eating exercise calories?

firemanlover

This is my second week on here & I've lost 4lb so far, which I'm pleased with. My goal is to lose 28lb (hopefully by August).

I have a question are we meant to eat our exercise calories? or not? I've been using some of them to give me a treat a day (providing I've done some exercise that day) - like a treat size chocolate bar.

I wasn't sure if we were meant to use our exercise calories up - I suppose that's defeating the object!

Ms_Natalie

Hi there, welcome to the site and congrats on your weight loss so far...great achievement!

There is great debate regarding eating those calories back. I believe it depends on the intensity and the calories burned during a
workout. I sometimes eat my exercise calories back....I listen to my body! I always ensure however that my calorie intake, even after exercise is at least 1200.

Take a look at this sticky thread. I believe it should answer any questions you have.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again

Good Luck :flowerforyou:

Vicky14174

glad you could join use and congrats on the loss so far. they tell us to eat your exercise calories but that works for some and it doesn't work for others as well. you will have to discover what works for your body but for the most part don't leave a ton of calories on your board everyday.

roxanne90

HI there. Way to go on losing. I assumed that the calories you work off are not to be used to eat. But I'm learning here as I go too. So good luck. I guess its whatever works for you.

Ellem86

Hi there and welcome! There is indeed a great debate about eating back exercise calories. For a full picture on all of the debates out there type in "exercise calories" in the search function on the forums page. I personally don't eat my exercise calories unless I am hungry however the MFP system is based on the assumption that you must eat these back to make sure that you have 1200 net calories a day (e.g. if you have a daily calorie goal of 1200 and earn 200 calories exercising you would need to eat a total of 1400 calories to get 1200 calories net). The general opinion though is that eating back exercise calories becomes more important the closer you get to your goal weight.

KatrinaMurphy

I ve only been here a little while and tbh this thought had never occured to me....think i may need to go back and re calculate todays meals. Thanks Guys i neve would have thought about this glad some one bought it up :-)

roxanne90

wow Ellem86 thanks for the info. Its much appreciated. I'm still trying to find my way around the site and how everything works.

firemanlover

Thanks for your replies everybody.

I'm going to try not to eat my exercise calories unless I'm hungry.

I'm currently on maternity leave and I'm going back to work in 4 weeks, my job is very physical & I've worked out I will earn 600+ exercise calories a day, I'm hoping the weight will drop off me!