Calories Eaten vs. Calories Earned Through Exercise

patr4ck

I work out a lot and earn lots of extra calories a day. Should I pay attention to the food part of the calorie breakdown and try to stay within the original goal or just go for it and eat the calories I've earned from exercise? I am afraid that if I eat the calories earned through exercise that I'm going to gain weight. A FEATURE REQUEST would be the ability to see how many calories you have left in the day if you ignore the ones you earn through exercise. Help anyone?

MrsCon40

Either don't log your exercise calories, or use MFP as it was designed.

ChantalGG

You can test out your body to see how it adjusts. I personally wouldnt go under 800 cals net. and that is if you are burning over 1000 calories a day.

erickirb

I work out a lot and earn lots of extra calories a day. Should I pay attention to the food part of the calorie breakdown and try to stay within the original goal or just go for it and eat the calories I've earned from exercise? I am afraid that if I eat the calories earned through exercise that I'm going to gain weight. A FEATURE REQUEST would be the ability to see how many calories you have left in the day if you ignore the ones you earn through exercise. Help anyone?

not eating them is only a good idea if you increase your activity level to account for your exercise. changing your activity level will give you more calories so you will be eating enough, without the thought of "eating your exercise calories".

Essentially you are setting your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) then creating a deficit from that to lose weight. This is what most trainer/doctors/nutritionists do. Most professionals will tell you not to eat your exercise calories back because they added it into your TDEE, whereas MFP ignores exercise and only accounts for it when you perform it. Either way should get you to the same place.

As an example say MFP gives you 1450 calories to lose 1 lb/week, and you plan on exercising 5x/week for an average of 400 cals per workout. well MFP will tell you to eat 1450 on the days you don't workout and 1850 on the days you do whereas a "professional" may tell you to eat 1750 everyday regardless if you workout.

So for the week MFP will have you eat 12,150 (1450*2+1850*5) whereas doing it the other way will have you eat 12,250 (1750*7) almost the same number of cals for the week. The issue in not following MFP is if you don't workout the full 5 days or burn more or less than planned. If that is the case you may lose more or less than your goal, whereas MFP will have you lose your goal amount regardless how much you actually workout.

What many MFPers do is take the low 1450 and not eat back exercise calories which is wrong, if you are not eating them back then your daily activity level should reflect the higher burn with would be covered in the 1750/day above.

agthorn

Using the site in a way it wasn't intended to be used isn't a feature request. MFP creates your weight loss goal through diet alone and gives you a deficit to meet your goal in the absence of exercise. *When you actually do exercise* it increases your calorie goal to maintain your original deficit. Healthy active bodies need fuel.

Also, as a male, 800 net calories is dangerously low and terrible advice. Most people agree that women should net 1200 calories a day, and men 1500, unless directed to do otherwise under a doctor's supervision.

Bellyroll

I been eating my cals back and I been losing weight.

leahbea22

Good luck

sapphiretyger

The main thing I love about MFP versus Sparkpeople, which is the other site I frequent, is that your calories ARE adjusted according to level of exercise. I can take a day off from working out and just eat less that day. Or, even better, I can overinduldge in something and know that if I work out good that day, I will make up for it!

taso42

That would be just as cool as a feature I can add to my car so that it doesn't burn gas when I drive it; only while it sits in the driveway.

agthorn

The way I see it, is if you eat your calories earned, you are over eating and essentially not burning off calories you just ate.

That's because you don't understand how the site works. Like I said earlier in the thread, MFP gives you a daily calorie deficit to meet your weight loss goal before you ever record one minute of exercise.

maidentl

Leahbea22 said:

The way I see it, is if you eat your calories earned, you are over eating and essentially not burning off calories you just ate.

Why not save those calories for a cheat day or when friends want to go out for dinner or save them for when the holidays come around so you can enjoy the turkey dinners or Christmas fudge. Either way good luck on your journey!!

The way you see it is wrong. If you don't want to eat those calories, that's your business, but it is not overeating.

bcattoes

I'm a fan of eating enough healthy food so that you are never hungry, but not overeating. For me, that means eating my exercise calories most days. And on days I don't exercise it sometimes means going over. But the cumulative effect has been weight loss.

Jorra

The way I see it, is if you eat your calories earned, you are over eating and essentially not burning off calories you just ate.

Why not save those calories for a cheat day or when friends want to go out for dinner or save them for when the holidays come around so you can enjoy the turkey dinners or Christmas fudge. Either way good luck on your journey!!

The way you see it misunderstands the purpose of the site. You are not over-eating unless you go over your calorie net goal.

sharonachamberlain

So many different responses, and I am really confused. Am I supposed to be eating my deficit? I eat enough that I am full, but I never make up the calorie deficit. I tend to eat healthy foods, which are low in calories.

Am I doing something wrong? I am eating 3 meals a day, plus snacks. I really don't know how to add any more calories.

agthorn

The way I see it, is if you eat your calories earned, you are over eating and essentially not burning off calories you just ate.

Why not save those calories for a cheat day or when friends want to go out for dinner or save them for when the holidays come around so you can enjoy the turkey dinners or Christmas fudge. Either way good luck on your journey!!

The way you see it misunderstands the purpose of the site. You are not over-eating unless you go over your calorie net goal.

Technically you're not even overeating unless you go 250-1000 calories over your calorie net goal, depending on what weight loss goal you told MFP when you set up your profile. Because again, your 1/2-2lb per week loss is already calculated in when it gives you a net calorie goal.

jskaggs1971

The way I see it, one size does NOT fit all, whether it's MFP, Weight Watchers, or anything else. Personally, if I'm under my daily net AND hungry, I eat. If I'm at my daily net calories, I don't eat, and if I'm not hungry, I don't eat. It's working for me as of right now.

If that stops working for me, I'll change something. Then again, I've never been that much of a rule-follower.

Edited to add: I think the reason this works for me is that I got fat on nighttime snacking and corn chips/crunchy junk food at lunch. Using MFP to log my intake and exercise makes me accountable for the three beers and two slices of cold pizza as a before-bed snack -- I don't do that so much now, since I don't want to have to log it and 'fess up.

agthorn

The way I see it, one size does NOT fit all, whether it's MFP, Weight Watchers, or anything else. Personally, if I'm under my daily net AND hungry, I eat. If I'm at my daily net calories, I don't eat, and if I'm not hungry, I don't eat. It's working for me as of right now.

If that stops working for me, I'll change something. Then again, I've never been that much of a rule-follower.

And this is fine, for you. I'm a HUGE proponent of "do what works for you." What gets my goat is when people give WRONG advice to other people because they don't understand how the site works.

bcattoes

So many different responses, and I am really confused. Am I supposed to be eating my deficit? I eat enough that I am full, but I never make up the calorie deficit. I tend to eat healthy foods, which are low in calories.

Am I doing something wrong? I am eating 3 meals a day, plus snacks. I really don't know how to add any more calories.

If you enter everything correctly and eat all the calories allotted by MFP you will be at a deficit (assuming you have set it up to lose X lb per week). If you need more calories but are not hungry try to eat more calorie dense foods.

Sidesteal

And this is fine, for you. I'm a HUGE proponent of "do what works for you." What gets my goat is when people give WRONG advice to other people

^ *applause* (srs)

leahbea22

Wow. All the attitudes. I was giving my opinion and I guess it was wrong. Im new to this site and losing weight. I thought maybe I'd get the support of "here let me help" if im wrong, not all this attitude and negativity. i'll remove my post. But no i guess i don't understand how to lose weight. even tho i've lost 7 lbs all on my own. Thanks for help people, and the rudeness. No wonder people get discouraged because others just can't stand to be nice and help. That was just how I saw it. I wasn't being snotty or anything. Good luck to you all. Apparently you're doing it right and no one else is allowed to have opinions and get support. I'm completely appalled by the reactions. I thought this was supposed to be a site to support and encourage and help people, not shoot them down when they don't realize how to do it perfectly or right, like the rest of you. Again i am sorry for the miss information I will remove my post

sharonachamberlain

Thanks for the response.

I will give you more of an idea of what my food/calorie intake is.
I am allowed 1200 calories/day before exercise. My calories burn today was 800, and my available calories are now at 1300. I should find a way to eat 1300 calories?

I may seem like I am repeating the same thing over again, but this was a very good topic. I am new to MFP, and am still learning how to use and understand the features.

I also want to make sure that I am losing weight in a healthy way.

Thanks for your help.

jacksonpt

Yes, eat them back. Period.

Exercise calories explained:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/383956-exercise-calories-explained

agthorn

Wow. All the attitudes. I was giving my opinion and I guess it was wrong. Im new to this site and losing weight. I thought maybe I'd get the support of "here let me help" if im wrong, not all this attitude and negativity. i'll remove my post. But no i guess i don't understand how to lose weight. even tho i've lost 7 lbs all on my own. Thanks for help people, and the rudeness. No wonder people get discouraged because others just can't stand to be nice and help. That was just how I saw it. I wasn't being snotty or anything. Good luck to you all. Apparently you're doing it right and no one else is allowed to have opinions and get support. I'm completely appalled by the reactions. I thought this was supposed to be a site to support and encourage and help people, not shoot them down when they don't realize how to do it perfectly or right, like the rest of you. Again i am sorry for the miss information I will remove my post

Sorry, giving wrong information is not an opinion. If you had said "I don't eat them back, and so far it's been working for me" - that would be an opinion (and a correct one for you). Telling someone that eating back their exercise calories means they're overeating, when they are actually still at a 250-1000 calorie deficit as the site intended, is factually wrong.

jskaggs1971

And this is fine, for you. I'm a HUGE proponent of "do what works for you." What gets my goat is when people give WRONG advice to other people because they don't understand how the site works.

Exactly. The way I see it, it's a tool. The real key to losing weight and getting healthier lies with each individual person. Some people want detailed plans of "eat this, do that" Others (like me) just want to be able to track what we're doing on a consistent basis. MFP is useful either way.

What's interesting to me is how much confusion and conflicting information is out there when you consider all the data that comes at each of us every day with respect to nutrition. Remember when meat was bad and lots of carbs was good? Then, low-carb is good, then it's bad. Now, I know a lot of people following CKD diets. It makes me wonder how much the professional "nutrition and fitness" community REALLY knows about diet and metabolism.

Is it any wonder people are confused?

sharonachamberlain

Leah,
I am new to this as well, and am trying to find out how to use the program. I did notice that there is some negativity, but don't let that get you down. If you want I will send you a friend request, and we can bounce some ideas off each other.

erickirb

Wow. All the attitudes. I was giving my opinion and I guess it was wrong. Im new to this site and losing weight. I thought maybe I'd get the support of "here let me help" if im wrong, not all this attitude and negativity. i'll remove my post. But no i guess i don't understand how to lose weight. even tho i've lost 7 lbs all on my own. Thanks for help people, and the rudeness. No wonder people get discouraged because others just can't stand to be nice and help. That was just how I saw it. I wasn't being snotty or anything. Good luck to you all. Apparently you're doing it right and no one else is allowed to have opinions and get support. I'm completely appalled by the reactions. I thought this was supposed to be a site to support and encourage and help people, not shoot them down when they don't realize how to do it perfectly or right, like the rest of you. Again i am sorry for the miss information I will remove my post

We are not pushing opinions, we are explaining how MFP is set up and why it does what it does.
Would you go to a weight watchers class then argue that they are calculating points wrong? That is how the program is set up and it is like that for a reason.

having too large of a deficit (not eating cals back) may end up in faster weight loss, but some of the higher weight loss would be from muscle.

jacksonpt

You can test out your body to see how it adjusts. I personally wouldnt go under 800 cals net. and that is if you are burning over 1000 calories a day.

Terrible advice. You shouldn't be approaching 800 net period, regardless of your exercise calories. The average person should be way over 800 daily net. On rare occasions is it ok to be that low? Sure... but as a general practice? no way.

The way I see it, is if you eat your calories earned, you are over eating and essentially not burning off calories you just ate.

Why not save those calories for a cheat day or when friends want to go out for dinner or save them for when the holidays come around so you can enjoy the turkey dinners or Christmas fudge. Either way good luck on your journey!!

Wrong.

The way I see it, one size does NOT fit all, whether it's MFP, Weight Watchers, or anything else. Personally, if I'm under my daily net AND hungry, I eat. If I'm at my daily net calories, I don't eat, and if I'm not hungry, I don't eat. It's working for me as of right now.

If that stops working for me, I'll change something. Then again, I've never been that much of a rule-follower.

Edited to add: I think the reason this works for me is that I got fat on nighttime snacking and corn chips/crunchy junk food at lunch. Using MFP to log my intake and exercise makes me accountable for the three beers and two slices of cold pizza as a before-bed snack -- I don't do that so much now, since I don't want to have to log it and 'fess up.

True, one size does not always fit all. But rules of thumb exist for a reason. And just because something works for you IS NOT reason enough to suggest it to someone else, at least not without some sort of disclaimer.

aguilarrumiko

bump

leahbea22

Well you misunderstood what I was trying to say. I was not trying to give wrong information. I was trying to say that if you have a goal of 1500 calorie intake and you workout 2000 and eat those calories back then what is the point of working out. I guess that is wrong. And wouldn't that make you go over your calorie limit? That is what I'm trying to say. I'm sorry I miss portrayed my question. I'm just looking for help not attitude!

taso42

leahbea22, read this.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

leahbea22

Thank you Sharon. I'm really hurt by all this. I was hoping for some support and someone to tell me I am doing it wrong but in a nice way and offer help since I obviously don't understand. I hate regretting things but I regret even saying anything because I've been so embarrassed and humiliated on a site where we are supposed to help people.