Eating back exercise calories

Charlottesmama

Hello I am sure this has been posted many times before but do you have to eat back your exercise calories? I see people doing both. What is your opinion and what has worked for you?

bjkalb

I've heard both ways. MFP is set up for you to 'eat back' the calories you burned while exercising. While working with a nutritionist at the local hospital, she said absolutely not. Do not eat the calories back. Is is part of your calorie deficient to lose weight. I do not eat them back, but if I should happen to go over, I know I'm covered if I exercised that day.

marcvandenberg

I depends of what you choice for the question lifestyle.
If it is part of that, don't eat back.
Else, eat them back or leave some for a rainy day.

SoDamnHungry

I eat them back, but also save them up in case I want to eat something amazing later in the week.

trollydollymolly

Personally, I do not eat my exercise calories back. I work so hard burning them off, why the hell would I go through that for nothing!!!

That's just me... others view it differently!

Paco4gsc

If you are using the MFP method, then the calorie goal calculated doesn't include exercise calories so any exercise pushes your deficit even further down. Because you don't want to push that deficit too far down is the reason to eat back all or some of your exercise calories. A lot depends on your initial deficit without exercise and how much exercise you performed.

Now, if you are using the TDEE - X% method, then your calorie goal is supposed to have your estimated exercise calories already taken into account. You technically are eating your exercise calories back, but it's not as apparent because it's built into your target calories.

Josiebum

This confuses me too! If I eat back the calories from exercise does that mean the exercise I've done won't do me any good (as in toning/weight loss)? I've only been using about 100 of them a day. Help muchly appreciated!:flowerforyou:

auntygill

I eat most of them back and its worked for me , and i am now fitter as well .

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Zeppyb

I eat back some but not all. Kinda depends how hungry I am on a particular day and what kid of workout I had. If I have a lot of calories burned from lots of activity, I'm more likely to eat some back since I know I have a little extra cushion and still have a deficit. I would feel like I'm working out for nothing if I ate them all back all the time.

Ashshell

Most of you don't understand at all how MFP works. So, I'll just say, in theory, if you do not eat back your exercise calories, you create too large of a deficit for healthy weight loss because in the number MFP provides, a deficit is already provided.

And for the person who said their nutritionist said not to eat back exercise cals, I'm 100% positive you did not paint he picture properly. Next time, tell them that here is already a calorie deficit built in for you to lose 1 lb per week. So, you eat back your calories to maintain that deficit. If she still thinks you shouldn't, fire her because she's an idiot.

It really depends on how a person has their MFP set up. I customized my own goals and I do not eat my exercise calories back. To give the OP decent advice, each person would have to disclose how their goals are set.

everythings_rosie

Depending on how much I burn through exercise, I probably eat about 30% back.

AmyRhubarb

Most of you don't understand at all how MFP works. So, I'll just say, in theory, if you do not eat back your exercise calories, you create too large of a deficit for healthy weight loss because in the number MFP provides, a deficit is already provided.

And for the person who said their nutritionist said not to eat back exercise cals, I'm 100% positive you did not paint he picture properly. Next time, tell them that here is already a calorie deficit built in for you to lose 1 lb per week. So, you eat back your calories to maintain that deficit. If she still thinks you shouldn't, fire her because she's an idiot.

This - took the words right outta my mouth.

Dr_Stav

Depends on the aim of using MFP.

My objective of using the app and site is to maintain mass while increasing fitness, so my exercise regime can be more on the heavy side. I don't want to loose mass, rather convert excess fat to muscle for endurance, therefore my approach is to judge what my output is/will be compared to my input.

For example;

I plan to ride a 100 miles on a Saturday morning, therefore I will carb load on the Friday night. My Friday total will be way over my daily projection, but I know I'll more than burn it the following morning. I'll ride the 100 miles with sports nutritional products during the day, get home, chocolate milkshake for recovery, shower, then work out my budget. I'll tend to lean towards more protein based foods than normal (muscle repair and recovery) and replace lost carbs. Finally, I'll eat sensibly for the rest of the day to balance my 48hr allowance so my net calorific value by the end of Saturday will be neutral. The cardio will have benefited my body (increased endurance, respiratory function etc) but by balancing the in's and out's, I'm preventing damage by allowing muscles to repair.

On a daily basis, I'll always come within around +-10% of my calorific budget, but I exercise daily (cycle commuting) so around an hour of fat burning a day trades the fat for muscle. If I was wanting to loose mass, then I'd decrease my inputs, but only in a controlled way.

RunHardBeStrong

Most of you don't understand at all how MFP works. So, I'll just say, in theory, if you do not eat back your exercise calories, you create too large of a deficit for healthy weight loss because in the number MFP provides, a deficit is already provided.

And for the person who said their nutritionist said not to eat back exercise cals, I'm 100% positive you did not paint he picture properly. Next time, tell them that here is already a calorie deficit built in for you to lose 1 lb per week. So, you eat back your calories to maintain that deficit. If she still thinks you shouldn't, fire her because she's an idiot.

This. If you set your activity level and goals correctly then MFP includes a deficit in your goal so that you can lose without exercise. If you are still very obese you can afford the bigger deficit, to a point. Closer you are to goal you should keep a smaller deficit to help ensure FAT loss, not just weight loss. Weight loss includes muscle loss, which you do not want.

don3rd1981

I set my calorie goal manually and do all the math on the calories and macros I need. I have my activity level set for 2, which means I exercise 3 days a week (weight training). I don't eat back the calories for the weight training because it's already built into my calorie limit math. I also do a lot of commuting by bicycle. That I do eat back or I'll go way too far below my calorie limit. So in short, I don't eat back what's already been calculated in, but anything extra I do.

ktarter22

If im not hungry I do not eat my exercise cal. It depends on how you feel. For me I stay at the 1200 cal a day and maintain losing 1-2 lbs a week on average. Let ur body tell u what u need! Just make smart choices ????

ilmb87

Using MFP calculations: Yes, that is how the site is set up. You NET your caloric goal, ex 1200 calories.
Using TDEE method: No, exercise is already accounted for.

I swear, this is like the song that doesn't end. It just goes on and on, my friends...

Gatus98

This is a great explanation.

If you are using the MFP method, then the calorie goal calculated doesn't include exercise calories so any exercise pushes your deficit even further down. Because you don't want to push that deficit too far down is the reason to eat back all or some of your exercise calories. A lot depends on your initial deficit without exercise and how much exercise you performed.

Now, if you are using the TDEE - X% method, then your calorie goal is supposed to have your estimated exercise calories already taken into account. You technically are eating your exercise calories back, but it's not as apparent because it's built into your target calories.
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Gatus98

Good

metacognition

I'll eat some more if I do a lot of working out with weights / cardio and if I don't want to feel tired out the next day.

Otherwise, I stick to my goal of 1500 or 1600 (300 calories or so below daily expenditure with exercise already added).

I have a fairly active standing job in addition to the exercise I do, so I know that my metabolism is a lot faster than MPF calculates for me. I could likely eat back my exercise calories and still lose weight.

InspiredSAM

Using MFP calculations: Yes, that is how the site is set up. You NET your caloric goal, ex 1200 calories.
Using TDEE method: No, exercise is already accounted for.

I swear, this is like the song that doesn't end. It just goes on and on, my friends...

^While I appreciate you answering the question and being helpful (which you totally are), some of us are new and so its not the same song for us. It's a totally new song and we're just learning the lyrics.

jessknickle

My nutritionist introduced me to myfitnesspal. She gave me a goal of 1100 calories to eat during a day to lose weight WITHOUT exercise, and myfitnesspal gave me a goal of 1200. Typically I burn about 400 calories or even more during an hour workout at a gym. If I didn't eat back the calories, I would be starving myself. I may not eat back all the calories, but it sure does leave room for an after supper snack (a healthy one ). Just make sure you don't eat anything for at least 3 hours before going to bed!

Josiebum

I wish there was a "like" button!! Thanks guys your comments have helped me! (Totally agree about the song being new & learning the lyrics!!)

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mjl54

Just make sure you don't eat anything for at least 3 hours before going to bed!

Now, that's just silly. Makes no difference. Meal timing has no bearing at all whatsoever.

what GJ said.

meal timing is irrelevant.

TeaBea

Personally, I do not eat my exercise calories back. I work so hard burning them off, why the hell would I go through that for nothing!!!

That's just me... others view it differently!

Exercising for nothing?

Many people start exercising while on a diet to MAINTAIN muscle mass. MFP as DESIGNED gives you a calorie deficit BEFORE exercise .... so when you exercise you make the calorie deficit larger. Too large a deficit promotes muscle loss.

Using a MFP as designed and NOT eating exercise calories back .....PROMOTES muscle loss ..... so YES, you are exercising for nothing.

Camille0502

I eat back each and every glorious exercise calorie! I eat at a deficit to lose weight. Exercise - for me - is a lifelong commitment to maintain my health. I'm not exercising to lose weight. I am exercising to strengthen my heart and maintain my muscles.

Exercise is not something I stop doing when I get to my goal weight because I was only doing it to lose weight...

mjl54

its really simple as already stated if you set your own daily calories to your TDEE -% do not eat your calories back they have already been included. If you use the daily calories that MFP sets up then you need to eat back your calories. You should only have a certain amount of deficit that MFP calculates weither its 500 or 1000.

Josiebum

I'm back to confusion now!!

I've just done a workout burnt 599 calories, I haven't had anything to eat yet so shouldn't my calorie goal for today have gone up by 599 calories if you're supposed to eat them back!?!?

Vailara

Yes, it should go up (If your goal was 1400, it should now be 1999). Have you added the workout on the "exercise" tab, under "cardiovascular exercise"? You should have a new total on your "food" tab, and underneath it should say how much of the total was calories from exercise.