Anyone else feel guilty for eating back burnt calories?

closenre
closenre Posts: 225 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I dont know why I am so hard on myself but I feel horrible for eating back the calories I have burnt. Today I burnt 700 cals from a 6 mile run and I ate the suggested 1600 calories for the day but MFP wants me to eat the 700 back. As soon as I go over my original goal of 1600 I feel horrible. Any opinions?

For my back story, I was 225 lbs and stuck to a 1000 cal a day diet and lifted daily. I lost 60 lbs or so in 4 months then started running long distance. I am training for my second marathon and am currently 148 lbs. I started eating more and not tracking calories when I first started running and still was losing weight but I am now trying to get to 6 % body fat so I joined this site in an attempt to track my calories again. I dont have a problem dieting, I just feel horrible for eating more than the recommended calories for a pound a week, even when i burn calories from running.

Thank you for your responses.
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Replies

  • starvinkevin
    starvinkevin Posts: 331
    NOPE LOST 25LBS in 2 MONTHS EATING BACK ALL MY EXERCISE CALORIES
  • starvinkevin
    starvinkevin Posts: 331
    also ur never gonna get to 6% by running - u need build muscle and eat low carb... trust me... how many marathon runner do u see with a tight six pack? How many bodybuilders?
  • NikiDeaf
    NikiDeaf Posts: 28 Member
    Yes, I feel like I might be eating too much if I eat back all the calories burnt. I breastfeed so that's roughly -500 kcal/day and if I get to go to the gym I can burn another 400-600 on the elliptical. But I NEVER eat all those calories back, it's just too much.
  • stephdeeable
    stephdeeable Posts: 1,407 Member
    I don't guilt trip myself. If I eat back my exercise calories, it's because I'm hungry and my body needs fuel, I'm not just mindlessly eating like I used to. One of the main reasons I exercise is to be able to eat a little more :happy:
  • closenre
    closenre Posts: 225 Member
    I still lift daily, Bench 3 sets 10 reps 310 lbs. I have a six pack now, just want to cut the rest of the fat. im currently 8 %. Running will burn the calories to shed the fat.
  • starvinkevin
    starvinkevin Posts: 331
    Wow thats good... but marathon running? That burns muscle too
    I still lift daily, Bench 3 sets 10 reps 310 lbs. I have a six pack now, just want to cut the rest of the fat. im currently 8 %. Running will burn the calories to shed the fat.
  • closenre
    closenre Posts: 225 Member
    Nikki,

    thats how I feel. I dont need them cause im not hungry so I feel like eating over 2000 calories even though i ran seems crazy expecially when I lost so much weight staying at 1000.
  • closenre
    closenre Posts: 225 Member
    it can but i lift daily (chest, bi's, tri's, abs, back, and shoulders). I have been building strength. Im no elite runner, lol but I enjoy the distance.
  • tbetts23
    tbetts23 Posts: 303 Member
    Actually I gobble them up. I feel guilty when I eat MORE than regular and exercise combined.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I have done the math, and I keep track of everything I eat. There's no need to feel guilt if you are confident in what you are doing.
  • LostintheShuffle
    LostintheShuffle Posts: 1 Member
    Eat the burnt calories. If your net calorie count gets to low, your body believes it's starving. If your body thinks it's starving, especially after long runs, its going to get rid of that which uses the most calories which is your muscle mass. Going too low on net calories will ruin your metabolism as well. If you're going to work it, you have to feed it!
  • awesome_inferno
    awesome_inferno Posts: 58 Member
    I exercise so I CAN eat more! :laugh:
  • SofaKingRad_
    SofaKingRad_ Posts: 276
    When I first started tracking a long time ago, I thought it was a great thing to end the day with little calories by not eating back your work out calories. I remmeber bragging how cool it was that I ended the day with a net of 0, but ate 1500 calories. *smacks head* It's good to learn because now I'd never do that ha ha ha ha
  • _Elemenopee_
    _Elemenopee_ Posts: 2,665 Member
    Nope. Never!
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    No. Food shouldn't make you feel guilty.
  • simplyeater
    simplyeater Posts: 270 Member
    No, and I never feel hungry either:)
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    I feel bad eating burnt cookies
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
    Of course not. Feeling guilty about food is a red flag. Check yourself before your wreck yourself.
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    I never feel guilty about anything.
  • Run4UrHealth
    Run4UrHealth Posts: 348 Member
    I feel like I exercised and did all that hard work for nothing if I exercise and then eat my exercise calories back....how do you lose weight if you eat back all the calories you just burned?
  • BOOMaggedon
    BOOMaggedon Posts: 244 Member
    I try not to. But being realistic there are "bad days" and when I see I will go over I will do more exercise to compensate. But I tend not to eat back my burnt calories.
  • crimsoncat
    crimsoncat Posts: 457 Member
    I only exercise so I can eat more food. No guilt
  • escloflowneCHANGED
    escloflowneCHANGED Posts: 3,038 Member
    No because I took the time to learn how this site works...
  • xprettyreckless
    xprettyreckless Posts: 297 Member
    I completely feel the same way. I feel so good after burning those extra calories and then for some reason I feel even more guilty eating afterwards than I would without having exercised. Doesn't make ANY sense at all.

    I had to eat back my burnt calories yesterday too since I'm on a 1200calories/day diet and recovery would probably take way too long if I wouldn't.. but I couldn't even enjoy my food :(

    WHAT DO YOU DO TO AVOID THIS FEELING?!
  • Beastette
    Beastette Posts: 1,497 Member
    I eat the burnt ones first so I can serve the golden brown ones to my guests. It's actually public service and the mark of a good hostess. So, no.
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
    I count on my exercise calories to fuel my huge calorie consumption days... good gracious, I eat like a pig.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    I still lift daily, Bench 3 sets 10 reps 310 lbs. I have a six pack now, just want to cut the rest of the fat. im currently 8 %. Running will burn the calories to shed the fat.

    Seek professional help and benching more than 2x bw for 10 reps, impressive
  • rudegyal_b
    rudegyal_b Posts: 593 Member
    no, a calorie goal is a goal, i only feel a bit guilty if i go over into surplus cals
  • happycauseIride
    happycauseIride Posts: 536 Member
    Yup. A few is OK because then I don't feel like I went over my cals, but to eat them all I feel terrible.
  • ObtainingBalance
    ObtainingBalance Posts: 1,446 Member
    I sometimes feel guilty for eating back my exercise calories....Sooo...

    I changed my settings, now my diary shows what I should eat IF I maintained my weight on sedentary. Then, whenever I exercise I add that in..... it tells me how many calories remaining I have - of course I don't eat them all back because I want a deficit (I set it on maintenance there is always going to be remaining calories if I am following it right)

    I aim for 500-1,000 calories remaining. I don't have to eat them back because I'm making my own deficit and need to see calories remaining.

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