run 20-25 miles a week. I'm fueling those.

    Well, yes, if you are running 25 miles per week, you had better be fueling up. I see a lot of people who walk so many steps with their Fitbit and then think they should eat significantly more to compensate. Some people don't realize that if you are not getting your heart rate up to your target rate, you aren't burning a ton of calories.

    I eat my Fitbit calories and still lose/maintain right on schedule.... getting calories from my Fitbit just means I've exceeded the activity level I selected in MFP.
  • StevefromMichigan
    StevefromMichigan Posts: 462 Member
    edited January 2018
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    karahm78 wrote: »
    kazgorat1 wrote: »
    kazgorat1 wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    kazgorat1 wrote: »
    I don't either. What's the point in working out to assist with weight loss if you are just going to eat it all back? :smile:

    Because you're set to lose without exercise, and while creating a larger deficit may sound appealing it isn't necessarily a good thing. Plus your body needs the additional fuel if you work out.

    Meh. When I add up the calories burned from the weight lifting and cardio I do, it maybe comes out to 1,500/week, which won't even equate to 1/2 a pound of loss.

    If you are at your ideal bodyweight, that's one thing, but when you are carrying around 35 lbs of excess fat like I am, your body can tap into those reserves for energy.

    Good for you.

    I run 20-25 miles a week. I'm fueling those.

    Well, yes, if you are running 25 miles per week, you had better be fueling up. I see a lot of people who walk so many steps with their Fitbit and then think they should eat significantly more to compensate. Some people don't realize that if you are not getting your heart rate up to your target rate, you aren't burning a ton of calories.

    I eat my Fitbit calories and still lose/maintain right on schedule.... getting calories from my Fitbit just means I've exceeded the activity level I selected in MFP.

    Seems to be working for you, so no need to change :smile:

    Just curious...how many calories does your Fitbit say you've burned that you eat back?
  • mk2fit
    mk2fit Posts: 730 Member
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    Yes, yes, a million times yes! Why bother with only cutting calories if you cannot enjoy a little something? I lost over 70# and have kept them off over two years. OK, I exercise a lot and run when the weather lets me. Still, CICO...
  • StevefromMichigan
    StevefromMichigan Posts: 462 Member
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    I think the best advice is to just listen to your body and monitor your progress. If you are eating back the calories, and not losing after giving it several weeks, then you are probably eating too much. If you are eating your calories back and satisfied with your rate of loss, then it's obviously working for you.
  • azkabanned
    azkabanned Posts: 79 Member
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    lucerorojo wrote: »
    meowthhh wrote: »
    Psychgrrl wrote: »
    meowthhh wrote: »
    I was told to eat more calories since I was eating 1200, so I’ve been eating the exercise calories back. But I’ve had 0 progress since, and even gained 3 pounds back that stayed on all week. I don’t know, maybe my lifestyle is tooo sedentary and I don’t burn as many calories as I think I do exercising.

    It’s hard to get to a sweet spot where I can still lose 1lb a week but still have a “healthy” diet at my already normal BMI.

    I don’t think I want to eat my exercise calories back anymore though, unless I’m really hungry.

    My logging is pretty tight, I even log low sodium soy when I use it which is only like 10cal, use no oil, and measure butter. I measure my food etc. Drink nothing except 0 calorie water or tea.

    Could be an over-estimation of calories out, but it more likely a combo of errors with calories in and out. Logging can be tight, but if the information in the logging is inaccurate, you can still be off in your calculations. Weigh all solid foods on a food scale (including pre-packaged foods and things like slices of bread of eggs), and measure all liquids in measuring cups/spoons (they're aren't accurate for solids). And there are a lot of whack entries in the database. Be sure and use one that matches the packaging of your product or the USDA database. When you have a small deficit, it all matters. Like my 1.15 slices of bread and my eggs which are always 1.5 eggs. :neutral:


    Yeah I just ignore the database entries and scan the barcode on the packages.

    I honestly think the easiest thing for me to do is keep the exercise deficit because that’s the only thing I’ve changed. Weight loss was slow to start with because I was 133lb at 172cm/5’8 (went down to 130 for the first two weeks of my diet but now 133 again ugh), but the way I was logging worked for me despite it might have been half an egg off.

    I don’t want to wear a Fitbit, nor do I want to weigh every egg (steak I understand). I need my food routine to be easy enough for me to follow through with as a lifestyle... am just not the type to be weighing every egg or piece of bread.

    Ahhhh I just want to wear my jeans again and do notttt want to start buying a size up, losing 10lbs is so much work.

    Well at 133 lbs. and 5'8" you are already at a normal weight. Probably the most you can lose is .25-.5 lb. per week. Have you considered strength training instead of losing weight to get the body you want?

    Have definitely considered strength training, right now I’m doing body weight exercises (my yoga studio does sculpt classes) and when I can comfortably work with my own body and light weights I will join a real gym. But the fat shedding still happens in the kitchen, or am I mistaken?
  • lucerorojo
    lucerorojo Posts: 790 Member
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    I'm no expert, it's just that from what I read on here, the weight loss when you are at a normal weight already is REALLY slow. You might actually be losing fat but you can't see it on the scale because it is so slow. I guess if you aren't hungry or low energy when you aren't eating back your exercise calories, it doesn't matter. I just imagine it would be more pleasant to eat normally and do the strength training (as opposed to eating at a deficit).
  • azkabanned
    azkabanned Posts: 79 Member
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    karahm78 wrote: »
    meowthhh wrote: »
    I was told to eat more calories since I was eating 1200, so I’ve been eating the exercise calories back. But I’ve had 0 progress since, and even gained 3 pounds back that stayed on all week. I don’t know, maybe my lifestyle is tooo sedentary and I don’t burn as many calories as I think I do exercising.

    It’s hard to get to a sweet spot where I can still lose 1lb a week but still have a “healthy” diet at my already normal BMI.

    I don’t think I want to eat my exercise calories back anymore though, unless I’m really hungry.

    My logging is pretty tight, I even log low sodium soy when I use it which is only like 10cal, use no oil, and measure butter. I measure my food etc. Drink nothing except 0 calorie water or tea.

    To gain 3 pounds of fat you'd have to eat 10,500 calories over maintenance. Most likely you have some water weight... I see you mention soy sauce, even the low sodium is sky high.

    I was hoping it’d be water weight but usually my water weight = fluctuations day or two, and significantly decreases after a 90 minute hot yoga session. 15ml of low sodium soy sauce is probably a lot less sodium than a lot of people eat haha.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,662 Member
    edited January 2018
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    meowthhh wrote: »
    karahm78 wrote: »
    meowthhh wrote: »
    I was told to eat more calories since I was eating 1200, so I’ve been eating the exercise calories back. But I’ve had 0 progress since, and even gained 3 pounds back that stayed on all week. I don’t know, maybe my lifestyle is tooo sedentary and I don’t burn as many calories as I think I do exercising.

    It’s hard to get to a sweet spot where I can still lose 1lb a week but still have a “healthy” diet at my already normal BMI.

    I don’t think I want to eat my exercise calories back anymore though, unless I’m really hungry.

    My logging is pretty tight, I even log low sodium soy when I use it which is only like 10cal, use no oil, and measure butter. I measure my food etc. Drink nothing except 0 calorie water or tea.

    To gain 3 pounds of fat you'd have to eat 10,500 calories over maintenance. Most likely you have some water weight... I see you mention soy sauce, even the low sodium is sky high.

    I was hoping it’d be water weight but usually my water weight = fluctuations day or two, and significantly decreases after a 90 minute hot yoga session. 15ml of low sodium soy sauce is probably a lot less sodium than a lot of people eat haha.

    We are mixing in several people with specific different problems who are bringing their specific issues to the discussion without fully disclosing them.

    And its not just you, by any stretch. But it does take something out of keeping the discussion generalized.

    You don't account for water weight variation caused by, for example, your period or exercise by sweating it out during hot yoga.

    And if you only weigh yourself once, in the morning, after using the washroom and before eating and drinking, how would you know what you weighed after hot yoga?

    If you ARE weighting yourself the next day after hot yoga again, maybe your body has compensated for the extra stress.

    Hot yoga does not burn extra calories. The increase sweating and heart rate generated by the heat do not translate into a bigger caloric expenditure. But it does mess up your sweating!
  • azkabanned
    azkabanned Posts: 79 Member
    edited January 2018
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    PAV8888 wrote: »
    meowthhh wrote: »
    karahm78 wrote: »
    meowthhh wrote: »
    I was told to eat more calories since I was eating 1200, so I’ve been eating the exercise calories back. But I’ve had 0 progress since, and even gained 3 pounds back that stayed on all week. I don’t know, maybe my lifestyle is tooo sedentary and I don’t burn as many calories as I think I do exercising.

    It’s hard to get to a sweet spot where I can still lose 1lb a week but still have a “healthy” diet at my already normal BMI.

    I don’t think I want to eat my exercise calories back anymore though, unless I’m really hungry.

    My logging is pretty tight, I even log low sodium soy when I use it which is only like 10cal, use no oil, and measure butter. I measure my food etc. Drink nothing except 0 calorie water or tea.

    To gain 3 pounds of fat you'd have to eat 10,500 calories over maintenance. Most likely you have some water weight... I see you mention soy sauce, even the low sodium is sky high.

    I was hoping it’d be water weight but usually my water weight = fluctuations day or two, and significantly decreases after a 90 minute hot yoga session. 15ml of low sodium soy sauce is probably a lot less sodium than a lot of people eat haha.

    We are mixing in several people with specific different problems who are bringing their specific issues to the discussion without fully disclosing them.

    And its not just you, by any stretch. But it does take something out of keeping the discussion generalized.

    You don't account for water weight variation caused by, for example, your period or exercise by sweating it out during hot yoga.

    And if you only weigh yourself once, in the morning, after using the washroom and before eating and drinking, how would you know what you weighed after hot yoga?

    If you ARE weighting yourself the next day after hot yoga again, maybe your body has compensated for the extra stress.

    Hot yoga does not burn extra calories. The increase sweating and heart rate generated by the heat do not translate into a bigger caloric expenditure. But it does mess up your sweating!

    Hot yoga doesn’t burn extra calories, so when I weigh myself before and after a hot session and am 2lb lighter, it’s probably water weight from all the sweat, no? So so so much sweat. And then I replenish with water throughout the day and get the 2lb back.

    I weigh myself everyday first thing in the morning and sometimes before and after hot sessions.
  • azkabanned
    azkabanned Posts: 79 Member
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    meowthhh wrote: »
    Psychgrrl wrote: »
    meowthhh wrote: »
    I was told to eat more calories since I was eating 1200, so I’ve been eating the exercise calories back. But I’ve had 0 progress since, and even gained 3 pounds back that stayed on all week. I don’t know, maybe my lifestyle is tooo sedentary and I don’t burn as many calories as I think I do exercising.

    It’s hard to get to a sweet spot where I can still lose 1lb a week but still have a “healthy” diet at my already normal BMI.

    I don’t think I want to eat my exercise calories back anymore though, unless I’m really hungry.

    My logging is pretty tight, I even log low sodium soy when I use it which is only like 10cal, use no oil, and measure butter. I measure my food etc. Drink nothing except 0 calorie water or tea.

    Could be an over-estimation of calories out, but it more likely a combo of errors with calories in and out. Logging can be tight, but if the information in the logging is inaccurate, you can still be off in your calculations. Weigh all solid foods on a food scale (including pre-packaged foods and things like slices of bread of eggs), and measure all liquids in measuring cups/spoons (they're aren't accurate for solids). And there are a lot of whack entries in the database. Be sure and use one that matches the packaging of your product or the USDA database. When you have a small deficit, it all matters. Like my 1.15 slices of bread and my eggs which are always 1.5 eggs. :neutral:


    Yeah I just ignore the database entries and scan the barcode on the packages.

    Just FYI - scanning a barcode just points you to a particular database entry which may or may not be accurate...

    This I did not know. I thought scanning the barcode = quick way of entering nutritional data chart.

    It’s usually spot on with packaged products because I look through it anyways. But no wonder I’ve had to fix some entries.
  • Poisonedpawn78
    Poisonedpawn78 Posts: 1,145 Member
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    meowthhh wrote: »
    meowthhh wrote: »
    Psychgrrl wrote: »
    meowthhh wrote: »
    I was told to eat more calories since I was eating 1200, so I’ve been eating the exercise calories back. But I’ve had 0 progress since, and even gained 3 pounds back that stayed on all week. I don’t know, maybe my lifestyle is tooo sedentary and I don’t burn as many calories as I think I do exercising.

    It’s hard to get to a sweet spot where I can still lose 1lb a week but still have a “healthy” diet at my already normal BMI.

    I don’t think I want to eat my exercise calories back anymore though, unless I’m really hungry.

    My logging is pretty tight, I even log low sodium soy when I use it which is only like 10cal, use no oil, and measure butter. I measure my food etc. Drink nothing except 0 calorie water or tea.

    Could be an over-estimation of calories out, but it more likely a combo of errors with calories in and out. Logging can be tight, but if the information in the logging is inaccurate, you can still be off in your calculations. Weigh all solid foods on a food scale (including pre-packaged foods and things like slices of bread of eggs), and measure all liquids in measuring cups/spoons (they're aren't accurate for solids). And there are a lot of whack entries in the database. Be sure and use one that matches the packaging of your product or the USDA database. When you have a small deficit, it all matters. Like my 1.15 slices of bread and my eggs which are always 1.5 eggs. :neutral:


    Yeah I just ignore the database entries and scan the barcode on the packages.

    Just FYI - scanning a barcode just points you to a particular database entry which may or may not be accurate...

    This I did not know. I thought scanning the barcode = quick way of entering nutritional data chart.

    It’s usually spot on with packaged products because I look through it anyways. But no wonder I’ve had to fix some entries.

    keep in mind too that you should still weigh whats in the package. the package weight is not exact and dont forget not all packages show the full calories but have it broken up into servings that are smaller than the full package.
  • azkabanned
    azkabanned Posts: 79 Member
    edited January 2018
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    meowthhh wrote: »
    meowthhh wrote: »
    Psychgrrl wrote: »
    meowthhh wrote: »
    I was told to eat more calories since I was eating 1200, so I’ve been eating the exercise calories back. But I’ve had 0 progress since, and even gained 3 pounds back that stayed on all week. I don’t know, maybe my lifestyle is tooo sedentary and I don’t burn as many calories as I think I do exercising.

    It’s hard to get to a sweet spot where I can still lose 1lb a week but still have a “healthy” diet at my already normal BMI.

    I don’t think I want to eat my exercise calories back anymore though, unless I’m really hungry.

    My logging is pretty tight, I even log low sodium soy when I use it which is only like 10cal, use no oil, and measure butter. I measure my food etc. Drink nothing except 0 calorie water or tea.

    Could be an over-estimation of calories out, but it more likely a combo of errors with calories in and out. Logging can be tight, but if the information in the logging is inaccurate, you can still be off in your calculations. Weigh all solid foods on a food scale (including pre-packaged foods and things like slices of bread of eggs), and measure all liquids in measuring cups/spoons (they're aren't accurate for solids). And there are a lot of whack entries in the database. Be sure and use one that matches the packaging of your product or the USDA database. When you have a small deficit, it all matters. Like my 1.15 slices of bread and my eggs which are always 1.5 eggs. :neutral:


    Yeah I just ignore the database entries and scan the barcode on the packages.

    Just FYI - scanning a barcode just points you to a particular database entry which may or may not be accurate...

    This I did not know. I thought scanning the barcode = quick way of entering nutritional data chart.

    It’s usually spot on with packaged products because I look through it anyways. But no wonder I’ve had to fix some entries.

    keep in mind too that you should still weigh whats in the package. the package weight is not exact and dont forget not all packages show the full calories but have it broken up into servings that are smaller than the full package.

    Yeah the serving sizes are ridiculously small too. 1 serving of salmon is only 125g lol which is nothingggggggg even on a 1200cal diet so I eat 2 per meal.

    I honestly don’t weigh my packaged foods, like frozen salmon I just divide them into equal portions of the serving size, and then by the end of the week I would’ve eaten the whole package anyways. So piece 1 being slightly bigger than piece 3 evens out. Oatmeal and rice, I pour out in a measuring cup.

    I don’t think I can get as meticulous with weighing as some people on MPF so maybe my exercise calories were a good buffer for a deficit when I was actually losing weight, and not gaining like I have been this week.
  • NextRightThing714
    NextRightThing714 Posts: 355 Member
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    Just wondering whether I can still loose weight if I am eating my calories gained through exercise? I'm a bit worried about eating too little as in the past I have got very hungry when I have dieted in the past as then ended up binging. But will I loose weight if I eat my exercise calories?

    To answer the original post - I eat back what I believe to be the actual number of calories burned from intentional exercise (usually 50-75% of reported number depending on the exercise). I've done juuusstt fine.
  • Jasp03
    Jasp03 Posts: 54 Member
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    I don't eat them back, because I'm usually not hungry enough, so I'm fine without them. I tend to work out late, it's the only time I have available to hit the gym. By the time I'm done, I'm ready for a shower and some sleep.