Exercise calories, and eating them back?

kidchewy2
kidchewy2 Posts: 20 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok So I'm netting around 1200 calories a day, and that is because i've been eating back my exercise calories... Should I not be doing this? I don't want to eat too little, and it said not to go under 1200 calories a day, but is this rule different for an exercise day?

Replies

  • sarahg148
    sarahg148 Posts: 701 Member
    I think it's up to you if you want to eat the exercise calories. If you're at 1200 cal/day, MFP has it set up where you will still lose. So if you're extra hungry the day you work out, then you have the option of eating those calories. Play around with it and see what works for you. For 2-3 weeks DON'T eat back your exercise cals and see what happens. Then do another 2-3 weeks where you ARE eating those calories the same day. Right now I've been doing the "eat the calories from exercise" to see what happens. If I lose anything, then I will continue that. Until I don't lose I will keep it up. If I stop losing, then maybe I'll only eat half of the exercise calories and see what happens.
  • kidchewy2
    kidchewy2 Posts: 20 Member
    Ok Sounds good. I just didn't want to do anything that could be unhealthy. Thanks :-)
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I *don't*. I eat the same number of calories (or aim to) every day, regardless of whether I work out. That number is about halfway between my BMR and my TDEE.
    I guess I just don't think of things in 24 hour increments.
  • sarahg148
    sarahg148 Posts: 701 Member
    Sabine...how do you find the TDEE??? And what does that mean again??? TIA
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
    I *don't*. I eat the same number of calories (or aim to) every day, regardless of whether I work out. That number is about halfway between my BMR and my TDEE.
    I guess I just don't think of things in 24 hour increments.

    ^^This. I have my max calories set at TDEE.
  • kidchewy2
    kidchewy2 Posts: 20 Member
    TDEE is your total daily energy expenditure. What you would burn in a regular day. There are calculators online
  • sarahg148
    sarahg148 Posts: 701 Member
    Ahhh...thanks, girl. :)
  • kidchewy2
    kidchewy2 Posts: 20 Member
    No problem :-)
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Sabine...how do you find the TDEE??? And what does that mean again??? TIA
    There's lots of calculators out there. Here's one:

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    it's an estimate of your total daily energy expenditure. How many calories you use in a day.
  • Stephanie_Autry
    Stephanie_Autry Posts: 228 Member
    I *don't*. I eat the same number of calories (or aim to) every day, regardless of whether I work out. That number is about halfway between my BMR and my TDEE.
    I guess I just don't think of things in 24 hour increments.

    ^ This.
  • Starqueg
    Starqueg Posts: 39
    I've lost weight both ways at different parts of my life. However, I've realized that I'm generally starving on days I work out if I don't eat more than on days I don't. If you're seriously hungry, eat.
  • justaride08
    justaride08 Posts: 37
    I think it is a highly personal choice, I don't think you are doing yourself any harm by eating them back. I made a decision to only take a certain portion of my exercise calories. ON really hard work out days, I burn about 400. So I've decided only to allow myself about half of them.
  • arcticfox04
    arcticfox04 Posts: 1,011 Member
    Depends. Normally if I'm working out I'll setup a high carb/protein meal plan the night before. It just eat till I'm full after working out. A lot of times its normally 1/3 to 1/2 of what I burn.
  • kidchewy2
    kidchewy2 Posts: 20 Member
    Thanks for the help guys, knew I could count on you :-)

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