exercise calories...eating them back?

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  • gfedex
    gfedex Posts: 226 Member
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    I don't. I eat when I'm hungry and I've tried adding more high-calorie foods into my diet to make up for it naturally, rather than "having" to eat 600 calories at 10pm when I'm ready to go to bed.

    I'm also a) too poor to have a food free-for-all just because an online calculator says I should, and b) dealing with a number of serious food allergies- so no, I can't just eat a spoonful of peanut butter.
  • Amelie0807
    Amelie0807 Posts: 1
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    Why do we count calories in one day and not calories accumulated over a week. ? Does an over calorie day compensate for an under calorie one?
  • angiechimpanzee
    angiechimpanzee Posts: 536 Member
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    Why do we count calories in one day and not calories accumulated over a week. ? Does an over calorie day compensate for an under calorie one?
    I much prefer to look at it this way. Normal human beings don't eat the exact same amount of calories every single day. It should vary naturally. Which is why at the end of the week I take my average calories eaten & aim for a certain number for that.
  • HankSquats
    HankSquats Posts: 5
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    Why do we count calories in one day and not calories accumulated over a week. ? Does an over calorie day compensate for an under calorie one?
    I much prefer to look at it this way. Normal human beings don't eat the exact same amount of calories every single day. It should vary naturally. Which is why at the end of the week I take my average calories eaten & aim for a certain number for that.

    Not suggested. Estimating is estimating. Best bet is to count calories daily and use a heart rate monitor (with a chest strap, wrist HRM's are crap) to accurately determine how much you lose during exercise. However you do have the right idea when it comes to different calories daily. Cycling, Cycling, Cycling. Always the best way to avoid that metabolic adjustment.

    Also the ONLY TIME to count calories lost is during exercise, I've seen people count the dumbest stuff as exercise (STOOD AT BUS STOP, STOOD UP FOR 10 MINUTES, WALKED TO CAR), It makes me both angry and sad. So much so that I want to vomit in sad-anger.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Why do we count calories in one day and not calories accumulated over a week. ? Does an over calorie day compensate for an under calorie one?

    Many people choose to use a deficit "for the week" .... some people even schedule "cheat days" (one day that they plan to go over). MFP is not designed to work "by the week" ... you would have to track this yourself.

    You don't have to eat all your exercise calories AFTER your workout ..... the timing is not that exact. I eat an even number of calories daily ..... but on cardio days I'm under/ yoga days I'm over/strength days I'm Ok .... it averages out fine.
  • Heyymandyy
    Heyymandyy Posts: 7
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    I never eat my excercise cals back. I used to but when I stopped, I started losing a lot quicker. What's the point of burning a bunch of cals if you're gonna eat them back? Might as well not work out and just stick to your cal allotment.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    Do you eat back the calories you've burned while exercising?

    Never. The estimates are inaccurate. If I were losing too much weight too fast (which has never happened) I would eat more.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    I never eat my excercise cals back. I used to but when I stopped, I started losing a lot quicker. What's the point of burning a bunch of cals if you're gonna eat them back? Might as well not work out and just stick to your cal allotment.

    Working out makes my muscles stronger, reduces blood pressure and heart rate and generally makes me healthier!

    Even in strict weight loss terms, if I am only eating 1300 I have to eat pretty close to perfect to get enough veggies and protein in a day. If I exercise, there is more room for variety, which makes me happy, which helps me stick to the program.

    Also, those muscles I am building will help me look good at the end and maintain my weight loss. That's not even taking into account the idea that my body uses more energy to maintain a pound of muscle than it does a pound of fat.
  • lauraellie10
    lauraellie10 Posts: 273 Member
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    I try to, It can has turned out to be harder then I thought to eat them back. My morning workout I burn 800-1200 calories. WIthout eating a bunch of bad calories it can be hard to hit my 1600 goal MFP has set. Basically I have to find a healthy way to eat 2800 calories a day. 2 Eggs white omelets, protien shake, tablespoon of cheese in the morning is like 200 calories. so OMG i have to eat 2600 more. I just am not that hungry anymore. So, I know I SHOULD eat them back. I just dont want to eat crap to do it.

    How do u burn that amount of kcals???
  • Energizer06
    Energizer06 Posts: 311 Member
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    I try to, It can has turned out to be harder then I thought to eat them back. My morning workout I burn 800-1200 calories. WIthout eating a bunch of bad calories it can be hard to hit my 1600 goal MFP has set. Basically I have to find a healthy way to eat 2800 calories a day. 2 Eggs white omelets, protien shake, tablespoon of cheese in the morning is like 200 calories. so OMG i have to eat 2600 more. I just am not that hungry anymore. So, I know I SHOULD eat them back. I just dont want to eat crap to do it.

    How do u burn that amount of kcals???

    People that are (politely) more obese or have more weight to lose burn more Kcals on a daily basis. Many factors come into play: age, height, current weight, BF%, LBM, pretty much everything.

    To the forum note: If your obese and have greater than 75 lbs to lose...eating back all your exercise calories is not necessary. Maybe eat back half... For those > 75lbs. to lose can usually get away with a 2 lb deficit plan without falling below BMR and usually have a few hundered extra calories to spare. And at this point, what is more important to lose the unheathly weight and get out of the severly high risk factor or worry about eating back calories.
  • Yeller_Sensation
    Yeller_Sensation Posts: 373 Member
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    I do because dayam, I love my cooking.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    I try to, It can has turned out to be harder then I thought to eat them back. My morning workout I burn 800-1200 calories. WIthout eating a bunch of bad calories it can be hard to hit my 1600 goal MFP has set. Basically I have to find a healthy way to eat 2800 calories a day. 2 Eggs white omelets, protien shake, tablespoon of cheese in the morning is like 200 calories. so OMG i have to eat 2600 more. I just am not that hungry anymore. So, I know I SHOULD eat them back. I just dont want to eat crap to do it.
    You don't have to eat crap to meet your goals - just eat more calorie dense foods - avocados, nuts and nut butter, whole eggs, full fat dairy, no "diet" foods, use olive and coconut oils in dressings and cooking - small amounts of these foods pack a lot of healthy calories in small portions. No need to stuff your face, with junk food or healthy food.

    Simple things like dipping sliced apples in a tablespoon of peanut butter, grabbing a handful of walnuts or raw almonds, adding 1/4 to 1/2 an avocado to those whole eggs at breakfast or to lunch or dinner = excellent nutrition and calories and getting closer to a healthy daily goal.

    I eat 1800+ calories a day, have done so for nearly a year, and have consistently dropped fat, inches, and weight, and several pants sizes! :drinker: Best move I ever made was reading this thread over and over: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12 and then following the advice given there. Currently at goal weight, just working on losing a bit more fat - and dropped a little more on the scale this morning after a weekend of rest, pizza, fish and chips, beer, and hard cider. Food is most definitely fuel, and my body likes being fueled! It has no problem letting go of the fat as long as I feed it well. :bigsmile:

    Love that I'm not "ending a diet" or having to make changes to how I do things just because I'm at goal - this is for life, and I will keep doing what I'm doing and enjoying being fit and healthier in my 40s and beyond, than I've been in a very long time.
  • jordanalexis90
    jordanalexis90 Posts: 25 Member
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    I never eat my excercise cals back. I used to but when I stopped, I started losing a lot quicker. What's the point of burning a bunch of cals if you're gonna eat them back? Might as well not work out and just stick to your cal allotment.

    Working out makes my muscles stronger, reduces blood pressure and heart rate and generally makes me healthier!

    Even in strict weight loss terms, if I am only eating 1300 I have to eat pretty close to perfect to get enough veggies and protein in a day. If I exercise, there is more room for variety, which makes me happy, which helps me stick to the program.

    Also, those muscles I am building will help me look good at the end and maintain my weight loss. That's not even taking into account the idea that my body uses more energy to maintain a pound of muscle than it does a pound of fat.

    ^^^^This is exactly true!! Too many people focus on exersise as a way to loose weight. In my opinion this isn't really true. Working out should be to get your body more in shape and gain all the health benefits that come from regular exercise. Also, if you just eat right and don't work out, you might not look too pretty at the end. (aka skinny fat) For me I eat a balanced diet and exercise 5xs a week. I always eat back my exercise calories and doing so gives me motivation to work out more/put in more effort! The more I work out the more I get to eat some fuel for my body!!
  • EllieLou357
    EllieLou357 Posts: 34 Member
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    I dont, if I do then I dont lose weight.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    I am doing TDEE/BMR so no, I don't.

    But, if you are doing it the way MFP sets it up for you then yes you should be.


    you have to be specific when you answer like this.

    i'm also doing this method. it's TDEE-20%. basically i chose a level of activity that i'm at. so i'm pretty much lightly active. i got my tdee for my height and weight, which was about 2900. i subtracted 20%, to give me about 2300, which i currently try and eat on a daily basis.

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