Do you eat your extra calories from working out?

mountaingirl222
mountaingirl222 Posts: 88
in Food and Nutrition
I was just wondering how many of you eat your "earned" calories from working out? I dont, I eat my regular goal calories and that is it. Is this bad?
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Replies

  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I eat them, did from the get go.

    It's the way this site is designed to work. You have a calorie deficit without exercising. Other calorie counting plans include the exercise you SAY you're going to do into your calorie goal. MFP doesn't include it unless and until you actually DO it.

    So another site might tell you to eat, for example 1800 calories, assuming you'll do a half hour of exercise daily and burn 300 calories. MPF will tell you to eat 1500 calories, then if you exercise and burn 300 calories, it adds that to your 1500 for the same total of 1800.
  • mckant
    mckant Posts: 217 Member
    I do and I've found that it works out better for me!
  • Karen_ZH
    Karen_ZH Posts: 80 Member
    I don't manage to eat some of the calories I get from working out. If I am actually HUNGRY, then I will eat them. Otherwise, I just pay attention to how I feel.
  • mommy2twingirls
    mommy2twingirls Posts: 1
    I do as well. I have found if I don't I dont have the energy for the workout AND I find myself starving!!! :)
  • gsager
    gsager Posts: 977 Member
    Yes, I eat them!!!!
  • irisheyez718
    irisheyez718 Posts: 677 Member
    Yes, I eat my exercise calories and enjoy every last bite!
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Always have done, always will do. 822 extra yesterday! :drinker:
  • lauraemthomson
    lauraemthomson Posts: 68 Member
    YES! i eat most or all of my calories earned from my workouts, if i dont i feel hungry(always hungry after a workout anyway). I think eating my extra cals actually helps me keep the weight loss at a steady pace and able to keep the weight off when i do have a bad week!

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    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • Airbear3
    Airbear3 Posts: 335 Member
    i haven't since january2 when i started back....but just like the last time i am at a stand still no weight loss or inches so now i have to eat them to get the scale moving again! when will i learn??????
  • katkins3
    katkins3 Posts: 1,359 Member
    YES. Oh boy do I!
    I wear a HRM so I get a realistic number and avoid overestimating the calories to eat back. I usually leave a small quantity, just for wiggle room.
  • sethduncan
    sethduncan Posts: 2 Member
    Most times the work out makes me hungry so I go for it, but I still try to manage a deficit to help out in the long-run.
  • woodbct
    woodbct Posts: 3
    I'm still confused about whether or not to eat the Net caloriesa after working out. I just started P90X (typing this hurts!) and I know I will need to eat well duiring the program but I need to lose 25 lbs. My calroie intake is supposed to be 1200 to lose the weight but I keep getting an additional 500 calories after I log in my exercise for the day. Can I eat those calories and still stay on track for my weight loss target?

    Someone mentiona a "700 calrie" article but I couldn't find it. Anyone have a link?
  • melb2003
    melb2003 Posts: 198
    I'm 26 years old and this is my second time really dedicating myself to loosing weight. The first time I did weight watchers and I worked out every day and ate almost all the extra calories I earned, and the results, I lost 34 lbs in 9 weeks. This time, I try to burn about 800-1,000 calories in a workout and I do that about 5 times a week, but I only eat a very small portion of the calories earned thinking I'll lose the weight faster and the weight is coming off at about the same pace, maybe even a little slower. I think it just depends on your body type, and how your body is reacting to the dieting and working out.
  • hezzyhlo
    hezzyhlo Posts: 55 Member
    It depends on what type of activity I am doing, or how hard I am pushing it. Be careful if you are using the machines to estimate calories burned, they tend to HIGHLY overestimate.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Always have, always will!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I'm still confused about whether or not to eat the Net caloriesa after working out. I just started P90X (typing this hurts!) and I know I will need to eat well duiring the program but I need to lose 25 lbs. My calroie intake is supposed to be 1200 to lose the weight but I keep getting an additional 500 calories after I log in my exercise for the day. Can I eat those calories and still stay on track for my weight loss target?

    Someone mentiona a "700 calrie" article but I couldn't find it. Anyone have a link?

    With 25 pounds to lose, make sure you're set to ONE pound a week. 1200, even with your exercise calories, might not be enough.

    I ate between 1350-1500 plus exercise calories for most of my weight loss, averaging between 1800-2000 a day. I'm maintaining now, and eat 1700 + exercise calories.
  • cathypowers1
    cathypowers1 Posts: 8
    Oh hell yes! (Can't figure out why I've only lost 13 pounds:happy: )
  • cowgirlslikeus86
    cowgirlslikeus86 Posts: 597 Member
    HECK YA!!!

    I live to eat and eat to live and love food and it loves me.........lol!

    I can't live on 1200 calories.......especially if I work out. MFP suggests 1200 calories for my base. I usually eat more and then most of my exercise calories......I try to focus on hitting the weekly goal more so then the daily one.

    Lost almost 20lbs in 7 weeks and went from not running a step to enough energy for 5-8 miles 4-6 days a week
  • Weathers58
    Weathers58 Posts: 246 Member
    Yep most of them. If I'm hungry I eat them if not I dont its simple for me.

    I didnt eat them all yesterday but try to eat good healthy unprocessed food especially protien after my runs
  • mountaingirl222
    mountaingirl222 Posts: 88
    Thanks guys! Maybe I will try it and see what happens :)
  • kvissy
    kvissy Posts: 205 Member
    Depends on the day...I've been trying to jsut eat when I'm hungry (but of course taking in a minimum of 1200 cals/day)
  • robot_potato
    robot_potato Posts: 1,535 Member
    I eat them if I'm hungry, if not then I don't. My goal is 1580, I do not let myself eat less than 1350, and I rarely need to eat my exercise calories.
  • monicaroozo
    monicaroozo Posts: 200
    Yes!

    My base is 1200. I work out so that I can have some flexibility in my diet, be social and enjoy life while still losing!
  • goldengodd3ss
    goldengodd3ss Posts: 47 Member
    Great question Mountaingirl! I also wondered the same thing.

    From reading the responses, I suppose consensus is: go ahead, eat the earned calories and eating the earned calories may in fact help with weight loss.

    Correct me if I'm wrong? :huh:
  • kyle4jem
    kyle4jem Posts: 1,400 Member
    HRM calories I might bank for the weekend or for an ice cream in the evening, but swimming calories I might indulge about 40%'s worth as I'm not really sure of the accuracy of MFP.

    Either way, I probably eat about 50-60% of my exercise calories throughout the week and then there's always the weekends in the pub!!! :drinker:
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,870 Member
    <---- Shed 135 pounds (EEK!)
    Dropped her body fat from 56% to 22%
    Shed 100 inches all over her body
    Eats her exercise calories.

    :)
  • Denjo060
    Denjo060 Posts: 1,008
    I usally do that why I work out so much :drinker: :laugh:
  • happy2mamma
    happy2mamma Posts: 14 Member
    If I eat the extra calories, my new focus is to make them healthy calories and not empty calories.
  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
    every single one of them ;D
  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
    I do if I'm hungry.

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