Am I supposed to eat my workout calories?

as543

I burn about 400 calories four times a week.

kiwitechgirl

In a nutshell, yes. Depending on how you are calculating your workout calorie burn, you may want to not eat all of them back to start out with, particularly if you're using MFPs estimates which I find tend to run high. But if you're using a heart rate monitor for cardio, then it will be more accurate. I eat all mine back and I'm losing happily

as543

That's a relief. I feel I'm starving on workout days!

AmyRhubarb

Your net calories should be at or very near your original goal calories for the day. Example - if your goal is 1400, you burn 300 through exercise, now your net cals are only 1100 for the day. Eat enough to bring the net number up to, or very close to 1400.

Food is fuel!

The reason for this is because the daily goal MFP gives you already has you at a deficit, meaning you could eat all the way TO GOAL every day, do zero exercise, and you'll lose weight. Burning off more cals through exercise leaves you with a much larger deficit, too large, and can cause you problems in the long run. That's why they add the exercise cals back into your goal - you are supposed to eat them.

CallMeRuPaul

yes! eat them up. I do...and then some. I ate up the 550 calories that I burned and I still went over by 540 calories so I am way over for the day.

gpizzy

While I agree too large a deficit on a regular basis can do more damage than good, I always think more do what feels right. Some days you may not feel hungry and may not 'need' to eat them back. Other days, you'll be ravenous and you'll want to eat them back. Do what feels right for you.

carolbaker000

While I agree too large a deficit on a regular basis can do more damage than good, I always think more do what feels right. Some days you may not feel hungry and may not 'need' to eat them back. Other days, you'll be ravenous and you'll want to eat them back. Do what feels right for you.

Well said. Good advice here!

SailorKnightWing

The simple answer is yes.

But understand that the calories you're told you're burning from the My Fitness Pal database, any exercise equipment you're using, and even your heart rate monitor to a degree are just estimates, and usually estimate more than you're actually burning.

A safe bet is to start by eating half of your calories back. If you're not losing weight, eat maybe a quarter back. If you're losing at a good pace but still hungry, eat more than half back. It's really a trial and error situation.

BoxerDogsMom

You should not be feeling starved and I think a lot depends on what you define as "eat my workout calories," I try to eat more protein as my "eat my workout calories." I had a bad week with no gain / no loss, but I have not been drinking enough just plain old water or water with a slice of lemon, so that is my goal this week and more focus on some tuna with my salad and almonds as a snack with fruit. Good Luck and may the losses be with us this week.

sillyvalentine

I wouldn't, but make sure you are eating more than 1200 a day. If you are on a 1200 calorie diet, eat them.

I eat 1500 a day and burn almost 500 5x a week.

SLLRunner

You should not be feeling starved and I think a lot depends on what you define as "eat my workout calories," I try to eat more protein as my "eat my workout calories." I had a bad week with no gain / no loss, but I have not been drinking enough just plain old water or water with a slice of lemon, so that is my goal this week and more focus on some tuna with my salad and almonds as a snack with fruit. Good Luck and may the losses be with us this week.

When you work out, especially intensely, you will be hungrier than usual because your body needs that fuel to feed the exercise. I work out six days a week with both weight lifting and cardio and I eat generally upwards of 2,000 calories a day. Unless I am sick, I rarely go below 1,800 calories a day. I could not imagine properly fueling my body or feeling so great if I did not eat my exercise calories back.

You are so right about having a lot of protein. Love my nuts and Greek yogurt.

OP, when you eat your exercise calories back, be careful of gym machine and MFP estimations, as both are always overstated. Do you use a heart rate monitor? If properly calibrated, they generally give accurate cardio workout burns, though they are not so great for weight lifting or strength training.

ETA: OP, I looked at your diary and some days you are eating under 600 calories, other days you are eating around 1200. I also notice you are trying to lose 10 pounds. I suspect you have your goals to lose 2 pounds a week. Please note that 2 pounds a week is way too aggressive when you have so little to lose. Since 10 pounds is so close to maintenance, I urge you to set your calorie goals to lose .5 pounds per week, which means your base calories will be raised to about 1,500 or thereabouts. I urge you to also eat a portion of your exercise calories back on exercise days to make sure your body is being properly fueled.

Also, in your profile you say that you hate the way you look. If you hate the way you look now, I guarantee you that losing any amount of weight is not going to make you love yourself more. That starts on the inside and works its way to the outside so that you at least love yourself even though you want to change things about your body. I suggest you get some counseling for this part.

The best of luck to you.