Exercise Calories...

get_it_gone2012
get_it_gone2012 Posts: 214
edited September 23 in Food and Nutrition
When I work out, say burning 500 cal, do I have to eat that back over top of the 1200 I am already allotted for the day? Or do I just eat 1200 cal per day instead of going up to 1700? I'm very confused, because if I just ate all the calories back, then how is that helping with weight loss?

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Replies

  • mealybug1010
    mealybug1010 Posts: 16
    I am wondering the EXACT same thing!
  • KatherineVictoria
    KatherineVictoria Posts: 68
    As long as your eating 1200 calories a day you will be fine. You do not need to eat back all of the calories you burn. Just make sure you eat enough to compensate the fact that you did work out :)
  • mush1958
    mush1958 Posts: 21 Member
    We were just having this same conversation at work today.
  • corinnemcvicar
    corinnemcvicar Posts: 10
    You should eat back some if not all of your exercise calories. If you burn 500 calories and are only eating 1200 your body only has 700 calories to survive on. Not enough at all.
  • jram70
    jram70 Posts: 91 Member
    They really should pin an answer. I understand that when you put in a desired weight loss (i.e. 1lb a week) MFP calculates a calorie deficit to achieve the desired weight loss per week based on the data input. So if you do not exercise that is what you should eat. If you exercise then you should eat those calories back because it may create too large of a deficit overtime. You could choose to not eat them but may risk in not having enough calories for the day and actually stall your metabolism if you do it continually. This does not apply if you manually set your daily caloric goal, unless you put in the deficit yourself.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    As long as your eating 1200 calories a day you will be fine. You do not need to eat back all of the calories you burn. Just make sure you eat enough to compensate the fact that you did work out :)

    WRONG, MFP adds it back as you should net 1200, so if you eat 1700 and burn 500 you net 1200 (1700-500). If you don't eat them your body will behave as if you only ate 700 calories (1200-500) which is not enough.

    MFP already gives you a caloric deficit to lose weight at 1200 cals if you don't exercise, so in order to reach your goal you must eat the exercise calories or your caloric deficit may be too large which can have negative health and weight loss effects. If you don't eat them your body may burn muscle instead of fat to supply energy to get you through your workouts.

    Short answer is eat most of them. Working out has many benefits, if you don't workout and lose weigh you may be "skinny fat", thin but out of shape.
  • gracienkaidens_momma
    gracienkaidens_momma Posts: 379 Member
    I have asked this question on here myself and got mostly this answer - It's very important to eat back most of your exercise calories if you want to have energy. I have decided personally that I will eat back half. Like if I burn 400 calories today and my total allotment of calories is 1200, I would have 1600 I could eat, but I'll only eat back half of my exercise calories and thus eat 1400. I find it so difficult to eat back all of my exercise calories because I'm just not that hungry. But yes, you should definitely eat back some.
  • Anana11
    Anana11 Posts: 5 Member
    As someone pointed out, if you eat 700 calories (1200 minus the 500 you spent exercising) just to live on, your body thinks you're starving and it'll slow down your metabolism. The purpose of exercising is to gain muscle tone and keep your metabolism working faster, which helps you lose weight.
  • JimHeid
    JimHeid Posts: 42 Member
    This says it all... The best advice ever
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • amandakay23
    amandakay23 Posts: 156
    This question comes up a lot. I started out not really eating them, just using them as a cushion so when I did go ever the daily amount I wasn't in the red. I lost the first week and have not lost since. I was looking at my weekly report for calorie intake on my iPad and it made me realize that I was eating way under the 1200 calories that your body needs. I then started eating some of the calories, working out more than I usually do. Still not losing....so I started reading different things on here and forums and blogs and what not...I am now trying with eating back most of my calories so that my daily intake is where MFP tells me I need to be. Hoping this helps, under eating is a huge hang up in weight loss!
  • katschi
    katschi Posts: 689 Member
    It seems counterintuitive, but it works! Eat back at least 1/2 of your calories. I did this for the first time and I lost a pound overnight and another .8 the next day.

    I was actually afraid to do this.
    Then I had to remind myself that I'm also not in a race. I intend for this to be the last time I have to lose excess weight.
    I have to trust that this is the correct way of doing things.
  • goofygin37
    goofygin37 Posts: 6
    I was wondering that myself. Thanks for asking that question! I'm excited I get to eat more calories when I exercise. It's like a treat! :happy:
  • MissTee25
    MissTee25 Posts: 5
    You need to at least eat your minimum 1200 otherwise your body will go into starvation mode. When I burn an extra 400-500 I use some of the extra calories if I need to but I do not eat all the calories back up. You want to lose weight so you should not overindulge just because you burn the extra calories. You will do just fine in your journey though..Good luck and remember to stay positive!
  • iRun4wine
    iRun4wine Posts: 5,126
    Check out this post:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • iRun4wine
    iRun4wine Posts: 5,126
    Check out this post:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • spiritgirl
    spiritgirl Posts: 17
    Do not eat your exercise calories. Eat just what your plan has calcuated for you. If you eat your exercise calories too you won't loose weight. And why do all that exercising if you are going to just eat that many more calories. I work far to hard to do something like that. The more calories you burn the more pounds you will loose...that is why we exercise!! plus watch what we eat...all at the same time!!!
  • kristie874
    kristie874 Posts: 774 Member
    Do not eat your exercise calories. Eat just what your plan has calcuated for you. If you eat your exercise calories too you won't loose weight. And why do all that exercising if you are going to just eat that many more calories. I work far to hard to do something like that. The more calories you burn the more pounds you will loose...that is why we exercise!! plus watch what we eat...all at the same time!!!

    Please read the info in the links in my signature. It's important to eat your exercise calories. Your body needs fuel to function daily and to workout.
  • get_it_gone2012
    get_it_gone2012 Posts: 214
    This says it all... The best advice ever
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    Wow, super helpful! Thanks!
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