Do you eat exercise calories?

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  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    Of course, why wouldn't I? MFP already calculates a deficit so I can lose weight (when I'm not maintaining, that is) so I don't need to make that deficit any larger, when I can lose weight anyway eating my daily allowance plus the extra cals I burn exercising..

    If you want to look at it another way..... just about any calorie calculator you can find out there will include more calories if you are active than if you are sedentary. MFP adds them in when you have actually done the exercise instead of asking how active you plan to be and allocating calories based on what you "might do" rather than what you "actually do".

    But if you don't want to eat them, because you want to make your calorie deficit bigger.... go for it, just make sure you understand what you are doing.

    In my opinion, cutting calories drastically is a recipe for short term loss and long term frustration - but your experience may be different. Good luck in figuring out what's right for you.
  • aggie613
    aggie613 Posts: 21
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    It's all about the calculation. If you want to lose 2 lbs/week, then you need to create a 7000 calorie defecit, both through eating less and exercise. My RMR is about 1350 x .2 for a sedentary job = 1590 cals. By eating 1300/day, I create a 2000 cal deficit each week. I need to burn, and NOT eat, an additional 1500 cals/wk to lose one lb. Calculate based on your RMR and figure it out...you could eat the calories above and beyond what you need to get to 7000/week.
  • hallensd
    hallensd Posts: 16 Member
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    I don't eat mine back. I did some research and found that it is only important to eat them back if you are close to your goal weight. For people who are severely overweight (me), it is not necessary. It has something to do with burning fat versus lean body mass.

    For example, my MFP guidelines are to eat 1660 calories a day (this is for a 2lb loss per week). I exercise and burn about 240 calories a day. That would put me at 1900 calories a day. However, most days I average 1450-1600.

    However, if your MFP guidelines are 1200 calories per day, it is more important to eat any extra exercise calories to ensure your body is getting the fuel it needs (as 1200 is the minimum recommendation).
  • robinrainville
    robinrainville Posts: 20 Member
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    I too have struggled with this question. I usually try not to. I will use them as a cushion, but I try to avoid relying on exercise cals. But I do dabble in the practice of fluctuating my calorie intake. If I go over one day I to to be under the next day. When I enter my exercise cals, I try to underestimate them too.
  • lisaauthier
    lisaauthier Posts: 3 Member
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    So will I still lose weight if I choose to eat some of the exercise calories? Those of you who do this, do you find that you can still lose weight each week? I guess I am just finding it hard to understand that you can lose weight when you are eating more. Thanks for all the input from everyone!!:wink:
  • junyr
    junyr Posts: 416 Member
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    So will I still lose weight if I choose to eat some of the exercise calories? Those of you who do this, do you find that you can still lose weight each week? I guess I am just finding it hard to understand that you can lose weight when you are eating more. Thanks for all the input from everyone!!:wink:

    This is because the website calculates in your deficit with no regard to your exercise.... One of the other posts in this thread explained it very well.
  • TeresaC79
    TeresaC79 Posts: 316 Member
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    Never... I feel it defeats the purpose of exercising. I don't exercise to eat more I exercise to lose weight.

    Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Weight loss is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise. You can exercise off 1000 calories a day, but if you eat 3000 calories and your body doesn't need them all, you won't lose weight.

    MFP is set up for you to lose with NO exercise. Not eating back at least some of the calories will put your net too low and actually do more harm then good.

    Do some searching around on this site for more info. There are millions of these threads...and opinions around here are like *kitten* holes....everybody has one.

    Science is a better place to look.
  • TeresaC79
    TeresaC79 Posts: 316 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • gregavila
    gregavila Posts: 725 Member
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    I am already eating to a 2 pound a week (1,000 calorie per day) deficit, so yes, I tend to eat my exercise calories back.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    So will I still lose weight if I choose to eat some of the exercise calories? Those of you who do this, do you find that you can still lose weight each week? I guess I am just finding it hard to understand that you can lose weight when you are eating more. Thanks for all the input from everyone!!:wink:

    You can lose weight if you eat all of them (assuming you are accurately logging your food and exercise)
    You aren't really "eating more" - its just that MFP takes your calorie deficit from your food cals not your exercise cals.
  • froeschli
    froeschli Posts: 1,292 Member
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    I exercise so I CAN eat those extra calories :blushing:
  • toorisky
    toorisky Posts: 51 Member
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    Never... I feel it defeats the purpose of exercising. I don't exercise to eat more I exercise to lose weight.

    I agree with you 120%.... I try not to eat the exercise calories :wink:


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    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods
  • treetop57
    treetop57 Posts: 1,578 Member
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    Those of you who do this, do you find that you can still lose weight each week?

    I eat them and I'm losing a pound a week, my goal. If I stopped losing, I'd reconsider.
  • kaydensmom12
    kaydensmom12 Posts: 338
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    I ALWAYS eat 90-100% of my exercise calories back.

    I am still losing weight, and am losing inches much more than weight.
  • snlperdue93
    snlperdue93 Posts: 210 Member
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    Currently I do not eat them because my doctor wants me to stick to 1200 cals per day. I gained weight because I became a busy Mom and did not take the time to eat, so when I started working with my doc I was only eating 500-600 calories per day. So, jumping up to 1200 is very hard for me and most of the time I am scrambling to find something healthy to fill the last 200-300 cals before the end of the day.

    I am sure over the next month or two she will tell me to either up my calorie goal or start eating some of my exercise calories back now that I have a HRM, but as of now I do not eat them.
  • danipals
    danipals Posts: 143 Member
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    The website is designed to calculate your deficit by doing NO EXERCISE so any exercise you do is above and beyond the existing deficit. Even if you eat every single calorie you get from doing exercise you will remain in your deficit calculated when you set up your profile here on MFP.

    The original calculation fuels your body for every day life. Eating back your exercise calories fuels your extra activity. Either way your deficit will remain the same.

    Eat for body composition, exercise for fitness, fuel both.

    Thank you! I think this concept is hard for people to realize. MFP has already done the work calculating the deficit for you without exercise!
  • dracc1989
    dracc1989 Posts: 7
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    I eat them all back but I do enter in less exercise than I actually do. If I do 60 minutes of something, like kickboxing, I'll only enter in 40-45 minutes. I think this website and a lot of gym machines, like treadmills and ellipticals, actually overestimate the number of calories burned: http://running.about.com/od/treadmillrunning/f/treadmillcaloriecounter.htm.
  • PinkEarthMama
    PinkEarthMama Posts: 987 Member
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    Heck yes, I eat them!

    My activity level is set to sedentary, since I work at home and a good portion of my day is spent sitting on the floor playing with babies. Therefore, if I want to lose 2lbs a week, MFP has my calories set at 1200.

    1200 is an awfully low number.

    I work out HARD 5-6 days a week, burning between 500-1000 calories a session.

    I eat them back in good food : protein, fruit, vegetables, etc so that my NET calories is around 1200. I don't stress if I'm a few calories under or over that, give or take a hundred or two.
  • big_eye
    big_eye Posts: 19 Member
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    OK so here it is right from my Dietitian's mouth!!

    Today I went to weigh in and found that I have gained 2kg (4lbs), yes it was heartbreaking after all the exercise I did last week, and rewarded myself to eating up those "Bonus Calories".

    If you want to lose weight, eat less and burn more. Pure science!! Do not increase your caloric intake, as it clearly and evidently defeats the purpose of exercise.

    I can honestly say, "Lesson learned" so I will hop back onto the wagon and start again!! So going forward I will start my 21 day habit forming to maintain strictly diet and exercise and reward myself with the weight lost from exercise as any bonus...

    Take care folks and you can follow me in my blog
    "21 days"

    Eileen
  • TeresaC79
    TeresaC79 Posts: 316 Member
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    OK so here it is right from my Dietitian's mouth!!

    Today I went to weigh in and found that I have gained 2kg (4lbs), yes it was heartbreaking after all the exercise I did last week, and rewarded myself to eating up those "Bonus Calories".

    If you want to lose weight, eat less and burn more. Pure science!! Do not increase your caloric intake, as it clearly and evidently defeats the purpose of exercise.

    I can honestly say, "Lesson learned" so I will hop back onto the wagon and start again!! So going forward I will start my 21 day habit forming to maintain strictly diet and exercise and reward myself with the weight lost from exercise as any bonus...

    Take care folks and you can follow me in my blog
    "21 days"

    Eileen

    Doesn't make your dietitian right.

    If she were, how would it be possible for me to lose 21 lbs in 65 days eating back 60% or more of my exercise calories?

    Your body needs fuel. If you are underrating you will slow your metabolism. Good luck with that.

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