Eat your exercise calories/Dont eat your exercise calories?

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Sherman7057
Sherman7057 Posts: 88 Member
in Food and Nutrition
This topic can be confusing!!! I want to know your opinions on whether or not you eat your calories back? I lose weight when I dont eat those calories back, but some people eat back every calorie earned and still lose!!

What works for YOU?
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Replies

  • lucypeaks
    lucypeaks Posts: 96 Member
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    i eat some of the calories back or i feel i'm getting too hungry!
  • jlmoses91
    jlmoses91 Posts: 87 Member
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    I make sure that I dont every single time, I do it more half and half. If its been a tough workout and I'm hungry I try to make sure I have protein. I usually try not to eat all of them, and it seems to be working for me. Hope that helps!
  • Jo4applerose
    Jo4applerose Posts: 36 Member
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    hit the search link ritght above this box and ask your question...you'll get all kinds of input. once you reach your goal weight you will be eating less calories so you will really need your exercise calories to fee comfortable.
  • TaminaShock
    TaminaShock Posts: 191 Member
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    It depends on how i feel. If i'm hungry then i do if i'm not then i don't
  • jmkmomm
    jmkmomm Posts: 3,247 Member
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    I try not to eat mine back. I want to stay on a 1300 calorie diet. If I eat back any calories burned I won't lose as easily.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    i've done both, and they've both worked.

    you have to experiment. see what works for you, and when it works for you. for a while you'll see losses if you don't eat them back, but then if you stop seeing results for a while, you have to try something new.
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
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    i've done both, and they've both worked.

    you have to experiment. see what works for you, and when it works for you. for a while you'll see losses if you don't eat them back, but then if you stop seeing results for a while, you have to try something new.

    Same experience, I agree!
  • larryc0923
    larryc0923 Posts: 557 Member
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    Since my current primary goal is to lose weight then my overall approach is to not eat back my exercise calories. However, there are days when I am just to hungry and/or my body is telling me I should consume some food and I will consume more calories.
  • MaggieSporleder
    MaggieSporleder Posts: 428 Member
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    When I stopped eating them back I stopped losing. So now I eat at least half back.
  • Sherman7057
    Sherman7057 Posts: 88 Member
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    Wow! There isnt a trend here yet. Il keep watching and see what my weight does as I get closer to my goal weight.
  • GetHotIn2014
    GetHotIn2014 Posts: 201 Member
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    I've been wondering the same thing. Some people are believers in NEVER eating them back, but since the calorie equation IS input vs. output, if you're outputting more you can afford to input more and still lose. That being said, like others, I judge by how hungry I am or if I feel like treating myself to a little extra, but I don't always eat them back. So far so good! Also like others said, do what works for you. Burning lots of cals can make you hungrier, and if your body is TRULY hungry, you should eat.

    Also, WHAT you eat makes a difference, too. Protein is good for muscle growth and repair, and you can never go wrong with fruit and veggies!
  • nguk123
    nguk123 Posts: 223
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    If you are going to go with not eating back exercise calories, I recommend not running marathons.
  • honkytonks85
    honkytonks85 Posts: 669 Member
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    Please read http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    If you aren't losing eating your exercise calories you are possibly overestimating them! Or your TDEE is lower than the site suggests or you are underestimating food
  • Sherman7057
    Sherman7057 Posts: 88 Member
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    If you are going to go with not eating back exercise calories, I recommend not running marathons.
    Im not planning on marathons-yet ! lol...maybe after I conquer my top goals! :)
  • bearwith
    bearwith Posts: 525 Member
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    I actually think that you should not eat your calories until you get to your goal weight. As long as you are trying to lose weight, the exercise you do will help you burn more cals and shift the weight. If you keep eating the additional cals, you are simply going to stay the same or lose the little bit that you would have done without the exercise and just sticking to a healthy calorie amount.

    For this reason, it is a good idea to remind yourself why you do the exercise - it is to get healthier, not just to eat more Eating too much is what got most of us on this bl..dy website in the first place!
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
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    If you're accurately tracking your exercise calories AND caloric intake, eating exercise calories will work for everyone. Use a good HRM, properly calibrated, & good food scale.
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
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    I actually think that you should not eat your calories until you get to your goal weight. As long as you are trying to lose weight, the exercise you do will help you burn more cals and shift the weight. If you keep eating the additional cals, you are simply going to stay the same or lose the little bit that you would have done without the exercise and just sticking to a healthy calorie amount.

    For this reason, it is a good idea to remind yourself why you do the exercise - it is to get healthier, not just to eat more Eating too much is what got most of us on this bl..dy website in the first place!

    MFP calorie goal already sets a defict so that people can lose weight woithout exercise. It is unique as it bases the calorie goal on your weight/age/height/daily job, and ignores your exercise.

    so 2 people of the same age, height, weight, job will be given the same calorie goal by MFP if they both chose the same weekly goal of 1lb per week.

    If one then sits on her couch every night watching TV, but the other one is doing 3 hrs of exercise a day, does it still make sense to you that they both eat the same amount of calories?

    Person 2 would need extra calories to fuel their workout, extra protein to help repair/build their muscles etc. They can eat the food to get those extra calories, protein, iron, vitamins etc and still lose the lb per week they selected.
  • lucasriggs
    lucasriggs Posts: 131
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    I eat my exercise calories back per day because I don't want to take the chance of losing large amount of lean body mass.
    If I did I would probably look like a flabby mess.
  • i_am_kate
    i_am_kate Posts: 60
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    I don't worry about it too much. If I'm hungry, then I'll eat extra. Most of the time though I struggle just to get to the 1200 calories BEFORE exercise.
  • TaminaShock
    TaminaShock Posts: 191 Member
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    Same for me too
    i've done both, and they've both worked.

    you have to experiment. see what works for you, and when it works for you. for a while you'll see losses if you don't eat them back, but then if you stop seeing results for a while, you have to try something new.

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