Exercise calories.... do you eat them?

rileysowner

Since starting here I have, but that is because I use the calorie calculations of MFP. Before I used my own and figured in the expected exercise in the amount of calories I was to eat daily. Of course right now am eating maintenance calories as I took the summer off so I don't worry about it as much. Once I start into a calorie deficit again I will eat them for sure again.

mamashatzie

Since my activity level is set to sedentary, yes, I eat them. And also, because I want to use exercise to tone and not necessarily lose weight faster.

ShinyFraga

Yes!

If you set up MFP right to start with then the daily calorie goal that MFP gives you already has a calorie deficit built in to lose weight. That said, you should eat close to the calorie goal MFP gives you each day including eating back most of your exercise calories. Depending on how far under the daily calorie goal you are, you are very likely to cause your body to hang onto the fat it has by either slowing down or even stopping fat loss. It may not happen right away but eventually you will most likely plateau. If you have a lot of weight to lose you can probably get away with it longer but as you have less to lose your body will plateau easier. May sound counter-intuitive but that's just the way it is.

For those that say they could never eat them back because of the amount they burn you could try this.
I generally have my meals and exercise for the day planned in the morning or the night before. This way I know approximately what my exercise calorie burn will be and I plan my meals for the day to "pre-eat" enough calories so that I can just eat a sensible supper and maybe a snack.

^^^^ this!

edited to add: I am zig zagging my calories, and I eat within 10 +/- calories of my NET zig zag calorie goal. and the weight has been melting off.

Le_Joy

I was going to ask the same question! I don't usually eat mine but some days I do. My issue lately has been that some days I don't eat enough calories (even without extra from exercise ones) and with exercise I would have to eat a lot more. I am not into pre-planning my meals and exercise but I don't want to end up lots of calories behind after dinner because then I am tempted to eat something that will make up the 3-400 calorie deficit quickly which isn't ever anything healthy...

zorbaru

10 PRINT "do you eat excercise calories"
20 GOTO 10

RUN

jarrettd

10 PRINT "do you eat excercise calories"
20 GOTO 10

RUN

:laugh:

brocantrs

Usually.

Pebble321

Yes.

meerkat70

There is a definite split on here about whether or not to eat them. I don't typically eat all of the exercise calories but I try to eat some to refuel my system.

me too.

I'll revise this when I'm lighter. I know that my weight loss will likely stall as I get closer to goal, if I don't fuel my exercise enough.

SaddyPants

I eat some of them, but I am too scared to eat all of them because I don't know how accurate my calories burned are.

xSophia19

Sometimes i will eat a little of it back with fruit only!! I've eaten all my excercise calories for a couple of weeks before now and my weight maintained.. Which is something i dont want!! So from now on i dont eat them back, so lets see what the scales have to say .

My honest opinion, you excercise to tone up and help loose weight, you go thro pain whilst excercising, sweating, huffing and puffing etc soo why eat them back?! Waste of time if you ask me!

adross3

Absolutely. I have lost 25.6 lbs of fat in 12 weeks. 41% fat to 11.7% fat. You will hit a plateau. Everybody does. Your body gets used to the calories you give it. Even the Doctors don't have an answer for it. When this happens you want a change to start the process agian. I have only felt slightly hungry 2 or 3 times.

Date : F% : F lbs : H2O : Muscle : Bone : Weight
7/4 : ..24.1 : 46.3 : .56.6 : ..70.9 : ...8.1 :.... 191
8/29 ..13.6 : 24.3 :. 60.5 :.. 73.0 :... 9.6 : ....179.
9/15 ..11.7 : 20.7 : .62.3 : ..75.1 :... 9.7 : ....177

---

(F% -12.4): (Flbs -25.6) : (H2O +5.7) : (Muscle +4.2) : ( Bone +1.6 ) : (Weight -14 lbs)

That is 2.05 pounds of fat a week. Eat your exercise calories only if your hungry. Keep yourself full.

adross3

I eat some of them, but I am too scared to eat all of them because I don't know how accurate my calories burned are.

That is "The Key". I know how much I burn from 12a-10a, 10a-4p, 4p-7p and 7p-12a. I eat according to my physical activity. I eat a bit more Ccarbs when I know that my physical exercise will be intense. I only learned this due to the Bodybugg 2 weeks ago. I post the results of my workout all the time. You should know your true BMR (worth the money). That is one of the most valuable numbers you should know. I know that i burn 2100 cals laying around all day. I know that I burn 2700-3200+ cals a day.

Givemewings

I eat them most of the time, yes. I love my food and so it's an incentive to do more exercise! It has worked for me as I have already lost 34lbs. The only time I might not eat them is if it is too late at night when I have completed my exercise, or if I have gone slightly over my calls earlier in the week.

trud72

NEVER no no no :noway:

ursy87

Mostly I eat back at least half, but will revise that the more I lose, I will probably need to shake it up a bit more and eat a larger percentage, but for now, for me, eating at least half back gives me 1 to 2 lb per week loss, which is fine by me:happy:

goron59

10 PRINT "do you eat excercise calories"
20 GOTO 10

RUN

I love this )

In answer to the question though, sometimes.

If I'm burning 1000+ calories 6 days a week, then yes, I'll eat quite a few of those back or I'll be very tired. Gotta fuel the body. But if I'm doing less exercise, just to keep my calorie deficit, then I probably won't.