Workout calories

BobbieJoDever
BobbieJoDever Posts: 17
in Health and Weight Loss
Should you eat the calories you burn or no?

Replies

  • hummingbird71
    hummingbird71 Posts: 298 Member
    Both... sometimes I do sometimes I don't, sometimes only some. If my workouts consume 600 calories then yes I do eat some of them back IF I AM HUNGRY if not I don't. I usually let my body dictate whether or not I NEED to. When I know I will working out and burning that 600 calories, or close, I will stock up on protein before hand and then after as well. I NEVER eat all calories back! Just my thoughts and how I do it. It works for me. Good luck!
  • newjourney2015
    newjourney2015 Posts: 216 Member
    That's me too! Sometimes I excercise to makeup for going over on my calories. If I'm hungry, I'll eat back some calories, usually in the form of a protein b/c it's usually right after a workout that I'm hungry.
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    If you want to follow the way MFP is set up, yes. It tells you to eat them, doesn't it?
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    MFP is designed to allow you to eat your exercise calories, that's why your daily goal increases when you log exercise.

    When you set up your profile with your personal data (age, gender, heigh, weight), activity level and how many pounds per week you'd like to lose, MFP calculates a calorie deficit for you. You don't have to exercise to lose the weight based on this formula. Exercise isn't strictly for weight loss anyway, it's for fitness and health.

    Anyway, if your calorie deficit is too high this can actually be detrimental to your weight loss. Just about everyone will lose at first but if you keep trying to lose at too much of a deficit, your weight loss will stall eventually. While starvation mode is a myth, it is true that your body will not function as well as you want it to when undernourished.

    That said, MFP calorie calculations can be a bit high for some categories in my experience. I'd recommend eating back 1/2 to 2/3 of your earned calories.

    Going by hunger can be helpful as pointed out but that doesn't work for everyone. Some folks are too susceptible to wonky slow metabolisms, bored/emotional eating, etc. Not everyone has a great relationship with their hunger signals.
  • marie_2454
    marie_2454 Posts: 881 Member
    I eat back half of them every now and then, but usually I don't. I only eat back about half of them because MFP overestimates calorie burns a lot, IMO.
  • CopyCat1978
    CopyCat1978 Posts: 14
    Its an on going debate here on the forums from what i have read. Some people say no, some people say yes and Other say eat back up to min of 1200 cal for the day.

    I just started my diet and exercise routine and I am still close to the amount of cal MFP says i should have. That will change when i step up my workout to the next level. But when hungry after a workout, i have a protein shake or bar to quiet it down.
  • BobbieJoDever
    BobbieJoDever Posts: 17
    I'm only supposed to eat 1200 calories per day and I work out for an hour usually. I'm am doing Jillian Michaels Body Revolution workouts along with step aerobics or walking every morning. My problem is I'm trying to stay under 100 carbohydrates because carbs really affect my weight. Should I invest in something low carb to add to my diet?
  • MuslimFitnessInstructor
    MuslimFitnessInstructor Posts: 119
    i eat 1700-2000 calories anyways, I eat every 2 hrs no matter what.

    i burn 1000-2000 calories a day working out.

    i eat as much as I can, if I am hungry I eat extra.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Please read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
  • lenniebus
    lenniebus Posts: 321 Member
    I would suggest adding a protein powder--high protein, low carb--to yout diet, especially if you are exercising a lot.
  • lacurandera1
    lacurandera1 Posts: 8,083 Member
    If you don't have a heart rate monitor, eat back half your exercise cals. I found (after I got my hrm) that MFP's calorie burn estimates are grossly inflated for every activity I have done except running, running stairs and jump roping.
  • rose313
    rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
    If you are using MFP the way it is designed to be used, then yes.

    If you are doing something different like taking a 15% cut from TDEE, etc, then no.
  • Zommbunny
    Zommbunny Posts: 42
    Personal choice really.
    I don't really see the point in eating them back unless you are burning a very large amount eg running for 3 hours lol
    I always feel as though its a bit of a waste of effort if you eat them all back - again its preference and dependant on your goals
    At the moment mine is purley weight loss so i find that its better if I don't
    x

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