should I use those calories earned for exercise?-doesnt feel

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walkingshoes
walkingshoes Posts: 33 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I was surprised to see my calorie allowance for the day go up after inputting my workout. I dont feel like I will loose weight if I allow myself to eat the extra calories I just received after my workout. Seasoned MFP, can you please help me out here?

Replies

  • juliapurpletoes
    juliapurpletoes Posts: 951 Member
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    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

    read all the links, you will learn sooooo much and find the weight loss magic!

    Best of Luck!
    :glasses:

    p.s. this IS a MFP link.
  • cspence2270
    cspence2270 Posts: 229 Member
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    Be very careful- the MFP caloreis earned for exercise are high. I started using a HRM (heart rate monitor) and was amazed at the difference. So if you use them I would only use about half of them. I do suggest getting a HRM.
  • staceyo1211
    staceyo1211 Posts: 163
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    bump
  • SeasideOasis
    SeasideOasis Posts: 1,057 Member
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    Type in "Eating Workout Calories" in the forum search engine.

    You will get 347935793457 people who say dont and just as many that say do it. Honestly, in the end, no matter how much info youre given, youre going to do what you want to do, so you mine as well stick to what is working for you.
  • wozmon
    wozmon Posts: 20
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    Be very careful- the MFP caloreis earned for exercise are high. I started using a HRM (heart rate monitor) and was amazed at the difference. So if you use them I would only use about half of them. I do suggest getting a HRM.

    I agree with this entirely. MFP was giving me almost double what my HRM was recording in burned calories!
  • springtrio
    springtrio Posts: 429 Member
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    I wondered the same thing. I am ALWAYS in the negative after exercise and I do not consume more than 1200 calories a day, and exercise 6 days a week. Some people say it puts you in starvation mode, but I'm a firm believer in calories in, calories out. My doctor, nutritionist, and the trainer I once had agreed. I dunno, but I used to eat my cals back and wondered why I never took off weight...
  • Jaradel
    Jaradel Posts: 143 Member
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    Be very careful- the MFP caloreis earned for exercise are high. I started using a HRM (heart rate monitor) and was amazed at the difference. So if you use them I would only use about half of them. I do suggest getting a HRM.

    I second this advice. In my experience, MFP way overestimates what I actually burn when I exercise. If you do get an HRM, though, make sure to configure it with your age, gender, and weight, and update it as your weight goes down (and age goes up), to give you the best estimate on calories burned.

    As for eating vs. not eating the exercise calories, you may need to experiment with that a bit. Some people find that their weight loss stalls when they DO eat them, some find that it stalls when they DON'T, and some fall in between - they can eat some of the calories back but not all.
  • GaveUp
    GaveUp Posts: 308
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    For the most part my inner self believes the same thing but.... yesterday I decided to eat back my exercise calories 1400 calories for the day. I woke up this morning 1.8 pounds down. Its been over a month sense I have lost. Maybe there is something to it.
  • Tobi1013
    Tobi1013 Posts: 732 Member
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    The calorie allowance that you are given includes a deficit. If you choose not to eat those calories back, you are increasing that deficit and the effects of that can be less than desireable.

    Rather than go on and on, I highly recommend that you read the posts that are linked in the below post:

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

    You will absolutely hear arguements for both sides (eating exercise cals vs. not eating exercise cals), but I am a firm believer in eating them. I have been doing so since May 2010 and have lost 50 lbs.
  • kimmerroze
    kimmerroze Posts: 1,330 Member
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    What people fail to realize, is that BEFORE EXERCISE, MFP already, ALREADY, has you at a deficit, you are ALREADY burning more calories than you are consuming by atleast 500-1000 calories, SO when you work out, it adds those calories back in so that you aren't eating at a deficit of 1500 calories or whatever crazy number.

    It looks like this (example)

    1800 maintainence calories (eat this to neither lose or gain weight)
    1200 calories (eat this to lose about a 1.5 pounds a week) This is BEFORE EXERCISE.

    once you exercise, then it drops the 1200 even more

    1200 - 400=800

    800 calories a day is a NO NO. that is why it adds it back in

    1200-400=800
    800+400=1200

    Read the link in my signature to find out the science behind it. its titled SHOULD I EAT MY EXERCISE CALORIES.
  • walkingshoes
    walkingshoes Posts: 33 Member
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    Wow! Thanks everyone for your input. I didn't realize how much this question had been mulled over. It makes since though that it would. I may try to get that heart monitor, because what mfp gave me did seem kinda high.
  • Hananiah
    Hananiah Posts: 128 Member
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    I asked the same question to my trainer at boot camp about a month ago. She said that I shouldn't eat the calories I burned.
  • bunchesonothing
    bunchesonothing Posts: 1,015 Member
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    I wondered the same thing. I am ALWAYS in the negative after exercise and I do not consume more than 1200 calories a day, and exercise 6 days a week. Some people say it puts you in starvation mode, but I'm a firm believer in calories in, calories out. My doctor, nutritionist, and the trainer I once had agreed. I dunno, but I used to eat my cals back and wondered why I never took off weight...

    You're net negative daily!?! It's one thing to not eat some exercise calories. It's quite another to go net negative. I hope I'm reading this wrong.

    The calories allotted for the day... you are already burning those plus more, during your day to day activities(because of your deficit)... so those calories in, go right back out.... if you go net negative by exercising, you are literally living on nothing.... this specific situation, is not sustainable.

    And I'm sorry to say, that if this is your situation, this is pretty close to what anorexics do.

    And, I'm really not trying to be rude to you... I'm really not.
  • kimmerroze
    kimmerroze Posts: 1,330 Member
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    I asked the same question to my trainer at boot camp about a month ago. She said that I shouldn't eat the calories I burned.

    your trainer is not taking into account that your daily calorie consumption is ALREADY at a deficit.... The only time you don't eat your exercise calories back is if you are eating at maintainence.
  • McRebecca
    McRebecca Posts: 72
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    I wondered the same thing. I am ALWAYS in the negative after exercise and I do not consume more than 1200 calories a day, and exercise 6 days a week. Some people say it puts you in starvation mode, but I'm a firm believer in calories in, calories out. My doctor, nutritionist, and the trainer I once had agreed. I dunno, but I used to eat my cals back and wondered why I never took off weight...

    Wait.. So you DO eat your burned cals? Or you don't? I am at a 1200 cal diet and I typically DO NOT eat back my cals... and I am not losing...
  • McRebecca
    McRebecca Posts: 72
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    GREAT question...

    But all the responses and feedback and the forums.. Confusing!

    I personally eat 1200ish within 50-100 more or less daily. I exercise about 250-1200 cals per day depending on the day (change up and days off). So if I am following more peoples advice I should be consuming an ADDITIONAL amount of cals to match my burned cals?
  • iamhopeful
    iamhopeful Posts: 25
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    What people fail to realize, is that BEFORE EXERCISE, MFP already, ALREADY, has you at a deficit, you are ALREADY burning more calories than you are consuming by atleast 500-1000 calories, SO when you work out, it adds those calories back in so that you aren't eating at a deficit of 1500 calories or whatever crazy number.

    It looks like this (example)

    1800 maintainence calories (eat this to neither lose or gain weight)
    1200 calories (eat this to lose about a 1.5 pounds a week) This is BEFORE EXERCISE.

    once you exercise, then it drops the 1200 even more

    1200 - 400=800

    800 calories a day is a NO NO. that is why it adds it back in

    1200-400=800
    800+400=1200

    Read the link in my signature to find out the science behind it. its titled SHOULD I EAT MY EXERCISE CALORIES.

    Great info. Thanks.
  • myboysmomx2
    myboysmomx2 Posts: 505 Member
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    Great question Kim....there is so much information on MFP. The Community Tab (Message Board Section) has a wealth of information for you to browse on all sorts of questions and topics. Looks like you've got a great start to a new lifestyle by digging in and doing so research. I'm so proud of you!

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