Do I eat back excercise calories ?

fannytoot
fannytoot Posts: 87 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Can anyone advise me as I don't know if I am supposed to eat back exercise calories or just leve them? Do you lose weight faster if you don't eat them back ...I do my treadmill every night at an incline of 7 walking very fast for an hour...have started to actually log my food again and want to do this properly ..what should I do ? Thanks

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    if you're using MFP figures you should eat back at least a portion of them.
  • terbusha
    terbusha Posts: 1,483 Member
    I don't eat back my exercise calories. What I do and what I recommend to people is to eat at a calorie level that allows you to drop 1-2 lbs/week. This assumes an average calorie burn from you getting in all of your workouts. This will be different for everyone, so you'll have to do some trial and error to figure it out. I'd start ~1600 cal/day. Hit this goal, along with your macros and getting in your workouts, for a week. If you lose 1-2 lbs, you're good to go. If you lose too much, increase your intake and repeat. If you don't lose enough, reduce your intake a bit and repeat. After a few weeks, you'll figure out what works for you in your situation.

    I took a quick look at your diary, and you are not eating enough. Doing low intensity cardio on an extreme calorie deficit (~<1000 cal/day) is a sure way to repress your metabolism. Please watch this video that discusses this topic.
    www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHHzie6XRGk

    Allan
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    MFP is set up so you eat back the exercise calories. The calories burned in the data base are usually high, so most people eat back only half to three quarters of them, which compensates for any errors in calculations when inputting calories.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    if you're using MFP figures you should eat back at least a portion of them.

    This
  • jennybinney1987
    jennybinney1987 Posts: 130 Member
    ive never eaten back my work out calories. I think MFP WAAAAAAAAAY over estimates how much you lose anyways. I feel if I eat back my calories im just eatin back what I just worked off. just don't make sense to me
  • BlueStarBoi
    BlueStarBoi Posts: 81 Member
    I never eat back my workout calories and i lose weight every week.
  • jennybinney1987
    jennybinney1987 Posts: 130 Member
    I lose weight every week too. ive lost 16 pounds in less than 60 days :)
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    ^^^To both of your situations, it's like comparing apples to soccer balls when you say you don't eat back exercise cals to the OP. Your tickers indicate 135lbs and 71lbs to lose, respectively, the OPs indicates 2.2lbs.

    If OP is truly 2.2lbs from goal weight, exercise calories is much more important to them in that situation than yours.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
  • ksy1969
    ksy1969 Posts: 700 Member
    ^^^To both of your situations, it's like comparing apples to soccer balls when you say you don't eat back exercise cals to the OP. Your tickers indicate 135lbs and 71lbs to lose, respectively, the OPs indicates 2.2lbs.

    If OP is truly 2.2lbs from goal weight, exercise calories is much more important to them in that situation than yours.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    ^^^^^This^^^^^^

    I would recommend a couple other posters in this thread read that link. When you are a heavier weight you have more latitude to do things wrong but they still seem to work, but as you get closer to goal it becomes more important to follow a proven program.
  • sansen78
    sansen78 Posts: 1 Member
    I have noticed if I have a deficit of more than 500 cal (which is mainly the calories I burn during exercise), MFP syas that my metabolism would be compromised.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    ^^^To both of your situations, it's like comparing apples to soccer balls when you say you don't eat back exercise cals to the OP. Your tickers indicate 135lbs and 71lbs to lose, respectively, the OPs indicates 2.2lbs.

    If OP is truly 2.2lbs from goal weight, exercise calories is much more important to them in that situation than yours.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    OP is already a healthy weight and wants to lose more... to get to a specific scale number regardless of body composition....
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    if you're doing the MFP "method"...then yes, you eat them back. there are several articles here that explain it...but the bottom line is...yes, it works, you need the nutrition, don't assume faster is better. take care of your body, it's the only one you get.
  • JordanMK_
    JordanMK_ Posts: 54 Member
    I would just say follow your body, eat 3 healthy meals per day and eat healthy snacks in between. Drink enough water and exercise enough. Don't rely too much on the figures but they're surely helpful.
  • dianesheart88
    dianesheart88 Posts: 111 Member
    bump -
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    ^^^To both of your situations, it's like comparing apples to soccer balls when you say you don't eat back exercise cals to the OP. Your tickers indicate 135lbs and 71lbs to lose, respectively, the OPs indicates 2.2lbs.

    If OP is truly 2.2lbs from goal weight, exercise calories is much more important to them in that situation than yours.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    OP is already a healthy weight and wants to lose more... to get to a specific scale number regardless of body composition....

    Fair, but it's only 2 lbs and I didn't see anything in the thread calling out ht/wt.
  • BramageOMG
    BramageOMG Posts: 319 Member
    I don't eat my exercise calories back.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    I don't eat my exercise calories back.

    Apples to soccer balls.....makes more sense before your edit, but whateve's
  • DR2501
    DR2501 Posts: 661 Member
    I found that eating back even a portion of my exercise calories meant that I didn't actually 'lose' any weight and I ended up losing and regaining the same 2lbs for a couple of months - very frustrating. Now I have set my calorie goal myself based on TDEE-20% and I don't log actual exercise, only food, and I'm now losing steadily every week.

    That being said, we're all different and if eating back exercise calories works for you then I'm jealous that you get to eat more, but good luck!
  • kshadows
    kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf?hl=exercise+calories+again+wtf&page=1
  • jnmpickering
    jnmpickering Posts: 3 Member
    I do eat my exercise calories back, but I use the Polar heart rate monitor when I exercise to get a good approximation of calories burned. Then, when I enter the exercise in MFP, I log on the low side of the numbers since the Polar and MFP don't usually match up exact.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    ^^^To both of your situations, it's like comparing apples to soccer balls when you say you don't eat back exercise cals to the OP. Your tickers indicate 135lbs and 71lbs to lose, respectively, the OPs indicates 2.2lbs.

    If OP is truly 2.2lbs from goal weight, exercise calories is much more important to them in that situation than yours.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    OP is already a healthy weight and wants to lose more... to get to a specific scale number regardless of body composition....

    Fair, but it's only 2 lbs and I didn't see anything in the thread calling out ht/wt.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1406511-feeling-disheartened
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    ^^^To both of your situations, it's like comparing apples to soccer balls when you say you don't eat back exercise cals to the OP. Your tickers indicate 135lbs and 71lbs to lose, respectively, the OPs indicates 2.2lbs.

    If OP is truly 2.2lbs from goal weight, exercise calories is much more important to them in that situation than yours.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    OP is already a healthy weight and wants to lose more... to get to a specific scale number regardless of body composition....

    Fair, but it's only 2 lbs and I didn't see anything in the thread calling out ht/wt.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1406511-feeling-disheartened

    Cool, thanks, puts it in some perspective.

    Still don't see how that negates or falsifies any of my information.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    ^^^To both of your situations, it's like comparing apples to soccer balls when you say you don't eat back exercise cals to the OP. Your tickers indicate 135lbs and 71lbs to lose, respectively, the OPs indicates 2.2lbs.

    If OP is truly 2.2lbs from goal weight, exercise calories is much more important to them in that situation than yours.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    OP is already a healthy weight and wants to lose more... to get to a specific scale number regardless of body composition....

    Fair, but it's only 2 lbs and I didn't see anything in the thread calling out ht/wt.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1406511-feeling-disheartened

    Cool, thanks, puts it in some perspective.

    Still don't see how that negates or falsifies any of my information.

    i never said it did.
  • lowerhogan
    lowerhogan Posts: 47 Member
    I don't eat my exercise calories back.

    Can i have yours then?
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    ^^^To both of your situations, it's like comparing apples to soccer balls when you say you don't eat back exercise cals to the OP. Your tickers indicate 135lbs and 71lbs to lose, respectively, the OPs indicates 2.2lbs.

    If OP is truly 2.2lbs from goal weight, exercise calories is much more important to them in that situation than yours.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    OP is already a healthy weight and wants to lose more... to get to a specific scale number regardless of body composition....

    Fair, but it's only 2 lbs and I didn't see anything in the thread calling out ht/wt.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1406511-feeling-disheartened

    Cool, thanks, puts it in some perspective.

    Still don't see how that negates or falsifies any of my information.

    i never said it did.

    OK. Your reply to my initial post gave the impression of an incorrect response.
  • illgresive
    illgresive Posts: 11
    I have a lot left to lose and I eat most of my exercise calories back. I don't use the MFP figures for exercise as I think they majorly overshoot he mark - I use a mixture of HRM, apps and machine counters to get a decent approximation of how much I've burned and put that in instead (the figures are usually around 2/3 - 3/4 of what MFP suggests).
  • fannytoot
    fannytoot Posts: 87 Member
    Hi thankyou for everyone's replies ...in answer to a couple of questions I am just over five foot two and am 8 st 8 at the moment ... Still feeling a bit confused though as some say eat back and some say don't ...actually looking to lose 8 lbs !
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    Hi thankyou for everyone's replies ...in answer to a couple of questions I am just over five foot two and am 8 st 8 at the moment ... Still feeling a bit confused though as some say eat back and some say don't ...actually looking to lose 8 lbs !

    ON MFP what are your settings? do you log exercise calories? MFP has already accounted for weight lost + if you log exercise calories= you can eat some but they are guesstimates calories. So if you eat all and there is a error you are net over your calorie limit which is weight gain.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    Hi thankyou for everyone's replies ...in answer to a couple of questions I am just over five foot two and am 8 st 8 at the moment ... Still feeling a bit confused though as some say eat back and some say don't ...actually looking to lose 8 lbs !

    Note how much weight the individuals that told you not to eat them back had to lose or are in the process of losing. The closer to your goal, the more important those calories are.

    With that said, at your ht/wt you should be worrying less about the number on the scale and more about an overall change in BF%....a recomp. You're already healthy wt.
  • woofer00
    woofer00 Posts: 123 Member
    I eat back everything, but probably have a different goal - I'm zeroed in on maintenance and recomp. When I started losing I could easily ignore eating back 500 or more calories daily for weeks at a time. At this point if I skip 100-200 I will typically raid the kitchen for an unhealthy 3 AM snack.

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