why?!

MaryB73189

I have seen a lot of people suggesting that you eat back some of your calories burned from exercise? Can someone please explain this logic and the benefits of doing so? Tia!

uconnwinsnc

So you don't end up in too big of a deficit. MFP builds in the deficit you should aim for automatically.

djs2303

I guess its down to personal choice, Its not sensible that if you burn 500 calories to eat 500 calories, but if ive had my typical 1200 cals per day allowance, and I go to the gym and burn 400 cals, I don't mind having a little treat, some malteasers/babybell or such like.

I personally wouldn't eat what ive burnt, as im trying to lose weight, not maintain, but I suppose if you are wanting to maintain, eating what you've burnt would sustain that weight?

carliekitty

I run 6 days a week and i eat 75% -100% of my exercise calories back and manage to loose 1 to 2 lbs a week. I got those same results not eating my calories back…so why starve if the results are the same?

obsidianwings

Because if you are eating (for example) 1200 calories, then go burn 500 calories you have in effect only ate 700 calories which is not enough.
That being said if you are using MFPs estimates I wouldn't eat them all back as they are known to overestimate.

obsidianwings

I guess its down to personal choice, Its not sensible that if you burn 500 calories to eat 500 calories, but if ive had my typical 1200 cals per day allowance, and I go to the gym and burn 400 cals, I don't mind having a little treat, some malteasers/babybell or such like.

I personally wouldn't eat what ive burnt, as im trying to lose weight, not maintain, but I suppose if you are wanting to maintain, eating what you've burnt would sustain that weight?

You would still lose weight rather than maintain (as long as you weren't underestimating food or overestimating burn) as MFPs numbers already have a deficit built in

FredDoyle

I have seen a lot of people suggesting that you eat back some of your calories burned from exercise? Can someone please explain this logic and the benefits of doing so? Tia!

Because MFP is set up that way. It doesn't take into account your extra exercise when you set up your deficit.
So, if you know an accurate count of your exercise, you should eat that back, or at least some of it.

19TaraLynn84

You eat them back because that's the way MFP is designed. The deficit is already there. Any exercise you do is more for fitness than weight loss. You could go one day eating your 1200 calories, then burning 500 away through exercise. But if you do that day after day, your body is going to feel the adverse effects of a very high calorie deficit.

evilpixiegrrr

I'll echo what others said here about too much of a calorie deficit.

I tend to lose more weight when I eat all or most of my exercise calories back. Otherwise, my metabolism has nothing to boost it.

Dnarules

I guess its down to personal choice, Its not sensible that if you burn 500 calories to eat 500 calories, but if ive had my typical 1200 cals per day allowance, and I go to the gym and burn 400 cals, I don't mind having a little treat, some malteasers/babybell or such like.

I personally wouldn't eat what ive burnt, as im trying to lose weight, not maintain, but I suppose if you are wanting to maintain, eating what you've burnt would sustain that weight?

Actually, not only is it sensible, it is the way MFP is set up. MFP doesn't take exercise into consideration, so you are supposed to eat your exercise calories back because your deficit is already in place. Many only eat a portion of their calories back (50% to 75%) because it is easy to overestimate burns. But you are supposed to eat them back.

janicelo1971

Because if you are eating (for example) 1200 calories, then go burn 500 calories you have in effect only ate 700 calories which is not enough.
That being said if you are using MFPs estimates I wouldn't eat them all back as they are known to overestimate.

However be careful...I eat 1300 a day for the last 8 months...I wear a heart rate monitor and when I work out I eat the calories back and I have NOT been able to lose weight...just maintain....I do eat ALL my calories back though...I don't exercise on a regular basis so this way I thought would best for me(for example I may go to crossfit or tennis 3-5 days this week and not again for 2 weeks)...however I'm going to start not eating them back as I really need to get off 10 or so pounds and sick of stalling like this...I have only lost about 3 pounds total in the last year....Anyway, my suggestion is to maybe just eat some exercise calories back and see how it goes?

obsidianwings

Because if you are eating (for example) 1200 calories, then go burn 500 calories you have in effect only ate 700 calories which is not enough.
That being said if you are using MFPs estimates I wouldn't eat them all back as they are known to overestimate.

However be careful...I eat 1300 a day for the last 8 months...I wear a heart rate monitor and when I work out I eat the calories back and I have NOT been able to lose weight...just maintain....I do eat ALL my calories back though...I don't exercise on a regular basis so this way I thought would best for me...however im going to start not eating them back as I really need to get off 10 or so pounds and sick if stalling like this...maybe just eat some back?

If you have stalled then I would agree to stop eating it all back. I would guess that the 1300 number that you started with may have been slightly off in the first place?

janupshaw

I eat back all of my exercise calories. I'd rather lose weight eating as much as possible.