Why I don't eat my exercise calories.

kennethmgreen

For some people it can be. I think being aware of your own red flags and working healthily to avoid them is a positive thing. I didn't say it was for everyone, I made sure I was very careful to point out the post was about ME not generalising to others.

I know this is a touchy subject, but it doesn't have to be. MFP is designed so that exercise calories burned are offset by additional calorie intake. Not all sites do this. MFP does. Doesn't matter if you think eating exercise calories is good or bad, the functionality of this website is designed for calorie intake adjustment based on calorie expenditure.

If you really don't want to eat back your exercise calories, and you really want to continue using MFP to track your calories, it might be a good idea to at least adjust your activity level to compensate. Personally, I think you're using the wrong tool if you aren't going to adjust your calories the way the site is designed, but it's not up to me what site you want to use.

If something is working for you, that's great. It doesn't necessarily prove that something else wouldn't work (or work better), though. But it could be that you are doing the best program for you and your body/food/exercise. As others have stated, as long as your aren't eating too few calories (and being unhealthy), it doesn't really matter that much. Be aware that when you post something in the diet/weight loss help board (or any public forum), even when you state you are not generalizing to others, are only talking about yourself, you are posting to an audience.

Jeff92se

I don't work out then come home excited that I can eat more(then eat more). It's just something I do that will allow me to eat a bit more thoughout the day and still hit my calorie number.

jskaggs1971

OP, I'm right there with you. I'm trying to re-train myself on the difference between "Body Hungry: Body Needs fuel" and "Brain is bored, eat something tasty!".

On days I work out, I eat if I'm hungry, as long as I'm not over my calorie budget. Most of the time, I run out of hungry before I run out of available calories, so I stop eating.

jhalsey205

Great thread. I'm in agreement with original post

deegeemarie

I too try not to eat all my exercise calories - for me, it just doesn't make sense! I'm in my late 50's and metabolism has slowed WAY down! I feel like if I eat my exercise calories, then I probably will not lose any weight. I only need to loose 10 pounds, but I have a small frame AND I had been trying for over a month to lose weight on my own with abosulely no success. SO - agreeing with the woman who talked about the 'slippery slope" of eating those exercise calories - I believe I'll stick to this also and see what happens.

dad106

I think this whole argument is a bit silly and heres why:

If you weren't tracking calories, how would you know if you if you are the exercise calories back or not? Most likely you would without even giving it a second thought.. but since you can see it in black and white now, suddenly all logic goes out the window and people get all defensive.

I also follow the eat if I'm hungry and if I'm not don't.
Today I burned 500 calories at the gym, but haven't even touched my exercise calories or hit my calorie goal even... and if I get hungry later, then I can eat them. For now though, I'm just fine.

Jeff92se

I almost have to eat at least some of my exercise calories back because I do a whey protein shake after a workout. To combat soreness and help recovery

psuLemon

I am actually set at about 0.4 lbs a week! As I am near goal I am ok with that.

Actually no, the deficit of 200 cals alone would've been 0.4lbs loss a week
3500 cals = 1lb
200/500 (1400/3500 weekly calories)= 0.4 lbs a week

Since you burn another 300 cals by doing exercise your deficit is 500 and not 200, so you'll continue losing 1lb a week.

I can tell you now I am not losing a pound a week. More like a pound every 2 or 3 weeks max. Which may be due to the meds I am on that affect metabolism and fat oxidation. Which again is why I don't eat the exercise calories. And yes I am meticulous with logging food and drinks.

Emma,

You already know how I feel about your extremely low calorie diet but I would be interested in seeing what your true BMR would be if you got it tested. I truely don't think your BMR is as low as your think.


I personally look at my caloric need over a week. This way I don't have to worry about fighting to get back exercise calories at the end of the day and it's nice to know i have a calorie number to shoot for each day.

anikab

I eat mine, because I burn a lot.

If you're burning 125-200 calories a day, sure, don't eat them.


But on days I burn a minimum of 600 calories (as high as 2500) - I have to eat.

^ ME TOO except I only eat back half of my calories, but my body needs the fuel.

I agree! I eat half of mine but that's it. It works perfectly for me.

KyleB65

I eat mine, because I burn a lot.

If you're burning 125-200 calories a day, sure, don't eat them.


But on days I burn a minimum of 600 calories (as high as 2500) - I have to eat.

Ditto!

shellbell1993

This is not intended to dissuade anyone from not eating theirs, as I know the school of thought here is largely that we should eat them. This is just to explain why I don't, incase others are the same.

1) I know it's common to underestimate food intake
2) Exercise calories may be overestimated - taking these together, when you only have a small amount to lose and trying to create a small deficit, that can easily be blown by those errors.

BUT

Most importantly FOR ME the reason I dont is that I know I would easily get into the trap of linking eating to having exercised, which is a slippery slope to "I haven't exercised today/haven't burned enough today so I have to eat less." etc etc. Again I am talking for me, not trying to say this is going to happen to others.

Hence a big change for me has been eating mindfully and going by appetite, rather than checking numbers too obsessively.

Just thought I would share!

Great post I agree with you all the way, these are the same reasons I don't eat back all my excersise cals even though I use a HRM to track my burn. I eat when I am hungry period and small amounts (usually) during the day!

FitRodr

I've read dozens of posts about eating calories back and this is the first time I realized that I exercise so I can eat more. I really need to take a look at that. I was shooting for 1200 net but lately been pushing the envelope each day. Result... I am maintaining. I am only about 3-4 lbs from my goal but have considered lowering it lately. Since January I have eaten them back almost always or more than. I've lost 1 - 1 1/2 a week on average.

I totally see this in a different light today. Seems like I am constantly hungry. Don't know why that is but exercising allows me to eat more often. Now, if you look at my diary you'll see that def don't eat "clean". Thanks for the posts all... I have some things to think about. Exercise = Food or Exercise to be stronger, healthier. Strange how the mind works.

emmab0902

I am actually set at about 0.4 lbs a week! As I am near goal I am ok with that.

Actually no, the deficit of 200 cals alone would've been 0.4lbs loss a week
3500 cals = 1lb
200/500 (1400/3500 weekly calories)= 0.4 lbs a week

Since you burn another 300 cals by doing exercise your deficit is 500 and not 200, so you'll continue losing 1lb a week.

I can tell you now I am not losing a pound a week. More like a pound every 2 or 3 weeks max. Which may be due to the meds I am on that affect metabolism and fat oxidation. Which again is why I don't eat the exercise calories. And yes I am meticulous with logging food and drinks.

Emma,

You already know how I feel about your extremely low calorie diet but I would be interested in seeing what your true BMR would be if you got it tested. I truely don't think your BMR is as low as your think.


I personally look at my caloric need over a week. This way I don't have to worry about fighting to get back exercise calories at the end of the day and it's nice to know i have a calorie number to shoot for each day.

It's not extremely low. Saying that makes it sound like I eat 600 cal a day! I eat what works for ME and what has helped me become fitter, stronger and much more healthy in the past 3 months. And what suits my age, frame and medication. And yes my metabolism is below average. I don't need it tested to know that, I have lived in this body for long enough to get to know it!

love22step

Ditto

psuLemon

I've read dozens of posts about eating calories back and this is the first time I realized that I exercise so I can eat more. I really need to take a look at that. I was shooting for 1200 net but lately been pushing the envelope each day. Result... I am maintaining. I am only about 3-4 lbs from my goal but have considered lowering it lately. Since January I have eaten them back almost always or more than. I've lost 1 - 1 1/2 a week on average.

I totally see this in a different light today. Seems like I am constantly hungry. Don't know why that is but exercising allows me to eat more often. Now, if you look at my diary you'll see that def don't eat "clean". Thanks for the posts all... I have some things to think about. Exercise = Food or Exercise to be stronger, healthier. Strange how the mind works.

not to thread jack but if you are still hungry you might nit be eating enough. Reducing calories could lead to muscle loss.