Do you eat your exercise calories earned?

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lisalarue_
lisalarue_ Posts: 1
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey Guys! Just wondierng if you eat your "earned calories" from exercise? All of them? part of them? Non of them? I want to lose about a pound a week. So far I am eating my earned calories, but maybe I shouldn't be? Andy advise is welcome!
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Replies

  • Kristie18
    Kristie18 Posts: 332 Member
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    Last year when I was losing all my weight I stuck to just 1200 calories/day no matter what. Now I am eating back my exercise calories. I was told to compare my body to a car. The more it goes the more fuel it needs. I feel so much better now when I do eat back.
  • vypeters
    vypeters Posts: 475 Member
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    When I was losing I ate back about half because it's so easy to over-estimate calories burned and under-estimate calories consumed.

    Now that I'm in maintenance, I sort of level load - don't eat back all my calories on workout days, but eat extra on non-workout days thereafter. This is especially true when I do a day-long weekend mountain hike. No way I'm eating an extra 1500 - 2000 calories that day, so they spread out over the next several days.
  • kjw1031
    kjw1031 Posts: 300 Member
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    If you're using MFP's daily calorie amount, then you are supposed to add your exercise calories to that number and eat them. When you enter in your exercise, MFP will add them onto your daily total.

    If you calculated your BMR, TDEE, ect, and already figured in an activity level, then the calories from activity are already added in, so you don't add anything additional when you exercise.
  • leslie0422
    leslie0422 Posts: 108 Member
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    I almost alway eat back the calories that I burn exercising. If not, I'm starving and begin to lose energy. I have had no problem losing 1 lb per week doing that but everyone's body is different.
  • leslie0422
    leslie0422 Posts: 108 Member
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    I almost alway eat back the calories that I burn exercising. If not, I'm starving and begin to lose energy. I have had no problem losing 1 lb per week doing that but everyone's body is different.

    One more thing to add...for me, knowing that I would have more calories to eat was a motivator to exercise longer and harder and that has definitely helped me to lose weight and to be much healthier.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    If you are following MFP caloric intake guideline, then you should be eating them back, or at least most of them. If you picked your caloric intake from somewhere other than MFP, most likely your exercise is already accounted for in your base intake.

    That said, I eat them, and have throughout my time on MFP.

    OP: I notice you don't have much to lose, since that is the case it is even more important to eat them back so your deficit is not too large and so you don't lose a large % of lean muscle as you try and lose fat.
    (a small deficit 0.5-1lb/week weight loss goal, adequate protein, and strength training will all help ensure that you retain as much lean muscle as you can)
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,136 Member
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    I do the TDEE - 20%, so I don't eat them back. My rule is eat them if you're hungry and if you aren't, then don't.
  • FITnFIRM4LIFE
    FITnFIRM4LIFE Posts: 818 Member
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    I eat about 1/2 and stick them in a saving account for Sunday;-) I have been eating at maintenance for over a year.
  • ShaSimone
    ShaSimone Posts: 276
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    I eat most if not all of my exercise calories earned.
    I have around 20 more pounds to lose and I can't seem to get the balance of eating correct now that I am close to my goal and feel like I should be able to eat what I want...I digress
  • Jxnsmma
    Jxnsmma Posts: 919 Member
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    I never eat them all back because I find that MFP way overestimates the calories burned during exercise, now that I have a bodymedia arm band. I burn about 1/2 of what MFP estimates for me. Since I got the arm band, I am losing again. Plateaued earlier, eating back all my calories...
  • LeenaRuns
    LeenaRuns Posts: 1,309 Member
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    I eat about 1/2 and stick them in a saving account for Sunday;-) I have been eating at maintenance for over a year.

    Ooooohhhhh...I like this idea! I do my long run on Sundays to make up for all the food I gorge myself on!
  • WhatHayleyEats
    WhatHayleyEats Posts: 42
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    I actually don't! In my PERSONAL opinion (no attacks please) I don't see the point in working hard to burn off what you've eaten, only to eat it all back again. I want to lose weight healthily, yes, but also quickly. I don't want to be even-stevens about it.

    That said, however, if I'm really hungry after a day of hard exercise then I do eat something. But this is rare for me because I make sure I get plenty of stomach-filling protein into my meals. And doing this, I lost 9lbs in 3 weeks and half a dress size!

    It is completely up to you, though. You do what feels right for your body. Above all, don't let yourself starve.
  • lbigham1
    lbigham1 Posts: 132
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    When I was losing I ate back about half because it's so easy to over-estimate calories burned and under-estimate calories consumed.

    Now that I'm in maintenance, I sort of level load - don't eat back all my calories on workout days, but eat extra on non-workout days thereafter. This is especially true when I do a day-long weekend mountain hike. No way I'm eating an extra 1500 - 2000 calories that day, so they spread out over the next several days.

    I do this ^^^^. I seem to loose more steadily when I eat some back but I also leave room for possibly overcalculated exercise.
  • JayRo1112
    JayRo1112 Posts: 3
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    I just started, so I know im not really one to give advice. But so far im not eating the extra calories I burn because I figure Id be eating everything i just exercised off, you know? Just a thought because im trying to do lose the same. Good Luck! =)
  • razors_girl23
    razors_girl23 Posts: 32 Member
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    Yes. Most of the exercises I do I have used a heart rate monitor for, so know pretty well how many calories I am burning and add them accordingly. Sometimes I eat them all back, sometimes not. I don't stress about it too much.
  • ksemien
    ksemien Posts: 133 Member
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    I agree with what most have commented about MFP way overestimating the calories burned during workouts. I personally use my own device and create my exercises in MFP Cardio section. Now, if you eat back your calories burned, whatever they may be, that depends on if you're hungry and if your body needs them. It varies for me. Sometimes some of them, all of them, and sometimes none of them. Eat because you're body is hungry not because you can :)
  • viad25720
    viad25720 Posts: 57 Member
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    Right nowm I eat around 1600 cals a day, as recommended by my dietician. If I exercise that day I may go over a few hundred. But honestly sometimes I burn 800-1000 extra calories, and I can't eat more! I mean I guess I could order a large fry and sundae and call it a day but I am going for not only weight loss, but also quality eating. I already am full off of what I eat, and have tons of energy especially compared to before I started my lifestyle change. Honestly if I ate back my exercise cals, BMR and all that I'd probably be eating 3,500 cals a day, and I can't see doing that unless I bulked it up with less healthy food, or higher fat foods and oils like avacado (which I know are not bad for you). Bottom line:my body says feed me I do. If I am satisfied and eat a balanced diet according to the my pyramid servings, then I don't shove stuff down I don't really want. Do what works for you, I hope this helps in some way.
  • cdknight76
    cdknight76 Posts: 1 Member
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    Food is fuel. Your body needs the calories to create energy to perform those cardio sessions, not to mention your general activities of daily living. You should be eating most of your earned calories, it will help to keep your metabolism up. That said, if you're not hungry don't eat them all, but if you find yourself starving at 10PM mix up a protein shake or eat some egg whites before bed. :) It does make me feel better on cheat day knowing that I have a few extra calories saved up from those "bonus calories". :)
  • Purduegrad25
    Purduegrad25 Posts: 7
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    When I started out my nutrtionist had me start at a 1500 cal a day ( I weighed 226lbs). I weight trained 3 day week for the 1st 3 months (1/2hr.) then would do cardio (1/2 hr) inbetween days. She told me not to put my exersice in and not to eat my calories back. I am currently weight training 2xweek and cardio same amount of time and I am at 1300 calories. In 6 months I have lost 48lbs. I do use a heart rate monitor durring all work outs to keep track of time, calories burned and heart rate durring.
  • Assassins_Angel
    Assassins_Angel Posts: 329
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    No, I found that didn't work for me. And I feel that it's a wasted effort if I'm going to work off all those calories just to eat them back! Feel it's counter productive. Though I admit that I'm still struggling with my weight I feel eating my exercise cals back won't make a difference in that.

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