Should I eat my exercise calories?

rottara

I haven't been doing that, so every day I eat anywhere from around 1000 to 1150 calories a day. Is that enough or should I eat my exercise calories?

itsmenatalie

This is a very complex question. There are a lot of threads already on the board that address it so it would be a good idea for you to search around and read what others have written.

Personally, I have always eaten most if not all of my exercise calories. If I don't I find I don't have enough energy to keep doing what I want to do.

jrich1

you need to net at least 1200 a day just to have your body function, if you net less than that your body isnt getting the nutrition it needs and will go into starvation mode, your calories on MFP already has an allowance built into it to lose weight, I usually eat back most of mine if I am hungry

GetFitE

It really just depends on your weight, height, and your metabolism---If you feel like you're getting a sufficient amount of food and nutrients and you feel satisfied throughout the day, I would say you're fine ..But if you feel hungry throughout the day, I would say you should probably eat your exercise calories. Not eating enough calories, even though you're consistent with working out CAN stump weight-loss, as I've been there before. I'm trying not to eat my exercise calories, but I'm already given 1990 calories to eat daily and I DEFINITELY feel fatter when I eat over 2000 calories. I try to burn 500 calories per workout, so that keeps my net calories around 1500 range, which is a range that I know will pretty much guarantee me pounds lost when I do my weekly weigh-in

ellie_1989

I've been battling with this question too! I've been sticking to my calories- eating back a lot of my exercise ones if I'm hungry but I don't seem to be getting anywhere. I'm stuck at 9st. I've been down to 8st13lbs twice in the last two weeks but it seems that that lb keeps going back on then off? I'm wondering if I should be eating any exercise calories back?

But saying that I do struggle with 1200cals...like when I do no exercise I find it extremely hard to just eat up to 1200cals. Please help...I'm losing motivation. I swim a couple of times a week, spin for 45mins once a week, go to the gym for an hour occassionally, walk regularly and do sit-ups daily...and yet slow progress! =(

alantin

I train pretty hard (if it's less than 1000 Cals, it doesn't feel like a real workout to me..) and I eat accordingly.I have been zig zagging the same couple of pounds for weeks but I still have had to make new holes to my belt. Now that I haven't been able to train for a week due to a cold, I have seen a pretty drastic drop on the scale too. I guess I don't retain so much water now and there is a lot less stuff on it's way through my bowels..
What I'm trying to say is that the scale isn't reliable because it doesn't take your body composition into account. Especially a hard workout program can screw the figures up so that it might fool you to thinking that you're not losing even thou inches are melting away.

The short answer to the original question would be:
Yes, you should. They aren't for treats or some kind of reward. They are a necessity and even more so the closer you get to your goal weight! 1000 to 1150 Cals sounds pretty low. It could be okay if you're pretty short but it's hard to say without knowing.

Here is a pretty good post explaining why:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo