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MyFitnessPal Community

Gym and Eating Back Calories Lost? Confused!!

browneyedgurl08

Heyy guys, so I've heard some things around eating back the calories you've lost at the gym but I'm unsure if its true or not? I was wondering do i then eat dinner before going to the gym or go to the gym and eat dinner after? I'm so confused bout this. Please Help and Thank You very much!

x

Sorry if this is in the wrong section.

Replies

Aleluya17

I saw a long thread about this not to long back, if I find it i'll link you to it. I seem to remember everyone being on one side or the other trying to defend their view.

browneyedgurl08

okay thank you. I haven't been on here in a long time and todays the day to start up again.

bathsheba_c

Eating back exercise calories means eating them back over the course of the day (or even spread out over 2-3 days!). You don't have to eat them right after you've gone to the gym. For example, I burn 900-1000 calories in my martial arts classes, and I will eat 400-500 calories extra the day I have my class, and another 400-500 they day after.

Eat whenever is comfortable for you; a lot of people get queasy if they eat right before working out. Your metabolism works 24/7, and it takes several hours to digest most food items, so timing will have no impact on your weight loss.

Addendum: Some people here say not to eat back the calories you've burned from exercise because they want to lose weight faster. This tends to work better if you are not burning that many calories a day. If you have large burn days like I do, you will feel miserable if you don't eat them back. Others like to eat back most but not all to factor for overestimating calorie burn or underestimating calories consumed.

browneyedgurl08

thank you, i dont like to eat right before i go to the gym just because i feel like im going to throw it up after a good session. but was just unsure what they ment by eating it back thanks for clearing it up.

Aleluya17

Eating back exercise calories means eating them back over the course of the day (or even spread out over 2-3 days!). You don't have to eat them right after you've gone to the gym. For example, I burn 900-1000 calories in my martial arts classes, and I will eat 400-500 calories extra the day I have my class, and another 400-500 they day after.

Eat whenever is comfortable for you; a lot of people get queasy if they eat right before working out. Your metabolism works 24/7, and it takes several hours to digest most food items, so timing will have no impact on your weight loss.

Addendum: Some people here say not to eat back the calories you've burned from exercise because they want to lose weight faster. This tends to work better if you are not burning that many calories a day. If you have large burn days like I do, you will feel miserable if you don't eat them back. Others like to eat back most but not all to factor for overestimating calorie burn or underestimating calories consumed.

This was a good explanation. In general if i'm doing cardio I normally don't eat back my calories unless i'm starving at the end of the day. When I weight lift, I normally eat a little extra because it makes me so darn hungry i'm ready to eat everything and anything, and eating back some of my calories keeps me from throwing my diet out the window.

browneyedgurl08

thank you

JaneMills0

Follow this link for a really in depth explaination.

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

However I would say do what ever is right for you. I am not particularly eating back my calories but I am eating what my body is telling me it wants i.e. when I'm hungry and I am losing an average of 1.6 a week. If I start to plateau then I'll look into this a bit more . It also depends on your goals. I am very overweight and to be honest the tone of my body is pretty irrelevant right now, I just want to see it. Others who are already fitter than me do want to tone up and make sure they look good and then I think it comes into play a bit more.

browneyedgurl08

thank you for the link its very helpful

porffor

There is much debate, but see what works for you, I find the calculation of MFP allows for my calories burnt, so if I eat them on top I don't lose and can actually see a gain.

Also, about eating before exercise, I'd recommend making sure you eat something that is long lasting (protein or complex carbs) but not in the hour before you exercise, this will prevent the sick feeling.

browneyedgurl08

thank you porffor for the help,