Eating your exercise calories

jtkatch

Shoul I really be eating my exercise calories?? If my Daily caloric goal is 1200 and burn 350 calories should i now be eating 1550 calories a day!!

How can I lose weight this way?

I understand that you need a caloric deficit and 500 calories per day over one week = 3500 cal = 1 lb

But everytime I start again on MFP i eat my exercise calories and I gain weight. I dont eat my exercise calories and I lose weight.

Can someone please explain this to me?

BSchoolio

Sorry this isn't an answer but I was just about to post the same thing.

I'm 6 foot 206 pounds I'm trying to get down to about 190. Every time I start up with my fitness I have a 1600 cal goal I do workouts burning about 300 cal so essentially it's telling me 1900 a day.

I also have the same question as the user above should I eat those extra calories?Every time I eat them I gain, every time I leave them my fitness pal tells me I'm not eating enough when I finish my log for the day.

Doing ripped in 30 days by Jillian Michaels twice a week running about 2 to 3 miles three times a week. Really trying to keep down the carbs and sugars eating more proteins more fats nothing seems to be really working I always plateaued about 206.

psuLemon

You should eat more calories if you exercise. And since MFP already built int he deficit, it would be highly beneficial for maintenance of lean body mass, as well as personal satiety. If it makes you feel better, the average women I know are losing at 1700-2100 calories total.

swinnie239

Same question for me really.
My goal is now lowered and set to 1370 a day, which i'm finding harder than the previous 1450.
I generally do an hour of working out 5-6 days a week. (MFP doesn't count weights which often adds 1/2 to running days.
Lately, I've just felt really tired. I feel fine when I'm working out and I think that wakes me up, but during the day I'm more lethargic.
I've been trying to continue sticking to the staying under the calorie goal before exercise, but I'm wondering if I should add back part of those after working out.

Lives2Travel

Try eating back 1/2 of your exercise calories. IMO the estimates of calories burned are high.

Aaron_K123

A caloric deficit is for weight loss. You eat a certain level under your maintenance and stick to it. 500 calories under your maintenance would be one pound a week loss.

Exercise is for fitness and strength. You exercise to improve your cardiovascular health and your muscular strength. Exercise requires fuel in the form of calories.

These are two different goals. You can work towards both goals at the same time but if you exercise then your maintenance calories go up so to keep at your 500 cal daily deficit you have to eat your calories back. That gives your body the fuel it needs to maintain that level of activity.

As to you "gaining weight" "everytime" you eat back your exercise calories that is a bit vague so I cannot comment. If you exercise, especially with weights, you will tend to gain a lot of water weight but that has nothing to do with your fat loss. If you were truly gaining fat by eating more that means you were miscalculating your maintenance level but it does not mean that eating back your exercise calories is wrong, it just means you were wrong about how much you should be eating or how much you ate.

RunHardBeStrong

You should eat more calories if you exercise. And since MFP already built int he deficit, it would be highly beneficial for maintenance of lean body mass, as well as personal satiety. If it makes you feel better, the average women I know are losing at 1700-2100 calories total.

This. MFP deducts calories right off the top so you can lose without adding exercise. Add exercise and make the deficit even larger then you start losing more muscle mass. I eat on average 1800-2000 cals/day and still lose 1-2 lbs/week. In fact, I averaged 2.5 lbs the past 2 weeks. I run, kick box and lift heavy weights so I like having the fuel to support my activities.

Aaron_K123

My "net" calorie goal is about 1800 calories but due to my exercise level I generally am eating 2100-2200 a day. I'm losing about a pound a week while improving my fitness level.

Hannah_Hopes

What everyone has already said basically personally - I never eat back ALL of my exercise calories as the mfp exercise logger isn't accurate imo so unless you use a HRM or similar make sure you're not overestimating what you burn

sympha01

<1600 calories a day is a deficit for all but the tiniest of stunted shorty short short malnourished sedentary-iest people. And nobody gains fat on a deficit. Period.

If you're gaining noticeably on <1600 calories a day, it's because of some combination of the following:

1) Overestimating how many calories your exercise burns. The burns that come up in the database are crazy high for most activities. Cut those estimates by at least half if you're using them to figure out how many exercise calories to eat back. Same goes for fitbit activity calories, in my experience.

2) Underestimating how much you eat. SO EASY to do this, even with the best of intentions. You THINK you know how big a glass of milk is 8 oz. You THINK you know how many ounces that chicken breast was. Chances are, you're 40% underestimating if you're not weighing those things and you're gaining weight. At a target of 1600 calories that could be 640 calories excess you'd be eating.

3) Ingesting a ton of salt more than you usually do. This too, is actually really easy to do when you suddenly change your diet. A lot of lower-calorie choices and diet mainstays are super high in sodium. (I had to give up pickles to lower my sodium, and now I has a sad). Sudden increase in sodium => sudden increase in water weight retained. No big deal in the long run, but it will make it look like you're not losing weight if the scale is your only measure.

4) You are pooping less. Also not unusual on a diet, and your body can actually retain extra mass (plus water weight) in the gut if you've upped your fiber intake. This should sort itself out over the long term, but that can take a few months for your body to find the right equilibrium.

TeaBea

Shoul I really be eating my exercise calories?? If my Daily caloric goal is 1200 and burn 350 calories should i now be eating 1550 calories a day!!

How can I lose weight this way?

I understand that you need a caloric deficit and 500 calories per day over one week = 3500 cal = 1 lb

But everytime I start again on MFP i eat my exercise calories and I gain weight. I dont eat my exercise calories and I lose weight.

Can someone please explain this to me?

You have been given MFP's lowest DEFAULT minimum ......1200. This number was assigned BEFORE exercise. So yes, you can still lose weight.

I eat back (as close to) 100% of my exercise calories as I can, because my goal is to lose fat and NOT muscle. If your goal is to move the number on the scale as fast as possible....then don't eat calories back.

People who lose fat + muscle end up looking "skinny-fat".....I want to look fit....not just smaller.

DrJenO

I have found that when I have incresed my base exercise, my weight loss temporarily stalls or even reverses for 2-3 weeks. I attributed it to water retention.

I stuck with the numbers, and not only did I break through the "plateau', I made up for it in the end and then some. So, for the month of March, I went down only 3 pounds (and most of that in the very end), but for the month of April I was down over 8 pounds.

Eat at a deficit. Track your food honestly. This will make you weigh less.

Exercise, both cardio and strength. This will make you look good naked.

sympha01

I have found that when I have incresed my base exercise, my weight loss temporarily stalls or even reverses for 2-3 weeks. I attributed it to water retention.

I stuck with the numbers, and not only did I break through the "plateau', I made up for it in the end and then some. So, for the month of March, I went down only 3 pounds (and most of that in the very end), but for the month of April I was down over 8 pounds.

OH YEAH THIS TOO. My experience is definitely the same, right down to the 2-3 week buffer zone before I start whooshing. I usually start feeling a bit hungrier than usual at about 2 weeks, then start whooshing within a couple of days and thereafter seem to burn at a somewhat accelerated rate.

Hmmm, means I'm possibly due for a whoosh next week since I added a bunch more strength training about 10 days ago! Whoo-hoo!!!

martinel2099

Weight loss is achieved by a creating a calorie deficit. The the more calories you burn than consume, the more weight you will lose.

That being said however, it's entirely up to you how you would like to spend your exercise calories. Fitness pal already creates a deficit in your calorie counter for you. Assuming you did no exercise at all and just kept your calorie intake at or below that level, you would lose weight. Keep in mind that you don't want to lose more than 2 lbs per week because most weight loss experts advise against it due to health risks and permanent damage that could be caused.

I personally exercise so that I have more freedom to eat out with friends, drink and etc. Exercise = More Freedom to eat what you enjoy. I also want to improve my heart and lung health among many other things. The more I workout the more I will need to eat as well.

martinel2099

Another thought, make sure you are accurately counting your food intake and try not to fool yourself. One of the worst things you can do is underestimate the calories something has then eat more of it because you went to the gym that day. Could totally screw up your hard work going to the gym and your overall weight loss in general.

kaaaaylee

If you're hungry, eat half your exercise calories back.

If it's just cardio, that is.

For weight lifting, you really need to feed your muscles to build them up.

thavoice

Another thought, make sure you are accurately counting your food intake and try not to fool yourself. One of the worst things you can do is underestimate the calories something has then eat more of it because you went to the gym that day. Could totally screw up your hard work going to the gym and your overall weight loss in general.

Taht is always my thoughts. Plus I look at workouts as burning the calories, so why would I want to put them back in.
IF I would ever consider doing it, I would find the absolute lowest estimation of calories burned and maybe eat 20-30% back.

Too many take those calories burned on a TM, etc, and think that is legit and eat it back and wonder why they are not losing

caitconquersweight

You should always net at least 1200 calories. If your food calories are set at 1200 already, and you exercise, you're going to be netting less than you should. So yeah, in your case it would probably be best to eat back at least some of the exercise calories. I rarely eat back my exercise calories because my calories are set quite high to begin with.

luvmydawgs

Same question for me really.
My goal is now lowered and set to 1370 a day, which i'm finding harder than the previous 1450.
I generally do an hour of working out 5-6 days a week. (MFP doesn't count weights which often adds 1/2 to running days.
Lately, I've just felt really tired. I feel fine when I'm working out and I think that wakes me up, but during the day I'm more lethargic.
I've been trying to continue sticking to the staying under the calorie goal before exercise, but I'm wondering if I should add back part of those after working out.

MFP does count weight training. It is under cardio circuit training. If you are not eating lots of protein after you lift you are doing your body a disservice!

jtkatch

Thank you everyone for your honest support and fantastic advice!! What a great community load with so much info.

I use the calorie displayed on my treadmill and elliptical machines (both Precor) but then I subtract about 50 calories from that an input it into the cardiovascular section of tracking.

The food I find is the toughest...I try my BEST even putting in recipes and calculating the amounts per serving.

Maybe like a member had suggested on cardio days stay within the 1200 and on weight days (which I usually do some cardio afterwards anyways) I will eat back some of the calories provided.

I will even try on cardio days if I've earned say 500 more calories (like I did yesterday) if I find myself hungry I will eat only half of them back.

Why is it that when you try and track the same 3oz or TBSP of food have different information? Which one to choose?

Also being a vegan is tough trying to get in enough protein and not too many carbs.

TeaBea

Why is it that when you try and track the same 3oz or TBSP of food have different information? Which one to choose?

Food calorie counts are entered by MFP users. There will be entries with errors.

This thread is super helpful:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide

boophil

I find that everyone is different. I've tried both ways, and what ended up working best for me is when I eat back 1/2 of my exercise calories! Good luck to you!

delazouche

<1600 calories a day is a deficit for all but the tiniest of stunted shorty short short malnourished sedentary-iest people. And nobody gains fat on a deficit. Period.

If you're gaining noticeably on <1600 calories a day, it's because of some combination of the following:

1) Overestimating how many calories your exercise burns. The burns that come up in the database are crazy high for most activities. Cut those estimates by at least half if you're using them to figure out how many exercise calories to eat back. Same goes for fitbit activity calories, in my experience.

2) Underestimating how much you eat. SO EASY to do this, even with the best of intentions. You THINK you know how big a glass of milk is 8 oz. You THINK you know how many ounces that chicken breast was. Chances are, you're 40% underestimating if you're not weighing those things and you're gaining weight. At a target of 1600 calories that could be 640 calories excess you'd be eating.

3) Ingesting a ton of salt more than you usually do. This too, is actually really easy to do when you suddenly change your diet. A lot of lower-calorie choices and diet mainstays are super high in sodium. (I had to give up pickles to lower my sodium, and now I has a sad). Sudden increase in sodium => sudden increase in water weight retained. No big deal in the long run, but it will make it look like you're not losing weight if the scale is your only measure.

4) You are pooping less. Also not unusual on a diet, and your body can actually retain extra mass (plus water weight) in the gut if you've upped your fiber intake. This should sort itself out over the long term, but that can take a few months for your body to find the right equilibrium.

Just wanted to let you know how super helpful all this info was to me! I added a ton more fiber to my diet recently, trying to counteract the whole no-#2-for-a-week thing my prescription diet pills have seemed to cause. I dropped the pills last week and there's been some improvement, but my stomach is bloated like WOAH, and I keep dancing between going up and down 3 pounds, even though visibly I can see much more of my bone structure...so I figure/hope I'm still losing *something*. I only have 4 lbs left to go and wanted to bump my calorie intake up a bit, but I'm so nervous to go over 1300 (I've been at 1100 for months), even though nearly every source I seek out tells me more is ok. I hope you're right and the fiber bloating sorts itself out soon, so I can feel confident I'm not overeating!

psuLemon

Thank you everyone for your honest support and fantastic advice!! What a great community load with so much info.

I use the calorie displayed on my treadmill and elliptical machines (both Precor) but then I subtract about 50 calories from that an input it into the cardiovascular section of tracking.

The food I find is the toughest...I try my BEST even putting in recipes and calculating the amounts per serving.

Maybe like a member had suggested on cardio days stay within the 1200 and on weight days (which I usually do some cardio afterwards anyways) I will eat back some of the calories provided.

I will even try on cardio days if I've earned say 500 more calories (like I did yesterday) if I find myself hungry I will eat only half of them back.

Why is it that when you try and track the same 3oz or TBSP of food have different information? Which one to choose?

Also being a vegan is tough trying to get in enough protein and not too many carbs.

There really is no need to be at 1200 calories on either cardio or weight training. All you are doing is setting yourself up to lose muscle if you aren't fueling your body. Also, if you struggle with protein, pick up some vegan protein powder.