Do you eat your workout calories? If you do are you still lo

SMcWain22 · January 2012

I am trying to decide if I am doing the right thing by not eating my workout calories. Right now I eat just under 1200 and have just started Jillian Micheal's 30 day shred which burns approximately 246 calories for my body....what are your thoughts?

Thanks!

kylexii · January 2012

I always eat back my workout calories, or at least most of them. I've consistently lost weigh doing this so it works for me. Try it out and see what you think of it. Do whatever works best for you

AlsDonkBoxSquat · January 2012

I eat back most of my exercise calories, but I also zigzag (eat less on some days, go over on others, even out the week). This is mostly because when I have a big workout day I'm not as hungry that day, but I'm usually starving the following day. You shouldn't habitually eat under 1200 calories anyway.

alyssamiller77 · January 2012

The big thing is everyone is different. Much of this is trial and error. I personally would suggest you eat them back as that is the way MFP's calculations are designed to work. I lost all 34 lbs that I've lost while eating back my exercise calories. My wife joined MFP and lost about 41 lbs but then hit a plateau. She wasn't eating her exercise calories. She seems to have now finally broken her plateau and she did it by starting to eat her exercise calories. So take it for what it's worth but that's our experience.

DixiedoesMFP · January 2012

Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. But I eat a lot more than 1200 calories a day, also. Listen to your body. It will need energy to do those workouts and it will let you know if it's not getting it.

skygoddess86 · January 2012

That's the only reason I work out. Just kidding, sorta.

Chairless · January 2012

That's the only reason I work out. Just kidding, sorta.

This.

yes and yes.

jacksonpt · January 2012

The big thing is everyone is different. Much of this is trial and error. I personally would suggest you eat them back as that is the way MFP's calculations are designed to work. I lost all 34 lbs that I've lost while eating back my exercise calories. My wife joined MFP and lost about 41 lbs but then hit a plateau. She wasn't eating her exercise calories. She seems to have now finally broken her plateau and she did it by starting to eat her exercise calories. So take it for what it's worth but that's our experience.

this ^^

MaximalLife · January 2012

I am trying to decide if I am doing the right thing by not eating my workout calories. Right now I eat just under 1200 and have just started Jillian Micheal's 30 day shred which burns approximately 246 calories for my body....what are your thoughts?

Thanks!

Simply stated MFP has already figured out your total calories you need to eat per day to lose 1lb etc. a week. That's WITHOUT exercise. You'll notice that when you actually add exercise in, the calorie limit goes up. Why? Because it's telling you to eat your exercise calories. Large deficits aren't really good to do because while you will lose weight, what kind of weight will it be? In many cases you'll lose lean muscle tissue which LOWERS your metabolic rate even more. Then you have to eat even less to compensate for less of a calorie burn to continue to lose the same amount of weight each week.
Be efficient. Exercise hard and eat back the calories. The hard exercise will RAISE your metabolic rate and burn more fat at rest.

sullivann · January 2012

shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com

kirstyg1980 · January 2012

I was a member of MFP through my phone for a good 5-6 months before finding the online version just a few days ago

I used to log my calorie intake, just about every day but wouldn't eat back my exercise calories (didn't realise I could) - I stayed the same weight for the whole time

now I am trying hard to eat most of those calories, as I think I really haven't been eating any where near enough food

TammyBee · January 2012

That's the only reason I work out. Just kidding, sorta.

Yes! lol

ShaSimone · January 2012

Take the trial and error approach, nothing you do is wrong!! So don't eat them and see what you feel like over two weeks or so...tired, lethargic, no energy? Start eating the calories or make sure you get to 1200 at least.
That was how my body reacted to not eating enough...tired, lethargic, no energy.

Justjoshin · January 2012

As many as I possibly can!

Train like a beast so you can eat like a beast!

SammyPacks · January 2012

I don't normally eat back all my workout calories, but it really depends how hungry I am that day

SammyPacks · January 2012

That's the only reason I work out. Just kidding, sorta.

Yes! lol

LOL! It is a motivation to kick your butt during your work out!

JudyL5305 · January 2012

I agree with everyone above. The key is to listen to your body. Some days I free I need a little more so I eat a little bit more Some days I don't feel like I need to. I eat about 1400 calories a day. But it also counts as to what those 1200 calories are made up of that count. Do a trial and error and see what works best for you.

carolann_22 · January 2012

I wasn't for two weeks and weight loss stalled. I have been for the past four days, even though it puts me close to 2000 calories - and the scale has finally been moving!