advice on eating back calories burnt!

lilgemforgets

i am 300 calories under and then got 500 back due to exercise. Therefore i am meant to eat another 801 calories...but not at all hungry, any suggestions? Also i just dont understand if you are meant to eat back all calories or not. I dont want to lose too much too quickly so i cant keep the weight off. Help!

skonly

I don't track my exercise anymore. I don't do heavy intense workouts so I am not worried about it. I get in a good amount of exercise daily just working in and out of the home. If I manage to go have time to go for a walk or something I consider extra I don't go eat it back just because I can. If I'm hungry I will eat more or if I know I have a lot of physically demanding things to do in a day I will eat more.

It all depends on how in tune with your body you are. Some people have very intense workouts and eating the calories back is fine for them, they need it. Other people will go for a short walk and use it an excuse to eat more.

My calories in any given day may be under or over a bit. A lot of it depends on the weather and my schedule changes.

GauchoMark

if you truly are not hungry, don't eat them. You will probably be hungry tomorrow and you can eat them then!

rhondab03

I've had so many people tell me I'm burning too many cals during exercise for what I eat. I honestly don't see the point of exercising very hard, then eating back all of those burnt calories. It seems very counter productive to me. If I'm starving, sure, I'll eat. If not, nope, I never intentionally eat them back "just because I can".

lilgemforgets

if you truly are not hungry, don't eat them. You will probably be hungry tomorrow and you can eat them then!

lilgemforgets

i am liking your style!! May just have glass of milk and have a treat tomorrow if i fancy! Thanks everyone!

TeaBea

I eat back all of my calories & here's why.

1. I use a heart rate monitor to track exercise calories .... I know my calories burned are not grossly exaggerated (like machines & MFP)

2. I have my lifestyle set to sedentary ...... no, I am not the most sedentary person I know .... this is just me being conservative (I don't log housecleaning as exercise either).

3. I am over 50 and need to keep all my existing muscle mass .... by going under calories day in & day out .... I burn muscle along with fat (no thank you) ... I just want to lose fat

I know that not everyone has the same set of circumstances as me. If your weight loss stalls ....look up "eat more to lose weight"

Hunger is not the best indicator ..... if you start feeling run down..... eat more.

stanthia

This program is pretty comprehensive. I have a feeling that if you're losing too fast, you'll be alerted to the fact. I would never eat because I can. Keep up the good work!

mzmandav

You should eat a min. of 1,200 calories a day. As long as you eat that many you're body won't go into starvation mode. I never eat my calories earned through workouts, because then there is no point in working out.

WickedSpinSistr

I am only "given" 1200 calories so I typically will eat the calories I've earned in a workout, otherwise I think I'd feel hungry all the time. I only track exercise when I've done an intense workout though. I don't track every day activity like cleaning the house, walking with the kids, etc.

If I am not hungry I don't force myself to eat. I don't find myself in that position very often though. haha

lilgemforgets

Thanks for all the advice, it has helped alot!

TeaBea

I've had so many people tell me I'm burning too many cals during exercise for what I eat. I honestly don't see the point of exercising very hard, then eating back all of those burnt calories. It seems very counter productive to me. If I'm starving, sure, I'll eat. If not, nope, I never intentionally eat them back "just because I can".

IF you are using MFP as designed ..... the point is this: the calorie deficit is already built in BEFORE exercise. When you exercise, you actually increase the calorie deficit more. When the calorie deficit is especially large ..... you will lose muscle mass .... THAT defeats the purpose of exercise.

There are so many variables to the equation ..... carlorie burns can be grossly exaggerated, you may me less (more) sedentary .... or active than you think you are, some people have higher metabolisms than others ..... no one exact answer.

I would rather error on the side of caution & eat my caloires back .... I don't want to lose muscle mass for the sake of losing weight more quickly.

WickedSpinSistr

I never eat my calories earned through workouts, because then there is no point in working out.

See, I look at it differently. I work out so that I *can* eat.

lowpro1983

I've always gone by this:

If you have your activity level set to sedentary on here, eat your exercise calories back.

If you have your activity included in your goals, don't eat them back.

Eat when hungry - BUT make sure that you are eating enough....min of 1200. I, personally, don't know how people only eat 1200 cal a day. I'd starve. I'm set at sedentary (I have a desk job)...my cal goal is set at 1570 (was at 1600) and I try to get at least 3 days of exercise a week, if not more. So, basically, with mine set at sedentary...even if I don't exercise ALL week, I'm set to lose 1 lb per week. Typically, when I exercise more than 3 days a week, I don't see a weightloss right away. Seems to balance out eventually though.

In addition, I'd like to say, I don't have any clue how people make it through their INTENSE work outs with <1200. Just sayin.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

SmileyFaceGuy

I think that yes, you are supposed to eat them back. It's not as if you body differentiates between calories burnt from basic activity and calories burnt from exercise; therefore, it would seem to be just as necessary to eat your calories back after exercise as it would be to reach your daily goal. I have a problem with this, however, because I ride my bike about 6 days a week and burn nearly 1k calories per ride. I would just exercise less, but I'm trying to increase my strength and endurance so I can start mountain biking within a few months. I loathe eating 2500 calories per day, but I'm trying to fit more calorie dense foods into my diet. I also weight train about 3 days per week, and I haven't even started to factor that in to my calorie goals.

irisheyez718

If you're truly not hungry, one day isn't going to hurt you. I wouldn't let it become a habit to be that far under though. Your body needs the fuel, especially if you're exercising. You want to lose fat, not muscle, right?

hpettenger

It's about the Leptin levels. I'm not an expert or even knowledgeable about the subject, but it makes sense if you read about it.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-facts-on-leptin-faq

CoachSamB

I like how you think, TinyToyJess!

chaamigo

i don't use all my "earned" calories either but i do use them on days when i am really hungry. it's nice to have the option

Mesi13

I never eat my calories earned through workouts, because then there is no point in working out.

See, I look at it differently. I work out so that I *can* eat.

bump.

CarleyLovesPets

I don't eat them when I am not hungry.
I find I get full pretty easily now, so I rarely do eat them but then I don't feel bad if I go out to eat on the weekend and go over a bit with drinks + food.

Nerdy_Rose

Short answer: Eat your exercise calories. If you don't believe me, go look at my pictures.

thelovelyLIZ

MFP already has a deficit built in so you should eat back your calories burnt
/thread

knowwhentoshutup

Food is Fuel. You need it.

But don't just eat the 800 because MFP says so. Search the boards for some posts about finding your BMR and TDEE, then figure out what your body needs.

Here is a good one to start with: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

You should always net above your BMR (base metabolic rate), which is what your body needs to function if you were to do nothing but lay in bed. Again, net means calories consumed minus calories expended during exercise.

Try this calculator to help you find your BMR: http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/
or search for others on google.

amelia_atlantic

You are supposed to NET a minimum of 1200 calories so you should try to net as close to that as possible. Otherwise, it is counter productive because you are not fueling your body.

*** Ha, exactly what the person said above me at the exact same time***

lowpro1983

I never eat my calories earned through workouts, because then there is no point in working out.

See, I look at it differently. I work out so that I *can* eat.

^^this^^

graelwyn

I think those who say it is counterproductive to eat back exercise calories need to rethink the purpose of exercise. It is primarily for fitness, and if you are using it purely to burn calories, well. what can one say? Weight loss is 80% dietary, exercise mostly helps maintain muscle mass and cardiovascular health.

Aside from the fact, mfp already builds in your deficit, so it is preferable to eat at least some of the energy used in exercise, back, simply so you can continue to fuel your body for further exercise. Eating too low for your activity level will eventually lead to a burnout of some kind, of that I am fairly sure. It might not be this week, it might not be this month, but it will come.

lizziebeth1028

Yes, you are supposed to eat them back. No, it is not counter-productive to do so because when you entered all your information into MFP and it calculates your calorie goal the proper calorie deficit is built into that number. If once in awhile you're not hungry enough to eat some or all of them it's fine. But overall MFP designed this program with the intention that you should eat those earned calories.

lizziebeth1028

You should eat a min. of 1,200 calories a day. As long as you eat that many you're body won't go into starvation mode. I never eat my calories earned through workouts, because then there is no point in working out.

:noway: .......I work out for all the great health benefits, to be fit, strong, feel young, feel good in my clothes, to beat my personal best, because I like to feel the rush of a good sweat, I like to feel my heart pumping.......if a by product of that is extra food to fuel my body well that's a winning combination to me!

pronto9727

simply put, no you don't have to eat the extra calories you have gained through exercise you'll just loose weight faster and at the end of the day its not just about loosing weight but about changing the habits that got us fat in the first place so should you eat when your not hungry? Good luck with your challenge. I should of added that its okay if you do eat them back and if you are working out to a heavy program then you need to ensure you are getting enough calories to fuel it but that should have been allowed for in your profile and mfp would have taken it into account

gatorginger

IF MFP didn't want you to eat them back then they wouldn't put them in your daily goal to do so, so yes you should try to eat half of them back at least, you could eat nuts or peanut butter those things are high in calorie intake, you don't have to go eat a huge meal but eat some nutritious things.