Do you eat your "exercise" calories?

veganbaum

If you are using MFP as it is intended, then exercise calories should be eaten. Many people will eat 50-75% to account for inaccuracies in estimations, while others have success with eating 100%.

If you are exercising, your body needs to be properly fueled. Other weight loss calculators will *include your exercise in initial daily calorie estimations* (when people talk about TDEE, that already includes exercise calories), while MFP adds them in afterwards. Because MFP adds them in after, some people can be confused and think they are eliminating the good they did exercising by eating those calories. That is simply not true and, if one exercises rigorously, can actually cause damage in the long run. In the end, for *weight loss* purposes (not fat loss purposes) it is about calories in and calories out. Eating exercise calories does not interfere with your weekly weight loss goal, but actually maintains that goal. If you are set to lose 1 pound per week, when you eat back your exercise calories, you are still at that goal of 1 pound per week. And while exercising can create a larger deficit, larger is not always better.

ETA: all calorie calculations are estimations. That is why some people cannot eat 100% of exercise calories back. But just because 100% is not successful does not mean eating them back is not successful. Calculate the recommended number. Eat that for four-six weeks, if it's not working, adjust as necessary and give it another four-six weeks. Seems tedious and everyone wants progress now, but weight loss is not linear and it takes time to see the real results when adjusting calories. In the end it's about long term success and it may take time to find your sweet spot.

MrsBozz1

Rob1976 There is no reason to be a jerk! You don't have to reply! You are not helpful!!!

veganbaum

Normally I don't. I will eat the reccommended amount of calories which is 1540 for me. I will use the exercise calories if I am hungry or we are going to go out for dinner. Keep up the good work. Hope this info helps!

If you're using MFP and not eating exercise calories, then you're not actually eating the recommended calories.

NicholeElizabeth92

I'd listen to your body. If you're hungry and have calories from exercising go a head and eat. If you aren't hungry don't eat them. Just don't go over your calories. I tend to eat some of mine back if I workout or if I know im going out that night I'll workout more to counteract the damage I could do on a night out.

LGrill27

I eat my exercise calories about 50% of the time. If I dont I feel even happier at the end of the night.

CEHayes73

I don't unless it's a really huge workout, and I'm actually experiencing true hunger pains. (ie. not just when I feel munchy, or like I deserve it, or that I really just want junk.) If I know I'm going to go over anyway (someone's birthday or something) then I'll eat into those calories. I never eat all those exercise calories, otherwise I might as well just stay on the couch.

sullus

Rob1976 There is no reason to be a jerk! You don't have to reply! You are not helpful!!!

I thought his reply was one of the more polite variants on his point. It's very helpful. When you start a new thread that has been debated ad absurdum, you're calling the trolls. Reading the previously and thoroughly debated threads is far more productive than simply starting a new debate on the topic.

MrsBozz1

Rob1976 There is no reason to be a jerk! You don't have to reply! You are not helpful!!!

I thought his reply was one of the more polite variants on his point. It's very helpful. When you start a new thread that has been debated ad absurdum, you're calling the trolls. Reading the previously and thoroughly debated threads is far more productive than simply starting a new debate on the topic.
[/ Being new to a site maybe they don't know how to research old topics. Could have explained how to find things without being rude.

sullus

Rob1976 There is no reason to be a jerk! You don't have to reply! You are not helpful!!!

I thought his reply was one of the more polite variants on his point. It's very helpful. When you start a new thread that has been debated ad absurdum, you're calling the trolls. Reading the previously and thoroughly debated threads is far more productive than simply starting a new debate on the topic.
[/ Being new to a site maybe they don't know how to research old topics. Could have explained how to find things without being rude.

Point conceded.

caitloraditch

I sort of do and don't. I aim to hit somewhere around what I should be eating for the day, but a little under. If I'm really hungry I'll "eat into" that exercise number. If not, I'll stay under for the day.
I do find that the more I exercise, the less hungry I feel, at least for a couple of hours.

I totally agree. I'm also a former WW diet-er and I used to exercise JUST so I could eat more. Now I decide if I really need to eat more or if I can stay a little under my calories for the day.

Also, if I know I'm going out to eat with my friends, I do try to make sure I exercise so I don't go too much over my allotted amount.

rob1976

Being new to a site maybe they don't know how to research old topics. Could have explained how to find things without being rude.

There is a link right up there ^^^ above the blue Topic bar that says S E A R C H. Use it.

And telling someone to SEARCH prior to posting new threads is ABSOLUTELY helpful. It should be your SOP on ANY website forums you frequent. It's a standard policy in almost every website community and besides, it's only polite to the regulars.