Eat calories back?

foraMEthatiLOVE
foraMEthatiLOVE Posts: 63
edited September 30 in Health and Weight Loss
Quick Question... am I supposed to eat back the calories burned? Thanks!!

Replies

  • cantjustcant
    cantjustcant Posts: 1,027 Member
    I was wondering that myself. My thinking is the calories alloted for the day is to reach your 1-2 pounds a week goal. Anything that you don't use would just add to that goal.
  • fitb4forty
    fitb4forty Posts: 13
    I asked the same question earlier today and this was one of the responses I got:

    Think of your "Exercise Calories" like the gas in your car.

    If you go for a long drive...you empty the tank....thus, you need to re-fill it so that you're able to get to your next destination.

    there is already a deficit calculated into your MFP goals so NOT eating back your exercise calories will NOT help you reach your goals faster.

    In fact, continually fuelling yourself after your workouts stimulates both Insulin release and Growth Hormone production which helps burn fat more effectively than by cutting calories alone.
  • Lesa4OU
    Lesa4OU Posts: 9 Member
    I always look at it as "extra" calories if I want a treat or something but if you don't "use" them up then you will likely lose weight faster.
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
    MFP builds in a caloric deficit for you so you will lose weight whether you exercise or not.

    If you exercise and do not eat those burned calories back you are increasing the built in deficit to a potentially harmful size.
  • MrsCon40
    MrsCon40 Posts: 2,351 Member
    www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com
  • CakeFit21
    CakeFit21 Posts: 2,521 Member
    I always look at it as "extra" calories if I want a treat or something but if you don't "use" them up then you will likely lose weight faster.

    This is false.
  • DisneyAddictRW
    DisneyAddictRW Posts: 800 Member
    I've read posts on MFP that said you should eat back all the calories you burn and I've also read you should only burn back 1/2 of the calories you burn. I was eating all my calories back or close to it. After I read about only eating 1/2 I'm totally confused! Anyone else know anything about that view of eating the calories back?
  • dayzeerock
    dayzeerock Posts: 918 Member
    www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com

    ^^this.

    BTW, the "search" function should get you all the answers you need, as this has been discussed quite a bit.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Quick Question... am I supposed to eat back the calories burned? Thanks!!

    Quick Answer: Yes.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    nodontdoitimjustdoingthistotrollolololalloverthisthreadbecausederptopicdeservesderpanswersiwin
  • brewingaz
    brewingaz Posts: 1,136 Member
    nodontdoitimjustdoingthistotrollolololalloverthisthreadbecausederptopicdeservesderpanswersiwin


    kcabseirolacrehtaedluohsehsesuacebrellortecivdadabsisiht (backwards trolling)
  • Justkeepswimmin
    Justkeepswimmin Posts: 777 Member
    www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com

    This is FUNNY, I am frustated though because I have been eating my exercize calories back like I read here and I don't lose hardly anything, in fact the more I exercize AND eat the less I lose....I'm down to 1.1 lbs a week and I am FAR from goal weight (I weigh 180.8 as of today....)
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    nodontdoitimjustdoingthistotrollolololalloverthisthreadbecausederptopicdeservesderpanswersiwin


    kcabseirolacrehtaedluohsehsesuacebrellortecivdadabsisiht (backwards trolling)

    sisihtllortsdrawkcabtnellecxe [backwards yoda troll]
  • Justkeepswimmin
    Justkeepswimmin Posts: 777 Member
    I've read posts on MFP that said you should eat back all the calories you burn and I've also read you should only burn back 1/2 of the calories you burn. I was eating all my calories back or close to it. After I read about only eating 1/2 I'm totally confused! Anyone else know anything about that view of eating the calories back?

    I'm not an expert at all, but I was going to try the 1/2 thing, I have been told because MFP overestimates your calorie burn, if you don't have an HRM, by eating 1/2 of what it says back you MAY be eating them all back in reality.
  • brewingaz
    brewingaz Posts: 1,136 Member
    nodontdoitimjustdoingthistotrollolololalloverthisthreadbecausederptopicdeservesderpanswersiwin


    kcabseirolacrehtaedluohsehsesuacebrellortecivdadabsisiht (backwards trolling)

    sisihtllortsdrawkcabtnellecxe [backwards yoda troll]


    yawsihtllortI dna I troll that way, s'ti how I llort
  • gettinghealthy777
    gettinghealthy777 Posts: 223
    wowya I aveha everna rooledta eforeba, hatwa sia tia? Pig latin troll?
  • gettinghealthy777
    gettinghealthy777 Posts: 223
    umpba
  • pkpzp228
    pkpzp228 Posts: 146 Member
    I asked the same question earlier today and this was one of the responses I got:

    Think of your "Exercise Calories" like the gas in your car.

    If you go for a long drive...you empty the tank....thus, you need to re-fill it so that you're able to get to your next destination.

    there is already a deficit calculated into your MFP goals so NOT eating back your exercise calories will NOT help you reach your goals faster.

    In fact, continually fuelling yourself after your workouts stimulates both Insulin release and Growth Hormone production which helps burn fat more effectively than by cutting calories alone.

    yea, and think of the amount of gas that your car holds as being a rough guestimation made by someone who has never seen the make and model of your car and the pumps that you use to fill it having differing measurements that tend to lean towards giving you more than you pay for...

    i.e: BMR as provided by MFP is nothing more than a guestimation as is the caloric content of the food you record and the calories you spend in exercise. BMR can be easily overestimated, caloric intake underestimated and exercise again over. Add all that together and you can easily describe net calories within a +/- 150 calorie deviation. So the 150 call you just ate back for the exercise you did today may have just increased your net intake to over you deficit goal.

    I believe in starvation mode, but I believe it to be the result of prolonged high calorie deficits. Bottom line try eating according to the plan, if things aren't progressing, use your food log as a guide to tailor your diet to more effectively manage your calories... Don't buy into the common argument. I've found that not eating my exercise calories back while maintaining ~500 calorie deficit has worked extremely effectively for my lifestyle.
  • foraMEthatiLOVE
    foraMEthatiLOVE Posts: 63
    Thank you all! I will look into the that website you suggested. I will also ask one of the personal trainers in my gym to see what he has to say... and will get back with his answer.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    Short answer is yes but you have to make you understand your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and your total daily energy expended (TDEE). Once you understand both of these, things are easier.


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/304983-why-1200

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/305427-exercise-calories

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/282320-caloric-intake-body-fat

    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/
  • pghfan
    pghfan Posts: 119
    I always look at it as "extra" calories if I want a treat or something but if you don't "use" them up then you will likely lose weight faster.

    This is false.

    Not for me. I always lose better when I don't use them. If I use them I never use more than half. I think MFP WAY overestimates the number of calories burned, so get a good HRM and make sure of the number of calories you are actually burning if you are going to eat them back. Everyone is different. Some people may do better when they use them, which I think is truer the closer you get to goal weight. With more than 15-20 pounds to lose, it's not necessary.
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