Exercise and Calories??

mleparton
mleparton Posts: 81
in Health and Weight Loss
MFP recommends that I take in 1330 calories per day....If I reach that amount and then burn off say 200 calories with exercise that day, do I eat back that 200? Or do I stay at 1130 calories for the day?? Sorry this might be a dumb question but for some reason I'm not sure. Thanks!

Replies

  • BeccaCares
    BeccaCares Posts: 23
    Your body needs that 1330 calories for it to function properly for daily needs. If you are not letting your body use that fuel (calories), then it will start to go into starvation mode. You don't want that!
  • mleparton
    mleparton Posts: 81
    My body has been in starvation mode along time! lol.....I never ate breakfast and barely every ate lunch, would drink maybe one full glass of something per day, I mainly only ate dinner! Now things ARE going to change!! I just started this about a week ago and have been eating 3 balanced meals per day + healthy snacks and drinking my water! I can FEEL the difference!

    So you recommend that I eat back the calories that I burned off during exercise...that way I'm still hitting the 1330?
  • leeanneowens
    leeanneowens Posts: 319 Member
    Different people will probably tell you different things but personally, I eat back exercise calories. I'm happier eating them back and I still lose weight.
  • karennh65
    karennh65 Posts: 27 Member
    I try not to eat back my exercise calories and it's working for me.
  • happythermia
    happythermia Posts: 374
    I eat back my exercise calories if I'm hungry. If not, I don't usually.
  • LordBear
    LordBear Posts: 239 Member
    if u r trying to lose ur weight..then u dont eat back calories.. you body is still getting what it needs from what u r eating.. plus any fat burn is also used ..so u r fine.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    There are 5 camps:
    1. Eat them all back
    2. Eat half back
    3. Eat some back
    4. Don't eat them back
    5. Only eat them back if you're hungry, otherwise don't.

    You pick. do what works. I'd default to eating them all back at first and see if that works. If you don't seem to be losing any weight after a few weeks, try eating half. And so on.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    You need to lose 80 lbs because you haven't been eating? Anyway, no you don't need to eat back exercise calories unless you're a professional athlete working out for hours every day.
  • MsJayeKaye
    MsJayeKaye Posts: 155 Member
    Some days I eat back my exercise calories and some days I don't. I'm also at 1330 calories a day. The days I don't eat that many I try not to go below 1200.
  • AliciaStaton
    AliciaStaton Posts: 328 Member
    Hi i only eat back calories when I am hungry, but I try not to do it
  • Wilson336
    Wilson336 Posts: 76
    Think of it this way....either way you are going to lose weight if you are following the calorie count, so do what you can do comfortably for you. That may involve eating back the calories some days because you fell hungry, and not eating them back on another night.
  • EatClean_WashUrNuts
    EatClean_WashUrNuts Posts: 1,590 Member
    That your BMR or BMR with weight loss goal calculated? You need to define this.

    as for whether or not to eat the extra...try it both ways for an extended period...2-3 weeks, and change. Do what gives the better result
  • sarahg148
    sarahg148 Posts: 701 Member
    I think it also depends upon HOW much you exercise. I use a heart rate monitor and can burn anywhere from 500-1500 cal during a workout or tennis. Because of this I'll eat back maybe half of what I burn...so I don't get too hungry. I have my settings for me to lose .5lb/wk so I'm eating 1880 cal/day. If I get a bit hungrier I'll eat maybe 300-400 more...depending upon if I've earned the exercise calories that day. Today I couldn't make it to the gym due to the hurricane, so I made my daily calories just under that 1880. The difficult part for me will be NOT to eat later tonight out of boredom. That's my downfall. I do have my snack for later. So in a couple of hours I'll have my popcorn and call it a night. You really just have to see what you can do for yourself in order to lose weight and yet still be satisfied so you don't yo yo up and down. I'm still trying to find out exactly what works best for me. I think losing 1/2 lb/wk will be my success. I'll just have to be patient.:ohwell:
  • jeme3
    jeme3 Posts: 355 Member
    In eat most of my exercise calories back.

    It's good motivation to exercise!

    And I'm losing steadily, at a faster rate than I thought.
  • mleparton
    mleparton Posts: 81
    Thank you all for the advice! For some reason that was really confusing me but you all cleared it right up! I'm pretty new to MFP and you all have been amazing, thanks for the help! :)
  • gramacanada
    gramacanada Posts: 557 Member
    General consensus is. Eat All MFP allots you. Always. Exercise calories are eaten if you're hungry.
    Or feel it's necessary. You are still eating your 1330. The other is personal, you do whatever works for you.
  • atxdee
    atxdee Posts: 613 Member
    its fine to eat them back or some of them..
  • max6769
    max6769 Posts: 1
    dont eat them back. by eating them back you risk going over. you dont burn as many calories as you think while exercising, it hard to tell how many you did burn. the number tredmills and ellipitcal say you burn is usually inaccurate because your weight, age, sex, and fitness all play into how many calories you really burn.
  • adbmama
    adbmama Posts: 17 Member
    Try to net 1200 at a minimum - I have experienced this recently and while everyone's body is a bit different, make sure you aren't over-estimating the calories burned and documenting what you've eaten accurately. I started incorporating more cardio along with my strength training which brought my net calories down to 900-1100 and I stalled for 3 weeks. I had been losing an average of 2 lbs/wk and only lost 1.4 lbs in 23 days until I figured out what was happening. I do NOT try to eat back all of my calories, only to 1200 at minimum but usually around 1300 give or take. My daily goal is set to 1500 or less.
  • soehlerking
    soehlerking Posts: 589 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    The "creators" of MFP post a lot of answers to these big, common questions--personally I like to at least read what they write, since it explains a bit about how the website is designed. From there you can take it or leave it. Good luck!
  • YouniquelyInspired
    YouniquelyInspired Posts: 6
    Yes! Eat those calories! I know it sounds completely against the point of losing weight by eating more calories, but you NEVER want to go under your total calories per day. which for you is 1330. When you do, your body starts storing fat (survival mode) Exercising allows you to speed up your metabolism which is KEY to losing weight. Calories is just the fuel you need to maintain healthy living while you're doing that. Kind of hard to explain, but in a nutshell, the object is to exercise. Exercise increases your metabolism (the main objective). So yes, I say definitely eat up those calories!

    Info here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    Take your time to understand it because you don't want to make it that much more difficult to lose weight!
  • YouniquelyInspired
    YouniquelyInspired Posts: 6
    I'm still debating this. Im going to stop eating back my exercise calories and see how it works, because it looks as if eating them back keeps me at the same weight just about. However if I feel like I NEED to eat those calories back, I will if I feel famished :-)
    I'll let you guys know what happens!
  • tryclyn
    tryclyn Posts: 2,414 Member
    I don't log exercise on here so I have the same goal everyday that includes my exercise. It is just easier for me to eat the 2000 than fuss with it for now. Good luck to you.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/729141-exercise-calories-to-eat-or-not-to-eat-results?hl=exercise+calories+psulemon&page=1#posts-10742097

    Eat at least some of them because not all weight loss is equal. If you don't eat them, your overall weight loss MIGHT be greater but that is because you lose muscle and fat. If you eat them, you reduce the amount of muscle you lose. But here is the advantage of eating them... when you reduce muscle loss, your metabolism is higher, you burn more calories, and you need to lose less weight to have a fit body (you will become defined quicker). To put give it more perspective, every women I have designed a calorie plan for is eating 1700-2000 total calories a day and they all lose. Its simple, fuel your body or it will fuel itself by catabolizing your muscle.
  • carfanman
    carfanman Posts: 271 Member
    I eat back my exercise calories if I'm hungry. If not, I don't usually.

    this!, bingo. I try to eat three balanced meals a day, plus snacks and exercise, if I am hungry then I eat, if not then I do not eat them back.
  • jennfranklin
    jennfranklin Posts: 434 Member
    Yes..or most of it! MFP calculates your goal to lose weight if you do not exercise at all! Of course exercise is a definite plus!
  • tobnrn
    tobnrn Posts: 477 Member
    MFP already has your deficit calculated. Anything extra (exercise) is not. Exercise burns are estimates. I would recommend eating them.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,329 Member
    MFP recommends that I take in 1330 calories per day....If I reach that amount and then burn off say 200 calories with exercise that day, do I eat back that 200? Or do I stay at 1130 calories for the day?? Sorry this might be a dumb question but for some reason I'm not sure. Thanks!

    Using MFP as designed you eat the calories back. I would suggest doing that for various reasons. Realize that the calorie goal MFP gives is lower than other sites and not using it the way it is designed will result in a reasonable calorie cut becoming a huge calorie cut resulting in more muscle loss. The goal here is to lose fat, and your body can only use so much fat in a day. Obese people can use more, but the more a person loses, the less fat their body can burn in a day. If the calorie deficit is much bigger than that, your body will take the energy it needs by breaking down your muscles. So use MFP as designed which means eating your exercise calories.
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
    I don't exercise, I find that this simplifies the whole 'eating back?' dilemma greatly.

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