should i eat my burned calories

joleenerodriguez

Ok so I am way confused. I need to lose weight, the calorie counter says eat 1270 calories, then I got workout for an hour and it tells me I should have another 600 cals for the day. I am getting different info from different people. Should I or should I not eat back the calories? Am I just suppose to consume the 1270 and thats it?

HMonsterX

Different people find different ways work for them.

Try eating them back, try not eating them back, try eating back some of them.

See what works best for you!

mfpseven

Different people find different ways work for them.

Try eating them back, try not eating them back, try eating back some of them.

See what works best for you!

this is really going to be your best bet, try each out for a week or two and see how it works for you. You don't want to feel sluggish or tired but you do want to see results. good luck!

stephanie8625

everyone is different -- there are many "boards" about this, look it up to get some ideas
For me, I had to play around with it to see what worked -- and at this point, I am eating 1/2 of my exercise calories back -- it all depends on your body. You will also find, once you start losing, you might have to adjust it again.
Stick with it though, do not get frustrated --- MFP is great for your support and ideas. GOOD LUCK :flowerforyou:


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

aqua_zumba_fan

Well under 1200 calories and apparently your body thinks it's in starvation mode and you won't lose weight. The 1270 is how many calories you should consume in order to lose weight and therefore eating back your exercise calories will keep you at that figure and you should still lose weight. On the other hand, if you don't eat them back you're burning extra calories and ending up with a net amount of calories under 1200 which isn't what you want.

GouchisGirl

Everyone is different. I choose not to eat mine back. I am working out to burn calories not maintain, but some people find that eating them back actually helps. Try a week both ways and see which you like best.

april_beth

you need to NET 1200...if yoiu can live on that, more power to you...eat your exercise calories back...

Algrady

Eat your caloric limit for the day. If you "earn" extra calories from exercising...great! It gives you some wiggle room if you get hungry and need to eat. But only eat if you're hungry. I wouldn't recommend eating all your exercise calories though. You go into "starvation mode" if you don't eat your regular caloric goal each day, not it you don't eat your exercise calories. Good luck!

cpow81

I usually don't eat them back, but if I do I may eat back half of my burned calories. I work out at night so by the time I figure how much I burn it's too late to really "eat them back".

I would try what the previous posts have suggested - try all scenarios and see which works best for you.

Good luck!

jweidner33

Your target goal for weight lost is just that, your target goal. MFP takes exercising into its calculations. This means if you reach your target goal everyday whether you eat your calories burned back or not you should lose roughly the amount of weight you set your goals to. Remember Starvation mode is somewhat misunderstood. Yes your body goes into SURVIVAL mode and slows your metabolism down but regardless you will still lose weight. Just not as efficiently as it should and you will rob your body of important nutrients.

kwest_4_fitness

Different people find different ways work for them.

Try eating them back, try not eating them back, try eating back some of them.

See what works best for you!

this is really going to be your best bet, try each out for a week or two and see how it works for you. You don't want to feel sluggish or tired but you do want to see results. good luck!

***APPLAUSE*** Great answers!! I think the best ones I've seen in answer to the great exercise calorie debate!

kwest_4_fitness

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myiceisonfire

Under 1,200 is supposedly "starvation mode" and your body thinks it can't lose. Your net needs to be at 1,200, so if you eat 1,200 and don't work out you're fine. But if you eat 1,200 and work out 300, it puts your net at 900.
.... At least that's what people say. But like everyone else said, different things work for different people.

Personally I'm at 1,200 calories a day, and if I work out I don't eat them back. ... But if I'm extra hungry one day I will eat more food so I'm not hungry. My dr & my personal trainer told me NOT to eat them back because it defeats the purpose. It's worked for me. BUT that's MY experience.

unmitigatedbadassery

There has been some heated debate on this topic. Depending on how heavy you are (how much fat you have to lose) you can get away with eating back less of you spent calories.

Personally I don't eat back hardly any and keep my intake to 1300-1500 per day which I'm told is too low but I eat clean and I eat when I'm hungry. I have been doing this for over a month and I feel great - no fatigue or any of the "starvation mode" symptoms.

The general consensus here is try it and see and I have to agree with that.

thankyou4thevenom

Different people find different ways work for them.

Try eating them back, try not eating them back, try eating back some of them.

See what works best for you!

This.

And it's always worth switching it up when you hit a plateau.

GouchisGirl

Under 1,200 is supposedly "starvation mode" and your body thinks it can't lose. Your net needs to be at 1,200, so if you eat 1,200 and don't work out you're fine. But if you eat 1,200 and work out 300, it puts your net at 900.
.... At least that's what people say. But like everyone else said, different things work for different people.

Personally I'm at 1,200 calories a day, and if I work out I don't eat them back. ... But if I'm extra hungry one day I will eat more food so I'm not hungry. My dr & my personal trainer told me NOT to eat them back because it defeats the purpose. It's worked for me. BUT that's MY experience.

Well said!

brit49

Your target goal for weight lost is just that, your target goal. MFP takes exercising into its calculations. This means if you reach your target goal everyday whether you eat your calories burned back or not you should lose roughly the amount of weight you set your goals to. Remember Starvation mode is somewhat misunderstood. Yes your body goes into SURVIVAL mode and slows your metabolism down but regardless you will still lose weight. Just not as efficiently as it should and you will rob your body of important nutrients.

In my novice opinion this is the best answer!!!

ctriston

Eat your caloric limit for the day. If you "earn" extra calories from exercising...great! It gives you some wiggle room if you get hungry and need to eat. But only eat if you're hungry. I wouldn't recommend eating all your exercise calories though. You go into "starvation mode" if you don't eat your regular caloric goal each day, not it you don't eat your exercise calories. Good luck!

This is exact;y how I look at it, means I enjoy weekends, using the 'wiggle room' and it nice to know if I really want/ need to the extra cals are there.

b0t23

if you are new to exercising or to doing the current exercise program you are on, I recommend always eating back the full calories you burned from exercising.
once you get more fit or continue to do those same exercises, you will not burn as many calories as you were at first.
at that point you can choose to not eat back all of those calories.

i typically under estimate what I have burned and overestimate what I have eate, throughout the day.