Do YOU eat back your calories burned with exercise?

saudade108

I'm just curious. I have been netting under 1200 calories on the days I go to the gym and right at or slightly under on the days that I don't work out but in the 6 days or so that I've been tracking, I've only lost a pound. Would netting under 1200 really inhibit my weight loss? What do you personally do? Do you eat back some or all your burned calories?

amnsetie

I would eat back at least enough to net over 1200

Medwayguy

Yes I do...

I find a small snack before and after gym is a must and my target resting rate is 2200 so I hit 2500'3500 a day. I have not lost or gained as I use this site to sustain only

Hope that helps some: I think my profile shows a little of my gym workout so you can see how much I burn etc


Pete<<< That guy over there

WeekndOVOXO

I try not to. Think the app exaggerates the amount of calories burned.

UncleRiotous

I struggle with this one. My weight loss was great and I was doing that and then I plateaued. What I've been doing the last week or two is eating between 1200 and 1500 but not eating back exercise (about 1200-1400 calories a day). I was expecting to only do it for a couple of days because I thought I'd run out of energy on the bike and feel really crappy but actually at the end of nearly two weeks of doing this I feel great, I'm loosing weight and I'm feeling stronger and stronger on the bike. As soon as my performance on the bike drops off I'll go back to eating more though.

I think the key thing is how many calories you're burning at the gym. If you're burning off a 1-200 then I'd suggest that given the inaccuracy of measuring calories burned you probably don't want to eat them back, if you're burning off 500+ then it makes sense to eat some (if not all) of them back. At the end of the day listen to your body and see what it says, it'll let you know if you're overdoing it because you won't have the energy available when you're at the gym.

SorchaRavenlock

When I didn't I always felt hungry and my hair got really thin, so now I'm eating them back.
I don't eat all of them since I do feel MFP overestimates calories burned. I aim for eating half of them, but on hungry days I don't hesitate to eat more of them since I'd rather lose slowly then feel weak and hungry.

FitSuga

Technically yes I do. Whatever adjustment I get from fitbit I eat! I have my activity level set to lightly active and then fitbit will automatically sync in calories to eat for anything above that due to excersize etc. I make sure to eat them. But, I would only eat half if I went by mfp calorie burns.

marikevr

It depends on how hungry I get. I do a lot of distance running, those cals I will (have to) eat. On minor exercise days I'm not that hungry and will eat less.

jennibee70

I try to eat back some of them, not all because I do think MFP over-estimates. I never eat them back in advance (if you see what I mean), in case I change my mind and don't exercise, but as I exercise in the evening, I often find I don't have time to eat them afterwards. So in theory, yes, I try to eat back about half, in practise, it doesn't always work. But I would point out that a loss of about 1 lb a week is fine. The plan is aimed at small steady losses because it is easier to maintain in the long run.

StrongerThanThor

No, But i try to eat more calories in my working out days than my rest days with ~200 calorie.

seaKind

some. depends on how much i workout. casual walk through the neighborhood, no; superpower HIIT class + mountain hike carrying baby, yes.

Railr0aderTony

YES, honestly its the only reason I exercise.

bellarox13

No I don't. I am on 1210 cals a day and burn between 800 to 1000 cals for days a week. Because I can only exercise at night, there is no way I am going to force myself to eat when I go to bed two hours later.

hughtwalker

No

Terree_G

I allow myself to eat back SOME of the burned calories if I feel hungry, but not all of them. I always make sure I eat the basic 1200 per day, because I've read repeatedly from many sources that that is the number required for basic metabolic function and that if you try to eat less than that, it is counterproductive to weight loss.

And, as several people pointed out, MFP appears to be overestimating calories burned. I check my totals at the gym and then compare them with the totals here, and it's always higher here. I use both as estimated guidelines and go from there. So far, in just 6 days of using MFP and tracking my intake, I have lost more than the 1 lb/week I am aiming to lose.

PicklePlum

No. I may eat some if I'm not feeling 100%.

hughtwalker

On the other hand, yesterday I technically did because I was over-budget before I went to the gym - or would if have been over if I had actually drunk the bedtime Horlicks that I pre-recorded : It DOES get confusing, doesn't it?!

Yogi_Carl

Yes some - as has already been posted by others:

Sometimes I factor in exercise to the day just so I can eat a little more if I feel down and I find the exercise has a lift as well so it's a win-win! I also put in an exercise session if I know I am going somewhere where the food is going to be special like a buffet or party or eating out. This is a lifestyle change that I can maintain that I didn't do before.

After exercise I listen to my hunger and if it is genuine I eat some of my calories back. If I am struggling to eat them back I don't as I focus on cardio and don't have as much muscle repair to do as some of these iron pushers! A strenuous yoga session usually finds me eating back some calories but it changes my mind set as to what choices I make so the food is good but properly proportioned and good food choices rather than crashing into the nearest carb load I can find!

Hope this helps - it's not as simple as carbs in carbs out.

adgold86

I would say losing a pound a week is pretty decent. I wouldn't eat extra food, especially unhealthy foods that have more calories in just for the sake of making up the calories. If you feel hungry snack on healthy foods like fruit, veg or unsalted nuts.

Dree3

I never do. I don't even record my exercise in here. I eat when I'm hungry, stop when I'm full.

tommygirl15

Only somtimes

Donnarose82

No even though I own a Polar Heart Rate Monitor, I know exactly how many calories I burn at the gym etc. The program I'm currently on recommends that I eat 1200 and to not eat back calories, but I would be interested to see if it actually helps people.

DPernet

Yes I do, but with a MAJOR proviso. I go by the principal that the calories burned numbers in MFP are usually too high.

The exercise that I record is always underestimated. For instance if I do an hour of laps in the pool, I record it as "Swimming, Leisurely, General" If I walk for an hour and 10 mins at 3.5mph, then it gets recorded as an hour at 3mph...and so on.

The onyl things I record exactly are the cardio machines from the Gym where I have the HRM attached

Seems to work for me so far :drinker:

brevislux

I do my best but if I'm not feeling hungry then I won't eat all of them. Listen to your body.

avsingleton

i don't eat back my calories burned bc one, it would be way to much food for me and two, i don't get the desired results. additionally, i think mfp's calculations are a bit off...i don't trust them completely. have u checked to see if u have lost any inches? i've noticed that sometimes the scale appear to be stuck and it seems as if i'm not losing weight, but i lose inches, then low and behold, one morning i wake up and have dropped 2 to 2.5 pounds. just keep hanging in there, if u continue doing what u're doing consistently u'll get the results u seek...guaranteed!

Capt_Apollo

well, to be blunt, you say you've only lost a pound doing this. you've only been doing this less then a month. it's going to take a while to lose the weight.

you should find out your TDEE and BMR. your tdee is your total daily energy expenditure, which is the amount of calories you need to maintain your weight at your current activity level. your BMR is you basal metabolic rate, which is the bare minimum of calories you need to survive if you were just laying in bed not moving.

TDEE- http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

BMR- http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/bmr-calculator.html

you should never eat under your BMR. ever ever ever. that could possibly hurt you and force your body to resist weight loss, as it is trying to conserve itself. if i were you, i would find out my TDEE at "light exercise," and then your BMR. find a number about half way in between those two, and then log and drink your exercise calories.

to accurately measure your burned calories, you should start working out with a heart rate monitor. polar ones, with a chest strap, are generally good ones.

Clcleeds2012

Yes, but to a point. I'm exercising to lose weight so it would be counter intuitive to eat back everything I burned! I try not to go below 1200 calories a day. My calories are set at about 1400 and I mentally have 1200 as a minimum. If I have done a lot of exercise that takes me below that I will try to eat back to my 1200 minimum. When I was younger I could diet and basically eat barely anything and be fine. Now I'm 31 if I go below 1200 for a sustained period my hair starts falling out!!!! I did a 1200 and under calorie diet about six months ago and it made me really ill. I don't know why my body has changed its tolerance but it has. After having my son two years ago I seem to have lost a lot of physical resilience. The odd day of under 1200 seems to be ok for me but I won't do in on purpose again.

shiftysheep

I don't even log my exercise on here anymore I lift weights, sprint, cross country running & yoga). I just work out my TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) based on my BMR (Basil Metabolic Rate) & then go from there.

I'm 27 years old, 5"9' & 159.2lbs @ just over 10.69% body fat this give me a BMR of 1,761 calories. That's what my body uses just maintaining current body weight & body function. So if I was just eating my BMR then I would log & eat my exercise calories (using a HR monitor with a strap). But if you take your BMR & use it to find your TDEE. You don't have to worry about exercise calories, Think of your TDEE like your BMR plus workout calories.

To find my TDEE from my BMR I need to use the Harris Benedict equation (All links are given so you can workout your own).

Harris Benedict Formula

To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9

So I take my BMR of 1,761 calories & multiply that by 1.55 because I exercise hard 5-6 times a week but also have plenty of time to rest because I'm out of work. This gives me a TDEE of 2,729 calories.

This means that I need, 2,729 calories to maintain my current body weight at my current activity level. So 2,729 is my maintenance calories, if I want to lose or gain weight I can plus or minus this by about 20%.

To gain weight I would, 2,729 x 1.20 = 3,274.

To lose weight I would, 2,729 x 0.80 = 2183.

So based on this I know how many calories I need for all scenarios.

BMR = 1,761
TDEE/Maintainence = 2,729
Cutting calories = 2,183 (As you can see even when cutting I don't go under my BMR)
Bulking calories = 3,274

Forget about exercise calories, workout your BMR (http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/) then use the Benedict formula to get your TDEE (http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/), once you have your TDEE just plus or minus it by about 20%.

To lose weight TDEE x 0.80

To gain weight TDEE x 1.20

To maintain eat at TDEE also know as maintenance.

Peace.

shiftysheep

Everyone gets so hung up on the 1200 calories, as if it has some bearing on real life. You need to workout YOUR own BMR & TDEE. My three year old daughter eats more than 1200 calories.

"For ages 2 to 3, the USDA recommends a child consume 1,000 to 1,400 calories, depending on his activity level. For age 4, the calorie intake increases to between 1,200 and 2,000. Here are examples of how much your child should be getting in all five food groups." - http://www.babycenter.com/0_nutrition-guidelines-for-young-children_64359.bc

jjscholar

I have to admit that I do eat back my calories burned from exercise as well... I think that one of the possible reasons why I have been able to maintain my weight at between 175-180 lbs...

I have a weakness for food... But, the good thing is that I do not eat red meat, fried food, and fast food anymore... In addition, I avoid soda even diet soda. I drink water, powered drink mix, fruit juice, or sports drinks...

CassieReannan

I try, sometimes its difficult to.