Question about the extra calories we earn from exercise

BrittanyMegan88

Ok, so I was wondering if I earn extra calories and my total for the day changes, am I supposed to eat back those calories or is it better if I don't?

I haven't been eating mine back but I was thinking that this might be slowing down my metabolism, which I really don't want to happen!

BonnieandClyde29

Basically, you are supposed to burn more than what you eat to loose weight, but if you are doing a lot of cardio, you want to eat lighter. Doing weights, and you will want to have some more protein (which will also have a lot of carbs- but good ones!). How i do it, is i dont try to eat back all of the calories i burned off, but if i am still hungry, i'm not going to starve myself, but i'm not going to binge eat either, just listen to your body, and make healthy choices :happy:

rebeccap13

Depends on how much of a deficit you are already creating by eating less or if you are even creating one at all.

I personally don't eat back exercise calories in the MFP sense of the term because I created my calorie goal by subtracting roughly 500 cals from my Total Daily Energy Expenditure, TDEE (aka how much I burn in a day based on my activity level including exercise). This has allowed me to lose 1lb/week and maintain quite a bit of my lean body mass.

Crazy4Healthy

Definitely!! You earned them. I would recommend eating at least 90% of them back. If you are exercising and not eating them back, you are depriving yourself of the fuel your body needs. Eat!!

Jaulen

Does the MFP calorie goal set it as a deficit from BMR?
If so, then eat back the exercise calories (most or all)

If it's set to a deficit from TDEE then don't eat back the calories.

That's my understanding....I reset my daily calorie goal -20% from TDEE instead of the number that MFP set.

Crazy4Healthy

Depends on how much of a deficit you are already creating by eating less or if you are even creating one at all.

I personally don't eat back exercise calories in the MFP sense of the term because I created my calorie goal by subtracting roughly 500 cals from my Total Daily Energy Expenditure, TDEE (aka how much I burn in a day based on my activity level including exercise). This has allowed me to lose 1lb/week and maintain quite a bit of my lean body mass.

This certainly works too. It sounded like she was going with MFP numbers and didn't want to confuse.

rebeccap13

Depends on how much of a deficit you are already creating by eating less or if you are even creating one at all.

I personally don't eat back exercise calories in the MFP sense of the term because I created my calorie goal by subtracting roughly 500 cals from my Total Daily Energy Expenditure, TDEE (aka how much I burn in a day based on my activity level including exercise). This has allowed me to lose 1lb/week and maintain quite a bit of my lean body mass.

This certainly works too. It sounded like she was going with MFP numbers and didn't want to confuse.

I think we were posting at the same time haha. This is good advice.

OP can you give us some more info? Like your stats? How much you're eating? What your workouts are like?

Knowing that information can make the advice given way more helpful.

MoreBean13

The way MFP is designed you are supposed to eat those calories. The activity multiplier used by MFP is slightly smaller than other sites because there is no exercise figured in to your goals.

I choose to eat my exercise calories back. They're delicious.

zaph0d

Switch to TDEE based approach.

Lift_hard_eat_big

Try to eat most of them back if not all of them.

hkry3250

Under your goals where it says, "calories burned by daily activities" is that not your calorie deficit that MFP has factored in, or is that how many calories you should burn by exercising?

megsmom2

Eat them. Why not? Its how this program works....and it does work!

sweettalkinggirl

As you can see everyone does something different. For me I don't really eat them back because for me after I eat I am usually full, if I do eat any back it isn't a lot anyway. But it really is up to you and how you feel on the day. If you think you need something else to satisfy your hunger definitely have something and if you use some of those calories gained don't worry, if you don't feel like more food don't force yourself

zaph0d

As you can see everyone does something different.

But the successful ones all do the fundamental things the same. Don't be like "everyone". Be successful.

BrittanyMegan88

Depends on how much of a deficit you are already creating by eating less or if you are even creating one at all.

I personally don't eat back exercise calories in the MFP sense of the term because I created my calorie goal by subtracting roughly 500 cals from my Total Daily Energy Expenditure, TDEE (aka how much I burn in a day based on my activity level including exercise). This has allowed me to lose 1lb/week and maintain quite a bit of my lean body mass.

This certainly works too. It sounded like she was going with MFP numbers and didn't want to confuse.

Ok, yeah I am going by the MFP numbers, with the daily amount set to 1200. I guess I'll start off by eating most of the earned ones back with the MFP number & if nothing's happening, I'll try staying under my TDEE by 500.

(I just started using this site with the food diary and all that 5 days ago.)

rebeccap13

Good plan I would say eat anywhere from 75%-100% of your exercise calories back. If you are using MFP to estimate calorie burns it can be extremely generous for some activities so 75% of your exercise calories would error on the safe side.

BrittanyMegan88

Good plan I would say eat anywhere from 75%-100% of your exercise calories back. If you are using MFP to estimate calorie burns it can be extremely generous for some activities so 75% of your exercise calories would error on the safe side.

Ok, thanks!

Thanks so much everyone for your super fast & helpful posts! :happy:
I was feeling pretty confused about this these last few days, haha.