Eating left over calories

farbs
farbs Posts: 36 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all

This question has probably been posted a number of times, but i'm just a bit unsure what to do in the situation where i have left over calories.

At the moment my allocated calories each day is 1630, which will lose me approx 2lbs per week.

If I eat all of my 1630 calories, and then do exercise which burns, say, 300 calories, should I then be eating more to make that up?

I'd obviously be happy to lose more than 2lbs a week if that was the result, but worrying that I won't be eating enough.

I do a mix of cardio and strength training, so happy to gain muscle too.

Any thoughts/experiences on this would be appreciated, thanks!

Replies

  • MysticRealm
    MysticRealm Posts: 1,264 Member
    Most people will eat back half of the exercise calories, as often exercise calories are over estimated. B/c you're a male on quite a low calorie goal I would probably eat at least half back.
  • Guamybear
    Guamybear Posts: 1,061 Member
    I rarely eat all my burned calories, I am just full.. I agree with eating at least a portion.
  • farbs
    farbs Posts: 36 Member
    Cheers for that - obviously wanting to avoid eating too few calories, and inhibiting muscle growth and/or fat loss
  • Guamybear
    Guamybear Posts: 1,061 Member
    I guess I could always use those extra calories for a candy bar or an extra treat..
  • farbs
    farbs Posts: 36 Member
    I guess I could always use those extra calories for a candy bar or an extra treat..

    Thats true - certainly important not to completely cut out the things you love, otherwise you'll struggle to keep it going.
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
    I usually eat them all back. At the deficit you are aiming for, you would almost certainly be fine eating them all.

    Also, I know it isn't what you asked, but are you sure that 2 lbs a week is a reasonable goal for you? After I saw your profile pic, I looked at your profile, and you are only trying to lose 16 kg. At that amount, you might be better off (healthier, get better-looking results, feel less hungry) trying for 1 lb a week. Do you know your BMR and TDEE?

    Everything you need to know about everything every is here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • troy0
    troy0 Posts: 37 Member
    I'd go with Bacon.

    I'm working on a formula to make my HRM report calories burned directly in rashers of bacon, instead of those other silly numbers.

    You know, cut out the middle man.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Unless you're very small you're already pushing a pretty huge caloric deficit, which is counterproductive to maintaining lean body mass. Deepening the deficit certainly isn't going to do you any good in that regard.

    In addition to the "roadmap" thread bathsheba linked to, here's another very good thread about setting your calories and macros:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    A spoonful or two or five is one of my fave ways of making sure to get my calories in should I need to take in more. ;)

    To answer your question, if you're using MFP's system set up, then yes you're supposed to eat your exercise calories.
  • Molly_Maguire
    Molly_Maguire Posts: 1,103 Member
    I listen to my body. If I am starving after a workout and I've eaten my daily cals already, then I'll eat my workout cals, too. Other days I don't seem to need to eat as much, so I just don't. It seems silly to eat when you're legitimately not hungry.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Some people eat back half. Some eat 3/4. Personally I think the best results come from eating back 0.647815 of them. Any more than that and I gain. Any less and I plateau.
  • wickedwendy6
    wickedwendy6 Posts: 117 Member
    A spoonful or two or five is one of my fave ways of making sure to get my calories in should I need to take in more. ;)

    To answer your question, if you're using MFP's system set up, then yes you're supposed to eat your exercise calories.

    Yep, this one's on the money. :happy:
  • tardmagnet
    tardmagnet Posts: 15 Member
    I'd go with Bacon.

    I'm working on a formula to make my HRM report calories burned directly in rashers of bacon, instead of those other silly numbers.

    You know, cut out the middle man.

    GOLD! I'd back that.
  • farbs
    farbs Posts: 36 Member
    I usually eat them all back. At the deficit you are aiming for, you would almost certainly be fine eating them all.

    Also, I know it isn't what you asked, but are you sure that 2 lbs a week is a reasonable goal for you? After I saw your profile pic, I looked at your profile, and you are only trying to lose 16 kg. At that amount, you might be better off (healthier, get better-looking results, feel less hungry) trying for 1 lb a week. Do you know your BMR and TDEE?

    Everything you need to know about everything every is here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Thanks for the info - I'll have a look at that thread you posted.

    No I'm not sure what my BMR and TDEE are - i've basically just put the info into MFP at 2lbs a week and then it's given me total of 1630. To be honest I haven't really struggled to keep within that, and have gon quite under that at times when i've done a solid workout. I guess it might be better to change my goal to 1lb per week. Perhaps i'll see how i go for 4 weeks, and then adjust after that.
  • Pepper2185
    Pepper2185 Posts: 994 Member
    I eat mine. Yum yum!
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    I listen to my body. If I am starving after a workout and I've eaten my daily cals already, then I'll eat my workout cals, too. Other days I don't seem to need to eat as much, so I just don't. It seems silly to eat when you're legitimately not hungry.
    Your goals are completely different than the OP's. He's not going for weighing 100 lbs. and having a thigh gap. He wants to retain lean muscle. Depriving your body of nutrients may work when you just want to be as skinny as possible and don't care about body composition, but when you're trying to maintain muscle it's highly counterproductive.
  • farbs
    farbs Posts: 36 Member
    I listen to my body. If I am starving after a workout and I've eaten my daily cals already, then I'll eat my workout cals, too. Other days I don't seem to need to eat as much, so I just don't. It seems silly to eat when you're legitimately not hungry.
    Your goals are completely different than the OP's. He's not going for weighing 100 lbs. and having a thigh gap. He wants to retain lean muscle. Depriving your body of nutrients may work when you just want to be as skinny as possible and don't care about body composition, but when you're trying to maintain muscle it's highly counterproductive.

    Cheers for that info.

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