do you eat back calories burned?

mfpcopine · October 2012

NO. Yeah, I might eat a bit more on a day I've worked out hard, but eat them all systematically in order to avoid "starvation mode?" YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING.

KeegansMomma · October 2012

I lose more when I DON'T eat back the calories earned from exercise. I do have days where I do eat at least some of my exercise calories back, but I do try not to eat ALL of them back on those days.

While you CAN eat those calories back, it won't get you to your weight loss goal as quickly. Plus, from what I have come to understand in the last 6 active months on here, is that MFP already factors in a deficit to calories allowed without exercise; so you could still lose weight even if you didn't exercise...but you lose MORE weight if you exercise and DON'T eat those exercise calories back.

ThereskaJanee · October 2012

Oh, that's what I wanted to ask, I just started with this app and everything and I got confused.... I know that I should stay under 1200 calories per day, if I'd eat more I should exercise. Well, I eat under 1200 and exercise and I'm confused, is it healthy and more effective for loosing weight to eat the calories back, or can I just leave it and then my intake of energy for day would be for example around 900-1000? Please somebody there help me answer this.

Robin_Bin · October 2012

Yes, I eat them back. And I'm losing at about a pound per week. It seems sustainable.

I don't always eat all of them back, but at least half and usually most of them. I don't stress if occasionally I go just a bit over on my calories, but I aim at being between the base amount MFP gives me and the amount with exercise calories -- nearer the high end.

This will not work if you double-count your activity level by setting your base level of activity to include the exercise -- for instance saying you are "active" instead of "lightly active" because you exercise very day and then adding the exercise calories on top of that. You will see that same people log all exercise as burning only "1 calorie" because they've already considered their exercise in their activity level.

Robin_Bin · October 2012

Oh, that's what I wanted to ask, I just started with this app and everything and I got confused.... I know that I should stay under 1200 calories per day, if I'd eat more I should exercise. Well, I eat under 1200 and exercise and I'm confused, is it healthy and more effective for loosing weight to eat the calories back, or can I just leave it and then my intake of energy for day would be for example around 900-1000? Please somebody there help me answer this.

No, you should not be eating under 1,200 calories per day without medical supervision. And you seem to have misunderstood the MFP recommendations, because it would never recommend 900-1,000 calories per day.

If you used the MFP goal setting routines, it tells you how many calories you should be eating each day with no exercise. That amount already includes a deficit which will usually meet the goal you asked to have. For instance, if you say you want to lose a pound per week, it has already subtracted roughly 500 calories a day from the amount it recommends that you eat. When you record exercise, it adds on calories to make up for the energy you expended. The original poster (OP) is asking about eating those extra calories... not about cutting back farther.

P.S. I say it will subtract roughly 500 calories because the exception is for small people who want to lose so quickly that they'd be eating under 1,200 calories. MFP follows a common health guideline that it's hard to meet all your normal nutritional needs at fewer than 1,200 calories, so it will not recommend anything lower.

wendymaci · October 2012

If you've got your MFP set up to lose 1lb a week then then it will account for a 500 calorie deficit already. So if you're accurately measuring your excersice calories you should be able to eat them back and still lose because you'll still have the 500 calorie deficit. I eat most of mine back and I'm slowly losing weight. If you're using MFP to figure out your calories then I'd only eat about 1/2 of them back because I find they are high on some of the calories they say you burn. I use a polar heart rate monitor with a chest strap and that is how I determine my calories burned I find it pretty accurate.

ssaum · November 2012

I was eating back my calories for about a month and nothing good came of it, although I feel a little tighter from working out, my weight stayed the same. now I am trying not to eat back the calories unless I feel I REALLY need them. (Sometimes after an intense workout I am more hungry throughout the day). Fingers crossed. I only have 20lbs I want to lose to get to my ideal weight of 124, so I feel like I am at a plateu too.

bsharrah · November 2012

I am finding this thread extremely comforting. I was beginning to think most here were mindless sheep who actually believed you need to eat back exercise calories because some 110 pound fitness junkie, who was never considered obese in their entire life, said you should. Kudos to all of you for passing on the kool-aid.

maryjay52 · November 2012

i usually go over 1-200 calories depending on my day ..if i work out a lot then i let my body tell me what i need

vmekash · November 2012

I've always eaten them back -- at least most of them. I simply try to net my daily calorie goal every day, and must eat them back to do so.

springseternal · November 2012

I did until recently. I had set myself to sedentary, and would log almost all my activities. Since I got my fitbit, and have a more accurate idea of my activity levels, I changed my settings accordingly and don't.

HDG1972 · March 2013

OK! This is how I look at it. Anyone can correct me if im wrong. Lets say you set up you MFP to lose 2 pounds a week. Your calorie intake is set at 1200. This means you will be consuming 7000 calories less in a week. Now you add in exercise and burn 500 calories a day which makes your calories 700 for that day (DANGEROUSLY LOW!!). So you now bump your calorie intake to 1200 + 500=1700 and will still get a 2 pound weightloss. So in my head you should eat back your calories.