Are you supposed to eat half the calories you burn?

amberpryor
amberpryor Posts: 14
edited October 5 in Fitness and Exercise
My fitness plan says I am allowed 1240 calories per day. I've read that you can eat half the calories you burn. So if I burn 300 calories in exercise, am I SUPPOSED to eat an additional 150 calories that day? Or is it just an OPTION to eat more calories, not going OVER the half-way mark? Will I lose weight more quickly if I don't eat ANY additional calories? Or will that cause me to be nutrient-deprived? Help!

Amber
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Replies

  • mrsjoseywales29
    mrsjoseywales29 Posts: 57
    i am having the same problem and suggestions would be great!!!
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
    I eat them all. Yum!
  • skierxjes
    skierxjes Posts: 926 Member
    There are a million threads about this already. Eat all your calories back. It's already worked into your defect.
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    You are supposed to eat them all. That's how MFP is set up.
  • kristilovescake
    kristilovescake Posts: 669 Member
    There are a million threads about this already. Eat all your calories back. It's already worked into your defect.

    Yep. MFP is set to have you eat ALL your calories back.

    Do a "Search" above to eat back calories and you'll find tons of articles, as well as some "sticky" threads in the forum.
  • FITnFIRM4LIFE
    FITnFIRM4LIFE Posts: 818 Member
    I eat them all. Yum!

    This*
  • MikeSEA
    MikeSEA Posts: 1,074 Member
    Assuming you have mfp set up to lose weight, you should theoretically eat your exercise calories back.

    Now, the tricky part is how accurate the numbers are for how many calories you burned. This is why people eat some, but not all, of their exercise calories back; they assume mfp is inflating their calories burned. And it may be true. You'd really have to experiment to get a better idea for yourself.
  • mrsjoseywales29
    mrsjoseywales29 Posts: 57
    lol i am so screwwed bc i burn 1600-1800 calories a day. so that means i have to eat at least 3000 calories. That is a alot
  • LelliAmi
    LelliAmi Posts: 327 Member
    The number it gives you is the number of calories your body needs per day, so you need to eat that number.
  • ajfrench
    ajfrench Posts: 323 Member
    Most of the suggestions you get will be on target - you've gotta find what works for you. I hit a 7-week plateau and taking the advice of many on here, I increased my calories (was only doing 1300 of 1700 a day) and ate some of my exercise calories. I gained 5 lbs. in two weeks. So now I'm on a detox to see if I can't flush out some of the fat my body is holding on to. Thus, I'm not eating back any of my exercise calories!
  • hillm12345
    hillm12345 Posts: 313 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/377581-why-would-you-eat-exercise-calories?hl=exercise+calories&page=2#posts-5586128

    Here is only one thread that addresses that issue. If you do a quick search there are MANY threads about eating/not eating back exercise calories. Hope this helps :)
  • juliep1974
    juliep1974 Posts: 222 Member
    It really varies person to person it seems. I eat most of mine back because I'm hungry and I've been losing just fine. Other people eat them back and say they gain weight. If you're hungry eat them, if you're not hungry for the extra all the time don't force yourself to eat.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    Most of the suggestions you get will be on target - you've gotta find what works for you. I hit a 7-week plateau and taking the advice of many on here, I increased my calories (was only doing 1300 of 1700 a day) and ate some of my exercise calories. I gained 5 lbs. in two weeks. So now I'm on a detox to see if I can't flush out some of the fat my body is holding on to. Thus, I'm not eating back any of my exercise calories!

    It is VERY common to see an initial weight gain when you increase your calories. Your body is adjusting to you giving it more calories. Very common and temporary on most occasions. Give your body at least a month to adjust to the changes you're making and see what happens. You should see that weight drop off and more along with it. :)
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390145-should-i-eat-my-exercise-calories
  • smpreston
    smpreston Posts: 262 Member
    lol i am so screwwed bc i burn 1600-1800 calories a day. so that means i have to eat at least 3000 calories. That is a alot

    How are you burning that many calories per day through exercise? What are you doing? That is a crazy high number. Is teh number from an HRM or an estimate?
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    If you eat even 1 calorie over half of your estimation of your caloric burn, you will gain 100 lbs overnight
    If you eat even 1 calorie under half of your estimation of your caloric burn, you will die of starvation while also gaining 100 lbs from being in starvation mode





    1) Take what you're doing currently, confirm that you have a reasonable calorie deficit and that you are getting adequate macros. Adjust if necessary.
    2) Stick with the plan you laid out for 3 weeks, assess your progress. If you are stalling loss or are gaining, try reducing calories slightly. If you have no energy or have already reduced calories but aren't seeing any results, try increasing calories slightly. Repeat (2).

    These things aren't an exact science, and that's compounded since everyone responds differently. Also except in extreme circumstances, weight loss is a slow process. Understand those two factors and work in small incremental steps while making realistic assessments of your progress. You'll find what probably works for you much faster than trying each of the 1,000,000,000,000,000 'secrets' you might find on the internet.
  • mrsjoseywales29
    mrsjoseywales29 Posts: 57
    that is from the machine i do the elliptical or treadmill for 60 mins than rotate and do the other for 30 mins and then do circuit training for 30 mins.
  • mrsjoseywales29
    mrsjoseywales29 Posts: 57
    just from the machines i usually burn bt 1100-1250
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    The way MFP is set up you're supposed to eat all of them. Some people eat half to account for errors in underestimating food or overestimating calories. With time and practice you can get well calibrated and dial all your numbers in so you can hit your target w/o any jumping through hoops like eating back half the exercise.
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    just from the machines i usually burn bt 1100-1250

    If you want to start eating your exercise calories, you are REALLY probably going to want to invest in a good heartrate monitor (WITH a chest strap). Gym machines can be WAY off on your calorie burn. (could be high, could be low, hard to tell unless you compare to an actual accurate number for *you*) Heartrate monitors (WITH chest strap, and which let you program in your height/weight/sex) are MUCH more accurate. Invest in one, wear it for that exact same workout, and check out the difference.

    I eat almost all of my exercise calories, but I get the calorie burn from my heartrate monitor so I know it's as accurate as possible. If I was getting my numbers from gym machines, I'd be scared to eat all of them. But since I know the number is as accurate as it can possibly be, I eat them and enjoy them. :-)
  • xsmilexforxmex
    xsmilexforxmex Posts: 1,216 Member
    Is this daily? You need to allow your body rest, do different excercises ior it will stop responding.

    As to the eating calories back, I do some days and don't others, I feel like that keeps my body from getting used to one way and helps burn the most. Don't drive yourself crazy on trying to match tho because overcompensation is pretty easily done... Don't force yourself to eat but if you're hungry and you're getting close, reach for something healthier and lower in calories.
  • mrsjoseywales29
    mrsjoseywales29 Posts: 57
    how much are the heart rate monitors?
  • Lizzy_Sunflower
    Lizzy_Sunflower Posts: 1,510 Member
    lol i am so screwed bc i burn 1600-1800 calories a day. so that means i have to eat at least 3000 calories. That is a a lot

    If you can't eat that much, even with Protein Shakes throughout the day, you might consider Not burning that many calories a day.
  • quiksandy
    quiksandy Posts: 246 Member
    I think it varies from person to person. I typically eat about half of mine back. Not intentionally, necessarily. I just eat until I'm not hungry. There are some days I workout out a ton and just can't stomach the idea of eating back all those calories. On those days I don't force it.
  • mrsjoseywales29
    mrsjoseywales29 Posts: 57
    i usually take off 1-2 days off to allow my body to rest
  • MsQt
    MsQt Posts: 793 Member
    I never eat my calories back unless it's by mistake. I use burned cals for wiggle room if I do want more. I weight loss was never a problem unless I didn't exercise. Everybody chooses what works best for them. I couldn't imagine eating all my burned cals. We're talk a total of 2500? Please lol..
  • smpreston
    smpreston Posts: 262 Member
    just from the machines i usually burn bt 1100-1250


    That seems pretty high. I think the machines might be reporting a higher total than actuality. I would suggest that you get an good heart rate monitor. There is a Timex Ironman one that can be had for about $50. I have a Polar FT7 that was less than $100. The Polar model even comes in a women's model. Good heart rate monitors allow you to input your personal stats to give you an accurate representation of your calorie burn. Machines are very generalized in their calculations and are usually quite far off.
  • sjcsviola85
    sjcsviola85 Posts: 40
    i've been having the same problem working out what to count and what not to count... my MFP 'caloric intake goal' is 1270 and as an example of a fairly active day yesterday (monday) my finished diary looked like :

    Goal:1270 food: 1256 Exercise: 1266 Net: -10 Remaining: 1280


    pretty much each day since i've started logging has looked like this ... yet I still don't seem to have lost any weight (unless its water retention or something) ....
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    i've been having the same problem working out what to count and what not to count... my MFP 'caloric intake goal' is 1270 and as an example of a fairly active day yesterday (monday) my finished diary looked like :

    Goal:1270 food: 1256 Exercise: 1266 Net: -10 Remaining: 1280


    pretty much each day since i've started logging has looked like this ... yet I still don't seem to have lost any weight (unless its water retention or something) ....

    You're not losing weight because you are essentially not feeding your body any energy to live off of. You ate 1256, then you burned 1266. That leaves none of the food you gave your body for the essential "staying alive" functions. You are starving your body.

    Your NET needs to be 1270. If you have 1280 remaining, that means you need to eat 1280 MORE.
  • smpreston
    smpreston Posts: 262 Member
    i've been having the same problem working out what to count and what not to count... my MFP 'caloric intake goal' is 1270 and as an example of a fairly active day yesterday (monday) my finished diary looked like :

    Goal:1270 food: 1256 Exercise: 1266 Net: -10 Remaining: 1280


    pretty much each day since i've started logging has looked like this ... yet I still don't seem to have lost any weight (unless its water retention or something) ....

    How are you burning 1,200 + calories daily? Where does that number come from?
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