Eating back calories

devilsmania

Hi All

Just wanted to clarify something.

I am on 1500 calories a day and wanted to know if I exercised and burnt off another 500 calories, should I eat back those calories.

The reason I wondered is that if I am on 1500 consumed - 500 burnt calories = 1000, so wouldn't that put me into starvation mode as I would be consuming less that 1200 calories a day/?

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

Graceious1

I'm on 1500 cals a day and I eat mine back. It works for me but it doesn't work for everyone. You have to find what works for you and it actually took me two months to realise that eating them back works for me. Either way I am eating way less and doing way more than I was 4 months ago when I started on here. Good luck with your commitment to good health.

DeborahBatewell

I wish I could help you out, but I don't have a clue. I rarely eat back my calories when I exercise and am sometimes under 1200 when I don't exercise.

bdamaster60

I don't like the idea of eating back calories based on MFP figures. I think if you have set macros for the day, then hit the macros, the calories are there for recovery, glycogen and organ function. The number MFP shoots out is highly inaccurate, the amount of calories that a burned that you could possibly 'eat back' will vary by factors such as heart rate, water weight, time of day, time of last meal, glycogen levels, etc. to me that is way too many factors that could through off the figure by at least 100 - 200 calories. My suggestion is trial and error.

Mokey41

First off there is no starvation mode. Second, your body has first dibs on what you eat. If you consume 1500 calories of food your body will take the nutrition you need. Exercise isn't burning food directly out of your stomach, it's burning fuel from fats on your body. Getting enough protein for your muscles is important but you will not starve if your net is below the magic 1200 calorie number. MFP estimates exercise calories on the high side so be wary of what you decide to eat back. I eat in the 1200 to 1500 calorie range for maintenance and never eat exercise back. I've been doing that for over 2 years and I've yet to starve.

cwolfman13

I eat mine back and I'm losing weight. If I didn't eat my exercise calories back, my net daily intake would be below my BMR, which is dangerous if done over a prolonged period of time. Just net somewhere between your BMR and your TDEE and you will lose weight and you will do it in a healthy way.

closenre

Your supposed to but I have a hard time doing so. I hate eating them back as I feel that the burned cals were wasted but I have to remeber that excersise is about strengthening my body, not only for losing calories. Eat them back to be healthy, dont to lose faster

redraidergirl2009

When I ate them all back I GAINED weight and not muscle. so it doesn't work for everyone. I may eat maybe 100-200 back but I don't eat them all back. If i"m hungry I eat, if not and I'm netting at 1000 oh well

ubermensch13

I think it is pretty smart to eat back at least 1/2 your calories burned, that way you are feeding your body after a good workout AND dealing with the overestimation of calories burned issue. I always eat my calories back, I lost what I wanted to lose and now am in maintenance working on building strength. If you are so worried about calorie accuracy, get a good HRM.

nguk123

its more important to eat them back the lower you would be without them as It is unhealthy to have a large calorie defecit over a significant duration.

If we are talking once in a blue moon, then it hardly matters.

On a day of long cardio when I have abnormal calorie burn, but dont want to eat my calories back entirely, I roll unused calories (or a significant portion thereof)from one day to the next. This is easily done by adding quick add calories to the cardio day, and by adding a dummy cardio event on the day following.

On such extended cardio days I am typically more hungry than normal the day following such a workout, so it makes sense for me.