Who Eats Theyre Exercise Calories?

lyzmorrison

No. I work too hard to burn those calories so there is no way I'm eating them back.

That's kind of how MFP is designed though......It already has your deficit built in.

Sure, I get that, but I'm still not doing it. One of the reasons I was overweight was because I ate when I didn't need to. Just because I have calories "available" doesn't mean I need to use them.

then you're just doing it wrong. by design.

I've lost 30 lbs and have reached my goal weight, never plateaued and am maintaining, but if you want to say I did it "wrong", then okay.

erickirb

No. I work too hard to burn those calories so there is no way I'm eating them back.

That's kind of how MFP is designed though......It already has your deficit built in.

Sure, I get that, but I'm still not doing it. One of the reasons I was overweight was because I ate when I didn't need to. Just because I have calories "available" doesn't mean I need to use them.

then you're just doing it wrong. by design.

I've lost 30 lbs and have reached my goal weight, never plateaued and am maintaining, but if you want to say I did it "wrong", then okay.

You will lose weight by not eating them, and lose it faster. The bigger issue is that a large % of your loss will come from lean muscle leaving you at a higher BF% at your goal weight than you would have been had you lost slower, due to the larger than necessary deficit

Springfield1970

Only if I'm hungry still after I've reached my calorie goal.

Listen to your body. It will let you know if it needs more food.

Don't whatever you do listen to your body. Dieting makes your hunger hormones behave strangely and tell you your full when you're not.

It's the same the other way. That's why we're all here isn't it? Our bodies telling us lies about how hungry we are and how good that last piece of pizza looks.

You've all already been put on a deficit by MFP. Do any extra exercise and you MUST eat those calories back. It ain't going to work better, faster. You'll lose lean body mass, race to the end, go back to eating how you were before and put more back.

It happens all the time. Listen to the grouchy experienced ones.

diannethegeek

I still want to know what it is about this site that people think it's so poorly designed as to add extra calories to your goal if you're not supposed to eat them. Are there sadistic coders out there in the world creating websites that set ridiculous calorie goals just to watch their users suffer?

softncudly

Most of the time, I try not to eat them back. (But if I am really hungry that day, then all bets are off:happy: )

WalkingAlong

Yeah, it cracks me up that when the question is "Do I eat back?" The overwhelming response is, "Yes! That is how the MFP plan is designed!"

But when it's "MFP gave me 1200 calories?" It's "MFP is WRONG! 1200 is too low! You can't eat below your BMR!" :laugh:

Annie_01

I save 50% of mine for days when I seem to be hungrier than usual or for a treat on the weekends. The other 50% I just ignore...

Mia_RagazzaTosta

Yeah, it cracks me up that when the question is "Do I eat back?" The overwhelming response is, "Yes! That is how the MFP plan is designed!"

But when it's "MFP gave me 1200 calories?" It's "MFP is WRONG! 1200 is too low! You can't eat below your BMR!" :laugh:

Using MFP as designed/eating back those exercise calories will give more than 1200 calories. That's the difference between gross and net.

Logic fail.

trogalicious

No. I work too hard to burn those calories so there is no way I'm eating them back.

That's kind of how MFP is designed though......It already has your deficit built in.

Sure, I get that, but I'm still not doing it. One of the reasons I was overweight was because I ate when I didn't need to. Just because I have calories "available" doesn't mean I need to use them.

then you're just doing it wrong. by design.

I've lost 30 lbs and have reached my goal weight, never plateaued and am maintaining, but if you want to say I did it "wrong", then okay.

Listen to the other replies too. I ate mine back, retained lean body mass, lost fat. You can keep your head in the sand as long as you won't, it isn't going to hurt my feelings. You're still doing it wrong. Losing weight via muscle AND fat, and losing fat are two separate things. Closely related, yes, but different.

RGv2

Yeah, it cracks me up that when the question is "Do I eat back?" The overwhelming response is, "Yes! That is how the MFP plan is designed!"

But when it's "MFP gave me 1200 calories?" It's "MFP is WRONG! 1200 is too low! You can't eat below your BMR!" :laugh:

That ususally comes from individuals entering goals that are far to aggressive for their height weight and it bottoms out at 1200.

lyzmorrison

No. I work too hard to burn those calories so there is no way I'm eating them back.

That's kind of how MFP is designed though......It already has your deficit built in.

Sure, I get that, but I'm still not doing it. One of the reasons I was overweight was because I ate when I didn't need to. Just because I have calories "available" doesn't mean I need to use them.

then you're just doing it wrong. by design.

I've lost 30 lbs and have reached my goal weight, never plateaued and am maintaining, but if you want to say I did it "wrong", then okay.

Listen to the other replies too. I ate mine back, retained lean body mass, lost fat. You can keep your head in the sand as long as you won't, it isn't going to hurt my feelings. You're still doing it wrong. Losing weight via muscle AND fat, and losing fat are two separate things. Closely related, yes, but different.

My head isn't in the sand. The OP asked people for opinions about eating back calories. Some do. Some don't. I don't. If you want to, go right ahead. I don't and it's worked for me. In addition to not eating back my calories I go to they gym every day. I have hit my goal weight. I look a million times better than when I started. I feel better. I'm leaner and have more endurance. And now I'm doing less cardio and more strength so I can get the shape I want. I never ever posted on here complaining of gaining or plateauing. I never had any issues. I stuck to my calorie goal and worked hard.

I gave my opinion to the OP and that was no....I worked too hard to burn them, I don't want them back. And that stands for ME. If you want to eat yours back...go right ahead. If it works for you, then by all means, go for it.

Annie_01

No. I work too hard to burn those calories so there is no way I'm eating them back.

That's kind of how MFP is designed though......It already has your deficit built in.

Sure, I get that, but I'm still not doing it. One of the reasons I was overweight was because I ate when I didn't need to. Just because I have calories "available" doesn't mean I need to use them.

then you're just doing it wrong. by design.

I've lost 30 lbs and have reached my goal weight, never plateaued and am maintaining, but if you want to say I did it "wrong", then okay.

Listen to the other replies too. I ate mine back, retained lean body mass, lost fat. You can keep your head in the sand as long as you won't, it isn't going to hurt my feelings. You're still doing it wrong. Losing weight via muscle AND fat, and losing fat are two separate things. Closely related, yes, but different.

It is not that I am disagreeing with what you are saying.

When I first joined MFP I set goal to be 2lbs a week at a starting weight of 246. It gave me 1200 calories plus eating back exercise. I knew that I could not guarantee that calories burned were accurate and I was struggling with the 1200. So I raised my goal to 1.5lbs to offset the burned calories and it gave me a higher calorie limit. I still am losing at 2lbs a week.

So in essence I just manipulated my figures to cover at least part of calories burned. I probably have a few left over even accounting for the high calories that MFP has exercises set at. I save these for those days that I go off track or for pizza on the weekends.

Yes...I know...an HRM would be more accurate but quite frankly...I can not afford that right now...maybe in the future.

parkscs

Yeah, it cracks me up that when the question is "Do I eat back?" The overwhelming response is, "Yes! That is how the MFP plan is designed!"

But when it's "MFP gave me 1200 calories?" It's "MFP is WRONG! 1200 is too low! You can't eat below your BMR!" :laugh:

But starvation mode!

RinnyLush

I don't eat them back during the week - I save them all up so I can binge drink red wine on the weekends.

KIDDING! (Kind of.)

OP: I eat them back, and I've been consistently losing. I am usually pretty ravenous after a good workout anyway. Don't deny your hunger!

creativerick

The model I used for calculating my calorie requirements factors in my activity level. So I pay no attention to exercise for that day and calories eaten... Although I know I'm always extra hungry on legs day!

miss_henrie

I am glad you asked, I was wondering the same thing!

sjlawgirl

OP, it appears you are relatively new so I'm going to make an honest suggestion. Above any forum board, there is a line that says "Home, Recent Posts, My Topics, Settings, Search." If you hit search and enter "exercise calories, you will see a plethora of threads addressing this. Hope this helps.

And yet YOU still chose to open the thread AND respond...so what does that say?! Snarky much?!

gmoneycole

I try but it's hard.

I've lost 30 pounds since October...but I needed to.

WalkingAlong

Yeah, it cracks me up that when the question is "Do I eat back?" The overwhelming response is, "Yes! That is how the MFP plan is designed!"

But when it's "MFP gave me 1200 calories?" It's "MFP is WRONG! 1200 is too low! You can't eat below your BMR!" :laugh:

Using MFP as designed/eating back those exercise calories will give more than 1200 calories. That's the difference between gross and net.

Logic fail.

What if the person doesn't 'exercise'? Does it really matter if they chase kids around all day or hit the gym for an hour on the elliptical? MFP forum logic is one you eat back, one you don't.

1PatientBear

OP, it appears you are relatively new so I'm going to make an honest suggestion. Above any forum board, there is a line that says "Home, Recent Posts, My Topics, Settings, Search." If you hit search and enter "exercise calories, you will see a plethora of threads addressing this. Hope this helps.

And yet YOU still chose to open the thread AND respond...so what does that say?! Snarky much?!

Lol. How is that snarky again? I didn't yell at her. I didn't insult her. I simply pointed towards a tool that can help her find info on the topic she's wondering about. It was an honest suggestion.