Why you shouldn't eat back excercise calories.

heatherterp

what about the eat more weigh less idea?

half_moon

Man people are just bitter. Its an opinion - he is entitled to it! There are people who eat like crap on some crazy version of Atkins and lose tonnes of weight - then there are people starving themselves (1200 calories a day) and they lose weight - [...] But then people get bitter about others eating food versus the starvation technique they've choosen. Its just advice - take it or leave it. Go have a sandwich or something to eat people - it might help with some of that starvation crankiness you haters have going on.

I swear to god if I read one more post like this I will go cross eyed.

AELKRJGHDSLKJF.

HildeDanmark

http://www.barbellsandbeakers.com/2012/07/04/people-tend-to-overestimate-the-amount-of-calories-they-burn/

I personally dont eat back my exercise calories but i know that it works for some people and not others. Try both for a week and see what works best for your body. However this article above was very interesting and is probably why eating back calories doesnt work for me

This is part of it. I eat back some of calories, but not all. IMO, MFP overestimates a lot of the exercises and calories burned.

Marmitegeoff

Bump for later

RLDeShazo

And to answer the "sedentary" questions, change it from sedentary to what closer resembles your workout routine. If you choose sedentary and then eat extra only on days you workout, you would still be priming your body for fat storage mode.

Let's say you are eating 1200 on non workout days (as an example only), and then eating 2200 calories on workout days. The message your body is getting is that on non-workout days you are starving and should store fat and cut energy expenditure. I'm sure that you can argue that this approach has worked for 2 weeks, but your body will very quickly adapt and you will start struggling and weight will start going up.

Except that your body doesn't work on a 24 hour clock, and it doesn't do math. Your body just knows surplus calories vs. deficit calories.

ChanniVincent

I try to eat back less than half.

MosierTim

Here are some additional thoughts on why you should not eat ALL of your exercise calories back:

1) the estimate daliy burn that MFP is missing a component if you ask me. A 300 lb man with a fair amount of lean muscle mass will burn more calories doing nothing than a 300 lb man that has very little lean muscle mass. (Muscle burns more calories than Muscle) There is no accounting for your body composition when they calculate your daily burn. Just because someone is 5'11, 300 lbs and has a sedentary life style does not mean that they have a high body fat % with little lean muscle mass.

2) unless you are using a very good monitor, you are assuming that your calorie "burn" is accurate. Lets face it, a lot of times it is an estimation. I have run for 30 minutes at a 5mph pace and my "map my run" app tells me one amount of calories burnt and MFP tells me something else.

3) you are assuming your caloric intake is recorded correctly. Unless you make the food yourself and are very percise in what you do, the calories could be off. Especially if you go out to a resturant, subway for instance, and order a sub that you used their calculator online to come up with the calories for. Who is to say that the yahoo behind the counter is measuring anything right.

4) when do you eat your extra calories? After you burn them? well what happens if I go to the gym and don't get out till the gym until 6:30 and home at 7. I have 500 calories left for the day plus an additional 700 calories from exercise. If I eat all those calories at once, some of that the body is going to store as fat anyway, but is it wise for me to eat 1200 calories for dinner when I am going to be sedentary for the next 10-12 hours? Now, if you plan ahead and spread your calories through out the day in anticipation of what your burn is going to be and then don't have as good of a day at the gym or end up missing the gym, you have now over eaten.

I think there is a happy medium of eating back some of your calories but not them all. Keep in mind that this theory of eating back your calories is to prevent your body going into starvation mode. Everybody is different so starvation mode is a different point for everyone. it is not a magic #. As much as some people hate to hear this, you have to figure out what works with your body.

As a side note, I am living proof that you can lose weight with out eating back your calories. There are very few days that I eat back any of my exercise calories much less ALL of them and yet I have lost 98 lbs so far!

withabandon

I can understand if you are logging calories for cleaning house or folding clothes and then eating them all back that it wouldn't work... I only count a burn if it is something I have specifically set out to do for the purpose of burning calories, and that helps.

I just don't understand how someone can come on here, saying "This is the one true way" despite HUNDREDS of testimonies otherwise. I don't think there IS "one true way" - I work with horses... my favourite saying is "not every thing works for every horse" and it is 100% true - MANY things work for MOST horses, but every once in a while, you have to think outside of the box. I think it's a good practice to read and learn all you can, pick and choose what works for you to keep in your "toolbox" and move forward. It's an individual journey - but if you're here on MFP and ignoring the entire premise of the site (which is, essentially, eat back your exercise calories - now what actually SHOULD you log as burnt calories is a whole other ballgame), you're not really making any sense at all, are you?

13pointUNO

I can understand if you are logging calories for cleaning house or folding clothes and then eating them all back that it wouldn't work... I only count a burn if it is something I have specifically set out to do for the purpose of burning calories, and that helps.

I just don't understand how someone can come on here, saying "This is the one true way" despite HUNDREDS of testimonies otherwise. I don't think there IS "one true way" - I work with horses... my favourite saying is "not every thing works for every horse" and it is 100% true - MANY things work for MOST horses, but every once in a while, you have to think outside of the box. I think it's a good practice to read and learn all you can, pick and choose what works for you to keep in your "toolbox" and move forward. It's an individual journey - but if you're here on MFP and ignoring the entire premise of the site (which is, essentially, eat back your exercise calories - now what actually SHOULD you log as burnt calories is a whole other ballgame), you're not really making any sense at all, are you?

Oh, so we're all HORSES now? Thanks a lot!!!!

RobynMWilson

I entered my activity level without my workouts and then log my workouts daily. I also don't include cleaning the house, sweeping my school bus, vacuuming, etc as exercise. I'm not looking to lose though...I tend to be a few hundred cals below what MFP gives me on workout days, even though I EAT and my weight is steady so I can see how there may be some truth to it. I actually have to make an effort to eat MORE soon since I'm starting P90X and have to increase my protein so I really have to concentrate on getting closer to my calorie goal in lean protein...

Usbornegal

OK - for kicks, I went in and reset my exercise levels to 0 per week for 0 minutes. It is the same if I put 4 per week for 90 minutes. MFP DOES NOT calculate this into the amount of calories it gives you per day. A little research shows that OP did not have the facts straight.

jcstanton

I didn't read the whole thread, as I am at work and can't take the time to do that right now. Here's my take on the issue. I have my activity level set at "Lightly Active", which means that my workouts are NOT accounted for. However, I rarely eat back more than half of my exercise calories, if at all. The reason? Because I don't have a HR monitor, so I can't be sure of an accurate calorie burn, and because I can't be sure that the calories logged are 100% accurate. I eat my MFP calorie allowance, and, if I'm still feeling hungry (TRULY hungry, not just in the mood to eat), I'll eat a little more...generally not more than 300-350 calories, though.

bailyc

So if you are now consuming an extra 700 calories that you "earned" from excercise you are in fact just consuming an extra 700 calories, and are consuming 200 calories above your goal so you will very slowly gain weight instead of losing weight.

If you eat back all 700 that you BURNED earlier then those calories would just equal each other out. -700+700=0. Then your total intake for the day would just be the 1200 or whatever MFP allocates with the 500-1000 ALREADY SUBTRACTED! I've lost a little over 20 lbs in 10 weeks doing this. 2lbs a week, like clockwork.

withabandon

I can understand if you are logging calories for cleaning house or folding clothes and then eating them all back that it wouldn't work... I only count a burn if it is something I have specifically set out to do for the purpose of burning calories, and that helps.

I just don't understand how someone can come on here, saying "This is the one true way" despite HUNDREDS of testimonies otherwise. I don't think there IS "one true way" - I work with horses... my favourite saying is "not every thing works for every horse" and it is 100% true - MANY things work for MOST horses, but every once in a while, you have to think outside of the box. I think it's a good practice to read and learn all you can, pick and choose what works for you to keep in your "toolbox" and move forward. It's an individual journey - but if you're here on MFP and ignoring the entire premise of the site (which is, essentially, eat back your exercise calories - now what actually SHOULD you log as burnt calories is a whole other ballgame), you're not really making any sense at all, are you?

Oh, so we're all HORSES now? Thanks a lot!!!!

LOL Don't be offended - I relate everything in life to horses (which I know something about) and cars (which I don't - but I have been known to talk about fueling a car like fueling your body more than once!). I have lost 72lbs by eating back my exercise calories. Now, if I could just get control over my weekend eating, I would be on top of the other 72lbs I want to lose!

Sentrita

what is a fit bit?

A fitbit is simiar to a pedometer, except it's more accurate and even counts how many flights of stairs you've climbed. You can check it out under the "tools" section of MFP. Also the website is www.fitbit.com.

tryinghard71

And to answer the "sedentary" questions, change it from sedentary to what closer resembles your workout routine. If you choose sedentary and then eat extra only on days you workout, you would still be priming your body for fat storage mode.

Let's say you are eating 1200 on non workout days (as an example only), and then eating 2200 calories on workout days. The message your body is getting is that on non-workout days you are starving and should store fat and cut energy expenditure. I'm sure that you can argue that this approach has worked for 2 weeks, but your body will very quickly adapt and you will start struggling and weight will start going up.

^^
I disagree. I am Set at 1300. Sedentary job. Eat back my work out calories. Lost 21.5 pounds.

mfpcopine

Good explanation. It's not only counter-intuitive not to eat back your exercise calories, it's common sense.

jcstanton

And to answer the "sedentary" questions, change it from sedentary to what closer resembles your workout routine. If you choose sedentary and then eat extra only on days you workout, you would still be priming your body for fat storage mode.

Let's say you are eating 1200 on non workout days (as an example only), and then eating 2200 calories on workout days. The message your body is getting is that on non-workout days you are starving and should store fat and cut energy expenditure. I'm sure that you can argue that this approach has worked for 2 weeks, but your body will very quickly adapt and you will start struggling and weight will start going up.

^^
I disagree. I am Set at 1300. Sedentary job. Eat back my work out calories. Lost 21.5 pounds.

I workout six days per week, so I don't think ONE day of rest is going to completely eliminate all my work for the week, either.

LolasEpicJourney

Personally - I eat back my calories. Why ? Because it works for me
Eating BACK my calories I still lose my 2lbs a week.
Exercise isnt included in the setting of your daily activity level - or atleast I dont account for it in mine. Simply because there are days when exercise is far from my mind.

Everyone's body is different - what works for you might not work or me or the next person.

Its about findingwhat works for you!

sageatl

I wish someone would answer your question. This si exactly what makes it confusing. Don’t add the exercise calories to my intake if I’m not supposed to eat them.

hazelovesfood

OMG this is what I mean, all this drives me nuts, Im currently eating some of my excerice cals each day but not all. Today for instance, i have burned just over 900, Ive done a 6 mile walk and 53 mins of swimming, I have ate 1700 ish of food and my net is only about 700, so for as long as ive been on here, ive been told to eat those exercise cals. coz if you dont your body is really only getting 700 like today, now im running out of time to eat more today, but it will make up for the over load i had the other day.
My bmr is 1580, I burn about 1980 a day just being me, so I eat 1500 as per recommend on mfp and I do that if i dont excersise at all. then my body is getting that 1500, but if i do lots like today, my body is getting under 1000 as im burning it off.

kbolanowski

I have a degree in exercise science and have just started using this program. Your daily expenditure of calories is already going to be lowered if you are trying to lose weight with this program. I have a resting metabolic rate (which means that if you slept a full day and did nothing, my body would burn that many calories) of about 1400 calories per day, so in theory, to maintain your weight you would want to eat that many calories a day. (Also considering the quality of food you eat) Since I am trying to lose weight, my daily expenditure is 1200cals. I run for at least 35 minutes a day. That would mean I burn off an extra 350-400 calories/day. That would put my caloric value for the day at around 850 calories. That is simply not enough calories for one day. It's starvation. You have to refuel your body after exercising. The program already cuts calories to lose weight, using exercise to cut more isn't healthy. Your body will break down muscle and not fat.

half_moon

I have a degree in exercise science and have just started using this program. Your daily expenditure of calories is already going to be lowered if you are trying to lose weight with this program. I have a resting metabolic rate (which means that if you slept a full day and did nothing, my body would burn that many calories) of about 1400 calories per day, so in theory, to maintain your weight you would want to eat that many calories a day. (Also considering the quality of food you eat) Since I am trying to lose weight, my daily expenditure is 1200cals. I run for at least 35 minutes a day. That would mean I burn off an extra 350-400 calories/day. That would put my caloric value for the day at around 850 calories. That is simply not enough calories for one day. It's starvation. You have to refuel your body after exercising. The program already cuts calories to lose weight, using exercise to cut more isn't healthy. Your body will break down muscle and not fat.

I am doing this very thing and gaining muscle and losing fat.

There is no right answer, guys.

Bearman45

I eat 'em. More or less. Simple as that...

Vailara

OK - for kicks, I went in and reset my exercise levels to 0 per week for 0 minutes. It is the same if I put 4 per week for 90 minutes. MFP DOES NOT calculate this into the amount of calories it gives you per day. A little research shows that OP did not have the facts straight.

True. If you're talking about the bit of the profile that I'm thinking of then, yes, it shouldn't adjust. I take it to mean that those "exercise levels" are your goal - you plan to work out 0 per week for 0 minutes, or 4 per week for 90 minutes. That's what appears on your exercise tab. Your calorie allowance will stay the same until you actually add in the exercise you've done.

Anayalata

I have a degree in exercise science and have just started using this program. Your daily expenditure of calories is already going to be lowered if you are trying to lose weight with this program. I have a resting metabolic rate (which means that if you slept a full day and did nothing, my body would burn that many calories) of about 1400 calories per day, so in theory, to maintain your weight you would want to eat that many calories a day. (Also considering the quality of food you eat) Since I am trying to lose weight, my daily expenditure is 1200cals. I run for at least 35 minutes a day. That would mean I burn off an extra 350-400 calories/day. That would put my caloric value for the day at around 850 calories. That is simply not enough calories for one day. It's starvation. You have to refuel your body after exercising. The program already cuts calories to lose weight, using exercise to cut more isn't healthy. Your body will break down muscle and not fat.

I am doing this very thing and gaining muscle and losing fat.

There is no right answer, guys.

Wrong. There is a right answer. Calorie in < Calories out = Loss in Body Mass.

And you can't "gain muscle" as much as you think you can while losing fat.

All these myths that are "common sense" need to be put down already. It's getting old.

half_moon

I have a degree in exercise science and have just started using this program. Your daily expenditure of calories is already going to be lowered if you are trying to lose weight with this program. I have a resting metabolic rate (which means that if you slept a full day and did nothing, my body would burn that many calories) of about 1400 calories per day, so in theory, to maintain your weight you would want to eat that many calories a day. (Also considering the quality of food you eat) Since I am trying to lose weight, my daily expenditure is 1200cals. I run for at least 35 minutes a day. That would mean I burn off an extra 350-400 calories/day. That would put my caloric value for the day at around 850 calories. That is simply not enough calories for one day. It's starvation. You have to refuel your body after exercising. The program already cuts calories to lose weight, using exercise to cut more isn't healthy. Your body will break down muscle and not fat.

I am doing this very thing and gaining muscle and losing fat.

There is no right answer, guys.

Wrong. There is a right answer. Calorie in < Calories out = Loss in Body Mass.

And you can't "gain muscle" as much as you think you can while losing fat.

All these myths that are "common sense" need to be put down already. It's getting old.

I'm sure there is an article/research to back up every method. What I see is what works for me. And it doesn't apply to your straight forward rules. I'm eating ~1200, exercising, losing weight, and getting stronger. It's not complicated. That's just how I'm doing it.

Anayalata

I'm sure there is an article/research to back up every method. What I see is what works for me. And it doesn't apply to your straight forward rules. I'm eating ~1200, exercising, losing weight, and getting stronger. It's not complicated. That's just how I'm doing it.

"What works for me" is great... for the individual.

I don't understand why people can't realize the basic science of it.
A calorie is a unit of energy.
Your body expends energy to maintain itself (organ function etc.)
You then expend more energy with daily activity.
Eat less than you expend and you will lose weight.

Consistently eating less than you need means you lower the amount of energy your bodily functions use.
This happens either by losing mass (means there is less weight to carry so your body doesn't have to use as much energy to support itself) or your other body processes slow down (thinking, breathing, liver functions, etc.).

Do this for an extended period of time and even 1200 calories will be too much. If you want to keep eating less and less until your body can't survive on anything lower then be my guest.

graelwyn

I set mfp to sedentary, use my fitbit and an hrm and eat back most of what I burn extra. I wouldn't do very well maintaining my weight if I carried on burning 700-1000 over my sedentary calories and didn't eat them back.

jenbk2

There's alot of debate among people here as to whether you should or shoul not eat bac excercise calories. Let me offer you an explanation as to why you should not eat back excercise calories, and hopefully this will put the topic to a rest.

Put this topic to rest? This is the FUNNIEST thing I have ever read on these message boards...