Excercise Calories - Just a simple Yes or No answer required

dunlop18

Hi All,

hope you have had a good food day today ;-}

I know there are probably numerous posts explaning the technical info about this but I get bored easily.

Currently on 1200 calories per day. Have lost 2 stone up to now, about 1 lb a week, which I am happy with. But up to now I have not had to do any major excersise. I suspect I will have to at some point.

Yes or no - should you use up/eat the equivalant of your excersise calories?

josiereside

I think it is something you have to personalize. Some people do eat all their exercise calories, some don't... I am currently trying to find what works for me. When I was eating them all, I kind of stalled out. Sorry I could not answer yes or no! :ohwell:

lizziebeth1028

I am a 'eat those exercise calories' person!! Fuel your body:flowerforyou:

sa11yjane

You are going to get such a mixture of answers! MFP sets your daily calories according to the details that you put in re your lifestyle eg sedentary, active etc. I think that normal everyday exercise that you've always done shouldn't be eaten back but extra exercise should be eaten back if you are hungry. Sorry not to just put yes or no!

Mich4871

I find when I don't eat all or at least close to my "extra" calories, I tend to stall. I work with a trainer 2x per week, and he is always telling me on not so good weight loss weeks that it's because I'm not eating enough! So funny... eating too much is what put me here in the first place! LOL

ellebish

Depnds - I eat them if I am hungry and don't if I am not. But I always have something after a workout as you need to help your body recover, but just because I burned 500 calories doesn't mean I will eat it back

JesterMFP

Hi All,

hope you have had a good food day today ;-}

I know there are probably numerous posts explaning the technical info about this but I get bored easily.

Currently on 1200 calories per day. Have lost 2 stone up to now, about 1 lb a week, which I am happy with. But up to now I have not had to do any major excersise. I suspect I will have to at some point.

Yes or no - should you use up/eat the equivalant of your excersise calories?

Should I? Yes.

SueInAz

At 1200 calories? Yes.

natalie412

YES!

Raynne413

I work out a LOT. If I don't eat those calories back, or a good majority of them, I set myself up for a binge. So yes, I eat them back. And I'm finally losing weight again.

valstreit

You should stagger calories so they are not the same across the board. Have a high calories day followed by a low calories day. That higher calorie intake will spike your metabolism. When I say high calories I am talking about healthy food, not junk food.

mdmcmillen

Yes.

Cheri_Moves

yes.

reese66

Yes

beekuzz

NO!

TeachTheGirl

Yes.

(But I only eat mine if I'm hungry. As I workout in the evenings, this sometimes makes it difficult.)

MissNations

MAYBE!

Captain_Spatchcock

Great idea! Now we can just count the votes and settle this hot topic debate once and for all!

questhaven

Yes!

blackcoffeeandcherrypie

Sometimes - it's not set in stone. If I want to eat, I will do - if I feel full I'm not going to force myself. I think seeing how you feel is the best way - mix it up a little.

madamepsychosis

If you're only eating 1200 calories, yes. Most people need a lot more than that, especially with exercise. Unless you have a heart rate monitor, be careful about eating all of them back as the numbers on machines at the gym and the one's plugged into MFP can be inaccurate. Definitely eat some of them back though.

neaneawy

yes, but adjust according to your weight loss. Start out eating back a conservative amount. If you exceed your weight loss goals then eat more. If you don't lose, eat less.

jessicae1aine

Yes.

SorchaRavenlock

Either eat them back, or calculate them in by raising your activity level to "lightly active". Either way, make sure you fuel your body, you'll feel much better!

ball858

I say YES!!

I have lost 4st 9lb / 65 lb since October eating my ex calories back

my current intake is 1500 and can burn on average 600 - 1000 cal a session, so I need the extra calories for growth & repair etc...

jaygreen55

The key is to never let your calorie deficit exceed 1000 a day to keep from catabolizing your muscles for fuel. I excercise a lot (800-1500 calories a day) and eat back about half of it. This way I can eat 2200-3000 calories and still have a a 500-700 calorie deficit

cmccorma

some, not all

otrlynn

As you can see, there is no black and white answer! If you eat back the calories, you want to be fairly certain that the calorie allowance for the exercise is accurate. It appears that a heart rate monitor is the best way to get an accurate count. Many people on these boards have said that, for the most part, MFP is very generouse with the amount of calories that they assign to exercise. I don't have a heart rate monitor, so I take the middle path--eat about half of the exercise calories that MFP gives me, as long as I feel hungry.

ShaneOSX

Yes, but I don't.

tropaze

I do so my vote is yes, and yes I'm losing weight eating my exercise calories (make sure your count is accurate, buy a HRM).

waskier

yes