SHOULD i be eating my exercise calories?

mfoster1019

i know that MFP already gives you a deficit and calculates everything based on your goals and what not. but i was wondering if i am SUPPOSED to be eating my exercise calories...or are they just a little extra that you COULD eat if you wanted (and still be able to lose the weight you want per week). lately, i've been trying not to eat my exercise calories and stay around my 1200 allotted calories per day. am i doing it wrong or sabotaging my weight loss?

livinwell

I have always heard that you should eat your exercise calories. The body needs the extra fuel to run properly.:drinker:

cleach29

I've heard arguments for both sides of the debate... not sure which is accurate.

brandyosu

Most of what I've read on here indicates you should be eating back your exercise calories. I've been doing that - or at least most of them. I try to still have a little deficit. At any rate, I'm losing weight slowly but surely.

juliedee6

You need to do what is required by your body. If you are losing weight (up to 2 pounds per week) and eating back the calories then continue to do so. I can lose no weight unless I DON't eat back the calories.

msarro

Yes, eat them.

MikeSEA

If you're tracking your caloric intake precisely and accurately, and you think the numbers you're using for calories burned are accurate enough---yes, eat them back. Though, the first two qualifiers I mentioned are food for thought.

dida0721

I look at those extra calories you earn as "optional". I don't believe you have to eat them back, but if you are having a hungry day they are there for you. I usually eat back some of mine. Listen to your body and it will tell you if it needs the extra energy or not.

vacation01

if I need to use those exercise calories, I do. keeping those extra exercise calaries stops me from being depressed if I go over my regular calories and am having a bad day.

DanaeMaria

I'm glad someone posted this question because I was thinking the same thing after a Saturday of running around, eating light and burning extra between zumba, gym and a kid's skating party. I ended the day with a huge deficit of calories and was not in the mood to eat them... until Sunday.

I am always ravenous the day after I've worked out, and usually too sore to put in another trip to the gym. I find myself wishing that the previous day's deficit would rollover, because I usually end up eating an extra 100-200 calories the day after a workout.

KimbersNewLife

Eat them your body needs the energy : )