do you lose weight when you eat exercise calories back

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  • LelliAmi
    LelliAmi Posts: 327 Member
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    Usually, yes. I would just make sure that if I'm eating them back, to eat protein foods instead of carb/fatty foods. That way you build lean muscle which basically guarantees weight loss.
  • Lady_Bane
    Lady_Bane Posts: 720 Member
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    I had the best results at the beginning of my journey by changing it back and forth every 3 weeks. Now that I am lifting, I log everything.
  • AmberJo1984
    AmberJo1984 Posts: 1,067 Member
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    When I first started this journey, I would eat them all back. Yes, I lost weight.

    My doctor now has me on a 1500 calorie a day diet. I may eat back some of my exercise calories... but, I try to keep them minimal. Maybe 100. Sometimes I don't even reach 1500 calories. I'm still losing -- as well as getting stronger.
  • bemott
    bemott Posts: 180
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    Yes, have always eaten all of them back and lost 59 lbs in 8 months. From 206 to 147 right now.
  • ElizaRoche
    ElizaRoche Posts: 2,005 Member
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    it didnt work for me!, i tried that a few months ago and nope... So i dont eat mine back!
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
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    I don't eat them all back but only some and I'm losing.....
  • Timmyttt418
    Timmyttt418 Posts: 103 Member
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    I don't risk it, so I almost never eat my calories back, I have lost 76 pounds since June 28th.
  • juliec33
    juliec33 Posts: 238 Member
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    I don't always eat all of them back. I do try to keep my net calories to at least my BMR.
  • larbot3000
    larbot3000 Posts: 12
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    Another thing to note is that exercise calories are often a guesstimate rather than an exact science, this is when it may not work for some. A deficit is still a deficit though..

    Consider the following:

    Person A eats 1800 calories and burns 1400 calories doing a boxing class
    Person B eats 1400 calories and doesn't do any exercise

    Weight loss outcomes should be the same provided Person A hasn't overestimated their calories burned..

    Then you have Person C, they eat 1400 calories and burn 500 calories. They've actually created a much larger deficit than the two above. Typically it's not a good idea to consistently create such a large deficit - it's not sustainable.
  • rlv2680
    rlv2680 Posts: 289 Member
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    Another thing to note is that exercise calories are often a guesstimate rather than an exact science, this is when it may not work for some. A deficit is still a deficit though..

    Consider the following:

    Person A eats 1800 calories and burns 1400 calories doing a boxing class
    Person B eats 1400 calories and doesn't do any exercise

    Weight loss outcomes should be the same provided Person A hasn't overestimated their calories burned..

    Then you have Person C, they eat 1400 calories and burn 500 calories. They've actually created a much larger deficit than the two above. Typically it's not a good idea to consistently create such a large deficit - it's not sustainable.
    if a person burned 1400 cals and only ate 1800 it is NOT the same as someone eating only 1400.;....do u mean if someone burned 400 in a class?
  • Jacium
    Jacium Posts: 6
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    The law of conservation of energy is an inescapable law of nature. It ensures that if you burn off exactly x calories, then consume and metaboize exactly x calories, your weight will not change. However, as you convert fat into muscle, the muscle is metabolic and will burn more calories than fat even when you're not excercising. This gives many people the perception that they are losing weight even though they are replacing the calories indicated by a fitness machine. The overall result is good (assuming one is trying to lose weight).
  • rmcannell
    rmcannell Posts: 23 Member
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    I would be in big trouble if I didn't consider exercise calories as part of my diet, considering I am burning 600 - 1500 calories per run 5 or 6 days a week and some days even more.

    I'm sure if you're doing light exercise it's not as critical, but if your goal is to get fit not just skinny it may not be wise to ignore them completely.
  • Goal_Driven
    Goal_Driven Posts: 371 Member
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    No, I try to avoid eating any of my exercise calories back if I can unless I get super hungry, then I'll eat back about a 1/4 to 1/2, but never all. Seems to be working :)
  • WDEvy
    WDEvy Posts: 814 Member
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    I upped my calories to TDEE -20% so I no longer eat them back but when I was following the MFP suggested calories I ate back about 50% and I have a steady weight loss.
  • Sick_Beard
    Sick_Beard Posts: 407 Member
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    Eating your exercise cals back is not about losing more weight, but about preserving precious muscle mass. Those that don't eat their exercise cals back will only end up being skinny fat and have a harder time to lose on the long run since the more muscle you have the more cals you burn in a resting state.
  • purpleipod
    purpleipod Posts: 1,147 Member
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    Considering the deficit I need is there before I even exercise, yes.
  • larbot3000
    larbot3000 Posts: 12
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    Another thing to note is that exercise calories are often a guesstimate rather than an exact science, this is when it may not work for some. A deficit is still a deficit though..

    Consider the following:

    Person A eats 1800 calories and burns 1400 calories doing a boxing class
    Person B eats 1400 calories and doesn't do any exercise

    Weight loss outcomes should be the same provided Person A hasn't overestimated their calories burned..

    Then you have Person C, they eat 1400 calories and burn 500 calories. They've actually created a much larger deficit than the two above. Typically it's not a good idea to consistently create such a large deficit - it's not sustainable.
    if a person burned 1400 cals and only ate 1800 it is NOT the same as someone eating only 1400.;....do u mean if someone burned 400 in a class?

    Yes.... Obviously a typo
  • ipsamet
    ipsamet Posts: 436 Member
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    Yep, I've lost all 71 pounds while eating back my exercise calories. I'm going for fit not just skinny, and to do that I need to feed my muscles!
  • WeekndOVOXO
    WeekndOVOXO Posts: 779 Member
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    It doesn't for me. Although I think it was the type of calories i was consuming, i.e. sweets.
  • Julicat6
    Julicat6 Posts: 231 Member
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    I eat back some exercise calories, but not all. I have 3 reasons for this..
    1. I think MFP overestimates calories burned.
    2. It allows for discrepancies in measuring foods or hidden calories in prepared foods
    3. It works for me:smile: I don't lose at 1230 which is where MFP put my daily intake, I also don't lose eating all back(learned this when doing a different program.)
    I don't believe in One Diet Rules Them All. Everybody is different and is at a different point in their health and fitness journey. I will probably eat them back as I get closer to goal and shift my focus from loss to maintenance. Experiment and find what works for you. I will say this regarding eating less than 1200, it's really hard to get a good nutrition level at that low intake. If you are doing below that it needs to be under close supervision of a Dr. and needs to focus on optimal nutrition.

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