Eating back Cals burned through exercise

Sarahnats
Sarahnats Posts: 69 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey, probs a very common question but who eats back thier exercise cals and who doesn't? should you or shouldn't you, im so confused, iv'e asked my fitnesspal friends but no one has answered me....new friends anyone??!! Thankyou :)

Replies

  • JRaeZins
    JRaeZins Posts: 171 Member
    For me, it depends on the day. Sometimes I excercise so I can eat! Most days, I eat back a portion but not all.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    SideSteel explains it perfectly in this thread:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
  • cjsacto
    cjsacto Posts: 1,421 Member
    Yes, eat most of them back, especially if your daily net goal is set very low. Remember, your body needs calories every day to grow hair, digest food, keep your heart beating, make your liver, kidney, lungs, brain work, walk around, cook dinner, etc. etc.

    You want to give your body enough fuel to build fat-burning muscle, and let your exercise burn fat without losing existing muscle.

    I think the evidence is compelling that eating too little will slow your metabolism.

    Here's a very helpful link about your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which you'll see people talk about on this website a lot. http://www.iifym.com/tdee-calculator
    (though I think the protein recommendation on that site is a bit too high)
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    Some do, some don't. I don't because that's what works for me. Do what works for you. If you'd like, you can just eat some of them back or you can eat all or none of them. It's up to you.
  • Sarahnats
    Sarahnats Posts: 69 Member
    Thanks guys, all helpful comments. Iv'e been eating about half back and think will stick with it for now and for what iv'e read its cool to do so.
  • maggs155
    maggs155 Posts: 258
    I usually dont and everyone says u should i dont starve my self i eat when im hungry so i dont understand how i would go into starvation mode when im eating when hungry.
  • Sarahnats
    Sarahnats Posts: 69 Member
    yeah it seems you should do what works for you at the end of the day! My problem is im always hungry lol, and why im on here, iv'e found it harder as iv'e go a little bit older to lose it quite so easily!
  • Iron_Pheonix
    Iron_Pheonix Posts: 191 Member
    No because your calorie allowance should be set to allow your exercise already...for instance if your activity is set as moderate then that already takes into account the exercise your doing. If you eat back the calories as well then your eating the exercise calories twice! If you want to eat them back then set your activity level as sedentary.

    Personally u would set it at the right activity level and ignore exercise cals....just eat at the calorie allowance and work our. MFP does all this work for you x
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    I don't when I'm trying to lose weight.
    I DO when I'm trying to gain weight, or improve athletic performance.
  • kr1stadee
    kr1stadee Posts: 1,774 Member
    I'm set as sedentary. I sit for 8 hours a day at work.. aside from light tidying and cooking supper, and taking my son to tkd class, I don't do a whole lot (unless it's my tkd class, I log that!- I also log when I walk on the treadmill or do some yoga). I eat half of my exercise calories back, in case MFP over estimates
  • SpiderGirl78
    SpiderGirl78 Posts: 10
    .
  • terriblyn
    terriblyn Posts: 107 Member
    I usually dont and everyone says u should i dont starve my self i eat when im hungry so i dont understand how i would go into starvation mode when im eating when hungry.

    If you only ate when hungry and stopped when satiated,. you wouldn't be here at all. So...

    Whoa, dude...that doesn't sound so nice. You have no idea why people are on here. And people can change their eating habits...that is why lots of people are here. Stay sunny!
  • SpiderGirl78
    SpiderGirl78 Posts: 10
    terriblyn - Couldnt agree more with your reply, that comment does sound harsh, neverstray - I dont know if you meant it too sound that way but you dont know peoples reasons.... Take me for instance, I am here to try and maintain my weight becasue I have a tendancy to be UNDER weight , I had a very mild 'control issue' type eating disorder (previous to the early meno that caused a stone weight gain I mean) but now my hormones are in check and I am back to a normal weight, have to be careful not too get to skinny again, I once went down to 6.5 stone, not a good look for me and not healthy, in fact I have lost 3lbs recently that I didnt need to loose (I had been ill) so I use this to make sure I am eating enough ...be careful how you word things. We are here to support, not judge :)
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I'm set as sedentary. I sit for 8 hours a day at work.. aside from light tidying and cooking supper, and taking my son to tkd class, I don't do a whole lot (unless it's my tkd class, I log that!- I also log when I walk on the treadmill or do some yoga). I eat half of my exercise calories back, in case MFP over estimates

    This!^

    Activity level does not include exercise (already) .... check

    Only logs "actual workouts" .... check

    Conservatively estimates calorie burns .... check
  • sa11yjane
    sa11yjane Posts: 491 Member
    I try not to but sometimes I find it really hard to stick to my 1350 calorie limit and on those days I use them as a buffer. Do note though that mfp tends to overestimate calories b urnt through exercise, I half figures on here.......
  • Kimber415
    Kimber415 Posts: 31 Member
    Different for everyone - my personal trainer says do NOT eat them back. Says for me to stick to 1200 calories and not eat back. That's really the only thing that works for me, like I said, everyone is different, do what works for you.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    If you let MFP calculate your calorie goal, then yes, you are supposed to eat back your exercise calories. It sets you low so that you would lose weight without added exercise, then when you DO exercise you need more fuel for your workouts. That is why your food log increases your calorie goals when you log your exercise.
  • Mads1997
    Mads1997 Posts: 1,494 Member
    If you are following MFP then yes you should. If you don't you create a deficit too big and it could actually hinder your weight loss.

    If you have figured your calories intake through some other method then probably not!
  • krisiepoo
    krisiepoo Posts: 710 Member
    I went to "scoobys calculator" and entered in my exercise that I do each week. That gave me my TDEE and I eat at 20% below my TDEE and since my exercise is already factored into that, I don't eat back my cals.

    If you are doing the MFP program, you should be eating back at least 1/2 the cals (unless you're using a HRM then eat back at least 75% of those cals)
  • GoneKona
    GoneKona Posts: 87
    This is a good question that's also really simple. The answer: eat back your calories if your goals help you lose weight (I'm assuming that is what you are trying to do) as fast as you want to be. Simple. For example, if you are on track to lose 2 lbs a week by eating enough calories that make you feel full, then eat calories to match your exercise. If you want to lose weight faster than 2 lbs a week (not recommended), don't eat your calories burned. It's easy.
  • judechalmers
    judechalmers Posts: 32 Member
    Hi Sarah - No i dont tend to eat them back cos i am trying to increase my weight loss - When i started i did find my weight loss sluggish although eating to plan - since i stoopped using my exercise cals the loss has increased .
    good luck
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
    Also, there's no puncuation which means she might be somewhat lazy.

    OH MY GODDDDDDDDDDD. eyeroll.
  • cmajeff
    cmajeff Posts: 504 Member
    No because your calorie allowance should be set to allow your exercise already...for instance if your activity is set as moderate then that already takes into account the exercise your doing. If you eat back the calories as well then your eating the exercise calories twice! If you want to eat them back then set your activity level as sedentary.

    Personally u would set it at the right activity level and ignore exercise cals....just eat at the calorie allowance and work our. MFP does all this work for you x

    This is assuming that they are correctly setting their activity. For me I sit 8-10 hours a day because of my job so I am mostly sedentary. So I track all my workouts and eat back my calories.
  • adry20
    adry20 Posts: 82 Member
    No because your calorie allowance should be set to allow your exercise already...for instance if your activity is set as moderate then that already takes into account the exercise your doing. If you eat back the calories as well then your eating the exercise calories twice! If you want to eat them back then set your activity level as sedentary.

    Personally u would set it at the right activity level and ignore exercise cals....just eat at the calorie allowance and work our. MFP does all this work for you x

    Good point!
  • HardRockCamaro
    HardRockCamaro Posts: 147
    You may want to carefully read your own post with reference to grammar as people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

    3 comma's was never in any English class I took.

    Is a ridiculous answer = It's a ridiculous answer (as a standalone sentence as you typed it)

    And the abbreviation is B.S.


    But back to the original question...
    Personally I err on the side of caution and don't as a rule eat back my exercise calories.
    If I do eat some of them back back due to the fact that maybe I ate out, I don't freak out.
  • tiffanyheth
    tiffanyheth Posts: 510 Member
    I find that I'm weak and slugglish if I burn a lot of calories and do not eat back some of my work out calories. It's working for me.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    I do...or at least a good portion of them. Nice to have the extra calories to play with...I can be more creative with dinner, or have a nice snack if I want, guilt free.

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