do you eat your exercise calories?

sazzafrazz

I am curious how many people eat the calories they burn during exercise. Say your goal is 1200 calories and you burn 500 doing exercise, so your new goal is 1700, do you eat 1200 or 1700? Are you losing weight? Thanks everyone!

momto3as

It really depends on the day and on my activity level. I'm hypoglycemic, so I have to be careful with what and how often I eat. I figure I'm on average eating about 1/2 of my exercise calories during the week. I've just started on MFP, but I was losing about 1lb to 1/2 a lb a week. I'm doing Insanity right now, so my weight lose has slowed down, but I'm still losing inches. So...I figure I'm doing okay right now.

kisses4dylan

good question! I just asked someone else the same thing because I have read conflicting things! Ill keep checking back to see if someone explains!

meerkat70

Yes, within reason. Sometimes my burns are pretty hefty and on those days I aim to at least net 1200.

kisses4dylan

www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com

This is pretty funny but it took me to some great links! Found it on one of the other threads!

penfold49

I say you should eat them. Exercise burns fat but you need protein to replace it for muscle build. I've been hit and miss on here but have just got back into it but when I used it previously I was losing weight whilst eating the exercise calories. That said calories are a good indicator but you need to be watching all the report, living on sugar calories is no good, you need to be hitting the other targets too.

fabfindz05

There are times when I eat some of them, but for the most part I don't. I probably should, but it seems like I'm eating so much to begin with.

aliciagudino

I only eat some of mine back if I feel hungry still. There are days where I only net 800-900, and I know some people would say that is really bad for me, but I just listen to my body...if I am hungry after I have already eaten all of my cals, I will eat some of my exercise cals back. But I never eat all of them back simply because I think I have to. Only if I'm hungry. For me, it's working just fine. I'm losing slowly, but I'm losing. Before when I first started I was eating all of them back because I thought I had to, and I didn't lose anything. Everyone is different though, I just say listen to your body, it will tell you if you are hungry or feeling sluggish and need food

Huskeryogi

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

I don't think it's necessary though. If I eat them back it's more because I ended up going out and eating more than planned.

TXHunny84

I only eat some of mine back if I feel hungry still. There are days where I only net 800-900, and I know some people would say that is really bad for me, but I just listen to my body...if I am hungry after I have already eaten all of my cals, I will eat some of my exercise cals back. But I never eat all of them back simply because I think I have to. Only if I'm hungry. For me, it's working just fine. I'm losing slowly, but I'm losing. Before when I first started I was eating all of them back because I thought I had to, and I didn't lose anything. Everyone is different though, I just say listen to your body, it will tell you if you are hungry or feeling sluggish and need food

^^ THIS!

Food is fuel... If you are not hungry or needing the energy from the food then don't. If you are hungry or needing energy then eat SOME....stop and see how you feel. If you are still hungry eat some more...etc.... Don't eat back a number because MFP says to- listen to your body. How does it know how hard you worked and how many actual calories you burned when every body and metabolism is different?... If you ate them all back each time you could over eat and gain weight = no bueno.

AmyRhubarb

Personally, I eat if I'm hungry, and I always make sure my NET calories are at or above my BMR. My daily calories are set at 1800, and some days I am hungrier than others, so depends on hunger, and the net calories.

If you're set at 1200 per day, and you are burning through exercise, then I think you should eat your calories back - using the example of eating 1200, but having burned 500 in exercise, that leaves you with a net of only 700 calories for the day, which is pretty low. Get too low, and the body starts wondering if it will get what it needs, giving it a reason to store fat. Don't give it a reason! Food is fuel - eat healthy, and a healthy amount, and the body will function efficiently, & you'll have great energy for workouts. Know your BMR and your TDEE, and as long as you're eating between those two numbers, you will lose weight.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12 <

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Great topic with tons of great info about findingyour numbers & how much you should be eating to reach your goal.

SPNLuver83

YES YES YES!!!!

I eat 1500 calories, PLUS my workout cals

that is how I have lost all my weight

lengirl75

I don't eat my exercise calores unless I am overly hungry.

RancidPolecat2

When I work out, I tend to burn from 600 to 1000 calories, depending on duration and intensity. While exercising does make me consume more that I would have otherwise, it's nowhere near that.

jaxxie

bump

rheelizabeth

Yes I eat back my calories so my NET calories is at my original goal.

I eat 1500 a day, I burn 300 of them. So I eat 1800 and my net is 1500 .

I am losing.. coming close to 20lbs now

47Jacqueline

YES YES YES!!!!

I eat 1500 calories, PLUS my workout cals

that is how I have lost all my weight

I try for 1200 plus my workout calories, but don't always make it. But I keep trying because I believe in the concept.

3foldchord

depends on how hungry I am. I see no reason to force food down my throat just beacuse I exercised, but if I am hungry, then I will eat those calories I burnt.