Eating back calories
DirtyTrickster
Posts: 202 Member
This may be a dumb question, but I'm curious why would I want to eat back calories burned during exercise? If I'm going to exercise for weight loss then just eat all of those calories back, why even bother exercising?
Make me aware
Make me aware
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Replies
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Makes no sense to me unless it's a really strenuous workout that has burned a huge amount like a 10K run or a 3 hour bike ride. Estimating exercise if a guessing game at best so eating those back seems a very precarious situation to me.0
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I did this all the time during my first attempt on a similar website now I am very careful to not to eat back calories I burn0
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Exactly. But if you were to log any exercise in MFP, it will increase your calories intake for that day.Makes no sense to me unless it's a really strenuous workout that has burned a huge amount like a 10K run or a 3 hour bike ride. Estimating exercise if a guessing game at best so eating those back seems a very precarious situation to me.0 -
I think its quite silly to eat back calories that I've burned off. I do not eat them back, regardless of my exercise. I typically use the elliptical for 45-90 minutes a day (with 10 pound ankle weights), or run 8-12 miles a day. I simply coordinate my meals around my exercise, as to not get too dizzy or physically uncomfortable. If you feel outrageously hunger, your body is telling you need food, thusly you should eat. If you feel satisfied, though, there is no need to indulge in more food.
Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Weight Loss Tools0 -
This may be a dumb question, but I'm curious why would I want to eat back calories burned during exercise? If I'm going to exercise for weight loss then just eat all of those calories back, why even bother exercising?
Make me aware
MFP as designed gives you a calorie deficit BEFORE exercise. So when you add exercise you increase the calorie deficit. When the calorie deficit is too large you will have MUSCLE and fat loss.
For me ..... I want to lose fat ...... losing fat (only) reduces my body fat % .... losing muscle just moves the "number" on the scale. I'm not interested in the "scale" .... I'm interested in healthy.
Why exercise? ...... many, many reasons. Health & fitness top that list ..... not weight loss. You will lose more muscle when you don't exercise while on a diet
WARNING ...... MFP and many machines give exagerated calorie burns. Many people use a heart rate monitor (to be more accurate) or just eat back a percentage of calories (to be conservative).0 -
This may be a dumb question, but I'm curious why would I want to eat back calories burned during exercise? If I'm going to exercise for weight loss then just eat all of those calories back, why even bother exercising?
Make me aware
WARNING ...... MFP and many machines give exagerated calorie burns. Many people use a heart rate monitor (to be more accurate) or just eat back a percentage of calories (to be conservative).
I've noticed this.
1500kcal to play a round of golf...in a cart!
500 kcal for pulling weeds.
Anyway, thanks for the response.0 -
I am glad I am not the only person who thought eating back ALL your calories was a good idea! I usually try to eat back just a portion of them.0
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I'm with TeaBea. I try to only eat about half of my exercise calories ... and make sure I always exercise on a day I'm going to a restaurant -- for any meal, because I know I will probably eat my entire budget
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This may be a dumb question, but I'm curious why would I want to eat back calories burned during exercise? If I'm going to exercise for weight loss then just eat all of those calories back, why even bother exercising?
Make me aware
MFP as designed gives you a calorie deficit BEFORE exercise. So when you add exercise you increase the calorie deficit. When the calorie deficit is too large you will have MUSCLE and fat loss.
Basically this.
If you use MFP (or any other NEAT/BMR calorie calculator), then you should be logging exercise cals and eating them back.
If you use a TDEE calculator for your daily calorie goal, then you don't need to.
More info here for anyone who cares...
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/383956-exercise-calories-explained
and
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf0 -
Because you're not exercising to lose weight, you're eating less to lose weight. Think of exercise as just an added bonus that 1) gives you EXTRA calories, and 2) gets you healthier and makes you look leaner.
The calorie counter has already given you less than you usual have to eat. You need to eat that much to stay healthy and lose weight the right way. If you exercise, you're taking away more than what is healthy, so you need to replenish it. If you're not going to eat those calories back, then you need to adjust your activity level accordingly so you get more calories one way or the other to make up for the added exercise.0 -
Thanks for the links.This may be a dumb question, but I'm curious why would I want to eat back calories burned during exercise? If I'm going to exercise for weight loss then just eat all of those calories back, why even bother exercising?
Make me aware
MFP as designed gives you a calorie deficit BEFORE exercise. So when you add exercise you increase the calorie deficit. When the calorie deficit is too large you will have MUSCLE and fat loss.
Basically this.
If you use MFP (or any other NEAT/BMR calorie calculator), then you should be logging exercise cals and eating them back.
If you use a TDEE calculator for your daily calorie goal, then you don't need to.
More info here for anyone who cares...
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/383956-exercise-calories-explained
and
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf0 -
This is a hot topic and everyone has their own opinion. For me... I eat back my calories... to a point. For example: to maintain my current weight, MFP puts me at 1900 cals/day. To lose 1 lb/week, MFP set my goal at 1500 cals/day. If I do a 45-60 minute TurboFire workout I burn approx 500 cals. 1500 cals/day when doing an hour of hardcore exercise is just not enough for me. I emphasize the FOR ME. For others it may be okay. I have had better results when I work out hard and eat clean and eat back most of my calories. Good luck to you!0
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I prefer to eat the same amount everyday rather than possibly one day eating 1000cals more than the day before.
The idea will be to encourage exercise so people so "if i do 30mins jogging i can have more food".
Having no kind of eating back would lead to too big a deficit which can lead to further problems.0 -
Let's say your goal is to eat 1,500 calories per day. This is less than you are used to in order to maintain your weight (2,000 calories, for example).
Also, let's say you burned 400 calories from exercise.
This means you actually ate 1,100 calories that day. You will need 400 more calories to equal your goal of 1,500.
Otherwise, you are eating 1,100 when you are used to 2,000 calories. Going to 1,500 calories is already different for you, so 1,100 calories is making you starve.0 -
I prefer to eat the same amount everyday rather than possibly one day eating 1000cals more than the day before.
The idea will be to encourage exercise so people so "if i do 30mins jogging i can have more food".
Having no kind of eating back would lead to too big a deficit which can lead to further problems.
I usually don't eat back unless I lift heavy. If I play a round of golf, or work in my yard I don't eat back. *usually*0 -
Let's say your goal is to eat 1,500 calories per day. This is less than you are used to in order to maintain your weight (2,000 calories, for example).
Also, let's say you burned 400 calories from exercise.
This means you actually ate 1,100 calories that day. You will need 400 more calories to equal your goal of 1,500.
Otherwise, you are eating 1,100 when you are used to 2,000 calories. Going to 1,500 calories is already different for you, so 1,100 calories is making you starve.
I agree.
I guess my question boiled down to if I exercise for weight loss and then eat back those calories, why even exercise.0 -
If you are using MFP, the deficit is built in already. It's already 500 or 750 or 1000 calories less than maintenance. So if you burn another 500 calories and don't eat it back, then its 1000, or 1250, or 1500 deficit -- which is probably too much. At a deficit that deep, you are much more likely to lose lean body mass.
I use this system because it's more finely calibrated than just picking "lightly active" or "moderately active" and then staying with one number. It's more responsive to your actual activity level day to day.0 -
Let's say your goal is to eat 1,500 calories per day. This is less than you are used to in order to maintain your weight (2,000 calories, for example).
Also, let's say you burned 400 calories from exercise.
This means you actually ate 1,100 calories that day. You will need 400 more calories to equal your goal of 1,500.
Otherwise, you are eating 1,100 when you are used to 2,000 calories. Going to 1,500 calories is already different for you, so 1,100 calories is making you starve.
I agree.
I guess my question boiled down to if I exercise for weight loss and then eat back those calories, why even exercise.
You don't need to exercise to lose weight. Most people exercise to burn more cals, to either a) put them in a caloric deficit so they'll lose weight, or b) allow them to eat more while still being in a caloric deficit to lose weight.
Never mind all the other health benefits that come from exercise.0 -
Just find the cals that work for you. All the cals online will only ever give a guideline. If you're losing more than 2 lbs a week eat more, if youre only losing 1lb every 2 weeks, eat less.0
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This is a long debated heated topic in here! Do what works for your body. Some people actually lose by eating more. Myself, I only gain when I eat those calories back so I never did and I lost 112 lbs in less than a year. Find what works for you and pay no attention to anyone else's logic, lol. Some people in here fiercely defend HAVING to eat those calories at all costs or you will go into starvation mode. I never did. Find what works for you! Hope this helps. 0
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Let's say your goal is to eat 1,500 calories per day. This is less than you are used to in order to maintain your weight (2,000 calories, for example).
Also, let's say you burned 400 calories from exercise.
This means you actually ate 1,100 calories that day. You will need 400 more calories to equal your goal of 1,500.
Otherwise, you are eating 1,100 when you are used to 2,000 calories. Going to 1,500 calories is already different for you, so 1,100 calories is making you starve.
I agree.
I guess my question boiled down to if I exercise for weight loss and then eat back those calories, why even exercise.
Because exercise isn't just about weight loss. It's about becoming fitter and stronger and making your body healthy. The weight loss is just a bonus. I exercise because I enjoy it and I can feel the changes which is a really good feeling. To me, weight loss is 10% genetics, 20% exercise and 70% in the kitchen. It's a whole package.0 -
"I agree.
I guess my question boiled down to if I exercise for weight loss and then eat back those calories, why even exercise."
OK, if this is really the question -- here is the answer from my standpoint.
1. My MFP setting is at 1500 calories on a non-workout day. That's not a lot. On a non-workout day, I eat right up to it.
If I burn 500 extra calories in a workout, I'm likely to eat back 300 or 400 (at least during the week; I do eat more on the weekend), so I actually have a slightly bigger deficit on those days. And I am a lot happier besides
2. Using this system has me working out a lot more -- 6-7 days a week vs 3-5 previously.
3. Working out will help you retain muscle, thus maximizing the percentage of fat lost. Which I assume is what everyone wants.
4. Working out greatly reduces my stress, and thus my stress eating.
5. Working out makes me feel like a healthier person, and it reinforces good choices in the kitchen.
6. Working out is going to make maintenance a hell of a lot easier once I get there.0 -
I only eat back exercise calories if I'm feeling hungry or weak. Eating when I wasn't hungry is why I put on all this weight to begin with, so I don't really see a reason to force myself to eat more.
If I'm eating healthy food, it's hard enough for me to get to the minimum 1490 MFP sets for me, nevermind the 800-1000 exercise calories Striiv says I burn through exercise (though I think that number is total BS...)
But, if you want to eat a reasonable snack after a workout, I don't think it's bad for you.0 -
"I agree.
I guess my question boiled down to if I exercise for weight loss and then eat back those calories, why even exercise."
OK, if this is really the question -- here is the answer from my standpoint.
1. My MFP setting is at 1500 calories on a non-workout day. That's not a lot. On a non-workout day, I eat right up to it.
If I burn 500 extra calories in a workout, I'm likely to eat back 300 or 400 (at least during the week; I do eat more on the weekend), so I actually have a slightly bigger deficit on those days. And I am a lot happier besides
2. Using this system has me working out a lot more -- 6-7 days a week vs 3-5 previously.
3. Working out will help you retain muscle, thus maximizing the percentage of fat lost. Which I assume is what everyone wants.
4. Working out greatly reduces my stress, and thus my stress eating.
5. Working out makes me feel like a healthier person, and it reinforces good choices in the kitchen.
6. Working out is going to make maintenance a hell of a lot easier once I get there.
Love this!0 -
This may be a dumb question, but I'm curious why would I want to eat back calories burned during exercise? If I'm going to exercise for weight loss then just eat all of those calories back, why even bother exercising?
Make me aware
Because you diet for weight-loss and workout for fitness. MFP uses the NEAT method for determining your calorie goal (which BTW already has a substantial deficit from maintenance in it). NEAT = Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. This is the calories your body burns without any exercise whatsoever...just daily living. MFP then deducts calories from your NEAT to give you a calorie goal with a built in deficit. If you exercise, that becomes an extra activity that needs to be fueled because it is above and beyond your NEAT.
Why exactly do you think MFP would up your calorie GOAL when you log exercise? Do you think MFP is just trying to play a sick joke on you? It is a calorie GOAL...it is something to be achieved just as any other goal. Achieve your goals.0 -
Let's say your goal is to eat 1,500 calories per day. This is less than you are used to in order to maintain your weight (2,000 calories, for example).
Also, let's say you burned 400 calories from exercise.
This means you actually ate 1,100 calories that day. You will need 400 more calories to equal your goal of 1,500.
Otherwise, you are eating 1,100 when you are used to 2,000 calories. Going to 1,500 calories is already different for you, so 1,100 calories is making you starve.
I agree.
I guess my question boiled down to if I exercise for weight loss and then eat back those calories, why even exercise.
In my opinion and from what I have seen in the past with my own experience, exercising makes your body look better while you are losing and by trying to keep the lean body mass you have, it prevents you from being skinny fat due to the loss of muscle on a diet alone regime. Can you lose weight without exercise? sure! A defecit is all you need but it may boil down to how you create that defecit that will determine body composition.0 -
I've noticed this.
1500kcal to play a round of golf...in a cart!
500 kcal for pulling weeds.
Anyway, thanks for the response.
Don't log this kind of stupid ****. Log actual exercise like going for a run...logging that **** is stupid. A round of golf is a good excuse to have an extra beer, and that's about it.0 -
Let's say your goal is to eat 1,500 calories per day. This is less than you are used to in order to maintain your weight (2,000 calories, for example).
Also, let's say you burned 400 calories from exercise.
This means you actually ate 1,100 calories that day. You will need 400 more calories to equal your goal of 1,500.
Otherwise, you are eating 1,100 when you are used to 2,000 calories. Going to 1,500 calories is already different for you, so 1,100 calories is making you starve.
I agree.
I guess my question boiled down to if I exercise for weight loss and then eat back those calories, why even exercise.
Ummm...fitness...lots of health benefits associated with being a fit individual.0 -
I've heard that some people don't even add their exercises to MFP just so they can keep an eye on their calories in.0
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