The extra cals after a workout

grim_streaker

What do people here do when it comes to xtra calories from training?? Do you add those to the daily consumption, or do you ignore them and stay on track with the main macros only.

And of course, why do u do what u do?

StraubreyR

I switched to TDEE - 20%, and not adding calories back. I found that I was less hungry on the day I work out, and more hungry the day after. And it's easier for me to eat about the same every day instead of switching it up +/- 500 or more calories per day. Works for me, but as always YMMV.

3dogsrunning

MFP is set up so that it figures the calories you need including your BMR (Basal metabolic rate - basically what your body needs just to survive if you were in a coma) and your daily activity. It does not account for exercise in this formula. It then creates a deficit from that depending on which goal you pick. So if you eat that calorie goal everyday and don't exercise you will still lose weight.
When you exercise, you are obviously burning more calories. Most other formulas account for this (like TDEE formula which includes exercise). MPF is set up so you log those calories and eat them back.
Yes, there may be an issue of overestimating which is why some people eat a portion. But the more active you are, the more concerned you should be with accounting for some of those calories burned.

Yes, I eat them back. I do log conservatively (like 45 minutes of swimming when I was there for an hour) but eat them all.

A good read to help sort this all out
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

cwolfman13

When I did MFP, I ate back those calories as this tool intends...this tool utilizes the NEAT method so you do not account for your exercise in your activity level, just your day to day kind of stuff and you account for exercise after you do it and log it which is why you get those calories to "eat back". I have sense switched to the TDEE method which accounts for exercise upfront in the activity level and thus do not eat back those calories anymore because they are already accounted for

It just depends on what method you are using...they come out six of one if you do it right. My MFP net calorie goal to lose 1 Lb per week was 1,850...with exercise I was grossing around 2100 - 2300 calories per day depending on my workout. This was based on MFP's estimate of my NEAT being around 2,300 calories.

My TDEE is roughly 2700 - 2800 calories...that includes my exercise on top of my NEAT....a 20% cut from that number results in a similar 1 Lb per week loss rate goal and is equal to 2,160 - 2,240 calories per day.

As you can see, 6 of 1 half dozen of the other; the difference being where you account for exercise...either up front with TDEE or on the *kitten* end with MFP when you log it and "eat back" those calories. Either way, you have to account for that activity somewhere.

athensguy

I eat all of my calories and mostly ignore macros. Most of my exercise calories are from running, which is pretty consistent. It might be a little different if you're recording calories from harder to estimate exercises like weight lifting.

geebusuk

When at a deficit recently it was a fairly high deficit of 1000 calories a day, so I didn't want to go even higher to try and retain the most muscle possible while losing 2lb/week. So I ate back all the calories.

I'm now transitioning to a bulk. It'd certainly be silly, then, to do some cardio and not eat back calories, so in reality I ended up back at a deficit and losing weight rather than gaining muscle.

If I was at a lower deficit - say 250 - 500 calories, I'd probably be happy to have some days where I lost more.


I do (cardio) exercise to improve fitness and allow me to eat more. I set my deficit to control weight.

ndj1979

I have always done TDEE method and never eat back exercise calories…this way, I do not have to worry about how many calories did I really burn and I am over/under estimating burns. Once you have your TDEE down it is pretty easy to cut, maintain, and bulk …IMO ...

3dogsrunning

I have always done TDEE method and never eat back exercise calories…this way, I do not have to worry about how many calories did I really burn and I am over/under estimating burns. Once you have your TDEE down it is pretty easy to cut, maintain, and bulk …IMO ...

Technically you do "eat back" your exercise calories, they are just already factored in with TDEE :flowerforyou:

I've had the same experience as Wolfman. Both methods put me in the same place when averaged over the week. Just two different paths to the same goal (assuming you figure correctly)

ndj1979

I have always done TDEE method and never eat back exercise calories…this way, I do not have to worry about how many calories did I really burn and I am over/under estimating burns. Once you have your TDEE down it is pretty easy to cut, maintain, and bulk …IMO ...

Technically you do "eat back" your exercise calories, they are just already factored in with TDEE :flowerforyou:

I've had the same experience as Wolfman. Both methods put me in the same place when averaged over the week. Just two different paths to the same goal (assuming you figure correctly)

I get that ..just saying they are already factored into TDEE and then I do not have to worry about measuring my burns….;)

BigGuy47

I prefer TDEE over NEAT. If you have a consistent exercise routine you don't have to estimate the calories for every activity.

3dogsrunning

I have always done TDEE method and never eat back exercise calories…this way, I do not have to worry about how many calories did I really burn and I am over/under estimating burns. Once you have your TDEE down it is pretty easy to cut, maintain, and bulk …IMO ...

Technically you do "eat back" your exercise calories, they are just already factored in with TDEE :flowerforyou:

I've had the same experience as Wolfman. Both methods put me in the same place when averaged over the week. Just two different paths to the same goal (assuming you figure correctly)

I get that ..just saying they are already factored into TDEE and then I do not have to worry about measuring my burns….;)

I knew what you meant. I was just being technical. It's quiet round here today.

ndj1979

I have always done TDEE method and never eat back exercise calories…this way, I do not have to worry about how many calories did I really burn and I am over/under estimating burns. Once you have your TDEE down it is pretty easy to cut, maintain, and bulk …IMO ...

Technically you do "eat back" your exercise calories, they are just already factored in with TDEE :flowerforyou:

I've had the same experience as Wolfman. Both methods put me in the same place when averaged over the week. Just two different paths to the same goal (assuming you figure correctly)

I get that ..just saying they are already factored into TDEE and then I do not have to worry about measuring my burns….;)

I knew what you meant. I was just being technical. It's quiet round here today.

LOL …are you not entertained!?!

grim_streaker

Yeah when I was bulking I ate back the cals, and as I'm more on a recomp/maintenance now, than a full on diet. I'll guess I'll stick with eating back them cals as well.
The only problem is of course that I eat much more proteins than MFP suggests, nearly up around 250-300gr a day. So after a hard workout consisting of bouth cycling/guerilla cardio/weight lifting, i end up with around 100gr more protein to eat. And that can't be good.
Guess I'll just redo it abit on workout days, and add a little more fat/carbs instead

Will check out that TDEE thingy, never heard of it before, but it seems more up my alley.

Thank you

Hazelnut79

I follow the MFP method of eating back my exercise calories. This works well for me because there are some meals/treats I like to have that don't fit into my 1800 a day limit and still won't fit under the limit if I spread my exercise calories out over the week (or if they do, I always end up hungry at the end of the day because they get eaten in lieu of more filling foods). But if I get a chunk of 600 extra calories in a single day, I can have my treat, meet my macros while being under calories, and not feel hungry. Plus it's mentally a good motivator for me to get off my butt and go work out.

Graelwyn75

Mfp method for me. I eat most or all of them back usually, and it has never been an issue.
I find that having to work for that extra keeps me more motivated to continue working hard.