Eating your Exercise Calories

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Beyepo
Beyepo Posts: 12 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Do you eat your exercise calories and still lose weight?

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  • AllTehBeers
    AllTehBeers Posts: 5,030 Member
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    With MFP default settings, your deficit is already figured in. Meaning, you could sit on the couch and as long as you only eat the calories MFP gave you, you'd lose weight. Any exercise takes away from what your deficit already is, making it bigger so it is recommended you eat what you burn in exercise, if you are using MFP default settings.
  • tami101
    tami101 Posts: 617 Member
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    Yes. They are delicious! =)
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
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    Yup. Gives a lot more flexibility in what I can eat!
  • mrphil86
    mrphil86 Posts: 2,382 Member
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  • IndigoFlowers
    IndigoFlowers Posts: 221 Member
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    YES!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
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    When I was/do dieting down, yes.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ecw3780
    ecw3780 Posts: 608 Member
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    With MFP default settings, your deficit is already figured in. Meaning, you could sit on the couch and as long as you only eat the calories MFP gave you, you'd lose weight. Any exercise takes away from what your deficit already is, making it bigger so it is recommended you eat what you burn in exercise, if you are using MFP default settings.

    This. You will see a lot of people talking about their TDEE and not eating their exercise calories, but that is not the same as the number MFP gives you. If you are following the MFP number, please eat your exercise calories. You will be much happier and able to stick with the program. However, MFP tends to over estimate calories burned, so I recommend either getting some sort of tracker that syncs, or only eating about 60-80% of the exercise calories if you use their exercises.
  • Beyepo
    Beyepo Posts: 12 Member
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    Thanks:smile:
  • calkim
    calkim Posts: 4 Member
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    So I am still confused a little my fitness pal say I should et 1230 calories a day if I exercise and burn 500 calories it put it up to 1730 so it is saying I should be ending my day with zero calories or the extra 500 still left from exercise?
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
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    So I am still confused a little my fitness pal say I should et 1230 calories a day if I exercise and burn 500 calories it put it up to 1730 so it is saying I should be ending my day with zero calories or the extra 500 still left from exercise?

    You should be eating the number of calories that MFP adjusts to with exercise. So you should end your day with zero calories.
  • stefanieboyle
    stefanieboyle Posts: 2
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    I talked about this with my nutritionist last night. She said yes, you should eat some of the calories you've gained back from exercise. However, don't eat if you aren't hungry. Sometimes I've got 500+ calories left at the end of the day (over my 1200) but I'm not hungry. Your weight loss will stall if you aren't eating at least 1200.

    I suggest a protein shake before or after a workout, especially if it's early morning or late evening.
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
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    ^I agree, no need to force feed yourself ALL of them if you aren't hungry. If you are below 1200 calories though, it may be a good idea to eat a little more the next day to keep that metabolism running well.
  • terrie_k
    terrie_k Posts: 406 Member
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    I've tried to eat back, I don't lose anything but don't gain either. It also depends on what you count as exercise. If you put in every little thing, it won't help. I was adjusting for a pedometer and I couldn't lose a thing. And what hey have does seem like a gross overestimate most of the time.
  • anewlife1980
    anewlife1980 Posts: 225 Member
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    So I am still confused a little my fitness pal say I should et 1230 calories a day if I exercise and burn 500 calories it put it up to 1730 so it is saying I should be ending my day with zero calories or the extra 500 still left from exercise?

    You should be eating the number of calories that MFP adjusts to with exercise. So you should end your day with zero calories.

    But if you do have some left its not a big deal, I can never eat all of mine but thats partly bc I have such a high starting # for the day (1920) then add on more for exercising (usually 300-500 depending on what I do), I can't possibly eat them all. I usually have 200 left over without exercise, 500-700 left over with exercise.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    Yes. Because if I eat all my exercise calories, I still have a 500 calorie/day deficit, and I lose a pound a week.

    Or I did, because I've lost all but two pounds I wanted to in the last year and it's taking forever to lose those last two. But I will.

    BTW, I am set at sedentary and only log walking, biking, hiking, and serious gardening or cleaning that is rigorous enough that I feel TIRED and HUNGRY so I know I've gone above or beyond.
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
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    I talked about this with my nutritionist last night. She said yes, you should eat some of the calories you've gained back from exercise. However, don't eat if you aren't hungry. Sometimes I've got 500+ calories left at the end of the day (over my 1200) but I'm not hungry. Your weight loss will stall if you aren't eating at least 1200.

    I suggest a protein shake before or after a workout, especially if it's early morning or late evening.

    Wrong it won't stall if your not eating at least 1200. 1200 is NOT the magic number. The magic number is what works for you not some number someone pulled out of their..well you know where....
    But eat them back if you want or don't eat them back. It's whatever works for you. It doesn't work for me and I don't lose weight when I eat them back, but you may. Good luck.

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