Will I lose weight if I eat my exercise calories?

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Sunlight2013
Sunlight2013 Posts: 53
in Health and Weight Loss
I was wondering if I will still lose weight if I eat my exercise calories as long as mfp says I'm under my calorie goal for the day? My goal is 1200 and mfp adds the calories i burn from exercise and I was wondering if I consistently exercised and then ate the calories it says I burned without going over that number.....will i still lose the last 6 lbs i have to go?
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Replies

  • fierceatforty
    fierceatforty Posts: 12 Member
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    I have the same question!! Can't wait to hear the answer. Anyone?...
  • Faye_Anderson
    Faye_Anderson Posts: 1,495 Member
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    Yes, definitely eat back exercise calories. And while you have only 6lbs to lose change your settings to "lose 0.5lb per week" 1200 is too low
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    If you are following the MFP way then yes. MFP already sets up a deficit, which it calculates for you. And MFP does not take into account your exercise level, only your day to day life style. So if for example, if you are eating 1200 calories a day...work out 600...then you are only intaking 600. That is why it tells you to eat more. You should be netting 1200 a day at least.
  • DorisInTheDena
    DorisInTheDena Posts: 152 Member
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    Absolutely! If you burn more then you need more. I don't eat back all of them, but at least half. Mind you, I exercise a lot.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Yes, definitely eat back exercise calories. And while you have only 6lbs to lose change your settings to "lose 0.5lb per week" 1200 is too low

    This!
  • witchy_wife
    witchy_wife Posts: 792 Member
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    Yep, as someone else explained, MFP already calculates a defecit for you to lose weight. In my experience MFP can over estimate the calories burned for some things so I tend to eat about 70% of the calories back. But if very hungry I have had 100% of the exercise calories and still lost weight.
  • akaMrsmojo
    akaMrsmojo Posts: 762 Member
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    Yes, in fact I think you lose more.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    It has worked pretty good for me so far.... I would suggest investing in a heart rate monitor (one with a chest strap) to get a better idea of your calorie burns. I wear a Polar FT60 and eat back 85% of my calories burned leaving 15% for error.... Best of Luck...
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    If you've only got 6 pounds to go you probably need a higher calorie goal anyway. Do you have MFP set to lose .5 lbs/week?

    I lost all of my weight eating back my exercise calories, so I vote yes.
  • alifer
    alifer Posts: 387 Member
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    If you are measuring everything correctly and you stay under your goal then, yes you should lose. If you only have 6 lbs to go, you should change goal to 1/2 lb per week.
  • billie_2013
    billie_2013 Posts: 17 Member
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    Definitly yes!

    I started 10 days ago and lost 4 pounds and counting! Eating back almost every burned calories (except the days I exercise a lot, when I do 95 min exercise, it's hard to eat it all!)
  • stephdeeable
    stephdeeable Posts: 1,407 Member
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    Some days the only reason I do exercise is to eat more.
  • LokiOfAsgard
    LokiOfAsgard Posts: 378 Member
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    Yes.
    If anything, you'll lose weight FASTER!

    Especially if you're netting under 1,200
  • Deanna_garnermommy
    Deanna_garnermommy Posts: 118 Member
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    I am one of the "I don't" eat them back. I have tried and i just start gaining. Everyone is different. I have to be in 600 calorie deficit to lose weight.. sucks to me be!
  • JamieG8991
    JamieG8991 Posts: 1,203 Member
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    Some days the only reason I do exercise is to eat more.
    Me too!! :smile:
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    Yes, definitely eat back exercise calories. And while you have only 6lbs to lose change your settings to "lose 0.5lb per week" 1200 is too low

    Agreed.
  • uwharriegold
    uwharriegold Posts: 47
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    Doesn't work for me, either! In fact, I think you'll lose, but lose slower .. and who wants slow? I eat my exercise calories only on special occasions.
  • kg4ulu
    kg4ulu Posts: 39 Member
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    It works. Some days I eat most of them, especially on a day I know I'm eating out and trying to capture all the calories I know I'll be eating. Other days I eat only a couple hundred or just half. I also burn 700+ calories daily (6 days a week) calculated by my Polar FT4. I try not to eat the same amount of calories to keep my body guessing.

    I've lost 110 lbs (mostly on WW) and I've always eaten some of the calories or more back. WW says it's ok too. If it doesn't work for you try something else. It doesn't hurt to give it a whirl.
  • drhall1970
    drhall1970 Posts: 27
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    I have wondered about this question all week!! Thank You all for your answers. I will start eating some of my exercise calories. Yay!! :)

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