Need help with calories..?

vickiessecret

OK, my question is, in order to lose weight I know I should eat all of my calories, but should I also eat back my exercise calories? Some say yes & some say no, is eating back the exercise calories making my workout pointless? I'm new to the whole counting calories & would just like some advice. Thanks

WinnerVictorious

i think if you use the MFP tools, the tools factor into its calculations that your ARE eating back your exercise calories.

i log my calories/exercise in my own spreadsheet and don't use the MFP tools, so i don't eat back exercise calories.

i think this is the root of the confusion... depending on whether you are relying on the MFP tools or doing it yourself.

there also seems to be a faction on the site that thinks if you eat too few calories (or don't eat back your exercise calories), that you'll slow down your metabolism and slow down your weight loss. i'm not too interested in getting into that debate, but i think that's why some are so insistent that you MUST eat back your exercise calories.

i guess you could try it both ways and see which works for you...

ItsSamantha

I have heard the same thing some say yes and some no.I think it really depends on you really.If you want to then go right ahead.If not then don't.I personally don't eat back my exercise calories.I tend to stay right at my calorie goal no matter what my calories i burn are.At the end of the week is what matters at how many calories you burned 3,500 calories burned equals 1 lb of fat you can lose a week.So if you burn 3,500 or more a week you are more then likely going to lose a lb or more no matter if you ate back your exercise calories or not.Just my opinion anyways

nxd10

Eating back your exercise calories allows you to build muscle and minimize muscle loss by being on a calorie deficit diet.

Exercise makes you look thin and be healthy. It doesn't help you lose weight. If you don't exercise you will lose relatively more muscle and less fat. Eating back your exercise calories will not only mean you look better, it means you will be healthier.

And you get to eat more while looking good!

vickiessecret

Thanks

LorinaLynn

If you're using MFP the way it was designed to work, you should eat them back.

Honestly, whether I eat by MFP's way, or calculate my average TDEE (total daily energy expenditure - aka, maintenance calories) and subtract a portion... the numbers work out the same.

The amount of exercise you do absolutely determines how much you should eat. Someone who runs 10 miles a day needs more fuel than someone who runs 3 miles a day, and someone who runs 3 miles a day needs more fuel than someone who doesn't exercise at all.

But the amount of exercise you SAY you'll do doesn't change your calorie goal on MFP, unless and until you do it and log it.

vickiessecret

Thanks everyone

AbsoluteNG

Eating back your exercise calories is a myth created by MyFitnessPal. There is no diet on the face of the planet that says you must eat back your exercise calories. It's nonsense... There is however, a study that shows that you will lose less weight when you do eat back your exercise calories. Link below to read the article on the study. The original study was not about exercise calories but the end result showed that eating back exercise calories made you lose less weight compared to those who did not eat them back and in fact, those who did not eat back their exercise calories lost more weight when compared to those that did.


http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/21/health/weight-exercise-loss/index.html

EatClean_WashUrNuts

Eating back your exercise calories is a myth created by MyFitnessPal.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/21/health/weight-exercise-loss/index.html

ROFLMAO.

This is not a myth, nor something created by MFP. The theory and those pro & con have been around for what seems like ever. Try It, if it works, great, when you plateau, change it up. Same thing if you dont. The only proof comes from yourself. And know, you will plateau. You will need to change it up.

vickiessecret

Thanks everyone, I will have to see what works for me