Question about calories added after work outs...

chrissymcmurray

I'm hoping someone can help me by answering this question, so my calories per day are set at 1,200. But I work out pretty regularly, after I enter in my work outs my calories allowed go up to about 1,700. Am I supposed to consume those added calories or is it ok to come up short? I'm wanting to be healthy and I don't want to be counter productive by starving my body but it does seem a little confusing to eat calories that you just worked to burn off. Can anyone shed some light on this?

s1lence

There is some controversy over eating your exercise calories back. Some say absolutely eat them back others disagree completely. It's a personal preference. Please understand that what works for some doesn't work for others. Many people argue that you have to eat them back in order to fuel your body, others state that if you are eating what you are assigned then you should be fine. Do more research on the subject.

My opinion is that you listen to your body, if you are hungry then eat your exercise calories if you are not then don't ( this is only my opinion not medical advice). Good luck with your decision and your weight loss goal.

takirb

I don't know which is actually "better", but I try not to eat mine back. I work them off partly so I can be in a somewhat larger deficit than by not exercising at all. Doesn't make sense to me to eat them back if your trying to lose weight (not sure what your goals are). Just understand that if you burn "too many" more calories than you're taking in, you'll run low on energy and prolly be hurting yourself more than helping. If anything, just try to stay near your original calorie goal of taking in 1200, and use the extra 500 burned as a buffer for those days you may get hungrier than usual Then again, I have a hard enough time eating up to my original calorie goal each day, more less eating my exercise calories back, and now I'm running into energy problems at the gym, so take my advice for what its worth lol