Should I be eating back calories burned exercising?

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  • 2ndaccord
    2ndaccord Posts: 5
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    You should be eating to replenish and refuel after each workout. I typically and snack before and immediately after all my workouts. It will usually be close to what I burned but sometimes less. It is just a good way to make sure each workout is as beneficial as possible.
  • HikeThatMountain
    HikeThatMountain Posts: 102
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    Hmm thanks for that! It does make sense what you have said but ive also heard other advice to the contrary ????
    Now im not sure what to think?

    Not trying to toot my own horn but take a look at the ticker of myself and dogo187 as examples when using this method from a purely weight loss perspective.... There is 461 good reasons to alteast consider the possibilities that it might hold some truth.... Best of Luck to you on your journey.....
    312 lbs lost.

    Mr. Davenport, WOW, it must feel absolutely fantastic to be living life the way it should be lived and proud of all that work getting there, congratulations!
  • HikeThatMountain
    HikeThatMountain Posts: 102
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    See here:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    Thank you SideSteel, I was trying not to eat any of them back and always feeling like I needed to, especially after a run, but now the lightbulb over my head is bright and shining! Thank you.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
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    If you're following the MFP method...then yes, you should eat them. Your calorie goal set by the program has a deficit built in. If you create too great a deficit by exercising it may not be healthy...and can lead to slower weight loss...or a complete stall. The exercise calories listed by MFP though tend to run very generous, so use a hrm or some other scale to help you stay reasonable with it. Or just eat back a percentage instead.
  • ladyrider55
    ladyrider55 Posts: 316 Member
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    If you can get thru the day without eating back your calories burned... DO IT!!! It helps in the end. If you're finding you need to grab them and use them, oh well that happens. Every day is different, Every day is a new day....Good Luck! :happy:
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
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    I agree with all the posters who said that you should be eating most or all of them back. That is the way that MFP works---your deficit is already built-in. In order to cover any errors in weighing/measuring food or any errors in calorie-burning, I generally leave 50-100 calories uneaten---but rarely anything like 200 or more. The only exception is if it gets too late to eat more (I have reflux issues if I eat too close to bedtime). The reason why I always leave a few calories is that some of the calories in the database are a bit off. And it isn't exactly a precise science that determines how many calories you are burning. I don't have an HRM (not sure if they have ones for working out in the water anyway--which is where I do most of my cardio).

    p.s. The closer you are to goal weight, the more of your exercise calories you should be eating back. If you have a lot of body fat, your body will be more apt to use fat to fuel your exercise than if you don't have much body fat. When they do studies, they have noted that obese folk start off losing quite a bit more body fat than lean tissue when they exercise. As those same individuals reduce their percentage of body fat, the more apt they are to catabolize their skeletal muscle to fuel their exercise.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    I posted this in another topic, it doesn't state specifics, but should give you a general idea of what is going on.
    Example:

    TDEE: 2300
    Daily Goal/amount you eat total: 1800
    Deficit: 500 a day

    That's a 500 calorie deficit so you're already burning more than you're consuming just by doing daily activities.

    Add exercise to that and you get this:
    TDEE: 2300
    Daily Goal: 1800
    Amount you eat: 1800
    Exercise: 300
    Net Amount: 1500
    deficit: 800

    You're now at an 800 calorie deficit. You could eat those exercise calories back, because over all your goal still puts you at a deficit. By eating them back, it will give you the 500 calorie deficit you have when you don't work out.

    edit: Forgot to add

    TDEE: 2300
    Amount You eat: 2300
    Exercise:300
    Net amount: 2000
    Deficit: 300

    If you were to eat at maintenance and work out, then you wouldn't eat your exercise calories. This is because the exercise calories would be creating the deficit, instead of you creating it by limiting your intake.
  • magpie0
    magpie0 Posts: 194 Member
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    I'd eat them back simply because it gives you more to work with if you plateau or are working on those last ten pounds.
  • msliu7911
    msliu7911 Posts: 639 Member
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    I like the answer of "it depends" that was given.

    Also, my thoughts are this: If you're feeling hungry then eat. If you're not hungry... don't FORCE yourself to eat back the calories that you just burned.

    Some may argue that the days you don't eat back your calories you're going way too far under, but believe me, it evens out in the long run with the days that you do eat back and then some. This is what I've been following the past month or so and I've been seeing great results. I used to think too far into it that I "had" to eat back the calories... then somehow I would inevitably overeat.

    Now that I"m not putting to much thought into it and just listening to my body instead, I'm seeing results.
  • babydiego87
    babydiego87 Posts: 905 Member
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    yes. what do you think the 'earned calories' are for?
  • watfordjc
    watfordjc Posts: 304 Member
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    I like the answer of "it depends" that was given.

    Also, my thoughts are this: If you're feeling hungry then eat. If you're not hungry... don't FORCE yourself to eat back the calories that you just burned.

    Some may argue that the days you don't eat back your calories you're going way too far under, but believe me, it evens out in the long run with the days that you do eat back and then some. This is what I've been following the past month or so and I've been seeing great results. I used to think too far into it that I "had" to eat back the calories... then somehow I would inevitably overeat.

    Now that I"m not putting to much thought into it and just listening to my body instead, I'm seeing results.

    I just had my chicken dinner that was logged under Friday. Although I eat back my exercise calories, I don't necessarily eat them back on that day (although I generally log it there to make the numbers look nice).
  • suz155
    suz155 Posts: 326 Member
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    I use an HRM, I find it more accurate than what MFP allows me. It configures less calories, but, thats ok. I eat, sometimes all , sometimes some calories back,,,,,and Im averaging 1-2 lb loss per week. The thing I like about the MFP plan is I am learning how to balance food and exercise, in a healthy way and lose weight. Otherwise, Im just going to go straight back to gaining weight. I'm sticking for what works for me. For others, it might be different.
  • PALady4JC
    PALady4JC Posts: 99 Member
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    I am doing a program through a local hospital which involves separate monthly meetings with a nutritionist, a behavior therapist, and an exercise physiologist. Both the nutritionist and exercise physiologist have told me to NOT add calories back for physical activity at this time because of how much weight I need to lose (100+ pounds). As with most things, for every expert opinion given there is another expert opinion that believes the opposite. I went into this program with the attitude that I would listen to the people I'm paying to help me. What works for one may not work for another. Thanks for listening. :happy:
  • krhn
    krhn Posts: 781 Member
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    No not if your trying to lose weight! The point is to burn calories so why would you then put those calories back in your body after working hard to burn them off. I dont really agree with the way mfp adds calories burned from exercise to your daily allowance. Defeats the purpose when your trying to lose weight

    You start on a deficit in the first place so even if the person doesn't do exercise they are still going to lose weight as their in a deficit...

    My answer is definitely eat back most of your exercise calories because being in a deficit your body is barely getting any macro/micro nutrients from the diet, by exercising your decreasing even more nutrients as your body will use them up! Eat!
  • goodvictory
    goodvictory Posts: 5
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    I have been exercising as an overweight person, for many years, and I'm pretty strong. Doing the same amount of exercise now while limiting calories, if I try to eat back the exercise calories, I don't lose weight. I think I would have to exercise MORE to lose.
  • Ciamworking
    Ciamworking Posts: 4
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    Thank you for the insight EdDavenport. I have been going back and forth in my mind lately. Your numbers speak loudly and I appreciate your advise. Thanks again.
  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 Member
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    I am doing a program through a local hospital which involves separate monthly meetings with a nutritionist, a behavior therapist, and an exercise physiologist. Both the nutritionist and exercise physiologist have told me to NOT add calories back for physical activity at this time because of how much weight I need to lose (100+ pounds). As with most things, for every expert opinion given there is another expert opinion that believes the opposite. I went into this program with the attitude that I would listen to the people I'm paying to help me. What works for one may not work for another. Thanks for listening. :happy:

    The difference here is that you are following a specific program and being supervised by medical professionals who know you personally. I'm under the impression that the OP is using MFP, and MFP intends for people to eat their exercise calories back. When you plug your weight loss goals and information into this website, it gives you a calorie goal with a deficit already calculated into that number. If you don't eat back any exercise calories, you're creating a larger-than-necessary deficit. Unless otherwise directed by a professional, I see no reason to net much less than you need to in order to reach your goal in a healthy way.

    As long as you are accurately logging your food and your calorie burns and have no underlying medical conditions, eating back most/all of your exercise calories should work out just fine. Or at least it has for me. :smile:
  • tricksee
    tricksee Posts: 835 Member
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    If you're not sure, just eat half of them back. Review your results after 6 weeks.

    SORTED!!!
  • MoRiv1986
    MoRiv1986 Posts: 379 Member
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    Eat if you're hungry. :-)

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