Calories Remaining To Eat or Not Eat

mrsgolfie

Wondering if I should be eating all my allowed calories? When I exercise I gain calories allowed and not sure if this is good not to eat all the allowable. I know on Canada Food Guide and Weight Watchers you are supposed to eat your full points etc.
What is right way to go here?

Thanks for people's opinions

GrandmaJody

Yep, you should eat them!

taso42

eat 'em

IrishHarpy1

Depends on how *you* can handle it. Some people do, others don't... I *occasionally* do, but only if I'm hungry. I won't force myself to eat just for the sake of eating and hitting a number.

Play around with it, and see what works for YOU. Good luck

luvlite2

You're gonna have to do what works for you. I don't eat mine back and I've lost 20lbs in 5 weeks. I would try it both ways for a couple of weeks and see what happens, that way you will know. Because what works for someone else may not work for you. Good Luck!

Pebble321

The system MFP uses to calculate your daily calories assumes that you will eat all of your daily allowance plus the calories burned through exercise. It is set up so that you have a daily calorie deficit of 1000/500/250 calories, depending on the options you chose when setting up your goals.

If you don't eat all your calories plus your exercise calories you are creating a larger daily calorie deficit.

Having a big deficit seems to work OK for some people (general wisdom says that it's not so much of a problem when you have a lot of weight to lose) whereas other people find that their weight loss stalls or slows if they don't eat all of the recommended calories. This is why you will see so much heated dicussion on this topic - everyone has a different experience but many people feel that what works for them is what is "right" for everyone!

scraver2003

Here is my opinion for what it's worth:

Calories *tend* to be underestimated for what you (you in general - not you specifically) eat. (like 50 calories a serving may actually be 52, etc. Or a tablespoon may actually be a heaping tablespoon - that sort of thing). Then you have the OVER estimation of calories burned. The only accurate way (from what I understand) to estimate calories burned is with a heart rate monitor. So... then you have more calories in than you think and less out than you think. SO I try to eat only the exercise calories I think I need... If I work out and I am hungry - I eat a healthful snack.

THEN you have the part where (I assume) you are trying to change some habits... like not eating when you aren't hungry. I think - if you aren't hungry, you shouldn't just eat to eat your calories... It seem counter productive to me.

~phew~ I am long winded tonight...

PrincessStubbie

It was suggested to me to be sure to eat my maximum daily calories and not worry about making up those extra calories until I am closer to my final goal weight where it is crucial in losing at that time.