Exercise Calories

mmjensen2010

I was wondering if most people eat their exercise calories or not.
I am aiming for a 1500 calorie day but usually earn between 300-600 calories, is it ok to eat those and still maintain my weight?
Thank you!

Will_Thrust_For_Candy

I generally don't, but there are some days that I need more and so then I eat a bit more. I find that often the danger in eating back exercise calories is that we can very easily overestimate how much we burn. I would say use half of your estimated calories burned or try out a TDEE method to figure out what your intake should be that way your activity is already factored in and you don't have to worry about it.

AmyRhubarb

MFP is set up that you are supposed to eat them back - that's why they add them back into your daily goal.

Your daily calories already have you at a deficit - meaning eat to goal every day, do zero exercise, and you'll lose weight. When you exercise and burn off more cals, you're left with a much larger deficit, too large, which can cause all sorts of problems in the long run. This is why they are added to your daily goal - your NET cals should be at or near your daily goal.

franzhaydn

I have to agree with Amy. In my personal experience, not eating up your burned calories -- assuming they were burnt in a form of aerobic activity -- will result in muscle loss along with fat! Meaning, after you lose the weight, you'll look fatter than before you lost it I would recommend re-eating your calories and employing strength training, or burning those non-re-eaten calories anaerobically.

needtolose1979

bump