Do any of you save the calories that you get from exercise?

Not usualy. I like to treat each day in isolation. The only time I don't eat them back is if I'm really not hungry for them, in which case I just make sure I've eaten my 1200 for the day.

i don't save them..but the plan im following does not allow it..i also like to look at each day individually that way i can really keep track of everything!

I *always* move some of my exercise calories during the week over to Sunday's log (my rest day). That way I'll actually use the day to rest. I hate seeing my calorie total go into the red, even for one day, and I just can't function on less than, say, 1500 calories a day. Just because I didn't exercise that day doesn't mean I only need 1200 calories. It's been working for me so far--I've lost every single week since I started 8 weeks ago.

Not really. But I do carb load on the weekends, then it's back to <50 carbs for the week.

Yes I'll have a milkshake if I want, but I still log it and try to hit my cals (with a high carb angle).

I still don't think I totally get the "eat back your exercise calories" thing, so I don't concern myself with it. If I exercise and don't eat them back, I'm not going to starve.

I eat at 20% below TDEE so my daily calorie goal is a static number, no matter if I exercise or not. So, no, I do not eat them back nor do I adjust for daily activity.

No rollover calories in my plan. Each day is done on an individual basis.

I try do this. I might extend that to a day on either side (so 2 days total). I think I read somewhere that 2 days is about how long it takes your body to make or burn fat. Not sure if that is true, though.

your body works more on a weekly basis, rather then day-to-day. it's happened to many of us. we work out, and have a balanced day of eating, but the next day we're just not that hungry, so we less, and the day after that we're super hungry and EAT ALL THE THINGS!!

while i don't necessarily recommend to bank tons of calories for a weekend of food and alcohol binging, to be concious of the whole week works well.

like a friend of mine says "don't miss the forest for the trees."

I still don't think I totally get the "eat back your exercise calories" thing, so I don't concern myself with it. If I exercise and don't eat them back, I'm not going to starve.

if you do two hours of exercise, burn 1200 cals, and only ear 1200 cals, it's not hard to see how that adds up to starving...?

I thought when you worked out, you were supposed to eat back those calories b/c your body needs them; is this not the case? I'm so confused! lol

yes, your body needs them. keep eating them. or drink them.


did i say drink your exercise calories??? WAIT, NO PUT DOWN THAT MARGARITA!!! i mean to get yourself some protein powder, and start using it to make post work out/recovery shakes. use 1-2 scoops of powder, 6-8 ounces of orange juice, and then a half a cup or two of frozen berries and throw it in the blender. its a great way to replenish your body with a lot of good stuff that it needs, and taken after a work out it refreshes you, and helps put off that OMG I WANT TO EAT EVERYTHING feeling ppl get an hour or two after a work out.

I guess I kind of use those guidelines. I like to stay under my weekly goal. That means if I have a long day of work at the bar and can't stomach dinner, I accept the 450-650 calorie defecit. In the same respect, sometimes when I work out I am insatiably hungry and can afford to go over calorie goals. I try to look at it on a larger scale. It took a long time to get to this state of mind, but I've realized that being over today is okay. Being over everyday is not. The same goes for being under. If I take my net calorie values from Sunday through Saturday and divide by 7, I should be under 2040 (net) per day.

When I first started this though, it was a day to day thing. Down to pumping out 50 jumping jacks if my calories were too high. At the time I was also eating 1460 and working out hard. You just have to feel out what works for you. Your health, energy levels and activity levels are quite unique. Find a system that is sustainable for you in the long run.

I look at my week as a whole usually. It's one of the options on MFP. I don't indulge every weekend, but won't beat myself for one or two days of going over in a week if I'm still under for the week overall. I try to have a specific purpose for going over though. A special night out, on vacation, etc. I don't think to myself-oh I've had a good week so I can go crazy this weekend. (I'm not saying that is what anyone is doing. I know that there are people for and against "cheat days"). I try to look at this as a lifestyle change and I want to enjoy my life and sometimes that includes more than 1500 calories per day. :-)

I still don't think I totally get the "eat back your exercise calories" thing, so I don't concern myself with it. If I exercise and don't eat them back, I'm not going to starve.

if you do two hours of exercise, burn 1200 cals, and only ear 1200 cals, it's not hard to see how that adds up to starving...?

Gawd, I am so confused.

I guess I'm from the "old school" of dieting where we were taught that, if you eat 1200 cals. then burn 1200, that's what MAINTENANCE is, whereas LOSING weight is burning MORE than you consume. In other words, you fill your gas tank with fuel, then go for a drive. When youl;re on empty, you refuel again, and so on.

my mom believes this also. i think it may be too old school because eating my calories back has actually helped me lose weight. i am not sure why this happens but it does. when i would not "eat back" my calories i wasnt losing weight. just maintaining it or gaining it if i didnt exercise enough.

Perhaps I should mention the fact that there is no way in Hades that I am burning every calorie I consume..not even close. Thus, I have leftover calories each day to live on. Doesn;t that count?