Do you eat your workout calories?

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  • ChaoticMiNd
    ChaoticMiNd Posts: 247 Member
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    i used to eat my workout calories and i didn't lose a pound. I would suggest maybe eating a little bit of your workout calories but don't take full advantage
    This exactly...I don't trust the numbers to be honest...so to stay safe eating my workout cal's (or some of them ) is a cheat day for me.
  • siwelh
    siwelh Posts: 50 Member
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    My net is set lower than recommended(1050), so I do eat my exercise. Also, I think it is very important to have an accurate number of calories burned- I use the Polar FT40 HRM, which is really good for calories. If I use a regular HRM, the machines at the gym or what mfp says, it is not accurate.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    I do, because I'm trying to build muscle.
  • TexanThom
    TexanThom Posts: 778
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    Eat SOME....Leave SOME.
  • gsager
    gsager Posts: 977 Member
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    I eat them all. Every day. If I don't, my weight loss slows immediately.
    ^^^^This, this is the way the site is set up. You never have to be hungry.......don't make it harder than it is!
  • MtnKat
    MtnKat Posts: 714
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    Nope. At least not most of the time. I do make sure that I net 1200 cals regardless of my exercise calories.


    I use my TDEE - 20% so my exercise calories are already included in my daily calorie intake (as of today, 1922). I have been losing an average of half to a pound and a half a week pretty steadily. I just make sure my lifestyle is active (work out) so that I can maintain that calorie level.
  • meglynne1987
    meglynne1987 Posts: 382 Member
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    Nope.
  • gsager
    gsager Posts: 977 Member
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    thank you for whoever posted this and the responses. its been 2 weeks and i have stopped seeing changes, i am NOT going to be eating my workout calories.!
    And you will keep plateauing because you aren't eating enough and slowing down your metabolism. Have fun.
  • erikblock
    erikblock Posts: 230 Member
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    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/
  • veduffey
    veduffey Posts: 73
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    I usually eat my workout calories. Seems like I get to hungry if I don't.
  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
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    I usualy eat them all. Sometimes I leave 100 or 200 if I'm not hungry for them. I always aim to NET atleast 1200 though. I've lost about 25 lbs (I don't know exactly what I weighed when I started) and am just working off the last bit of belly fat now.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    Yes.
  • catwoman131
    catwoman131 Posts: 55
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    Can someone please explain what is meant by "my activity/workouts are already figured into my calorie budget" and consequently you would NOT eat back workout calories? I'm fairly new, and I want to make sure I understand the calculations. I assume it means that you don't actually add your workouts, but you consider yourself as active or extremely active...?
    Thanks in advance!
  • LilMissSunshine_
    LilMissSunshine_ Posts: 520
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    Do you eat your workout calories? What if you don't? Will that impact weight loss?


    You will get pregnant & die.
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
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    Nope
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    Can someone please explain what is meant by "my activity/workouts are already figured into my calorie budget" and consequently you would NOT eat back workout calories? I'm fairly new, and I want to make sure I understand the calculations. I assume it means that you don't actually add your workouts, but you consider yourself as active or extremely active...?
    Thanks in advance!

    Exactly. Or you might have used something else to calculate your calorie needs and just be using MFP for tracking.

    Honestly either way will work just fine. I eat exercise calories because a) it's more motivating for me and b) my workout schedule is irregular.
  • Taneil27
    Taneil27 Posts: 253
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    Most of the time I do. MFP already takes a 500 calorie deficit off.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Do you eat your workout calories? What if you don't? Will that impact weight loss?

    In theory you would lose faster with not eating them, but if you don't eat enough while in a deficit you risk having a large % of your wieght loss come from lean muscle instead of fat.

    I eat them.
  • MurphysLawTD
    MurphysLawTD Posts: 310 Member
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    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

    HAHAHA!!! I love that!!

    So what your saying issssss...
  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
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    The bottom line on this question is - Do you understand the numbers?

    If you are using MFP's set up as intended, and you enter a goal to lose weight, you are given a deficit at which to lose weight BEFORE exercising. If your goal is to lose 1lb/wk then MFP gives you a number, let's say 1500. You eat that, you have a deficit to lose 1lb/wk (which might not happen consistently, weight loss is not linear). You exercise and burn 500 calories. Now you have a bigger deficit. Sounds good, right? A bigger deficit = faster weight loss? Nope, not necessarily. The more weight you have to lose the bigger deficit you can have without it being too detrimental, but the less you have to lose the better it is to keep a smaller deficit (and a larger deficit with less weight to lose could actually result in a weight loss stall). So, you eat back those 500 calories, and you're right back at your deficit to lose 1lb/wk. (Although many people will suggest eating less than 100% of cals back in order to account for inaccuracies, which seems prudent, so maybe 75%).

    If you understand the numbers it makes sense. A lot of people will tell you to use TDEE or BMR as a baseline rather than MFP's numbers. That works too - I no longer use MFP's numbers myself (and later when you understand TDEE and have a set exercise routine - or lack thereof - that would be the way to go if MFP's numbers aren't working for you). Whatever.

    The most important thing, in my opinion - Just understand where the numbers come from and why you are eating the number of calories you are, and you should be able to figure out what works while getting proper nutrition, maintaining lean muscle, and really just finding a sustainable method of weight loss leading to maintenance. Start with what MFP gives you (as long as you have entered a reasonable goal - e.g. you're not trying to lose 2lb/wk when you only have 10 to lose), read and learn, and then change things up if needed.

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