Eat my exercise calories? Really??

kimber89

Wow. I'm blown away by the number of calories I'm supposed to be eating each day. I used to use Livestrong's site, and my trainer at the time told me to ignore the extra calories I got from exercising. It's killing me to think I need to eat those extra calories, especially when I've always thought I needed to really restrict my calories to lose weight. I need to lose about 20 pounds. My doctor told me I'd really need to restrict my calories to do so, since I've been exercising regularly and haven't lost any weight. So anyway, I'm really confused by all the numbers and by this new information. Can anyone sum this up for me in a really simple way? I so appreciate your help. It's hard to take a leap like this when it seems to contradict everything I thought I knew. Thank you so much!

kleavitt1992

you dont have to eat your excercise calories only like half the people on here do i do not

heidithompson78

I spoke with my diatitician about this, she told me the following:
If you eat back the calories that you burn from working out you will not loose weight as quickly.
Every pound you loose is a result of a certain number of calorie deficit per day. If your calorie deficit is higher you will loose weight more quickly.

Bentley2718

This topic has been done to death, search the forums (there is a search feature) and you'll find a ton of discussion of this issue.

MeganRhea_x

There really is a million posts about this topic... and everyone has their own opinion. You're supposed to eat a certain "net" amount of calories which is food-exercise. Everyone is different, but if you don't eat enough net calories you can go into starvation mode and not lose any way that way either. Basically you just have to do whatever works for you. If you lose weight and feel fine without eating your calories back then don't eat them. I personally eat mine because I feel too hungry if I don't. And I'm still losing weight.

Kikilicious84

Since you aren't losing any weight... just give it a try for a few weeks and see if it works for you.

GOod luck.

bbhartsu315

I am a total newbie on this site but I love it already... What Ive gathered is.... many times the calories we are allotted aren't enough to keep us full... if we get hungry and our body goes into starvation mode our bodies will begin to store fat... so honestly eat as much as ur alloted calories as you can and if you do and they are not enough eat ur exercise calories... Im full off of my allotted daily calories so I'm not eating my exercise calories. So I guess its as long as ur under a lil over or right at it ur good Just dont starve good luck... I may not know what Im talking about but Im sure a helpful person will correct me if Im wrong this site is really helpful!!!

sleepytexan

OK. I'm gonna give this a shot. I am an avid lifelong athlete. I have never been overweight, however, I used to eat too few calories (without knowing it), and a couple years ago, I actually GAINED weight bc of having slowed my metabolism to the point that every little extra treat I ate caused a weight gain, even though overall my calories were too low. THIS DOES HAPPEN.

It is also the reason so many fat people stay fat. They restrict their calories so low, slow their metabolisms, binge (even a little), gain weight, restrict more . . . . and so on and so on. But they are still fat.

It is also the reason most people can't lose that last 10-20 lbs. For real.

1. MFP has a deficit built in. Let's say you're trying to lose 1 lb/ week. That is a 500/day deficit from your BMR (the amount of calories your body needs to complete basic functions.

2. You exercise and burn 500 calories. Now you are at a 1000 deficit. If you eat back those 500 exercise calories, you refuel your body and you still have a 500 deficit for that 1 lb loss. If you DON'T eat back those calories, you have too little fuel. This is bad. This is too much of a deficit for basic functions. If you do this for a long time, you will STOP LOSING WEIGHT. Why? bc your metabolism will slow down -- it's like a brownout--not quite enough electricity to make the whole city (your body) run, so it has to slow down some things. You will probably start being tired a lot, your skin and hair might start to look worse, and you might even gain weight. But you might NOT be hungry -- your body is getting used to fewer calories. That's bad.


That's when you start to gain weight. Let's say you're running along, eating 1200 calories a day, and exercising 400 calories a day, so net is 800. You're losing, you think this is great. You keep doing it, but after a while you stop losing. hmmmmm. One weekend you go out to a special event and have a slice of pizza and a beer. 1 slice of pizza and 1 beer. So you ate maybe 2000 calories that day and exercised off 400, so net 1600. BOOM! You gain 3 lbs! What?!

Next, you freak out and restrict yourself down to 1000 calories a day and work out extra hard, burning 500 calories. Great, netting 500 now. You don't lose any weight, but you sure feel tired. Better get some red bull.

Are you getting the picture?

EDIT: When you work out, you need fuel. Food is fuel. If you don't eat back those exercise calories, you will not only have a big calorie deficit, you will have an ENERGY deficit. Remember, the calorie deficit for weight loss is built in when you use MFP. Exercising basically earns you more calories because you must refuel.
--

There are many people who will tell you not to eat exercise calories. Before you take their advice, you might want to see whether they are at goal, have EVER been at goal, or have ever been able to maintain at goal. If anyone says to you 'THE LAST TIME I LOST WEIGHT", just stop listening right there. :laugh:

Ask some athletes whether or not they replenish their bodies with food equal to the calories they burn. Ask people who are fit and have achieved and maintained a healthy weight for some years. Don't ask people who count walking across a parking lot as exercise.

Here's an interesting case study about how to stay fat while consuming only 700 calories a day. Take a moment, you'll be glad you did:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

blessings.

kimber89

Great explanation! Thanks so much for taking the time. I never used to have to worry about weight--and now I have all those bad habits to deal with from when I could eat whatever I wanted. I'm kind of overwhelmed with the whole process, and I'm kicking myself for letting myself gain the weight. Such a bummer. Thanks again for your message. It makes sense! You look awesome, by the way!

kimber89

Thanks, everyone, for sharing your opinions and experiences! I really appreciate it!

CMmrsfloyd

MFP gives you a calorie goal designed to make you lose weight even if you don't do any additional exercise. Even if you put in your profile that you plan to workout 5 times a week, it does not factor in that exercise when determining your calorie goal. Basically you say 'hey I'm going to workout!' and MFP says 'yeah right, I'll believe it when I see it'. Whatever MFP tells you to eat, it's telling you to eat that amount to lose weight b/c it does not believe you when you say you're going to workout. So then when you DO workout and log that activity, MFP is like 'Dang, for real? I SO did not believe you were going to workout, good for you, now you've earned a snack for all your hard work'. MFP gave you a lazy calorie goal, then you got off your butt and earned the right to eat a little more. ;-)

I have been eating most of my exercise calories this whole time and I have consistently lost weight very very close to the rate I requested in my profile. My calories are estimated using a heart rate monitor with a chest strap, so I know they're as accurate as possible (considering it's still an estimate, but much better than an MFP or gym machine estimate).

All this is assuming that you have set your activity level appropriately and that your metabolism isn't already screwed up. Like the link above shows, if your metabolism has been damaged by eating too little, if you start eating a more appropriate amount you might gain some weight before your body gets back on track and lets you lose again. That's in a pretty extreme case but clearly it does happen occasionally.

MaraDiaz

I started on MFP about two months ago with exercise and calorie counting and last week was the first week I didn't lose a single pound. It was also the first week when I didn't eat most or all of my exercise calories back.

Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not.

Aries03

Bump

ajbeans

It's ok to not eat your exercise calories if you are significantly overweight, and most of the people on MFP who tell you not to eat the exercise calories are in that category, or were at one point. But as you get closer to your goal weight, it becomes more important to eat all your allotted calories, including those from exercise. You only have 25 pounds to lose, so if you're seeing big burns, you should eat at least some of those extra calories in order to keep your metabolism working its best and to prevent muscle loss.

sssygirl

Great info SleepyTexan! I appreciate the in depth explanation. I am also new to MFP and was wondering the same thing.

BeckyKSmith

Go with how you feel! Everyone is different. If you are tired and have no energy while eating 1200 and burning 500, you need more food! If you feel great, have a ton of energy and are losing, there is no need to eat them.

Your body will tell you if you are in starvation...you will feel like sh$t! AND be hungry.
Oh, and if you are eating 1200, exercising a ton and not losing, try zig-zagging your calories - search forums for how.

i_am_asparagus

Great post, sleepytexan!

KittieLea

Sleepytexan explained it right on track!
For a few months I was only eating 1000 calories a day. I did lose weight but after about 15 pounds I stopped and started gaining-WTH!!??? Now I know it's because I was in starvation mode!

Check out this video from bodybuilding.com-Jamie Eason's LiveFit program. She explains it also.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-easons-livefit-phase-1.html

ADobs

Speaking from personal experience I only ate back my exercise calories if I was hungry and even then, I usually ate back only about half, rarely ever the entire amount. So that’s my advice, if you’re hungry after exercising, then listen to your body – don’t deprive it of food as it’s telling you something. Food is fuel. When I was following the Spike Diet I would double my usual calories on one day, but I still exercised on those days in order to be able to eat more and I ate back my exercise calories on those days and then some and it felt friggin’ awesome!!

TheFitHooker

I guess everyone is different, my doctor told me not to eat back my workout calories.

CMmrsfloyd

I guess everyone is different, my doctor told me not to eat back my workout calories.

MFP works in reverse of what most other plans (including dr's) work. Those plans give you a *maximum* calorie limit and then tell you to workout to bring your 'net' (total consumption - exercise) lower. MFP gives you a goal that does NOT include exercise until you actually do it - once you log your exercise, MFP bumps up your calorie goal for the day, probably closer to what the dr. or other plans would have recommended in the first place. The 2 plans theoretically work out the same in the end, they just use a different approach. The difference is that MFP does not assume you're going to exercise, it makes you prove it first.

lorihalsted

Since you aren't losing any weight... just give it a try for a few weeks and see if it works for you.

GOod luck.

Exactly! Mix it up a bit. Find what is right for you. For about a year I kept myself on 800-1000 calories a day after I had lap band surgery. I didn initially lose about 85 lbs but then I started gaining on so few calories a day. I gave up and then found MFP. I have mine set to lose 2 lbs a week so my calories are only 1220. I eat back MOST of my exercise calories but don't stress either way.

gigiwaterloo

Here's an interesting case study about how to stay fat while consuming only 700 calories a day. Take a moment, you'll be glad you did:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

blessings.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! This was a huge help to me b/c I have had the same question and concerns... NOT RIGHT NOW understand b/c I still LOVE eating and have NO problem meeting my calories as well as my exercise ones, but thanks for this information it was a HUGE help!!!

TheFitHooker

I guess everyone is different, my doctor told me not to eat back my workout calories.

MFP works in reverse of what most other plans (including dr's) work. Those plans give you a *maximum* calorie limit and then tell you to workout to bring your 'net' (total consumption - exercise) lower. MFP gives you a goal that does NOT include exercise until you actually do it - once you log your exercise, MFP bumps up your calorie goal for the day, probably closer to what the dr. or other plans would have recommended in the first place. The 2 plans theoretically work out the same in the end, they just use a different approach. The difference is that MFP does not assume you're going to exercise, it makes you prove it first.

Maybe? My doc has me on a 1200 calorie diet, after working out I'm usually up to about 1600 calories, but I do not eat them back. Until I stop losing, I will keep going with it.

Bentley2718

MFP gives you a calorie goal designed to make you lose weight even if you don't do any additional exercise. Even if you put in your profile that you plan to workout 5 times a week, it does not factor in that exercise when determining your calorie goal. Basically you say 'hey I'm going to workout!' and MFP says 'yeah right, I'll believe it when I see it'. Whatever MFP tells you to eat, it's telling you to eat that amount to lose weight b/c it does not believe you when you say you're going to workout. So then when you DO workout and log that activity, MFP is like 'Dang, for real? I SO did not believe you were going to workout, good for you, now you've earned a snack for all your hard work'. MFP gave you a lazy calorie goal, then you got off your butt and earned the right to eat a little more. ;-)

This is a great description of the process. And by great, I mean f-ing hilarious. However, personally, I don't think of eating (most of) my exercise calories back as calories I've "earned." That is, I don't think of the food as reward for working out, I think of it as giving my body the extra energy it needs to make necessary repairs (especially after any type of strength training) and be ready to do it all again the next day. The reward for working out is being fitter, stronger, healthier, less *****y, etc., not just something I do so I can eat more. You can think of it however you like, but for me, this feels like a more reasonable relationship with food and my body.

CMmrsfloyd

I guess everyone is different, my doctor told me not to eat back my workout calories.

MFP works in reverse of what most other plans (including dr's) work. Those plans give you a *maximum* calorie limit and then tell you to workout to bring your 'net' (total consumption - exercise) lower. MFP gives you a goal that does NOT include exercise until you actually do it - once you log your exercise, MFP bumps up your calorie goal for the day, probably closer to what the dr. or other plans would have recommended in the first place. The 2 plans theoretically work out the same in the end, they just use a different approach. The difference is that MFP does not assume you're going to exercise, it makes you prove it first.

Maybe? My doc has me on a 1200 calorie diet, after working out I'm usually up to about 1600 calories, but I do not eat them back. Until I stop losing, I will keep going with it.

A lot of people find that not eating them back works really well if you have a lot of weight to lose, so if it's working well for you and your dr supports your efforts and is monitoring your progress, go for it. :-)

As you get down closer to your goal, you may find that you feel better and have more energy if you start eating some of it back. Congrats on your progress so far, it's really impressive! Just keep in tune with your body and how you feel as you get down closer to your goal. :-)

CMmrsfloyd

MFP gives you a calorie goal designed to make you lose weight even if you don't do any additional exercise. Even if you put in your profile that you plan to workout 5 times a week, it does not factor in that exercise when determining your calorie goal. Basically you say 'hey I'm going to workout!' and MFP says 'yeah right, I'll believe it when I see it'. Whatever MFP tells you to eat, it's telling you to eat that amount to lose weight b/c it does not believe you when you say you're going to workout. So then when you DO workout and log that activity, MFP is like 'Dang, for real? I SO did not believe you were going to workout, good for you, now you've earned a snack for all your hard work'. MFP gave you a lazy calorie goal, then you got off your butt and earned the right to eat a little more. ;-)

This is a great description of the process. And by great, I mean f-ing hilarious. However, personally, I don't think of eating (most of) my exercise calories back as calories I've "earned." That is, I don't think of the food as reward for working out, I think of it as giving my body the extra energy it needs to make necessary repairs (especially after any type of strength training) and be ready to do it all again the next day. The reward for working out is being fitter, stronger, healthier, less *****y, etc., not just something I do so I can eat more. You can think of it however you like, but for me, this feels like a more reasonable relationship with food and my body.

That's true, it may be counter productive to think of it as a 'reward' - I do think of it as me 'earning' something that I worked for, but I also keep in mind that while I 'earned' the calories, I actually 'need' the added nutrition to fuel my body. I don't workout strictly for the calories, they are just an added bonus. :-)

Cin184

This is great information, thanks.

TheFitHooker

I guess everyone is different, my doctor told me not to eat back my workout calories.

MFP works in reverse of what most other plans (including dr's) work. Those plans give you a *maximum* calorie limit and then tell you to workout to bring your 'net' (total consumption - exercise) lower. MFP gives you a goal that does NOT include exercise until you actually do it - once you log your exercise, MFP bumps up your calorie goal for the day, probably closer to what the dr. or other plans would have recommended in the first place. The 2 plans theoretically work out the same in the end, they just use a different approach. The difference is that MFP does not assume you're going to exercise, it makes you prove it first.

Maybe? My doc has me on a 1200 calorie diet, after working out I'm usually up to about 1600 calories, but I do not eat them back. Until I stop losing, I will keep going with it.

A lot of people find that not eating them back works really well if you have a lot of weight to lose, so if it's working well for you and your dr supports your efforts and is monitoring your progress, go for it. :-)

As you get down closer to your goal, you may find that you feel better and have more energy if you start eating some of it back. Congrats on your progress so far, it's really impressive! Just keep in tune with your body and how you feel as you get down closer to your goal. :-)

Thanks, yes I still have close to 50 more to go. I'm trying to watch it and when things start to slow down I will reevaluate and talk to my doctor on what to do.

katcod1522

If I burn more than 200 cals doing a run..yes...I eat them. If I do a 20 min 2 mile run and burn 160 cals..no I wont.

kimber89

I'm still trying to wrap my brain around this--it's so different from what I always thought. I'm worried about gaining more weight at the beginning, even just a few pounds. I would be so encouraged if I could lose just one pound after so many months of losing nothing.Thank you for all the information. Should I be limiting carbs? This is all new to me!