Eating your workout calories?

oregongal77

Do you eat your workout calories? Im on a 1200 calorie budget each day and then workout anywhere from 375-600 calories a day. Ive been sticking to my 1200 calories. What does everyone do? Do you eat your calories or not?

MOOtoMILF

I was wondering the same thing. I have been, but I don't know if I should be. I still lost 3.5 lbs my first week here though, even with eating them

Pebble321

If you are using MFP to calculate your calorie allowance - then, yes, you should be eating more when you exercise. Otherwise you are creating a much larger calorie deficit which may not be sustainable for you.

If you are using another system to work out your calories - do what they recommend.

www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com

mmapags

When you set up your goals you set a daily deficit. If you are at 1200 cals, which is really a rock bottom minimum for women (it's 1800 for men) you should eat them all back. If you were at a easier goal and eating, say 1800, it would be less critical. Bottom line is though, when you workout, you eat them back to maintian the same deficit as you set up in your goals.

oregongal77

I am using MFP. My thought was the less calories I eat, the more weight I lose??
But this really isnt the case then?

splucy

Generally I try to stick to 1200 calories but if I burn off like 500 calories in a day like I usually do, I tend to consume around 1300.

I should probably consume more food :P but eh... it's working for me and I don't think I've ever got myself in to starvation mode.

oregongal77

So do you think Im ok eating the 1200 and then leaving my workout calories alone? Or should I be eating those too?

phynyxfyre

If I am hungry after I have used my 1200 then I eat some of the exercise calories back. Otherwise I leave them alone.

CoderGal

Do you eat your workout calories? Im on a 1200 calorie budget each day and then workout anywhere from 375-600 calories a day. Ive been sticking to my 1200 calories. What does everyone do? Do you eat your calories or not?

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/636086-eating-back-exercise-calories-for-those-who-don-t-get-it?hl=eating+back+exercise+calories

mmapags

So do you think Im ok eating the 1200 and then leaving my workout calories alone? Or should I be eating those too?

You should be eating your exercise calories. If not you are netting well below 1200. That can lead to health problems. More is not better in this case. You are at the safe minimum at 1200. You should not net less than that!

zyxst

If you're hungry, eat them. If not, don't worry about it.

I aim for 2k cals a day which includes about half my exercise calories. I go by a deficit from my TDEE (total daily energy expended). My net is 1200-1400 cals, but I only concern myself with eating 2k in total.

Pebble321

So do you think Im ok eating the 1200 and then leaving my workout calories alone? Or should I be eating those too?

My opinion is that it is much smarter to eat close to the total amount of calories that MFP recommends (and that means eating extra when you exercise). Why use a program to recommend how much you should eat and then ignore the recommendations of the program?

I don't see the point in depriving yourself more than is necessary - for me that has always been a short path to giving up and feeling like a failure - again!

But, it's entirely your choice. Not eating those exercise calories means that you are creating a much larger calorie deficit each day.
This might mean that you lose more weight more quickly - especially if you have a lot to lose.
It might mean that you deprive your body of the nutrition it needs to stay healthy while you lose weight.
It might mean that you don't lose weight as fast as you think you should because your body tries to work more efficiently on the small number of calories you are giving it.

We are all different and will have different outcomes - but my opinion is that moderation is a much better path to long term success.

ScottRy76

This topic again?

Eat them back you'll still be at a deficit food is good, unless your over your calories for the day and you burn off the extra calories to get you under the line then don't

the site already takes off 480-500 calories depending on how much weight you set for loss in the week, so even with the exercise calories its adding onto your deficit number after the 480-500 calories have already been taken off.

1850 is for me if I burn 300 calories I will come real close to 2150 and i'll still lose every time, hard enough to stay under a deficit, workouts lets me eat a little more then if i sat on my *kitten* watching football all day

MB_Positif

I am using MFP. My thought was the less calories I eat, the more weight I lose??
But this really isnt the case then?

Techinically this is the case, BUT it's not recommended for long term. If you have a day here and there where you don't eat the exercise calories, it will not kill you, but ultimately they are to be eaten because if you are set to lose weight on MFP then there is already a deficit factored into your calorie goal.

eabaker

If you're hungry, eat them. If not, don't worry about it.

I aim for 2k cals a day which includes about half my exercise calories. I go by a deficit from my TDEE (total daily energy expended). My net is 1200-1400 cals, but I only concern myself with eating 2k in total.

mamagooskie

I eat them, always have and it has served me well to do so.

eabaker

I love this! When I'm hungry, I eat. When I'm not, I don't. I modified my calorie intake because I was always going over, but still losing weight. That is amazing that you've lost 63# in the same amount of time I've lost 25. Great job!

LifestyleChange33

Depends on the day. I eat when I'm hungry. I exercise every day. As long as I am still under the calorie goal, I feel good about it! :smooched:

cassaliz

If I am hungry after I have used my 1200 then I eat some of the exercise calories back. Otherwise I leave them alone.

This is what I do as well. And normally I am hungry enough to eat at least half back.

bodiva88

Do you want to learn to eat in a way you can sustain after you reach your goal? Or do you want to lose the weight fast and then gain it all back because you have no idea how to eat in moderation? If you let MFP set up loss of a pound a week, it will adjust your total calories down as you lose so you gradually get used to eating less and less. When you finally reach your goal you'll get 500 cals a day back and learn to eat a bit more than you were used to eating. All along eating back exercise calories. (That is if you set your activity level as low and record all of your activity--you'll have a fairly accurate tracking of what your balance is.)

Eating a 1200 cal a day diet is likely setting you up for long-term disappointment. Because eating at that level is very hard to do for an extended period. You end up craving or binging. And if you aren't eating back your exercise calories, your body will soon think it's facing famine and slow your metabolism.

I've lost over 100 pounds twice. And gained it all back plus some twice. This time slow and steady wins the race. And I can tell you that just a bit over 2 months in I am more hopeful about long-term success because I can easily imagine eating and exercising this way for a lifetime.

oregongal77

Great replies, thank you all so much.