Eating back exercise calories?

Nik0417
Nik0417 Posts: 96 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay i see that this is a very common question on here, but i have a question.
Okay, so my Daily Calorie goal is 1290, which is fine for me! But about the whole eating exercise calories back thing.... i just started tracking my calorie intake about two and a half weeks ago, and up to now i have not been eating back my exercise calories. i'm so confused on all this so i just need a little input! am i supposed to make sure my net calories is at least 1200 calories of what?

Replies

  • amgill81
    amgill81 Posts: 4
    I personally do not think you should eat your calories back from exercise if you are trying to lose. I mean if you are maintaining or just have a few lbs to lose, then I guess it is ok a lot of the time. I figure I am defeating the purpose. :)
  • grmon
    grmon Posts: 17
    I don't. I don't even track calories burned mostly because it can be less than accurate most times. Yes, we can get a ballpark estimate but most times its not 100 percent sure.
    What is almost 100 percent accurate is weighing your food and tracking everything that goes in your body.

    I don't know how tall or how heavy you are but to give an example I am 5'1 and about 130 and eat about 1300 period. I work an active job (waitress), am sedentary part of the day (school) and do P90X for exercise.

    Try what MFP gives you for a few days, if you are not comfortable with it (feeling tired, weak etc..) increase it a little.

    I'm no expert but this is just what I've been doing. Listening to my body and not overcomplicating things.
  • Nik0417
    Nik0417 Posts: 96 Member
    That's how i figure it... i mean i honestly have never tried losing weight before and i'd like to lose about 50 lbs. i just feel like i should be burning the calories i'm taking in. Just sounds pointless to eat them all back, right?
  • grmon
    grmon Posts: 17
    That's how i figure it... i mean i honestly have never tried losing weight before and i'd like to lose about 50 lbs. i just feel like i should be burning the calories i'm taking in. Just sounds pointless to eat them all back, right?

    Although I don't eat exercise cals back I wouldn't say it's pointless. I mean if you just hiked for hours and burned 1000 calories and are eating only 1200, you have a huge deficit and maybe then I would eat more.

    This is how I look at it: If I went to school all day today and did nothing but sit through lectures and did homework all day, then maybe that day I'm ok with just 1100-1200. My body doesn't feel tired or weak to get through my daily activities so don't need more fuel.
    Whereas if I just went for a jog, then to work for 8 hours, then came home and did some strength training, and I'm tired, weak and maybe even dizzy half way throughout my shift, then I know today 1200 is not gonna cut it. I need more fuel, so I eat an extra 200-300 calories of nutrient rich, healthy foods.

    I usually aim for 1300, but like I said, I don't have a problem increasing or decreasing depending on my activity level or how I feel.
  • MTBrob
    MTBrob Posts: 513 Member
    Me personally I exercise 6 days a week but I never track it ... I can track it if I please with a heart rate monitor.. But to answer your question I do not purposely eat my calories back since I do not track them...

    I just eat my calorie protein carb and fat goal daily and if I am still under my daily goal more power to me..
  • Nik0417
    Nik0417 Posts: 96 Member
    Although I don't eat exercise cals back I wouldn't say it's pointless. I mean if you just hiked for hours and burned 1000 calories and are eating only 1200, you have a huge deficit and maybe then I would eat more.

    This is how I look at it: If I went to school all day today and did nothing but sit through lectures and did homework all day, then maybe that day I'm ok with just 1100-1200. My body doesn't feel tired or weak to get through my daily activities so don't need more fuel.
    Whereas if I just went for a jog, then to work for 8 hours, then came home and did some strength training, and I'm tired, weak and maybe even dizzy half way throughout my shift, then I know today 1200 is not gonna cut it. I need more fuel, so I eat an extra 200-300 calories of nutrient rich, healthy foods.

    I usually aim for 1300, but like I said, I don't have a problem increasing or decreasing depending on my activity level or how I feel.

    Okay thanks! That makes sense!
  • oldswimdawg
    oldswimdawg Posts: 11 Member
    I take the number of pounds I want to lose per week (2), multiply by 3500 c / pound and divide by 7. I need to average a negative 1000 calories per day. When I add the MFP number (1660) to my daily exercise and subtract my intake this is my negative number for the day. On days when I'm not so active, I have to reduce my intake. Ths encourages me to get out and get with it. Once you figure out how many calories per day you need to lose, MFP does the math for you and it's pretty easy to follow. Sure beats the old pencil and paper routine we used to do.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    I'm following the MFP plan...which tells me to eat back my exercise calories. I do, or most them, most of the time. I'm losing weight, and am never hungry or tempted to binge...there's always something I can fit into my day. If it ain't broke....don't fix it
    . :flowerforyou:
  • vicyvix
    vicyvix Posts: 47 Member
    I personally think it depends on what type of exercise you have done. If you've done mainly cardio, where you will be burning fat, it is not such a necessity to eat back your exercise calories.
    However, if you've been doing strength training or muscle-intensive exercise, it's best to eat/drink a protein rich food to help regenerate and strengthen your muscles. :)

    Also, as others have say above, it depends on how much you've exercised. You can't eat 1200 kcals a day then exercise 1000 kcals off, it will just drive your body into 'starvation mode' and mess it all up but not eating the odd hundred kcals or so won't hurt.
    Hope this helps and good luck :)
  • mona_patty
    mona_patty Posts: 170
    i do not eat all of it back but I do eat some back since I am hungry after my long walks or my runs. And I have been losing weight. Do no deprive yourself. Listen to your body, if you're hungry eat something (light if you want).

    Yesterday I went for a long walk, I had 1000 calories remaining. I couldn't possibly eat all that. I ate about a 600 calorie meal and I was satisfied.
  • taratam83
    taratam83 Posts: 88 Member
    I've done it both ways. the first 3 months I didnt eat back my exercise cals. I struggled to keep my "diet" in check. I'm not trying to lose fast and started eating back my exercise a few months ago. I am loosing at the same rate and do not feel deprived at all. Each to their own I suppose. I want to have a "diet" that is realistic and something I know I can stick to for the rest of my life and this is it :) 31 pounds down in 6 months. Some people would say that is horrible but I have improved SO many aspects of my life, this is addicting! LOL
  • TazzytheMotivator
    TazzytheMotivator Posts: 646 Member
    Some do some don't . Personally I never have . But it depends on your body metabolism .
    My suggestion to you is for 4 weeks track your progress. Weigh yourself once a week and see if eating your calories help or hinder you . I wish you the best .
  • wjniii
    wjniii Posts: 110 Member
    I don't try to eat them back but, if after a hard workout, I'm hungry I'm OK if I go beyond my normal number for that day. For me the important thing is never to get too hungry or then I tend to eat too much of bad stuff.
  • kobashi
    kobashi Posts: 164
    Eh.. I eat back about 50% of them. I just eat when I am hungry. No tricks. Nothing fancy. If I go over, I go over. MFP isn't the God of my body and doesn't know how my system works. Hell, I am really just now learning.
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
    I've always eaten them back.

    Now a days I don't because I simply can't - I went on a 20 mile run a few days ago and there was no way I was going to be able to eat back the 1800 calories I burned, but I am definitely not opposed to the idea. I've lost weight eating them back, so it works for me.
  • dstackable
    dstackable Posts: 48
    I was wondering the same thing, thank you for posting. I haven't been eating them, because I feel guilty after exercising and burning that many calories.
  • Hssh1988
    Hssh1988 Posts: 48 Member
    Don't net below your BMR (which for most people is more than 1200- mine is 1440 and I'm 5"2!)

    I can only create a deficit of 250 cals a day, as that's the difference between the cals I need to maintain my weight and the cals I need to live. Sure, that means I'll lose a pound every 2 weeks rather than every week, but it's a small price to pay for keeping my body functioning normally, and sustaining my metabolism once I do reach the maintenance stage.
  • kiminikimkim
    kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
    When I was losing weight, I ate 50% or less of my burned calories. Sometimes none of my burned calories.

    Now that I am maintaining, I eat 100% of my calories.

    That worked for me.

    I am 5'3"
    BMR is 1191
  • carriec0303
    carriec0303 Posts: 3
    i totally agree with this statement. i had lost 88 lbs and got stuck in a plateau, so i started my fitness pal. i'm 5'2", weigh 140 and it's giving me 1200 cal a day to lose 2 lbs a week. this doesn't work for me. the only way i lose weight is if i go under the 1200 calories. the easiest way to do that without starving myself is to exercise and not eat the calories burned. you definitely have to listen to your body and see what the scale is telling you. not everyone is the same, so you have to do what works for you. keep up the good work and don't ever give up!
  • melissabaillie
    melissabaillie Posts: 5
    i like to track my excerise on mfp, but i try not to eat the burned calories back because it makes my excersise feei pointless
    i try to only eat the 1390 daily to lose 1 pound a week. in the evening when i know i have 200-300 excersise calories left that i can still eat, it almost makes me feel a little further ahead :).....if you feel you need to eat them go ahead but if you are not losing....then maybe try not to eat them back.

    on the weekends is another story.......i almost plan on fri and sat to eat my excersise calories because i need some treat to look forward to....sometimes just knowing im allowed.....makes me not want them as much

    for me, it is a mental thing :)
    i try to eat the same things for lunch weekly and switch every week so i dont have to figure something out on the spot at the last minute...this helps me too :)
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    My response to another poster who recently asked the same question:

    Well, the system is designed so that your weightloss calorie deficit is built in to your Goal figure. By exercising, you increase the deficit further and you're credited more calories to restore it to the original deficit.

    However, MFP grossly overestimates your calorie burns for a lot of exercises, so unless you're using a HRM or similar, I would say eat back between 50-75% of your exercise calories.

    If your deficit is too high, you exceed your body's maximum potential for fat metabolism as a fuel and the energy deficit must be made up elsewhere - from your FFM (Fat Free Mass), which includes bones, muscles, connective tissues and organs. So, if your only goal is weightloss, go crazy, burn all you want and disregard eating exercise calories. If your goal is FAT loss, keep the deficit reasonable.
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
    i totally agree with this statement. i had lost 88 lbs and got stuck in a plateau, so i started my fitness pal. i'm 5'2", weigh 140 and it's giving me 1200 cal a day to lose 2 lbs a week. this doesn't work for me. the only way i lose weight is if i go under the 1200 calories. the easiest way to do that without starving myself is to exercise and not eat the calories burned. you definitely have to listen to your body and see what the scale is telling you. not everyone is the same, so you have to do what works for you. keep up the good work and don't ever give up!

    2 lb a week is a terrible goal unless you have 40-50 lbs+ to lose.

    It is too fast. You'll lose muscle mass and be prone to stalls and plateaus.

    1 lb a week is much more appropriate for people within 10-20 lb of their goal weight.
  • carriec0303
    carriec0303 Posts: 3
    thanks for the input. having a hard time determining just how many calories I can have to lose weight at a healthy rate. every site you go to is different. for example mfp says 1200 cal but that seems low.
  • carriec0303
    carriec0303 Posts: 3
    actually when I change my weight loss goal to 1 lb per week it says 1360. that seems more appropriate.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    thanks for the input. having a hard time determining just how many calories I can have to lose weight at a healthy rate. every site you go to is different. for example mfp says 1200 cal but that seems low.

    This thread is from 2012 (?!?)

    Anyway......MFP gave you 1200 calories based upon "I want to lose XX pounds per week" AND 1200 is the absolute LOWEST MFP will give you. You will see losts of threads about eating 1200 and NOT eating exercise calories back.....that's one approach.....it's not necessarily a healthy approach.

    Keep in mind losing weight quickly will result in fat+muscle loss.......instead of moslty fat loss......the choice is yours.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    thanks for the input. having a hard time determining just how many calories I can have to lose weight at a healthy rate. every site you go to is different. for example mfp says 1200 cal but that seems low.

    It wold be your 1360 plus eating back what you burn from exercise.

    OP: if you don't like the idea of eating back exercise calories, then include your planned exercise in your calorie goal by using a TDEE calculator. that way you eat the same amount everyday instead of more on days you exercise and less on days you don't.

    A TDEE calculator should give you a number higher than MFP when you don't add exercise, and lower than days when you add in exercise, assuming you set up your weekly weight loss goal appropriately on MFP.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Okay i see that this is a very common question on here, but i have a question.
    Okay, so my Daily Calorie goal is 1290, which is fine for me! But about the whole eating exercise calories back thing.... i just started tracking my calorie intake about two and a half weeks ago, and up to now i have not been eating back my exercise calories. i'm so confused on all this so i just need a little input! am i supposed to make sure my net calories is at least 1200 calories of what?

    If you set up your activity level correctly, you do NOT include any estimate of your exercise activity in your activity level. MFP gives calculates your theoretical NEAT (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis)...the calories your body would require to maintain just doing your day to day hum drum...getting up...driving to work...walking around, etc. From there, MFP takes a cut for weight loss based on your stated goals.

    With this method, as you can see...your EAT (Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) is not accounted for anywhere. It has to be accounted for somewhere...so MFP accounts for it on the back end of the formula when you log it....then you get the exercise calories back. And really...do you think MFP is just trying to trick you?

    Other calculators incorporate an estimate of your exercise calories required up front in your activity level and thus would just gross your daily calories...MFP does it on the *kitten* end and you NET calories with MFP. An example using my numbers (I'm maintaining)

    MFP's NET calorie goal to maintain my weight = 2,350. On average I burn around 400 - 500 calories 6 days per week with exercise...so I would gross around 2700 - 2800 calories to maintain.

    As per trial and error and the TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) calculator I use, my TDEE is roughly 2750 calories.

    The only difference between MFP and the calculator I use is that I add exercise after the fact with MFP...and with the TDEE calculator I use, that activity is accounted for in my activity level.
  • stt43
    stt43 Posts: 487
    When you put all of your details into MFP it gives you a target number of calories to eat in order to lose the weight you desire (e.g. if you want to lose 2lbs per week, and your body needs 2500 calories to do it's daily stuff, then MFP will tell you to eat 1500).
    If you exercise and don't eat them back then you are increasing this deficit further (e.g. if you did 400 calories worth of exercise, but didn't log it, rather than being in a 1000 calorie deficit you could now be in a 1400 calorie deficit).
    If you log your exercise then MFP will tell you to eat them to keep your deficit the same (e.g it would now tell you to eat 1900 calories that day. You would still be in the same 1000 calorie deficit that you were before, but you will be able to eat more, leading to less hunger, more nutrients, and generally feeling better).
    Therefore, yes, you should eat back your exercise calories (though it's up to you what you do), and if you are worried about accuracy, either get a heart-rate monitor, or work out how inaccurate you are being by how your weight changes.
  • stt43
    stt43 Posts: 487
    thanks for the input. having a hard time determining just how many calories I can have to lose weight at a healthy rate. every site you go to is different. for example mfp says 1200 cal but that seems low.

    This thread is from 2012 (?!?)

    Anyway......MFP gave you 1200 calories based upon "I want to lose XX pounds per week" AND 1200 is the absolute LOWEST MFP will give you. You will see losts of threads about eating 1200 and NOT eating exercise calories back.....that's one approach.....it's not necessarily a healthy approach.

    Keep in mind losing weight quickly will result in fat+muscle loss.......instead of moslty fat loss......the choice is yours.

    Oh, only just realised it was from 2012.
    Retro.
  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 Member
    I personally do not think you should eat your calories back from exercise if you are trying to lose. I mean if you are maintaining or just have a few lbs to lose, then I guess it is ok a lot of the time. I figure I am defeating the purpose. :)

    No. If you are following the MFP program and going by the calorie goal they assign for you, you should absolutely be eating those exercise calories back. It's not defeating the purpose, it's exactly how the program is designed to work.

    When you input your stats and goals into MFP, it uses that information to calculate the calories you would need to eat every day in order to reach your ultimate weight goal, which means that your calorie goal already includes the deficit you need. If you exercise and don't eat any of those exercise calories back, you're creating a larger deficit than necessary, which can be counterproductive.

    At 1290 calories a day, you're already at the low end when it comes to calorie intake. It's important that you not only ensure you're getting enough fuel but that you're meeting your nutritional requirements as well (protein, fat, and carbs). Adding exercise on top of that 1290 and not eating anything back is asking your body to perform better while giving it less fuel.

    I ate them back, and it worked out fine.

    If you're unsure about what your body's actual caloric and nutritional requirements are, give this a read.: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    ETA: Haha, okay it's from 2012. But I'll leave it up for the noobs.

Categories