Do you eat your exercise calories or leave them alone?

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Replies

  • neptuneiscrashingdown
    neptuneiscrashingdown Posts: 7
    Nope. I always try to eat my 1200/day in food. I hate going over.
  • ashlinmarie
    ashlinmarie Posts: 1,263 Member
    I have found that I'm not as successful if I eat my exercise calories back. I leave them, but if I am hungry and they are there, I by no means starve myself. They are more of a buffer if I feel I need more food, but not necessarily what I have to eat.
  • ansy96
    ansy96 Posts: 55
    It depends on how many calories I have burned, e.g. when I'm in the swimming pool swimming for about 5 hours I can't eat all my calories but I eat some of them. When I'm in the gym I burn about 800 calories so I eat 0-400 cals, it depends on how hungry I am.

    So eat if you're hungry !!
  • Redskins76
    Redskins76 Posts: 68
    I am 50/50 depending what day of the week it is. During the week I mostly stay in my calories and the weekend is where they help out. (pk&sk)
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    I set my activity level to "sedentary" (basically just my BMR) to make sure I eat at least my BMR. So yes, I do "eat back" exercise calories. Why WOULDN'T you eat more on exercise days, when your body requires more calories?
  • kittyhasclaws
    kittyhasclaws Posts: 446 Member
    I'm not eating back exercise calories now because I've manually changed my caloric intake number to my TDEE-15%, so I already have my normal exercise number worked it. Since I'm eating under my TDEE, I don't feel bad about it if I DO eat a little of it back.

    If you are using MFP's numbers, you should eat back a portion of your calories burned- not all, because it's inaccurate what they have for a burn. I'm starting to lose decently now that I've actually done up my numbers and am working with them instead of counting on MFP's numbers.

    This is a really good resource if you want to do your own numbers: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    It depends. I might save them up and splurge on the weekend, if I have something planned. Or I might want a dessert that night. Or, I might just be hungry, especially if I had a particularly intense workout.

    My only rules:
    Calories in- Calories Out
    Get enough protein
    Get enough fiber
  • SkettiGurl
    SkettiGurl Posts: 186 Member
    Eat! And then some on most days! But seems to work for me :)
  • EnergyYesPlease
    EnergyYesPlease Posts: 104
    I strongly believe that if you eat the calories you just burnt, what are you losing? Nothing really since you're stashing all those calories back into your system. I log my workouts but stick to my 1200/day calorie intake in order to really see those changes. I eat healthy and exercise every day.... there's nothing wrong with not consuming the extra calories. Do what works best for you and good luck! :)) :))
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    If you don't want to eat them then I suggest you change your activity level to active or very active. This will give you more calories each day and essentially averages out your exercise cals for the week, instead of day to day.
  • johnss05
    johnss05 Posts: 1
    While I am trying to lose I don't want to inhibit the weight loss, so I eat exercise calories when I'm starving but I try to add healthy options. I think each person is on their own journey, so it depends where you are.
  • jerbear1962
    jerbear1962 Posts: 1,157 Member
    I discussed it with my doctor today and he recommended that I don't eat back my exercise calories.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I strongly believe that if you eat the calories you just burnt, what are you losing? Nothing really since you're stashing all those calories back into your system. I log my workouts but stick to my 1200/day calorie intake in order to really see those changes. I eat healthy and exercise every day.... there's nothing wrong with not consuming the extra calories. Do what works best for you and good luck! :)) :))

    Yes htere is something wrong with that. 1200 is the minimum you should get being sedentary, once you exercise your body requires more fuel, and if you don't eat enough a large % of your loss will come from lean muscle, not fat.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I discussed it with my doctor today and he recommended that I don't eat back my exercise calories.

    I hope your intake is above 1800/day if that was the suggestion.

    FYI: most doctors have very little nutritional eduction. They are not the best people to get diet advice from, try dietitian or nutritionist instead.
  • EnergyYesPlease
    EnergyYesPlease Posts: 104
    I strongly believe that if you eat the calories you just burnt, what are you losing? Nothing really since you're stashing all those calories back into your system. I log my workouts but stick to my 1200/day calorie intake in order to really see those changes. I eat healthy and exercise every day.... there's nothing wrong with not consuming the extra calories. Do what works best for you and good luck! :)) :))

    Yes htere is something wrong with that. 1200 is the minimum you should get being sedentary, once you exercise your body requires more fuel, and if you don't eat enough a large % of your loss will come from lean muscle, not fat.

    That's what I was informed from a personal trainer and a nutritionist, to not consume my exercise calories or I'd not benefit as much. EVERYONE has their own ways that DO work for them, you have yours and I have mine...
  • whiteheaddg
    whiteheaddg Posts: 325 Member
    I've set my profile to sedentary with a target 1lb/wk weight loss. I do my best to eat back my workout calories so that I maintain a proper glide slope to my weight goal. In other words, when my profile says ZERO remaining then I am still at a calorie deficit (in support of the 1lb/wk).
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
    I don't eat them back if I just do the 30 Day Shred DVD, which is 20-25 minutes of exercise. I do eat some of them back if I go for a run AND do the DVD because I'm more hungry and I don't want my metabolism to slow down on me. Basically I eat when I'm hungry and it works out to meet my goals.
  • irisheyez718
    irisheyez718 Posts: 677 Member
    I use a heart rate monitor, not MFP estimates, and I do eat my exercise calories. Has worked great so far!
  • joybedford
    joybedford Posts: 1,680 Member
    I eat most of mine back too as MFP as already built in a deficit. I work hard and feel i need the extra calories to fuel my body for the workouts i do. You wouldn,t try to run your car on no fuel it is the same with your body. You need good quality nutrition though not just eating rubbbish food to use up your calories, so good fats good carbs and a great deal of protein. I do use my extras on wine maybe more often than i should but it is working for me.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    I eat every last yummy one. If I don't get them during the week, I get them on the weekend. I eat them because I am no longer striving to starve my body, as I did when I was aneorixic. I have distances I want to go and weight I want to put up and physique results that I want to accomplish which include looking fit and fabulous. I need food to fuel those workouts and allow my body to rebuild for next time. Any time I feel my body not doing more, better, faster, longer than last time I can trace it directly back to under eating.
  • funsiiz
    funsiiz Posts: 246 Member
    I eat most of them........I earned them :bigsmile:
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    Eat back the calories that push your deficit over you daily goal of a deficit.

    So, if you wish for a 500 calorie a day deficit, and between diet and exercise, you have a 750 calorie deficit, eat 250 back.

    Just be SURE to get your proper nutrition.
  • jsj024519
    jsj024519 Posts: 400 Member
    I set my activity level to "sedentary" (basically just my BMR) to make sure I eat at least my BMR. So yes, I do "eat back" exercise calories. Why WOULDN'T you eat more on exercise days, when your body requires more calories?

    Boom Exactly
  • messyinthekitchen
    messyinthekitchen Posts: 662 Member
    Not usually. Unless I'm hungry.
  • funsiiz
    funsiiz Posts: 246 Member
    I eat every last yummy one. If I don't get them during the week, I get them on the weekend. I eat them because I am no longer striving to starve my body, as I did when I was aneorixic. I have distances I want to go and weight I want to put up and physique results that I want to accomplish which include looking fit and fabulous. I need food to fuel those workouts and allow my body to rebuild for next time. Any time I feel my body not doing more, better, faster, longer than last time I can trace it directly back to under eating.

    I like your way of thinking....as soon as I started eating more...I lost more weight
  • Toxictwist
    Toxictwist Posts: 274
    Normally I eat them
  • BeantownSooner
    BeantownSooner Posts: 254
    I don't eat them back as I've set up MFP as maintain but in reality have more to lose. My deficit is simply my exercise calories...the more I burn the more deficit. On off days I just eat to my target as usual. Easier for me that way and less confusing.
  • buzzcogs
    buzzcogs Posts: 296 Member
    I think do whatever works. When I first started I ate most of them back because frankly I felt weak and not real functional when I exercised on 1200 cals a day. Lately I think I can handle it better (and I have had to lighten up my exercise routine so I'm experimenting with mostly not eating them back.)
    Since its hard to exactly predict how many calories your exercise burned I would recommend only eating back about half of them if you are going to eat them back. Whatever works for the person though, to each his own.
  • SexxyJ72
    SexxyJ72 Posts: 1
    I would agree, I have earned them and if i need to use them; I will eat after my workout.
  • Allie_Mo
    Allie_Mo Posts: 25
    I do not eat my burned calories i eat the same thing everyday...

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