Should you eat your burned calories?

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TwitterAddict
TwitterAddict Posts: 7
in Motivation and Support
Ever since I started MFP, I always thought adding your calories burned to the calories you have left to eat was weird. If you eat those back then what calories are you burning and how are you losing fat and weight? Please give me some advice that might help me answer this weird question I have, haha.
Thanks for reading!
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Replies

  • Mysticdi
    Mysticdi Posts: 60 Member
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    I never do...they are bonus calories toward my losing.
  • olong
    olong Posts: 255 Member
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    If you don't eat your burned calories, you're then creating too much of a calorie deficit and your body will soon become stubborn and hang onto the fat you're trying to lose. If you're timid about eatting those calories, start by eatting half of them back. By all means, if you have a hungry day, eat them all back.
  • DanieEdwards
    DanieEdwards Posts: 3
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    My trainer does not have me count my workouts, so it doesnt add back those calories. I just make note of what I have done in either the exercise note or the food notes part :D HTH
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,383 Member
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    I eat mine, and as you can see below it has worked out quite well. :-). The thing is MFP builds in your deficit such that you will lose weight even without exercise. When you do exercise, it makes the deficit larger which at first glance might seem like a good thing (faster weightloss), however keeping a too-large deficit can contribute to losing a larger amount of muscle mass than you would if you keep the deficit more moderate I.e. eating your exercise calories. You don't want to lose more muscle than necessary b/c muscle helps drive your metabolism. It's common to lose some muscle while losing weight but doing it in a moderate way and incorporating strength training can help you lose as much fat and as little muscle as possible.

    ETA: also, 1 lb of fat takes up more space than 1 lb of muscle. Even though losing 1 lb of muscle looks the same on the scale as losing 1 lb of fat, they have very different effects on your appearance and measurements.
  • mickeygirliegirl
    mickeygirliegirl Posts: 302 Member
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    I hope I can explain this in a way that makes sense. MFP bases your calorie needs off of your BMR, which is your Basal Metabolic Rate, or the rate you would burn calories doing nothing (literally, laying in bed and breathing) and not your actual calories burned.

    You need to eat on top of what you burned because you need to get your calories, otherwise your body will go into what is commonly referred to as "starvation mode" and hold onto whatever calories are going in.

    Example. Let's say your BMR is 2100 calories, and your caloric need to lose 2 lb/week (without exercise) is 1200, and you burn 900 calories through exercise. You eat 1200 calories that day. You've burned 900 through exercise so it's 300 that you've actually consumed. Where if you eat 2100 but burn 900 you are still at the 1200 consumed, still at your deficit from your BMR, still will lose weight because of it and it is much much healthier weight loss.

    Hope this helps?
  • TwitterAddict
    TwitterAddict Posts: 7
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    Thanks everyone! :D
  • BarbWhite09
    BarbWhite09 Posts: 1,128 Member
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    Eat them back. & search the forums for possible answers before posting...This question is asked constantly.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    You don't have to eat back all your exercise calories just make sure not to net below your BMR. The thing about MFP is it already creates a deficit for you, so if you eat back all your exercise calories and meet your goal, you still have that deficit.

    My BMR is 1500 so I make sure to eat at least that much, plus the amount of calories that I burn. I actually have my goal set to around 1700 because I have it set to lose 1/2 pound a week.
  • HittingHerStride
    HittingHerStride Posts: 82
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    I know a lot of people get frustrated because this topic comes up daily but also keep in mind new people are joining the site everyday and most of them don't read the 'old' threads.

    I eat mine back because I believe in the theory of eating more to lose more my BMR is 1656, my body will get very confused if I eat below that.

    When I started on MFP it suggested my daily calories be 1400, that wouldn't even be enough to sustain my body if it was in a coma, I am thankful I took the time to research on my own as well.
  • torygirl79
    torygirl79 Posts: 307 Member
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    I find it a nice motivator. If I really want a bacon and egg sandwich but feel I can't because I'm on a diet, I can look at my excercise tracker and realise I can, as I've earnt it.

    Of course I'm not recommending eating lots of unhealthy food, but some treats earned makes the diet a lot more bearable.
  • TwitterAddict
    TwitterAddict Posts: 7
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    Again, I thank all of you for your input. It's really helpful to me. :)
  • tdj819
    tdj819 Posts: 41
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    I don't eat mine either, thought the other day I walked for so long and by the time dinner got around I was famished! I was scared to enter my food that day!
  • Amy_Lee_2012
    Amy_Lee_2012 Posts: 156 Member
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    I don't eat mine back. I didn't even know about eating back exercise calories until I joined MFP. Not eating them back is working for me, so I don't see any need to change things.
    I still have a lot of weight to lose, over 100 pounds- when I get closer to maintaining my weight then I might consider upping my daily calorie intake, but that won't be for a very long time :)
  • TwitterAddict
    TwitterAddict Posts: 7
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    Don't ever be scared to log in your food. It's what you ate and you have to live with it. Just keep telling yourself tomorrow is a new day because it is. :)
    And Amy Lee, good luck on your weight loss journey! You can do anything that your put your mind to. I hope you don't mind if I add you so we can help each other in our journeys to reach our own goal.
  • rufus1973
    rufus1973 Posts: 13
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    thanks for asking this
  • YvetteCherryBlossom
    YvetteCherryBlossom Posts: 5 Member
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    Thanks for asking Again! I'm new and was confused. Thanks everyone for answering again! I appreciate it tremendously!
  • drtj9khh
    drtj9khh Posts: 7
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    OKAY I AM SO CONFUSED... Do I or don't I eat back my calories??? My Brother says I got to eat my burned calories back and MFP friends told me not to and some here are saying yes eat them back and some are saying the don't. I'm new to MFP and getting into shape, right now I work out 525mins a week and eating 1600 daily. I am starting on my 4th day of Slim in 6. please help:)
  • Richard269
    Richard269 Posts: 56
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    There are 100 s of posts about this why not have a look what others say ! I don't eat my own exercise cals back
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
  • wnbrice
    wnbrice Posts: 244 Member
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    I was losing fat just fine when I ate back my calories. I am trying to stop eating them back however on the days I work out hard I cant not eat them back until it gets warmer.

    Talking burning about 1200+ a day in exercise when I am only eating 2k. On those I eat a little back, otherwise I have trouble staying warm(even with layers inside my apartment). However I am not getting hungry at all in either situation so once it starts to get warmer I will stop eating them back at all.

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