Do you eat the calories you burn?

Kel0830
Kel0830 Posts: 2
edited September 25 in Food and Nutrition
To lose 1.5lbs a week, I'm supposed to eat 1300 calories a day. But if I workout and burn 200 calories, I can eat 1500 calories....
Does this make sense? I agree that their needs to be a high protein recovery after a hard workout, but shouldn't those calories count towards your daily intake? Anyone else wish that MFP had a option to turn that off? I don't even record my workouts because I don't want it to tell me to eat more calories.

Replies

  • ladybug1620
    ladybug1620 Posts: 1,136 Member
    MFP already builds in the deficit for you. If you don't work out, and follow the calories the site gives you, you *should* lose the predicted amount of weight. That is why you need to eat your exercise calories. Also, your NET calories should be above 1200. If they aren't due to exercising, you need to be eating your exercise calories back.

    And to answer your question, yes I eat my exercise cals as much as possible.
  • young1726
    young1726 Posts: 347 Member
    I see this website flying around...

    http://www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/
  • david081
    david081 Posts: 489 Member
    I eat almost none of mine, I think it's a case of what works best for you and how you feel...
  • eternlgladiator
    eternlgladiator Posts: 69
    MFP will handle it all. Enter your workout, everything you eat (including supplements) and just follow along. Though personally I think the protein levels seem low. I'm always way over but I get an extra 60 grams from my shakes every day. Plus I've been eating lots of lean meat (turkey and chicken) every day. MFP will take of you if you follow properly.
  • young1726
    young1726 Posts: 347 Member
    I see this website flying around...

    http://www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

    Oh, and YES...I eat mine. And I have consistantly lost 1-2 pounds per week! :)
  • AdamATGATT
    AdamATGATT Posts: 573 Member
    www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com
  • VictorinoDennis
    VictorinoDennis Posts: 100
    You should eat at least 75% back. If you dont eat enough calories your body will go into starvation mode and store all the fat for later.Besides that when you reach your goal weight and starting eating more calories " KABOOM" weights back. It does suck I am allowed 2100 cals. I burn 1800 or so everyday working out. Sometimes I just aint hungry but I got eat to keep the nutrients
  • fuzzymel
    fuzzymel Posts: 400 Member
    I eat the majority of mine and have been very successful.
  • carrieliz81
    carrieliz81 Posts: 489 Member
    YES I DO AND SO SHOULD YOU!
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    I dont worry too much about eating them back, as long I as take in (ie gross) at least 1200 calories per day (and really, THAT'S when MFP "shouts" at you, not your net figure)
  • Enigmatica
    Enigmatica Posts: 879 Member
    Yep, I eat mine unless I'm really not hungry. I exercise in the morning, so I keep an eye on calorie balance and try to stay slightly under throughout the day, but not too far under. If I'm getting behind and know I'll work out in the evening I'll add some healthy snackage to keep things going. I don't like getting to dinnertime and having 1200 calories waiting to be eaten. I prefer lighter meals in the evening and eat most of my cals early in the day. Seems to keep my energy up better that way. YMMV =)
  • marshallmat
    marshallmat Posts: 11 Member
    I do the same and its worked great for me
  • mel_0920
    mel_0920 Posts: 11
    The point of re-consuming your work-outs is more about ensuring your body can feed the new gained muscles. I don't re-consume ALL of my calories burned BUT, I ALWAYS save at least 200 calories which include 18 grams of protein for my Post-Work out meal, whether I happenned to have been under or over my original baseline goal. I believe as long as you have a post-workout recovery meal with HIGH protein you shouldn't have to re-consume all of your calories.
  • young1726
    young1726 Posts: 347 Member
    Another point... You can EAT and LOSE WEIGHT! The best of both worlds! You don't have to starve yourself to lose weight :)

    And I see people say they're just not hungry to eat them back...just grab a spoonful of peanut butter. That will give you plenty of calories and not feel like you're stuffing your face.
  • spackham
    spackham Posts: 252 Member
    I once felt the SAME way and turned mine off because I wanted to lose weight SO BAD. My nutritionist finally convinced me to eat more. Now I eat mine back and am still losing weight. Crazy, huh? How fun is that? Very fun and I love telling people thing like, "Oh, ya, I NEED to have a Skinny Cow truffle bar tonight cause I am low on calories. It is FUN! Working out also helps me to fit in healthy fats and lets me eat quite normal. If you are bigger, you will be able to eat more because your MBR is higher. Don't worry, when you start losing weight you will need to eat less calories. But it will be a gradual process and not very hard, if you ask me. It makes the journey enjoyable and turns into a lifestyle without thinking about it.
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