Do you eat your calories burned during exercise?

gunkymaria
gunkymaria Posts: 3
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm coming from another diet program that doesn't encourage or discourage from eating the calories burned while exercising. What does myfitnesspal recommend? I'm new, so any help is appreciated.

Also, on the other program, I stopped eating the calories burned during exercise to speed up the weight loss a little and haven't lost an ounce during the two weeks I've tried this.

Help!

Replies

  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
    net calories are what matters so thats all I look at. I guess that is a yes? I eat more on days i work out. If i dont work out i eat less.
  • bellygoaway
    bellygoaway Posts: 441 Member
    I do some, but try not to eat them all back.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Do you eat your calories burned during exercise?

    no, usually after. i hate getting chalk on my burgers.
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    You're supposed to eat them. Some don't, but they're wrong. :laugh:

    No, seriously... MFP gives a lower-than-normal base calorie daily goal with the assumption that you'll eat more if you exercise.

    If I used another site to calculate my TDEE (total daily energy expenditure... what it takes to maintain my weight), I'd find it's about 2300 calories. To lose one pound a week, I'd take 500 calories off that, and get 1800.

    If I tell MFP I want to lose one pound a week, I get about 1350 calories. Once I exercise, averaging a burn of about 400 calories, I'm up to 1750, which is pretty darn close to the 1800 I'd get from another site.
  • gunkymaria
    gunkymaria Posts: 3
    Thank you all, this is super helpful!
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    i usually wait till after. i don't want any food spilling on the carpet of the gym
  • dangerxbadger
    dangerxbadger Posts: 396 Member
    You're supposed to eat them. Some don't, but they're wrong. :laugh:

    No, seriously... MFP gives a lower-than-normal base calorie daily goal with the assumption that you'll eat more if you exercise.

    If I used another site to calculate my TDEE (total daily energy expenditure... what it takes to maintain my weight), I'd find it's about 2300 calories. To lose one pound a week, I'd take 500 calories off that, and get 1800.

    If I tell MFP I want to lose one pound a week, I get about 1350 calories. Once I exercise, averaging a burn of about 400 calories, I'm up to 1750, which is pretty darn close to the 1800 I'd get from another site.


    Listen to that ^. And anything else she says. Because she is amazeballs.
    Edited to add that I actually am LESS hungry when I work out, but if I don't eat those calories back, my weight stalls, and I don't lose as much. So yes. Eat them.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Yes...that is the way MFP is set up. MFP doesn't include exercise in the activity level when you set your goal...it's extra. This is because so many people new to diet and exercise do not have a routine down, nor do they stick to an exercise routine. MFP is set up to lose weight without any exercise whatsoever...so any exercise you do beyond your normal daily living is extra and you eat them back.

    There are also stickies that explain all of this and how MFP works...I suggest reading the directions for proper use of this tool.
  • sardesc
    sardesc Posts: 34 Member
    I always eat them back. Your net calories are what matters, but you need a good heart rate monitor to get a better idea of what you are burning. The calculators on this and other sites aren't terribly accurate.
  • olives28
    olives28 Posts: 56
    ahahaahaaahha
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    I don't eat them all back because the estimates for calories burned seems rather high. I don't want to err on the side of gaining weight.
  • pevansk47
    pevansk47 Posts: 20 Member
    My doctor have me eating 11 carbs a day! I eat 3 carbs for Breakfast, 3 carbs for Lunch, 3 carbs for dinner and I can eat two Snacks a day which is 2 carbs for snacks! So my answer is no I do not eat the calories I burn during exercise!
  • Akdn
    Akdn Posts: 121 Member
    I usually don't, but sometimes I'll eat a little more knowing that I did exercise.
  • WJZR
    WJZR Posts: 98 Member
    Maybe thats what i am doing wrong. I dont eat them. I thought if i ate them it would be a maintanence diet, not weight loss.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    For those of you who don't eat them back...do you know the definition of the word goal? Do you understand that a goal is something to be achieved? Why do you think MFP would up your GOAL calories when you exercise if you weren't supposed to eat them and meat your GOALS.

    Underachievers not meeting your goals...

    OP...eat your exercise calories...at least a good portion of them. I've always eaten 80% back and I've always been right on track...because I like to achieve my goals.

    /rant
  • dangerxbadger
    dangerxbadger Posts: 396 Member
    For those of you who don't eat them back...do you know the definition of the word goal? Do you understand that a goal is something to be achieved? Why do you think MFP would up your GOAL calories when you exercise if you weren't supposed to eat them and meat your GOALS.

    Underachievers not meeting your goals...

    OP...eat your exercise calories...at least a good portion of them. I've always eaten 80% back and I've always been right on track...because I like to achieve my goals.

    /rant

    This, too. This guy also is amazeballs and knows what he is talking about. EAT. THEM. BACK.
  • MzzFaith
    MzzFaith Posts: 337 Member
    Thanks I been researching about this

Categories