What to do about calories? Do I eat exercise calories?

beekerton
beekerton Posts: 5 Member
edited October 2 in Health and Weight Loss
Okay, to lose 2 lbs a week, MFP says I need 1420 a week. But if I exercise and earn 600 cal a day like I plan to 5 days a week, MFP says I can eat them. Then I will be eating 2000 calories a day.

Wouldn't eating them negate the fact that I exercised at all?

If I didn't eat them wouldn't I have better results?

I don't want to screw up my metabolism, however, I want have about 100 lbs to lose.

I want to lose them in the healthiest fastest way. Any input please?

Replies

  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
    Your NET calories (on your home page) should be as close to the daily goal MFP set for you as possible.

    Your REMAINING calories (on your homepage and food diary page) should be as close to zero as possible.

    MFP builds in a deficit for you based on the information you gave it: height, weight, lifestyle, goal weight loss, etc.. All you need to do is follow the calorie goals it gives you.


    Exercise is not about calories burned; is about cardiovascular and skeletal-muscular health.

    If you don't eat them, you may have too large of a deficit and slow your weight loss down.

    If you don't want to screw up your metabolism and want to lose in the healthiest way possible, follow MFP's guidelines.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    by eating the calories you will still be netting 1420 thus creating a calorie deficit. eat the earned calories!
  • SteelerAngel
    SteelerAngel Posts: 6 Member
    bump ....i could use help on this topic as well! I dont want to have to eat more, just so I can excercise.
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
    Some people eat all their exercise calories, and lose weight fine.

    Some people don't eat any of their exercise calories, and lose weight fine.

    Try both, see which works best for you.


    Just make sure that before you decide to eat them all, you actually know how many you burned. Don't trust MFP or the exercise machines for this. You don't want to eat the 600 calories you thought you burned back, when in reality it may have only been 400, thus meaning you just ate 200 too many.

    If you type "exercise calories" into the search feature on this site, you'll have access to lots of recent threads about this same subject.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Your NET calories (on your home page) should be as close to the daily goal MFP set for you as possible.

    Your REMAINING calories (on your homepage and food diary page) should be as close to zero as possible.

    MFP builds in a deficit for you based on the information you gave it: height, weight, lifestyle, goal weight loss, etc.. All you need to do is follow the calorie goals it gives you.


    Exercise is not about calories burned; is about cardiovascular and skeletal-muscular health.

    If you don't eat them, you may have too large of a deficit and slow your weight loss down.

    If you don't want to screw up your metabolism and want to lose in the healthiest way possible, follow MFP's guidelines.

    Excellent post. This is exaclty right. A goal of 2lbs a week is already pretty aggressive, so if you don't eat the cals back your deficit will be larger meaning you may lose faster but faster weight loss is not necessary and usually isn't healthier and you have a better chance of keeping it off if it is a slow loss.

    That being said, how are you calculating calories burned? If you are using MFP's or a machines estimates I would only eat back 75% of them, as both a known to over estimate actual calories burned.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    What baisleac said!!

    Just one side note - if you're going by the calories burned that MFP gives you, they do tend to overestimate so maybe try eating just half or 2/3rds back and see how you do. If you want to get a more accurate number, invest in a good heart rate monitor (HRM) with a chest strap like those made by Polar or Garmin.

    We're all different so this is no indication of how it's going to work for you but if it makes you feel better, I started out needing to lose 100 pounds and have eaten back my exercise calories the whole time and have lost weight pretty consistenly.

    Also, use the search function above to find the other threads about exercise calories for more feedback/info.
  • rachelhohenbrink
    rachelhohenbrink Posts: 179 Member
    I would recommend only eating back your exercise calories if you are starving and really feel that you need to. This will be different on a day to day basis. It is hard to eat 1400 calories a day at first but once you adjust and find those healthy foods that help you make it through it gets easier. I would suggest easing into it. That is what I had to do anyways. I was used to eating a lot while pregnant and breastfeeding and my target calories now is 1460. It took me a littlw while to get aclimated but once I did I was on a roll and steadily losing 2 lbs a week for the last 6-8 weeks. I usually don't eat my exercise calories back unless I really need to. I also usually have one cheat meal a week that helps me to have something to look forward to. Good luck on your journey! You will do great! Slow and steady wins the race it's not a diet it's a lifestyle.
  • blueberryk
    blueberryk Posts: 10
    My question is about the same. It seems like the more you workout, the more you have to eat. I have a hard time just eating 1200 calories (healthy, of course).
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I would recommend only eating back your exercise calories if you are starving and really feel that you need to. This will be different on a day to day basis. It is hard to eat 1400 calories a day at first but once you adjust and find those healthy foods that help you make it through it gets easier. I would suggest easing into it. That is what I had to do anyways. I was used to eating a lot while pregnant and breastfeeding and my target calories now is 1460. It took me a littlw while to get aclimated but once I did I was on a roll and steadily losing 2 lbs a week for the last 6-8 weeks. I usually don't eat my exercise calories back unless I really need to. I also usually have one cheat meal a week that helps me to have something to look forward to. Good luck on your journey! You will do great! Slow and steady wins the race it's not a diet it's a lifestyle.

    with the amount you have to lose your goal should be 1 lb/week and to hit your deficit you must eat those cals back. eating less when you don't have much to lose will lead to a loss of a large amount of lean muscle. I am assuming you want to lose fat, not just weight, if so I highly suggest you change your goal and eat back the cals you burn from exercise.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    My question is about the same. It seems like the more you workout, the more you have to eat. I have a hard time just eating 1200 calories (healthy, of course).

    You don't have to eat more to ingest more calories just make different food choices.
    Here are some options for you:
    - workout less
    Eat,
    - Nuts, seeds and nut/seed butters
    - have a glass of juice in place of a glass of water
    - eat full calories foods (avoid diet and lite foods)
    - eat higher fat milk products such as yogurt, cheeses and milk (i.e. switch from skim to 2% milk)
    - add olive oil to soups, sauces, and salads
    - add avocado to salads and sandwiches
  • robpett2001
    robpett2001 Posts: 320 Member
    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com
  • juleseybaby
    juleseybaby Posts: 712 Member
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/399834-is-it-better-to-eat-before-or-after-a-workout-to-lose-weight/

    Feed the machine.

    I admit - this article is more about what to eat and whether to do it before or after... but the first paragraph has the answer...

    "Food gives you energy to exercise and food also helps repair your muscles."
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