I don't want to eat up my calories burned from working out

MireyGal76

This is what works for me...

I set up my activity level to sedentary... I work a desk job, and can't always get to the gym when I want. I allow MFP to assume I do little to no activity.

I have now set my goal to maintenance, but when I started out (9 months and 10 pounds ago), I was looking to lose 1/2 a pound a week. It calculated a goal of 1750 cals for me.

I log most every exercise I do, but I don't have an HRM, so i guesstimate based on MFP values and other website feedback.
I try to log my food on a regular basis (I'm not as strict now, because I eat pretty similar from week to week and am on maintenance so I have some flexibility).

I exercise sporadically, but when I do, it's often a crazy burn >900 cals (again an estimate). I look at my calories over a few days... The days I box I tend to be under in cals (but I DO eat more than days when I don't, as I want my body to have enough fuel to fire the furnace). The day after boxing, I am ravenous, and I often end up going a few hundred calories OVER my limit.

If I am hungry, I have some water, and then I eat a healthy snack. My body is telling me it needs fuel.

I encourage you to think of your body as a wood burning fireplace. When you exercise, you are asking for the fireplace to burn hotter, but in order to do that, you are going to consume more wood. If you choose not to replace that wood, then eventually, the fire won't burn as hot. There simply are not enough resources. You will have embers, and will feel frustrated because you want HEAT.

I encourage you to try to look at your calories over a few days at a time and attempt to balance your intake and expenditures accordingly. If you've configured your MFP calorie goals to calculate in a deficit, I encourage you to try it and see.

Regardless of what is said, in the end it's your choice... but please remember the wood burning fireplace... If you want heat, you need fuel.

1newcat

Helpful!! Thank you for spelling that out! I have been having a really hard time consuming enough calrories, i guess i may have to accept a slower process or a plateau if i can't figure out how to get more in.

CharlesLadd

There is no horse so dead that it doesn't deserve another hit. You exercise, not to create a larger calorie deficit, but to keep your metabolism high. If you don't exercise, your metabolism might slow down, or if you do exercise but don't eat those calories back, your body might go into starve mode. Then there is virtually no level of calories that results in weight loss, and when you do start eating again, you'll pack it on. That is why most people fail with fad diets. They get their metabolism all screwed up. Just follow the plan and have patience. If you want to lose 25 pounds (say a safe one pound a week average) it will take you six months. For that you must have patience. Yes, eat those exercise calories!

krisiepoo

First of all, stop worrying what other people think
Second of all, do whatever you want
Third of all, that was all I had, just wanted to add a third of all.

Tanja_CHH

Eat what you want. You know all the information, you know the right thing to do, you know why you should do it, so do what you want

eyeshuh

Helpful!! Thank you for spelling that out! I have been having a really hard time consuming enough calrories, i guess i may have to accept a slower process or a plateau if i can't figure out how to get more in.

Have you tried more calorie dense foods? On days when I don't think I'll be able to eat enough, I just stock up on peanut butter! lol! There are plenty of other delicious options like avocados, nuts, etc. You'll feel like you're eating the same amount but you'll get more out of it!

Also, I highly recommend going for a slower process. It's sooooo much easier to maintain if you don't have to make a huge difference on the amount of food you're eating to lose weight.

Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

ETA: It took me a year to lose those 30lbs. That's what....half a pound lost a week? It's frustrating at first, but once you get to that year mark, you will feel so dang good about it you won't even think about speedy losing weight anymore.

kayla7jackson

Personally, I work out 5 days a week at the gym and at home on the weekends. I never add in my workouts to myfitnesspal because I feel like it is a lost cause to workout just to eat more food.

nitrogen_widget

I consider exercise cals a bonus because I seriously doubt i'm actually burning as many as the app claims.
I also don't care much for cardio more than a few times a week (but have had weeks where I logged a lot of hrs on the treadmill (I still didn't eat back my cals)
But like to lift & find it easier to just not eat as much.
and as long as i'm dropping fat , my lifts don't go down, & I don't feel like crap i'm eating enough as far as i'm concerned.

stonel94

It'll work fine for a while, you will lose weight more rapidly. But the way MFP is designed, it creates a deficit in your calories so even if you never work out you will still lose weight, so when you exercise and burn additional calories, if you have a 500 cal deficit, and then you burn another 500 cals then you have a 1000 cal deficit, which usually puts you at a calorie deficit too low for your body to sustain long term. So if you're looking to like look great in a month in a dress then this is good, if you want long term weight loss and a healthy diet this is not good because you will hit a plataue and then you will need to up your calories, probably gain some weight, and then start losing again once your body gets "refed". Now, if you only burn 200 calories, that's not a big deal, if you're burning 500+ you probably should eat at least some of them back, you don't have to every day, but generally. Also, if you're not very certain of the amount of calories you're burning (like if you don't have a HRM telling you the most accurate number you can get) then you probably should leave some uneaten as a buffer since MFP and most machines overestimate calories burned.

sunlover89

Some days I eat them back, and more, some days I dont. Some days I am more hungry than others, so I balance my calorie intake on a weekly basis, not a daily basis. This is what works for me, specifically, I've found after years experimentation. Everyone likes different methods though, so you're bound to get different advice from different people. Only you can know what's best for you when you try several different methods.

dawlf

I was talking to my mom's friend who is a personal trainer, and she said if you bust 500 calories at the gym, and you feel like you can't eat them back, just drink a glass of chocolate milk and have a piece of fruit.

She said that you don't have to eat ALL OF THEM BACK OR IT WON'T WORK AT "LAKJ"LGKJAGL but she said it helps.

(It especially helps for me because I work out at around 9-10 at night, so eating a 500 calorie meal is just not something I can do)

EstiloPanama

"I don't want to eat up my calories burned from working out"

Then don't.

dym123

I'm so tired of this topic. My question is why are you yelling. If you don't want to eat them, don't. When you stall, and you probably will, you can post another thread .

You and me both. Eat them, don't eat, stop bugging the rest of us with this topic.

fastfoodietofitcutie

Go for it! I wish I could get by without eating back my calories. But sadly I work out just so I can eat a little more

This. I love to eat so it motivates me to workout. The calorie deficit is the weight loss. The exercise is for fitness/health reasons and you look better when the weight is gone.

I love this.

juliemouse83

Y'all ever see that sign that says, "Will work for food"?

Mine says, "Will work out for food!"

That's my motivation to work out...so I can have that extra snack.

cedman1

I am always hungry. So I basically eat mine back or I would go over, in most cases.

Faye_Anderson

I KNOW THAT THE "BEST" WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT AND KEEP IT OFF IS TO ONLY LOSE 1-2 LBS A WEEK (500 CAL DEFICIT/DAY). I ALSO KNOW THAT WEIGHT LOSS IS A SIMPLE EQUATION. YOU HAVE TO CREATE A CALORIE DEFICIT!

MFP already has a deficit built in, unless you set your own goals, and you state you" know" to have a 500 calorie deficit to lose, but if you take 500 cals from your TDEE and then another 700 from exercise that's a 1200 deficit. That's why MFP says eat back your exercise calories. Simple

cwolfman13

I'M BRINGING UP THIS TOPIC B/C A FEW PEOPLE SEEM TO BE CONCERNED THAT I'M "STARVING" MY BODY B/C I'M NOT EATING UP MY WORKOUT CALORIES. I KNOW THAT THE "BEST" WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT AND KEEP IT OFF IS TO ONLY LOSE 1-2 LBS A WEEK (500 CAL DEFICIT/DAY). I ALSO KNOW THAT WEIGHT LOSS IS A SIMPLE EQUATION. YOU HAVE TO CREATE A CALORIE DEFICIT! YOU CAN DO THIS BY LOWERING YOU CALORIES/INCREASING YOUR WORKOUT. MY QUESTION IS, IF I BUST MY HUMP BURNING AN EXTRA 700 CALORIES WHY WOULD I WANT TO EAT THOSE CALORIES? I DON'T THINK ANYONE WAS BEING MEAN ONLY CONCERNED. I HAVE ALSO TALKED TO SEVERAL PPL WHO DON'T EVEN RECORD THEIR CALORIES BURNED FOR THIS REASON. JUST CURIOUS WHAT YOU ALL THINK?

Because if you set yourself up on MFP the way it tells you to, then you already have a substantial calorie deficit. Other people go by the TDEE method and don't log or eat exercise calories back because that activity is included in their method. If you do it the MFP way, exercise is NOT included in the method. Perhaps learning how to properly use this tool would be a good idea.

Enjoy your plateau down the road.

Ok..I'm officially done with answering anybodies questions on this topic now...it seems since the new year there's just as *kitten* load of people on here wanting to starve themselves around here...you ask for advice and it's not what you want to here so you go around yelling and not taking anyone's advice...to all of you, I can no longer be concerned...enjoy your starvation.

akaMrsmojo

I'M BRINGING UP THIS TOPIC B/C A FEW PEOPLE SEEM TO BE CONCERNED THAT I'M "STARVING" MY BODY B/C I'M NOT EATING UP MY WORKOUT CALORIES. I KNOW THAT THE "BEST" WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT AND KEEP IT OFF IS TO ONLY LOSE 1-2 LBS A WEEK (500 CAL DEFICIT/DAY). I ALSO KNOW THAT WEIGHT LOSS IS A SIMPLE EQUATION. YOU HAVE TO CREATE A CALORIE DEFICIT! YOU CAN DO THIS BY LOWERING YOU CALORIES/INCREASING YOUR WORKOUT. MY QUESTION IS, IF I BUST MY HUMP BURNING AN EXTRA 700 CALORIES WHY WOULD I WANT TO EAT THOSE CALORIES? I DON'T THINK ANYONE WAS BEING MEAN ONLY CONCERNED. I HAVE ALSO TALKED TO SEVERAL PPL WHO DON'T EVEN RECORD THEIR CALORIES BURNED FOR THIS REASON. JUST CURIOUS WHAT YOU ALL THINK?

Because if you set yourself up on MFP the way it tells you to, then you already have a substantial calorie deficit. Other people go by the TDEE method and don't log or eat exercise calories back because that activity is included in their method. If you do it the MFP way, exercise is NOT included in the method. Perhaps learning how to properly use this tool would be a good idea.

Enjoy your plateau down the road.

Ok..I'm officially done with answering anybodies questions on this topic now...it seems since the new year there's just as *kitten* load of people on here wanting to starve themselves around here...you ask for advice and it's not what you want to here so you go around yelling and not taking anyone's advice...to all of you, I can no longer be concerned...enjoy your starvation.

^^THIS^^^

lafilleavectoi

Ugh! Why are people being so rude about the caps lock issue and this question being asked again? You know, there is the option to just ignore the thread if you don't like it. Just sayin'...

1newcat

Helpful!! Thank you for spelling that out! I have been having a really hard time consuming enough calrories, i guess i may have to accept a slower process or a plateau if i can't figure out how to get more in.

Have you tried more calorie dense foods? On days when I don't think I'll be able to eat enough, I just stock up on peanut butter! lol! There are plenty of other delicious options like avocados, nuts, etc. You'll feel like you're eating the same amount but you'll get more out of it!

Also, I highly recommend going for a slower process. It's sooooo much easier to maintain if you don't have to make a huge difference on the amount of food you're eating to lose weight.

Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

ETA: It took me a year to lose those 30lbs. That's what....half a pound lost a week? It's frustrating at first, but once you get to that year mark, you will feel so dang good about it you won't even think about speedy losing weight anymore.

I have definitely been trying to eat better calories and still eating carbs (just choosing healthy ones) I have started adding herbalife shakes in as snacks to help me get there, but I even have a hard time getting a full serving of those consumed. Lol. And here i was worried i'd be starving

candykoated

What I burn off at the gym, I NEVER eat when I leave. My purpose for going is to burn those extra calories and that's just what I do!

bpeterson38

So you are not eating your calories from your workouts? How is that working for you. I was not sure whether I should or shouldn't.

Reesecup312

Then don't!!:drinker:

cardio_fiend

You weren't being rude with your question. It is absolutely fine to ask questions...that's the intent of the forum.

Have a great day!

gailconn

You have to be so careful , i went through a short phase of not having all my calories and my weight platoed !!! i learnt my lesson and now i stick to 1500 calories and more when i exercise. Works for me !!!

jennaworksout

I find if you eat themback, you maintain...dont really gain, but don't lose either, I never eat ALL my cals back, usually when I do it may be half, only when I am really hungry though, listen to your body first. If your not hungry I wouldnt either

akaMrsmojo

So you are not eating your calories from your workouts? How is that working for you. I was not sure whether I should or shouldn't.

Works great for me, I exercise so I can eat more. The calorie deficit is built into MFP. Any exercise is a bonus. Plus I do not want to lose muscle not fat.

jesz124

:drinker: :flowerforyou: Hats off to you my dear...finally a REAL WOMAN on here...I had just posted to her about the ugliness showed to her....thank-you...you said it better...Lori:smooched:

Why is she more of a 'real woman' then the rest of us? That makes no sense whatsoever and has nothing to do with the topic!!

rede2go

First off caps doesnt necessarily mean she is angry, who are we to judge. I personally agree with her. If you are burning extra calories if she eats them or not is up to her. If she is feeling weak and dragging she will know she needs to eat more. Her body will let her know. I had the same convo yesterday. I am working out hard burning tons of calories or so the apps say. I am not unrealistic, I know that the counts arent accurate (they are higher then they should be) It is simply a way to track, have a general idea. Why is everyone so upset. People have to try thing out and just because it doesnt work for you it doesnt mean it wont for her. Why cant we just be supportive and kind. Offer your opinion in a nice way.