Eating my exercise calories

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I see it posted all the time you're suppose to eat your exercise calories I ran 5 miles today and earned 940 calories I have 2300 calories left and only one meal to go no way am I going to be able to do that any suggestions?

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  • Kcapitano
    Kcapitano Posts: 14 Member
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    It really all depends on what you are trying to do. If weight loss is your goal, then you do not want to eat back all of your calories (what would be the point?) To lose weight you need to consume LESS calories. If you are trying to bulk up then you want to increase your calories (with healthy foods and lean proteins) and then lift heavier weights to strengthen the muscles (aka... bulking).
  • Aleta7
    Aleta7 Posts: 92
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    Eat enough to assuage the hunger. I prefer not to eat them back. Some people do.
  • whiteoutpen
    whiteoutpen Posts: 212 Member
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    MFP isn't always accurate on the exercise calories. I've noticed that they're rather generous. So no, I wouldn't eat back all of your exercise calories. A lot of people I've seen on the forums say they eat about half, so maybe you should try that. Of course, don't force yourself to eat them! Eat when you're hungry, and stop when you're satisfied. Listen to your body. It'll tell you what it needs :)
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
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    MFP already has a deficit built into the calorie goal. Try and eat most of those back is my advice. Look at nuts, cheese and peanut butter to get you some quick healthy calories without a lot of bulk.
  • dcl3872
    dcl3872 Posts: 20
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    Thank You Ladies,
    I haven't been eating them back lost 27 so far but last week I didn't lose any fustrating, I did 11 miles and weight myself and actually gain some WTF.
    I'm traing for a half marathon, so I been doing 25 to 30 miles a week plus dieting you would think the weight would just fall off me.
  • Aleta7
    Aleta7 Posts: 92
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    Could be water weight gain or muscle building that prevents the loss. Some weeks you will drop a few pounds and others there will be no loss. Just keep doing what you are doing.
  • Carolyn_79
    Carolyn_79 Posts: 935 Member
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    MFP already has a deficit built into the calorie goal. Try and eat most of those back is my advice. Look at nuts, cheese and peanut butter to get you some quick healthy calories without a lot of bulk.

    This. Obviously it'll be hard to eat them back with one meal left so eat what you're hungry for. Tomorrow, don't be surprised if you're starving so eat. You may be at a surplus tomorrow as a result of today's run but it should balance out since you'll be at a major deficit today. This is what happens to me if I don't eat all my calories back after a long run. I'm also half marathon training :smile: . Also, some weeks you just don't lose even when doing everything right. That's just how it goes.
  • dcl3872
    dcl3872 Posts: 20
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    I'm figuring I may have had some salty food the night before, but after a run, I usually lose 3-5 lbs that's when I weight in, so I was alittle suprised when I weight in heavier

    I'm not going to give up just want to see if it's something I'm doing wrong
  • WendyBlendy
    WendyBlendy Posts: 124 Member
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    I don't worry about eating my exercise calories back.
  • dcl3872
    dcl3872 Posts: 20
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    I’ve been strength training for a very long time, and as I get older I’m changing my focus to trimming down which is the reasons I got into running.
    My next goal is to get Ab’s like you only Man sized I’ve always work on gaining weight so now I focus on losing it
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    I'm figuring I may have had some salty food the night before, but after a run, I usually lose 3-5 lbs that's when I weight in, so I was alittle suprised when I weight in heavier

    I'm not going to give up just want to see if it's something I'm doing wrong

    What is your calorie goal? What have you been grossing if you haven't been eating back exercise calories. You needs fuel for a marathon...even 1/2 marathon.

    Also, where did you get your burn...HRM or database? As a general rule, I do about 100 calories per mile...my HRM gives me a little more than that usually, but I just stick with about 100 calories per mile that I need to refuel. I like to refuel some right afterwards with an apple or orange (~ 80-100 calories) and my protein shake...that gives me about 250ish calories right there. I'm currently not doing anymore than 3 miles at a pop due to my focus is in the weight room right now...so 250ish and I'm pretty close to my 300 calories...I usually don't have too many problems making up the difference.

    Edit: looks like I'm doing opposite of you...been running most of my life...got lazy and got fat...back into running last Oct/Nov, but my priorities have recently switched to the weight room as I'm pretty close to my goal weight and want to do a small bulk once I get there.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    Thank You Ladies,
    I haven't been eating them back lost 27 so far but last week I didn't lose any fustrating, I did 11 miles and weight myself and actually gain some WTF.
    I'm traing for a half marathon, so I been doing 25 to 30 miles a week plus dieting you would think the weight would just fall off me.

    If you're training for a half, it's even more important to eat them back.

    Though I do think that burn is high for a 5 mile run. I'm super slow and today ran 4.5 miles. I burned about 570 in my 65 minute run.
  • dcl3872
    dcl3872 Posts: 20
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    Idon't have an HRM so I use the treadmill and put in my weight it's saying I burn 180 per miles 10 min miles or less
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    I'm figuring I may have had some salty food the night before, but after a run, I usually lose 3-5 lbs that's when I weight in, so I was alittle suprised when I weight in heavier

    I'm not going to give up just want to see if it's something I'm doing wrong

    I'm sometimes up slightly after a run. Just depends on how much water I drank. Each bottle of water is 1.25 lbs into your body (20 oz)
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    Idon't have an HRM so I use the treadmill and put in my weight it's saying I burn 180 per miles 10 min miles or less

    That's a really high burn for less than 50 minutes. I know you're a guy and burn more than me anyway but still seems high. I use an HRM and then subtract my BMR and eat that amount back.

    MFP is pretty close to what my HRM tells me. What would the MFP number be for your run?
  • dcl3872
    dcl3872 Posts: 20
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    Yeah I've been a power lifter/Bodybuilder my whole life so changing it up, as I have gotten older was 260 at my heavest with no PED's
  • Hbazzell
    Hbazzell Posts: 899 Member
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    I only eat them back if I am hungry. Usually I am hungry after but not enough ALL back,
  • dcl3872
    dcl3872 Posts: 20
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    Idon't have an HRM so I use the treadmill and put in my weight it's saying I burn 180 per miles 10 min miles or less

    That's a really high burn for less than 50 minutes. I know you're a guy and burn more than me anyway but still seems high. I use an HRM and then subtract my BMR and eat that amount back.

    MFP is pretty close to what my HRM tells me. What would the MFP number be for your run?


    MFP says the calorie count is correct about 180 per mile
  • dcl3872
    dcl3872 Posts: 20
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    MFP says the calorie count is correct about 180 per mile
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    I'm jealous lol.