To eat calories burned or not

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smilewithkatherine
smilewithkatherine Posts: 82 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
When you exercise do you eat back the calories that you burn? If yes do you eat all of them back or just a portion of them.

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  • gymshoe42
    gymshoe42 Posts: 97 Member
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    When you exercise do you eat back the calories that you burn? If yes do you eat all of them back or just a portion of them.

    Yes ..all or most of it at least. When you setup your MFP weight loss goals, the amount of calories it tells you to hit already has a safe deficit factored in. If you don't eat your exercise calories back, you're creating much more of a deficit. If your exercise is burning a couple hundred calories, then it may or may not be a big deal if you eat them back (depends on your total calorie goal), but if you're working out a ton and burning 500, 600+ calories and you don't eat that back, then your daily deficit will be too much, your body will horde anything you give it and you won't lose weight. So ...eat them back all or most of it.
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    When you exercise do you eat back the calories that you burn? If yes do you eat all of them back or just a portion of them.
    All of them.
    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.
  • Bellyroll
    Bellyroll Posts: 316
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    Yes, If i want a cookie you can sure bet that I am going to go on the elliptical or go for a jog so I can eat the cookie. If I want to eat more I have to work for it. That is how I look at it.
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
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    EAT 'EM ALL. ALL THE TIME.

    The electric company can't keep the city lit without enough energy. Don't "brownout" your body:

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

    blessings.
  • AmberJslimsAWAY
    AmberJslimsAWAY Posts: 2,468 Member
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    I normally try to stay within my 1200 calorie limit. If I work out, it's my justification to have that cookie! But I think I'm doing it wrong, or maybe I'm just wanting that immediate gradification...
  • thesarahsundae
    thesarahsundae Posts: 240 Member
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    Eat them!! Everyone has stated it perfectly. :bigsmile:
  • soontobeskinnysara
    soontobeskinnysara Posts: 177 Member
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    Yes, If i want a cookie you can sure bet that I am going to go on the elliptical or go for a jog so I can eat the cookie. If I want to eat more I have to work for it. That is how I look at it.

    That's how I look at it too! I also stopped buying junk so I can only snack on healthy stuff when I'm home. But if I want some dark chocolate, you bet I'll go for a walk first!
  • mmonconduit
    mmonconduit Posts: 51 Member
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    I eat mine if I'm still hungry or want some sweets
  • Brandicaloriecountess
    Brandicaloriecountess Posts: 2,126 Member
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    Yes, MFP is set up in such a way that you should so that you do not create too high of a calorie deficit.

    Plus, why wouldn't you? I workout more to eat more :)
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    Oh yeah I workout hard everyday and eat over 3000 calories a day and lose a pound or two a week. You have to fuel your body if your going to put it through those exercise routines. I have a deficit of losing 1 lb. a week already figured in by MFP so my exercise calories are mine to enjoy.....

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