Eating Back Exercise Calories...Is This the Right Way?

navbiha

Hello!

I've been reading discussions about eating back exercise calories, and though it makes sense, there's one thing I'm unclear of: how do we measure how MUCH calories we should eat in total? For example, my net calorie goal is 1200, which I understand it to be once I subtract the calories lost during exercise. So say for example I burn 500 calories a day...does that mean I should eat 1700 calories per day?

And as a side-question: I only plan on exercising 5 times a day. Should I still eat 1200 calories those 2 days?

I'm still trying to figure out the specifics to healthy weight loss (particularly the habits that ensure I don't easily gain back the weight once I reach my goal), so thank you for your help!

paperpudding

Hello!

I've been reading discussions about eating back exercise calories, and though it makes sense, there's one thing I'm unclear of: how do we measure how MUCH calories we should eat in total? For example, my net calorie goal is 1200, which I understand it to be once I subtract the calories lost during exercise. So say for example I burn 500 calories a day...does that mean I should eat 1700 calories per day?

And as a side-question: I only plan on exercising 5 times a day. Should I still eat 1200 calories those 2 days?

I'm still trying to figure out the specifics to healthy weight loss (particularly the habits that ensure I don't easily gain back the weight once I reach my goal), so thank you for your help!

I presume you meant to say "I only plan on exercising 5 times a week"



If you are doing this the MFP way - ie you plugged your numbers into MFP and that is how you got your calorie goal - then, yes, what you are saying is correct - on the days you exercise, you would eat 1700 calories total and on the days you don't, you would eat 1200. (or at least ,what averages out to that)

navbiha

Haha, yes I meant 5 times a week :P And thank you! It helps put everything together.

DanaDark

What MFP gives you, is assuming you don't do exercise. At all.

You exercise? log it in for the day. Viola, more calories to eat.

Simply put. MFP foud the # you need to eat without exercise. If you exercise, you burn more calories throughout the day. Since there's more burnt, means more can be ate!

So, a general rule of thumb, eat back only 50% to 75% of calories. This offsets the over estimation of caloric burn.

Better to eat a few too few than a few too many when losing weight.

coboltpunch

I'm using a HR monitor to log my calories. Should I still eat 75% less assuming I'm wanting to be at maintenance?

Murph1908

I'm using a HR monitor to log my calories. Should I still eat 75% less assuming I'm wanting to be at maintenance?

I use a HRM, and I only eat back about 80% of what it says, just to be safe. That way if my restaurant meals and other questionable calories end up being more than what's logged, I'm covered somewhat.