What happens if you eat exercise calories back?

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Mateo1985
Mateo1985 Posts: 153
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey guys.

How is everyone doing?

A few months ago I bought a BodyMedia Fit armband so it pretty much tells me how many calories my body burns everyday. On workout days I'm burning about 2600-2700 calories a day. Rest days are about 2200-2400. I know that to lose weight I have to have caloric deficit and to build muscle I have to eat at a surplus. But what happens if I just eat what I burn everyday? Am I going to neither lose fat nor build muscle? I'm working with stronglifts 5x5 now.

Thank you for your input. I just can't figure it out lol

Replies

  • marypatmccue
    marypatmccue Posts: 521 Member
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    If you eat above TDEE you'll gain.
    If you eat below, you'll lose
    If you eat at TDEE, you'll maintain.

    You might look at a TDEE calculator just to double check what those numbers say.
    I know they're not 100% perfect, but... neither are fitbits, HRMs or any of those products.
  • Mateo1985
    Mateo1985 Posts: 153
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    Thanks for the input.

    So if I eat at TDEE there is no difference whether or not I work out? In both cases I'm just going to maintain? I figure those two cases can't be the same can they?

    Thanks
  • kellijauch
    kellijauch Posts: 379 Member
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    If you do not eat back the calories from working out you will lose weight. You can still gain muscle doing this, as long as you are doing the strength training correctly.
  • ashleymcn01
    ashleymcn01 Posts: 108 Member
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    This podcast gives a wonderful explanation as to why we "should not" eat our exercise calories back.

    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/2012/03/fat-2-fit-141-eating-your-exercise-calories/


    The discussion starts at minute 10:20 if you want to skip the first part. Give it a listen, certainly helped me to understand why I won't be eating my exercise calories back any longer.
  • Mateo1985
    Mateo1985 Posts: 153
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    Thanks a lot for the feedback guys. Much appreciated!!!
  • marypatmccue
    marypatmccue Posts: 521 Member
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    If you do not eat back the calories from working out you will lose weight. You can still gain muscle doing this, as long as you are doing the strength training correctly.

    This is only the case if you are severely over weight. You CAN tone your muscle, and make it appear bigger by giving it definition. But, you cannot BUILD muscle and gain eating at a deficit.
    So if I eat at TDEE there is no difference whether or not I work out? In both cases I'm just going to maintain? I figure those two cases can't be the same can they?

    The TDEE calculation takes in to consideration your fitness activitiy, in the caluation itself. So, it would be two totally different numbers if you workout, versus not working out. Does that make sense?

    So if you calculate it with your workouts, and eat at that TDEE calcuation, you'll maintain. If you calculate without workouts and eat at that TDEE, you'll maintain.
  • the1captain
    the1captain Posts: 24 Member
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    I'm so confused. I calculate my exercise calories into MFP. Even if I eat my exercise calories it still says in 5 weeks I'll lose weight. Not maintain. Lose.
  • foleyshirley
    foleyshirley Posts: 1,043 Member
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    I'm so confused. I calculate my exercise calories into MFP. Even if I eat my exercise calories it still says in 5 weeks I'll lose weight. Not maintain. Lose.

    That's because MFP has already built in a deficit.
  • llkilgore
    llkilgore Posts: 1,169 Member
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    I'm so confused. I calculate my exercise calories into MFP. Even if I eat my exercise calories it still says in 5 weeks I'll lose weight. Not maintain. Lose.

    Despite the title, it sounds like the OP is talking about eating the total number of calories he burns in a day as reported by his BodyMedia Fit, whether from exercise or just living his life. In other words, his TDEE or maintenance level (correct me if I'm wrong, OP). That's completely different from what you're dong with MFP.
  • the1captain
    the1captain Posts: 24 Member
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    I'm so confused. I calculate my exercise calories into MFP. Even if I eat my exercise calories it still says in 5 weeks I'll lose weight. Not maintain. Lose.

    That's because MFP has already built in a deficit.

    So does that mean I'm good? And not screwing the math up to lose weight? My problem in the battle over weight is not working out. I love doing that. It's balancing the food portion that messes me up.
  • Mateo1985
    Mateo1985 Posts: 153
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    I'm so confused. I calculate my exercise calories into MFP. Even if I eat my exercise calories it still says in 5 weeks I'll lose weight. Not maintain. Lose.

    Despite the title, it sounds like the OP is talking about eating the total number of calories he burns in a day as reported by his BodyMedia Fit, whether from exercise or just living his life. In other words, his TDEE or maintenance level (correct me if I'm wrong, OP). That's completely different from what you're dong with MFP.

    Yes. that was exactly what I meant.

    thanks again guys

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