Eating back Calories from working out

ClairBears84

Should I be eating ALL my calories back when I have worked out? I know there are allot of opinions on this topic, I normally eat some of them back but not all of them?! Some nights I work out and burn 400 - 700 cal and then I eat back 100 - 300.

Should I not be doing this at all or should i be eating them all back!? somehow that doesnt make sense to me

Andromeda173

That's what I do--eat some back but not all. If I KNEW that my calorie count (for both calories in and out) were completely accurate, then perhaps I'd do otherwise. The way I see it is that an extra 200 uneaten calories from exercise balances out some underlogging of food or overlogging of exercise. Better to be a bit on the safe side.

So, if it's a small workout day (with just walking), I don't eat many back at all. If it's a big workout day (500-800 cals burned), then I eat back about half. It's worked so far!

caraguard

I asked my personal trainer this same question, because I burn at least 400 calories per 60-minute personal training session. She told me not to eat back my exercise-burned calories unless I find myself starving (which I haven't been). The only time I've eaten them back was on a special occasion where I went out for dinner/drinks and consumed more food calories than I normally would. I'm still new to MFP, but this system seems to be working out well for me so far. It's also pretty motivating when I don't eat back those exercise calories and MFP tells me how much I could lose in 5 weeks if every day were like that!

ClairBears84

Thanks ladies xx