Eating back WO calories???? PLS HELP ME :(

mlcrec
mlcrec Posts: 66
in Food and Nutrition
Ok, so I have read many different things. Should you eat your workout calories back? I am averaging about 900-1000 calories a day, but burning around 500 calories a day, giving me a net of 400-500. Is this going to hurt me? I am so sick of worrying about if I am doing things right or wrong, it has become obsessive to me.....And if you do eat back calories, does it overly matter what you eat as long as it is done in moderation? Since I struggle getting in calories eating good, I am not a big eater. Or should I cut back on working out as much? I try to do 5 days a week with an hour of cardio and the weight circuit at the gym.

Replies

  • soccerluver925
    soccerluver925 Posts: 3 Member
    Excellent question! I was wondering the same thing myself! I can't wait to see the replies!!! Good luck on your fitness journey!
  • ShandaLeaS
    ShandaLeaS Posts: 136 Member
    You should be eating a minimum of 1200 calories daily...anything less and you are going to be fighting yourself as your body is in starvation mode. I do not eat back my calories. I was eating them back and wasn't losing squat, talked to the dietician and she looked at me like I had 3 heads when I told her MFP was where I got it. I quit eating back my calories (if I burn over 600 I might eat back 50 or so) I started losing weight.
  • foleyshirley
    foleyshirley Posts: 1,043 Member
    Well, the biggest issue is that you should not be eating 900-1000 calories; that simply isn't enough. You risk slowing down your metabolism and losing lean body mass. You should be eating at least 1200 calories plus your exercise calories. And 1200 is the minimum, because most women can eat more. Hopefully someone will come along shortly and post links that will be helpful. But you need to eat more.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    If you're following the MFP program..then yes. Eat those calories. And you aren't eating enough to begin with. Please read the MFP FAQs. Or read the In Place of a Roadmap posts if you prefer to follow the TDEE method. Either way...please eat more...you are hurting yourself...and possibly slowing your weight loss too.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    I ate back every one of my workout calories and lost just fine.
  • Sonjalalala
    Sonjalalala Posts: 101 Member
    I'm set at around 1400 and I usually eat mine back. MFP already calculates a deficit for you in order for you to lose weight. Anything you burn is over and above that. If you're working out and burning 500 in exercise, your body needs more food to fuel itself! Well, it does for me, anyway. I would rather lose the weight at a slower pace or I run the risk of gaining it back once I get to my goal. Plus... I love food. :-D There is no way I could function on 900 calories a day!
  • FittingIn
    FittingIn Posts: 162 Member
    This is a hotly contested topic on MFP.

    Here is some info from someone whose opinion I respect. http://teamripped.com/eating-your-workout-calories/
  • ngressman
    ngressman Posts: 229 Member
    Ok, so I have read many different things. Should you eat your workout calories back? I am averaging about 900-1000 calories a day, but burning around 500 calories a day, giving me a net of 400-500. Is this going to hurt me? I am so sick of worrying about if I am doing things right or wrong, it has become obsessive to me.....And if you do eat back calories, does it overly matter what you eat as long as it is done in moderation? Since I struggle getting in calories eating good, I am not a big eater. Or should I cut back on working out as much? I try to do 5 days a week with an hour of cardio and the weight circuit at the gym.

    I think it depends on the person. Your situation sounds like you should be eating back the calories. I definitely wouldn't cut back on working out. There are more benefits to working out than just weight loss. Do you feel hungry all the time? That would be another way to tell if you need to eat back the calories. I think there are lots of opinions on this, and that is probably why you have read different things. Do what you think is best.
  • _the_feniks_
    _the_feniks_ Posts: 3,412 Member
    http://bwsimulator.niddk.nih.gov/

    This is a useful total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) calculator, in my opinion. Enter your information on the left of the simulator to get your baseline calories. Then, enter your goal weight and how quickly you would like to reach that goal. Don't try for anything more than 2lbs a week. Run the simulation and that will give you your calories per day. In this scenario, you would not eat back your exercise calories as they are accounted for in your activity level.
  • Bubbaluh
    Bubbaluh Posts: 39 Member
    Ok, so I have read many different things. Should you eat your workout calories back? I am averaging about 900-1000 calories a day, but burning around 500 calories a day, giving me a net of 400-500. Is this going to hurt me? I am so sick of worrying about if I am doing things right or wrong, it has become obsessive to me.....And if you do eat back calories, does it overly matter what you eat as long as it is done in moderation? Since I struggle getting in calories eating good, I am not a big eater. Or should I cut back on working out as much? I try to do 5 days a week with an hour of cardio and the weight circuit at the gym.

    Yes id like to have some more people answer these kind of questions, given my BMI my doctor has suggested i eat 850-1000 calories a day and that includes exercise, id say id bump your net calories up to 800 as a minimum and eat a decent meal after you work out, we dont need to be told the basic 1200* when MFP tells us this. I hope you succeed in your journey!
  • gwicks54
    gwicks54 Posts: 201 Member
    Some of this depends on how you set your activity level. If you included your planned workouts into you activity level then you would not need to eat them back. I have set mine at slightly active, with no planned workouts. Therefore, I do eat most of mine as long as I am sure that the amounts given sound close. Sometimes my activities give me huge deficit numbers and I do not try to eat all of those.
  • Oncebittentwiceshy38
    Oncebittentwiceshy38 Posts: 127 Member
    I ate back every one of my workout calories and lost just fine.

    Same here-losing and eating back the majority of my wo calories. Some of it depends on if this is a diet or a new way of life. Personally, I like to enjoy my food. I lost 65 lbs really fast a few yrs ago and gained a bunch back because it was just a diet. I'm making permanent changes this time.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
  • jrdjrd
    jrdjrd Posts: 4 Member
    Hi,

    1. Weight loss= burn more than you eat

    2. Weight gain = eat more than you burn


    Its not about eating your workout calorie. It is about your daily total calorie consumption.

    To lose weight your body needs to burn more than you are eating. If you are eating more than you are burning, you will gain weight.

    Your body burns calories when you are not working out too (your metabolic rate determines how much calories your body burns a day).

    With the goal of losing 1 lb a week, I followed MFP's daily calorie intake and I lost 22 + lbs weight. I have a long road a head of me. I have compared MFP's calculations with others and MFP's math is sound.

    Remember, it is not weather you eat your WO calories or not, it is about the total calories your body burns daily.

    Stay the course. You will reach your goal!
  • HallerFitness
    HallerFitness Posts: 56
    YOu should be eating at least 1600 or 1800 calories a day and still eating back your workout calories.
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    I'm sorry, but how could anybody possibly think that a net of 400 to 500 calories per day is ok? Is this a trick question?
  • sally_jeffswife
    sally_jeffswife Posts: 766 Member
    I read somewhere online in order to lose weight you need to have a caloric deficit but you should still be eating atleast your daily goal of calories, but to maintain your weight you should eat your workout calories back. I usually eat about 150 calories for each workout I do on top of my daily goal But sometimes the workout can burn 350-600 calories I don't eat it all back. But then I still have some extra fuel for my body.I think eating it all back is for those who wanna maintain their current weight.
  • Krissy563
    Krissy563 Posts: 47 Member
    I think the problem is that you've posted variations of this same question for several months now and don't seem to be listening to the very good advice that people are giving you. Eat more. Please.
  • AprilBarkulis
    AprilBarkulis Posts: 76
    You have to eat 1,200 calories a day if you don't you run the risk of your body eating your mussel People have died from not eating enough and you are not eating enough.

    I weight 177 pound and I eat 1,360 calories a day and I burn around 300 to 400 a day excising. I make sure no matter what !! That I have gotten in that 1,360 calories a day then if I have burned 400 I don't worry if I eat a little extra over my 1,360 and I have been lose weight. And I am Happy with what I have Lost I stared out at 208 pound and this is working for me I try not to eat back all my calories I burn But I make sure my daily menu adds up to 1,360 calories a day

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