Exercise calories eat back or no?

kmb2522

Are you supposed to eat your exercise calories or not. I thought that was the point of working out if you eat them back why workout?

dnish53

From what I have read on the boards your question will get various answers. I personally do not eat back my exercise calories. It doesn't make sense to me to eat them back and when I tried it I immediately stopped losing weight. What I will do is find comfort in seeing the number if I go a little over my allotted calories for the day.

dnish53

I also meant to say find out works best for you and your body. There is no one solution.

cmeade20

MFP is set up to have a deficit whether you workout or not. So if you set it up to lose a pound a week it will give you a calorie goal that will leave you at a 500 calorie deficit. If you workout and burn 500 calories and don't eat back your calories you're now at a 1,000 calorie deficit. Too big a deficit can result in loss of muscle mass and a stagnated or slowed metabolism for some people.

Agator82

This is a different strokes for different folks question. A lot of people on these boards will say yes. Personally, I feel that if I spend an hour working 1000 calories off on the treadmill and elliptical I do not want to negate that benefit be eating it back. I will instead use it to have some "flex" calories if I am hungry later.

The only concern I have is having enough broad based nutrients to properly fuel my body, and it does seem that for me my current minimum calorie intake is 1600 calories (everyone is different), but I have had daily net calories in the negative and it is not uncommon for me to have a daily net of <600.

My suggestion in the end? Find what works for you and run with it.