Do you eat your exercise calories?!?!?!?

13

Replies

  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
    NO!!! thats all towards my weight loss...lol

    Same ^^^ here. I'm in maintenance now and I still don't eat them, they are way over rated. Of course you burn some but not nearly what any of the HRM's and what not say. If I worked out hard and feel I need bit extra calories at night I eat, I base it on how I feel.
  • merkuri22
    merkuri22 Posts: 13 Member
    Yes, I do when I feel like it (which is most days). MFP has me at a ~400 calorie a day deficit. For a while I was getting so good at eliminating calories from my diet that I started getting so hungry at work that I would not be able to concentrate. I realized at that point that if I'm unhappy or uncomfortable then this won't be a sustainable thing. So if I feel like having a snack I'll walk the treadmill or the stairs until I've worked off that snack.

    I need to stay happy while I lose weight, otherwise I won't stick with it. Some days Cheez-its make me happy. :)
    what do you guys mean a deficit is already built in? i thought that the 3500 calories you're supposed to eliminate every week was supposed to come from both a calorie deficit and exercise?

    MFP estimates how many calories you'll burn in a "normal" day, based on what you put for your activity level, and then gives you a goal amount of calories to eat which is less than that. For example, I'm sedentary (desk job, and hobbies are almost all computer based) so MFP estimated that I'd burn roughly 1600 calories per day and suggested that I eat 1200 calories. There's the 400 calorie a day deficit.

    If I walk on the treadmill for a while and burn 200 more calories than the 1600 that MFP expects then my deficit is now 600 calories, and if I want I can eat back those 200 calories if I want and not feel guilty, because I'm back to the original 400 calorie a day deficit, which by itself should lose me 1 lb a week.
  • NocturnalGirl
    NocturnalGirl Posts: 1,762
    I don't, because I base my calorie goals on TDEE which already includes exercise.

    It depends on whether you are following MFP or your own TDEE calculation. MFP requires you to eat exercise calories in addition to your calorie goal, I'd recommend you eat some of it back if that's the case.
  • love2cycle
    love2cycle Posts: 448 Member
    I do. When I ride a bike for instance, I can actually burn about 700 calories. If I'm trying to stick to 1500 calories consumed, and then burn 700, I'm only getting about 800 calories, which is called starvation to me! If I don't eat enough after that kind of exercise, I get sick. Not good. I have lost weight by eating back the calories, as well.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    NO!!! thats all towards my weight loss...lol

    Same ^^^ here. I'm in maintenance now and I still don't eat them, they are way over rated. Of course you burn some but not nearly what any of the HRM's and what not say. If I worked out hard and feel I need bit extra calories at night I eat, I base it on how I feel.

    Wow...I"ve heard it all. Exercise calories are overrated.

    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSJuir8X26pYIek3_HI9_v6k9YGR3yZWLc5I8CJo5e_iwuiV18N
  • thoseblueeyes
    thoseblueeyes Posts: 812 Member
    I don't touch my calories I get for working out. Never have and never will. Afraid if I did I would gain plus I am having a hard time eating my normal calories. It's not for me!
  • ToughTulip
    ToughTulip Posts: 1,118 Member
    NO!!! thats all towards my weight loss...lol

    Same ^^^ here. I'm in maintenance now and I still don't eat them, they are way over rated. Of course you burn some but not nearly what any of the HRM's and what not say. If I worked out hard and feel I need bit extra calories at night I eat, I base it on how I feel.

    They are pretty spot on for me. I use my bodymedia fit and it has been nearly 100% correct for me. I eat a ton
  • Lift_hard_eat_big
    Lift_hard_eat_big Posts: 2,278 Member
    NO!!! thats all towards my weight loss...lol

    Same ^^^ here. I'm in maintenance now and I still don't eat them, they are way over rated. Of course you burn some but not nearly what any of the HRM's and what not say. If I worked out hard and feel I need bit extra calories at night I eat, I base it on how I feel.

    How can you possibly be at maintenance if you're eating at a deficit? It appears that your metabolism is shot and what you once thought was a deficit is in fact now your maintenance. Most likely a result of your chronic under eating.
  • gaby_1qb
    gaby_1qb Posts: 4
    Nope! Well not on purpose! Trying to loose it all by Christmas, so help me Jesus!
  • NocturnalGirl
    NocturnalGirl Posts: 1,762
    NO!!! thats all towards my weight loss...lol

    Same ^^^ here. I'm in maintenance now and I still don't eat them, they are way over rated. Of course you burn some but not nearly what any of the HRM's and what not say. If I worked out hard and feel I need bit extra calories at night I eat, I base it on how I feel.

    How can you possibly be at maintenance if you're eating at a deficit? It appears that your metabolism is shot and what you once thought was a deficit is in fact now your maintenance. Most likely a result of your chronic under eating.

    What he said.
  • bigchef1
    bigchef1 Posts: 10
    If im hungry I do but I use them as a buffer more or less.:glasses:
  • Tujuannaevans
    Tujuannaevans Posts: 34
    :ohwell: Since I snack every 3 hours, there is no need to worry about eating back all those calories.
  • tinytasha7
    tinytasha7 Posts: 86 Member
    I try not to but if I do, I like to still keep things as healthy as I can
  • monicayjean
    monicayjean Posts: 4 Member
    I don't know what I am doing help me... My calories is 2310 a day. I eat any where from 1200-1500 a day, and I have a personal trainer 3x a week and 3x days I walk with friends 2miles. I take Sunday off. So I burn about 247 calories on the days I walk and I think around 400 on the days I train. I really dont see a huge difference in my weight. Can someone tell me why? What I'm I doing wrong?
  • bdunt2646
    bdunt2646 Posts: 99 Member
    I usually do.

    Word of advice tot he newbies. If you have a small amount of weight to lose eating them back is not counter-productive! However, make sure you are measuring all your food and only eat back all of them if you use a HRM if you're going by estimates on MFP or gym equipment only eat back half to 75%. When you have just a few pounds to lose chances that 1200 is already below your BMR are pretty good and eating well below your BMR for a long time isn't that good for you. So if you're at a 1200 calorie goal and you exercise 500 calories off that's only leaving 700 for the day for you body to work with and that is not sustainable.


    i agree!!! i have been reading Chris Powells book... and mfp has had me on a wayyy low calorie deficit... i havent lost much and im learning this might be why... im sure everyone is different, but im giving his book a try!
  • fromaquasar
    fromaquasar Posts: 811 Member
    uum yes! all of them and sometimes other people's too.

    Get away from my exercise calories they are ALL MINE NOM!
  • verptwerp
    verptwerp Posts: 3,628 Member
    I eat some ...... if I'm hungry :drinker:
  • Pohudet
    Pohudet Posts: 179 Member
    I was eating back my exercise calories, and after initial loss of 8 pounds i stopped losing any weight... that continued for months. Now I decided to increase my exercise and eat back only half the calories... did it for less than a week, did not lose any, and boy, am I hungry today!!! I am going to go and eat something salty and proteiny. Proscuito! And a glass of wine!!!!
  • iiijeniii
    iiijeniii Posts: 82 Member
    Every last one of them!!!
  • Psalm17v22
    Psalm17v22 Posts: 168 Member
    I do not, until I reach my goal weight.

    God bless,
    Karen
  • libbymcbain
    libbymcbain Posts: 206 Member
    Sometimes. I do if:

    *I am hungry
    *I have done more than 350 calories of exercise
    *I need more protein or fibre for that day to hit my targets
    Toodle-ooh
  • nhradeuce
    nhradeuce Posts: 168 Member
    You should be, otherwise you are really undereating. As several have pointed out, you are already at a deficit, it's built in. If you undereat even more your metabolism is going to slow down and you are going to have issues. I eat back almost all of my calories, you need those to build back the muscle you are damaging when you work out. Keep in mind that more muscle = more fat burned so you don't want to lose muscle mass.

    Remember - skinny does not mean fit. You want to be fit, not skinny.
  • ZeeShay
    ZeeShay Posts: 1,132 Member
    only if im still hungry but not all of it.
  • LMick1986
    LMick1986 Posts: 431
    MFP is designed to still have you losing weight....and eating your calories back. For example, I'm on a 1200 calorie/day intake. That's the minimum anyone should be taking in. If I'm working out (not eating any back)...therefore only netting about 800 or less, I'm starving the muscles of the energy they need. So you should definitely eat the calories you are allowed from exercise. You will still lose weight.
  • foxombie
    foxombie Posts: 16
    I absolutely eat back my exercise calories. I've only just started MFP and my calorie limit is so low compared to what I have been eating - and I do a lot of exercise - I think I'd pass out if I didn't eat back exercise calories. I try to be sensible. Honestly, when I'm at uni, I spend the entire day standing up and walking around (pattern cutting) that I could probably stand to eat a little bit more sometimes, if I'm truthful to myself, even though I want to burn weight off as soon as I am able to. I do find MFP very good though because it builds in the calorie deficit and still allows you to earn extra calories by exercising. It makes me more keen to exercise, or relieved after I've had a long, brisk walk to uni and I realise that I can have a little extra food when I get home. :)
  • aussiemegs82
    aussiemegs82 Posts: 29
    I normally do not. I like to have them there for "emergencies" if I go over for the day..lol

    Same here. As a rule I try not to and count it as 'bonus' towards weight loss. However, we all have one of 'those' days where we need the extra. lol.
  • JordanWhibbs
    JordanWhibbs Posts: 55
    As a trainer i always tell my guys to eat what they have burned as long as what there actually eating is the right food.

    For instance if a team of 8 guys each burn 1000 calories id get them to eat 6-800 of that back to fuel there body to burn more.
  • LMick1986
    LMick1986 Posts: 431
    Remember - skinny does not mean fit. You want to be fit, not skinny.

    This! Of course you will lose weight.....probably MORE weight by not eating back your calories. But that's not healthy. Don't lose the muscle in the process of losing weight.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    You should be, otherwise you are really undereating. As several have pointed out, you are already at a deficit, it's built in. If you undereat even more your metabolism is going to slow down and you are going to have issues. I eat back almost all of my calories, you need those to build back the muscle you are damaging when you work out. Keep in mind that more muscle = more fat burned so you don't want to lose muscle mass.

    Remember - skinny does not mean fit. You want to be fit, not skinny.

    this, all day, every day. this!!!!!
  • mq68
    mq68 Posts: 118 Member
    Yes, but only a portion, and I have lost 42lbs doing it. And with all the working out, I am actually hungry:)

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