Who doesn't eat their exercise calories?

jessifreehugs

So, I've been doing some research and I'm getting mixed results as to whether or not one should eat back their calories burned during exercise. I have not been eating mine, because I read on another website that you need a 500 calorie deficit to burn fat. Is this true or just something someone made up? I know there are a bunch of posts on this already. I'm just confused and looking for the whole "deficit" explanation.

Also, does anyone do better with their weight loss by not eating their exercise calories? I'm just trying to get opinions from all sides. Thanks!

Chenoachem

This website builds the calorie deficit into your calorie intake already. The amount of calories it is reduced by depends on the settings you set: 1lb per week or 2lb per week. So for this site it is best to eat at least half if not all of your exercise calories. Otherwise you are creating to great of a deficit. I found that I had to eat my workout calories to keep up the energy to keep challenging myself with my next workout.

I hope that makes sense.

Nikki143

I'm not sure, but I def wanna know.... I barely eat mine.. sometimes I will..

caristear

When I exercise I eat back some of my exercise calories. For example on days that I exercise I eat between 1250-1400 calories when I've burned between 500-600 calories. On days that I don't exercise I stay at my 1200 calorie goal. I've been successful so far...10.4 pounds in 3 1/2 weeks.

lilchino4af

I don't add in my exercise calories until the end of the day after I've already factored in all my meals based on my daily calorie goal. That way I try to stay under (or very little over) what my suggested calorie intake is so help lose weight. Any additional calories I burn from exercise are a plus and I don't eat them back because I want them gone! I have myself set to lose 1 lb a week (the recommended setting) and by not eating back my exercise calories I'm actually losing about 2 lbs a week. Hope this helps!

Coppersky55

I don't know if it is the same for everybody, but I noticed that when I didn't eat the calories gained by exercise I would get lightheaded and I didn't seem to drop weight as consistently as when I ate the exercise calories. I figure that the increased activity made my body burn more in general and if I kept at the low calorie target my body goes into starvation mode and therefore I would start to gain weight. I try to shoot for maybe 200 calories under the toal calorie goal with exercise and I try to exercise 90 minutes a day.

McFatterton

I wasn't eating mine, and was still losing weight. I decided that last week I would eat about 1/2 - 3/4 of mine each day and I didn't lose a thing. Not even an ounce. So, I'm back to NOT eating mine. But, everyone is different and every body reacts to food and exercise differently. If you're hungry, eat something. Just choose wisely.

jrbowers83

Well, you're right there is all kind of theories on whether to eat the exercise calories or not. I personally eat about half of my calories, and more if I feel hungry as long as I don't go over the net. The whole 500 calorie deficit is derived from the equation that 3500 calories=1 lb. of fat,
so to lose 1 lb/week that would be
500 cals/day x 7 days/week=3500/week.
But MFP already accounts for a deficit BEFORE exercise depending on how much weight you set you want to lose. The problem with not eating ANY of your exercise calories is that you could actually be putting your body into starvation mode, slowing your metabolism and signalling your body to hold fat and excess weight. The reason I only eat about half of my exercise calories is that I don't know if the estimate of how much is burned is accurate for me, and I feel like I have a slower metabolism due to yo-yo dieting in the past. I find you really just have to play around with it a little and find the balance that works for you.

jessifreehugs

Ok so, it's basically trial and error lol. I guess I'll stick to not eating mine for a while and see how that goes. 3 pounds in 4 weeks just doesn't seem like enough though. Maybe I'll change it up if I don't see better results in the coming weeks. Thanks for the imput!

gabi_ele

Here is what has helped me understand what this is all about ,
Sun 04/13/08 03:27 AMWow, look at all the new faces! Welcome all of you guys that have joined up in the last few days and weeks. I guess it really is true what they say about new diets starting in the spring (although we don't call it dieting, we call it a lifestyle change)

Anyway, don't get me wrong, I don't mean Newbie in the derrogatory sense, we are delighted that you have decided that MFP is a good place to start your journey (or continue it!). Over the past 6 or 8 months some of us have put out some great, informative posts that have helped many on MFP. I hope you will take a few minutes and read them, they can be very informative and may head off some questions you ask before you ask em.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6556-the-answers-to-the-questions

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/9433-expectations

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calories

I personly think that if you have to loose a lot (100 pounds or more) you can get away with not eating all of your exercise calories ( Biggest Looser) however, if you are closer to your healty weight you should eat all of them since you are closer to the starvation point ... Hope that helps

annastasia76

I have been trying to eat at least half my exercise calories. I found that when I wasn't I started gaining weight and inches, after the last week when I made an effort to eat more, this morning I finally saw a 2lb weight loss, so for now I'm going to continue eating at least half my exercise calories.

fooja

Ok so, it's basically trial and error lol. I guess I'll stick to not eating mine for a while and see how that goes. 3 pounds in 4 weeks just doesn't seem like enough though. Maybe I'll change it up if I don't see better results in the coming weeks. Thanks for the imput!

i agree about the trial and error thing....i think everyones body is different so u just gta find what works best for u!! keep up the good work!

sealscott

I started watching my portion sizes and excersing on a treadmill for an hour a day seven days a week. In 5 weeks I have only lost 10 pounds. Shouldn't this be a faster process. I should mention that I drink 12 8 ounce glasses of water a day as well.

catherine1979

I never eat all of mine. I usually end up with 2050 calories or so after I work out, I average between 1600 and 1900 a day.

haindelchristy

I have never ate mine until I worked out yesterday for 3 hours so that my husband and I could go on a date and I wouldnt feel guilty. To my surprise we went to a new restaurant and I had an allerigc reaction to theyre chips and salsa and my throat swelled shut. I think it was a sign for me to stick to my diet and not eat my exercise calories. Fine now- Just am PETRIFFIED to eat anything. I guess that will work toward weight loss hah?

chgudnitz

Eat your exercise calories. Don't screw with your body when it comes to proper nutrition. If you burn a lot doing exercise and don't replace it, your body WILL begin to break down muscle tissue to get what it needs to function. So yes, you will still lose weight, but you will lose muscle and keep (most) of your fat. I don't think that's what anyone wants when they say they want to lose weight. If it is, then by all means don't eat back your exercise calories.

Do your body a favor and feed it what it needs. Do it the healthy way.

annastasia76

sealscott

you have lost an amazing amount of weight, you don't want to loose anymore than 2lbs per week, 1 per week is actually what is recommended.

DeeDeeLHF

Been doing this for awhile now...have really lost a total of 50#.

I am not the fastest loser but I am fairly consistent.

I do eat my excercise calories or at least within 100. If I do not...then I either plateau or start to gain.

I am not trying to imply that those who have only been doing this for a short time don't know anything but I think you should ask the advice of people who have done this and succeded! tamtastic, arewethereyet, songbird, shboss etc.

DeeDeeLHF

Been doing this for awhile now...have really lost a total of 50#.

I am not the fastest loser but I am fairly consistent.

I do eat my excercise calories or at least within 100. If I do not...then I either plateau or start to gain.

I am not trying to imply that those who have only been doing this for a short time don't know anything but I think you should ask the advice of people who have done this and succeded! tamtastic, arewethereyet, songbird, shboss etc.

Look at the advice from chgudnitz! 84 pounds since March 09! Impressive!

34at35

Eat your exercise calories. Don't screw with your body when it comes to proper nutrition. If you burn a lot doing exercise and don't replace it, your body WILL begin to break down muscle tissue to get what it needs to function. So yes, you will still lose weight, but you will lose muscle and keep (most) of your fat. I don't think that's what anyone wants when they say they want to lose weight. If it is, then by all means don't eat back your exercise calories.

Do your body a favor and feed it what it needs. Do it the healthy way.

I agree withyou100% Plus, my doctor also told me that when the body breaks down the muscle tissue, the area most affected is the core muscles and that results in back problems. So eat those exercse calories, please!

McFatterton

Eat your exercise calories. Don't screw with your body when it comes to proper nutrition. If you burn a lot doing exercise and don't replace it, your body WILL begin to break down muscle tissue to get what it needs to function. So yes, you will still lose weight, but you will lose muscle and keep (most) of your fat. I don't think that's what anyone wants when they say they want to lose weight. If it is, then by all means don't eat back your exercise calories.

Do your body a favor and feed it what it needs. Do it the healthy way.

Ok, but what if you're not hungry? That's my problem....trust me, I would eat if I was hungry, but I'm not. What should one do in that circumstance?

34at35

Eat your exercise calories. Don't screw with your body when it comes to proper nutrition. If you burn a lot doing exercise and don't replace it, your body WILL begin to break down muscle tissue to get what it needs to function. So yes, you will still lose weight, but you will lose muscle and keep (most) of your fat. I don't think that's what anyone wants when they say they want to lose weight. If it is, then by all means don't eat back your exercise calories.

Do your body a favor and feed it what it needs. Do it the healthy way.

Ok, but what if you're not hungry? That's my problem....trust me, I would eat if I was hungry, but I'm not. What should one do in that circumstance?

Try nibbling on some nuts! Good nutrition, good calories. Try cinnamon almonds and I gaurantee you'll get hooked on them because they taste so good it won't matter if you're hungry or not!

chgudnitz

Eat your exercise calories. Don't screw with your body when it comes to proper nutrition. If you burn a lot doing exercise and don't replace it, your body WILL begin to break down muscle tissue to get what it needs to function. So yes, you will still lose weight, but you will lose muscle and keep (most) of your fat. I don't think that's what anyone wants when they say they want to lose weight. If it is, then by all means don't eat back your exercise calories.

Do your body a favor and feed it what it needs. Do it the healthy way.

Ok, but what if you're not hungry? That's my problem....trust me, I would eat if I was hungry, but I'm not. What should one do in that circumstance?

Do you like peanut butter? 100 calories a tablespoon. Almonds? Fantastic snack, high in calories and good fat. *note - not all fat is bad fat folks. What do you like to eat and how many calories are we talking about on a daily basis that you are leaving out there and not eating?

chgudnitz

34at35 - Great minds think alike. :drinker:

Almonds are the common thread. Nuts pretty much in general.

abredbenner

Eat your exercise calories. Don't screw with your body when it comes to proper nutrition. If you burn a lot doing exercise and don't replace it, your body WILL begin to break down muscle tissue to get what it needs to function. So yes, you will still lose weight, but you will lose muscle and keep (most) of your fat. I don't think that's what anyone wants when they say they want to lose weight. If it is, then by all means don't eat back your exercise calories.

Do your body a favor and feed it what it needs. Do it the healthy way.

Ok, but what if you're not hungry? That's my problem....trust me, I would eat if I was hungry, but I'm not. What should one do in that circumstance?

Try a recovery drink after your workout like Myoplex Lite (~170 calories). They are high in protein and will help build muscle. A handful of almonds is also great for you, high in calories and not very filling.

34at35

34at35 - Great minds think alike. :drinker:

Almonds are the common thread. Nuts pretty much in general.

Been told that! And it spans the generations! Yours and Mine! :laugh: High Five!

00Angela00

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6556-the-answers-to-the-questions

EVERYBODY READ THIS!

stormieweather

Keep in mind that, in many cases, the reason that people lose weight who DO NOT eat their exercise calories (and don't lose when they do) is because they have overestimated their activity levels and/or calories burned via exercise.

The difference between lightly active and active is usually several hundred calories. One can easily overestimate how many calories you burned during aerobics by 100-200 or more calories. This would completely eliminate any perceived deficit, leaving one at their maintenance, unable to lose any weight.

Bottom line, trial and error. Find out what works for you, personally. But make sure you are fueling your body adequately, no matter how you arrive at your goal calories.

tzvishear

i try to keep under the exercise calories just in case i made a mistake in calculating calories during the day.

pannellkat

Eat your exercise calories. Don't screw with your body when it comes to proper nutrition. If you burn a lot doing exercise and don't replace it, your body WILL begin to break down muscle tissue to get what it needs to function. So yes, you will still lose weight, but you will lose muscle and keep (most) of your fat. I don't think that's what anyone wants when they say they want to lose weight. If it is, then by all means don't eat back your exercise calories.

Do your body a favor and feed it what it needs. Do it the healthy way.

Totally off topic...YOU ARE SMOKIN HOT!