What type of calories to "eat back"?

mcubed85
mcubed85 Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm tracking my carb, fat and protein levels along with my calories. After exercising, I know I "earn" more calories, but what type should I eat back? I want to stay under my carb/fat/protein goals for the day, but where should I get those extra cals?

Replies

  • docsallen
    docsallen Posts: 159 Member
    I'm not sure I understand the question. When I enter my exercise on MFP, it adds those calories to my daily intake limit and calculates how many of the calories should be carbs/fat/protein. The amounts I think are based on the distribution you specified for the unadjusted calorie limits.
  • atjays
    atjays Posts: 797 Member
    Change your diary to public so we can see what you're eating. Typically can't go wrong with proteins, but depending on what you're eating you may be lacking elsewhere
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    I read somewhere that eating back calories is applicable after a vigorous weight lifting or high intensity cardio such as sprints because your muscles tear down. For that protein & carbs are a must since it will go straight to the muscles.

    I don't know if its also applicable for ordinary low intensity to moderate cardio.
  • dougii
    dougii Posts: 679 Member
    Docsallen has the calculation correct. There seem to be two sides to this: those that beleive you should eat the exercised calories back in your daily diet and those that think the opposite. I fall into the don't eat them back camp and have been losing pounds consistently by keeping my daily intake between 1600 and 1800 calories and shooting to exercise 800 or more of them away. My doctor says to find your ideal weight and multiply by 10 for a rough calculation of what you should be consuming each day - he doesn't say anything about eating back the calories that I am burning through exercise (and I have shared my detailed daily diary of intake and exercise wih him).
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I'm tracking my carb, fat and protein levels along with my calories. After exercising, I know I "earn" more calories, but what type should I eat back? I want to stay under my carb/fat/protein goals for the day, but where should I get those extra cals?

    Fat and protein, especially protein, are more goals than limits. It's ok to go over them, and if you're using the default MFP settings, you should aim to go over your protein since it's quite low.

    Eat where you're lacking. If you're low on protein, eat more protein. Low on fat, add more fat. Low on carbs, enjoy something delicious.

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