Do you eat back your workout calories?

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Replies

  • Jayme34
    Jayme34 Posts: 160 Member
    http://www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

    INAPPROPRIATE!!! do not go to this link! reported to the site as well
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    Yep. It's the only reason I work out.
  • KatiePanda25
    KatiePanda25 Posts: 20
    OMG, LOL
  • KatiePanda25
    KatiePanda25 Posts: 20
    http://www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

    LOL! That is awesome, thanks!!

    :laugh:
  • JewelsinBigD
    JewelsinBigD Posts: 661 Member
    I ate them back at the beginning but when I didnt lose for weeks I stopped eating them back. I think for me - I need to leave them alone so I add them back in as snacks durng the day and then delete them at night before bed. I like logging them, but not eating them!
    It could be age related too- when I was younger I lost weight even though I ate more than I do now. Over 40 - I would suggest not to eat them, under 40- eat some, under 30- eat them all!
  • Aurorakitty
    Aurorakitty Posts: 57
    Some days I do by accident but I see exercise as burning calories not adding calories back. Granted i'm only on 1400 calories which I seem to be able to work off of and do 60 minutes of exercise per day and lose weight. Any more calories and I'd start t to gain again.
  • BelleHeart
    BelleHeart Posts: 281 Member
    I don't because I am trying to lose weight. The point of exercising for e is to burn as many calories as possible. Another person who is trying to gain muscle or who is maintaing would probably eat back their calories.
  • Jessicao33
    Jessicao33 Posts: 189 Member
    I don't or I try not too. I have been walking or and working out daily and staying under 1500 calories...
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    http://www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

    INAPPROPRIATE!!! do not go to this link! reported to the site as well

    I think it's funny. If you have a sense of humor, do click.

    It used to just say "YES". But, I see now, they've changed that. LOL.
  • thingeringer
    thingeringer Posts: 241 Member
    I eat most of mine. Am losing weight slowly but steadily. Close to 30 lbs - close to six months.
  • amylovescupcakes
    amylovescupcakes Posts: 146 Member
    Like once a week I go over my regular 1350 and that's okay cause I always have bunches of workout calories....but I really try not to. I love seing a big differential. It makes me feel skinnier woot! :D
  • misfitswayoflife
    misfitswayoflife Posts: 134 Member
    I eat mine back. you need a minimum of 1250 calories NET a day so as long as you eat 1250 don't worry about eating your whole workout back
  • roxazaloah
    roxazaloah Posts: 28
    Just happened by this post and it helped me understand exercise cals a lot better. Thanks for the information OP and other posters! :smile:
  • Mimoki
    Mimoki Posts: 115 Member
    I eat when I am hungry so usually I do eat them back. I try not to obsess with it too much tho, I find that the less I care the more fit I get. If I don't eat I get real hangry like fighting rage lol!
  • lazza_x
    lazza_x Posts: 1
    I'm finding that I eat around 900 cals a day which includes lots of veggies especially for dinner and my work out comes in at about 350 calories. Is it bad that I am so under my 1200 goal day-to-day. I don't feel particularly hungry and would feel like i was just eating to reach the 1200 if i ate anymore, not because I was hungry
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    I'm finding that I eat around 900 cals a day which includes lots of veggies especially for dinner and my work out comes in at about 350 calories. Is it bad that I am so under my 1200 goal day-to-day. I don't feel particularly hungry and would feel like i was just eating to reach the 1200 if i ate anymore, not because I was hungry

    Short term... it's probably fine. Long term, yes it's bad. There are several negative side effects that come from that sort of starvation/very low cal diet.
  • vwkauffman
    vwkauffman Posts: 39 Member
    I eat back some of them, never all. I'm pretty new to MFP but to me, it seems counterproductve to eat back all of the calories I burn. Yesterday, for example, I gained 280 workout calories, and I was 200 calories under my calorie goal. It's not always completely intentional, but it does happen.
  • Derpinaaa
    Derpinaaa Posts: 70 Member
    I don't, only because I follow a macro-based diet that already takes my exercise levels into account.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    I eat back some of them, never all. I'm pretty new to MFP but to me, it seems counterproductve to eat back all of the calories I burn. Yesterday, for example, I gained 280 workout calories, and I was 200 calories under my calorie goal. It's not always completely intentional, but it does happen.

    It depends on how you calculated your daily goal... but while it may seem counter-productive, it's actually quite necessary for a lot of people.

    Read these if you care to understand...
    www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/383956-exercise-calories-explained
    and
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
  • VpinkLotus
    VpinkLotus Posts: 849 Member
    Yes I sure do! Just about every one too ;-)
  • lacdbrown
    lacdbrown Posts: 8 Member
    Lately I have been trying to eat back only 200 if I do an intense workout....I have my net set to 1400 but I do not like to pass 1600 OVERALL (not net) unless I feel VERY hungry.
  • daniellealys
    daniellealys Posts: 301 Member
    It really depends on your alloted calories, your height/weight and your exercise level. I dont. I exercise 30 minutes a day. I probably burn anywhere from 200-500 a day. I dont eat those back because its not a lot of exercise and my calorie allowance for the day is already 1600. I am not going to eat 2000 calories a day and loose weight.
    now on long bike days or other excessive exercise days, I do eat a few extra calories that day. but never the total amount
  • fullofquirks
    fullofquirks Posts: 182 Member
    *sigh*

    this is going to be a painful thread.


    Please people, at least the people who care to know, rather than just wing it... please please please please read this. There actually is science and reason behind all this... it's not a just gotta find what works for you type of thing.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/383956-exercise-calories-explained?hl=exercise+calories+explained

    Whoa, good post! Thank you.
  • Marymoe138
    Marymoe138 Posts: 68 Member
    Thank you for this explanation. I realize that as I work a desk job, I should have set the activity level to sedentary and eat back the calories that I exercise off. I lost quite a bit of weight when starting off but my deficit was 600 to 700 and I was starving at the end of the day. This was while I was burning over 700 calories a day in exercise. Again thank you and I hope that more people find your post!! :happy:
  • KBmoments
    KBmoments Posts: 193 Member
    MFP is designed so that you EAT BACK your exercise calories. It's already built a deficit for you.

    Not necessarily, but that is how most people use it.

    Yes, it's designed that way if your goals are to lose weight. I think the author should have clarified if she was trying to maintain or lose.
  • pkteen
    pkteen Posts: 121 Member
    I don't. I'm a 20 year old, 5'11" guy and I eat 1300-1500 cals a day. Whatever I exercise, I still eat a maximum of 1500.
    I also exercise daily and in order to maximise my performance at the gym, I eat most (or all) of my carbs an hour before workout and then I have two scoops of whey protein after the workout.

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