This may be a dumb question...

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tgaspard
tgaspard Posts: 22
in Fitness and Exercise
BUT...when I enter my exercise, MFP says I have "earned" X # of calories. Am I really supposed to "eat" those extra calories? I'm already creating a calorie deficit each day by limiting my cals to somewhere between 1200-1400.

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  • OutwardSix
    OutwardSix Posts: 11
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    My thoughts on this were always that exercising means you CAN have extras if you want to, since your body has used up/is using up more of your calories etc. - but at the same time, I don't think it's a case that just because you've worked out for a day you're required to use up the extra calories.

    More so my opinion on the matter, not sure exactly how the site treats the calories earned feature though!
  • Van3ssa_2468
    Van3ssa_2468 Posts: 76 Member
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    you can eat them.
    I eat about half of mine.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    The short answer is yes. MFP sets you up with a deficit to hit your goal, to keep that deficit intact you will have to eat your exercise calories or else your deficit will be larger than you set in your goal.
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
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    It's a good idea to eat enough of them back to make your net calories at least 1200 for the day. If you ate 1200, and burned an extra 600 at the gym, then it's like you only ate 600 cals, so you need to eat them back for your body to continuing functioning well.
  • MsSantiago1973
    MsSantiago1973 Posts: 9 Member
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    You will still lose weight if you eat the exercise calories since you may be hungrier once you workout but if you are not hungry, use it as deficit and see a bigger loss. If you do eat though, make it clean and not junk so your body stays nourished after a workout. Don't defeat the purpose. Good job!
  • emersoam
    emersoam Posts: 179
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    I was wondering this same thing when I first joined this site (about 1 month ago)...so hopefully it's not a dumb question. It seems that most people do not eat all of their exercise calories. Many people told me that they eat about half of them, which I think is a good compromise. It's very tempting to not eat them in an attempt to keep your calories as low as possible, but always keep in mind that your body does need fuel! Feed your body good fuel, and it will keep burning like a high-efficiency furnace!
  • meethepoet
    meethepoet Posts: 2
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    BUT...when I enter my exercise, MFP says I have "earned" X # of calories. Am I really supposed to "eat" those extra calories? I'm already creating a calorie deficit each day by limiting my cals to somewhere between 1200-1400.

    My Doctor says....Look at it as if its a bank: the more you put in, the more you get to take out... So yes, you can have extras if you put in the extra work. BUT I find that I'm actually not even eating all of my extra's up. So, I'm not really sure what I should be doing about that...but I know I CAN be eating them up.
  • 1harleygal
    1harleygal Posts: 226 Member
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    :smile: You are supposed to eat all your calories that they have given you when you joined and also yes you are to eat at least
    some of your excercise calories! Remember lots of fresh veggies, fruits and lean meat! :smile:
  • msciccone1
    msciccone1 Posts: 288 Member
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    I ate them and I maintained then I stopped eating up my exercise calories with the exception of 200 on some days (I burn generally an average of 800) when I get hungrier and I have started losing 1.5 lbs. consistently. Everyone is different and try what works for you :wink:
  • Allie_Dreams
    Allie_Dreams Posts: 138
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    I personally use my exercise calories as backups. I know if I go over my daily amount a little bit it is okay as long as I have those exercise calories to lean back on. I like to make sure I always have a minimum of 200 calories left in a day that I did not touch with a ten foot pole. I don't know, it just makes me feel better knowing they were there and I did not touch them. I see it as building my will power. Like having nothing but my favorite "comfort food" stocked in the fridge, just to know they were there and I didn't mess with it. It gives me a sense of accomplishment, knowing I could have but I didn't. It is a good feeling. Keep at it, you'll do great!:flowerforyou:
  • Allie_Dreams
    Allie_Dreams Posts: 138
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    I ate them and I maintained then I stopped eating up my exercise calories with the exception of 200 on some days (I burn generally an average of 800) when I get hungrier and I have started losing 1.5 lbs. consistently. Everyone is different and try what works for you :wink:


    When I first started last week the first two days I ate all mine also. All I did was maintain (from what I saw) I was weighing daily that first week (not Good to do). Once I adopted my newer plan of leave it alone and use as back ups and always leave no fewer than 200 calories it is sizzling off like rain on hot asphalt.
  • teresam27
    teresam27 Posts: 7
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    I'm having the same problem. Have you noticed when you enter all of your info for the day it says that if you stay under your calorie goal it could slow down your weight loss progress? How disheartening. Here I thought if I took in less calories, I could speed up my weight loss. What I am finding is that if I meet my calorie goal or get close to it, I go over my protein, and fat intake. It's frustrating. I also wonder like you do if we are supposed to take in more calories after we work out. I would think that would defeat the purpose of working out. We just need to stay encouraged and keep watching our calories and working out. Eventually it will pay off. If anything we'll be really healthy :). Good Luck!!
  • tgaspard
    tgaspard Posts: 22
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    Teresam27...I hear ya! I have experienced the same thing. I'm trying not to fret about it...I mean, I'm exercising for the first time in my life! I'm jogging in the morning and doing circuit training at night! AND I'm not making every meal a banquet at the worst possible food you can eat buffet. So...I'm super excited about that. However, I do want to/need to lose weight. So...yeah...its frustrating when things don't seem to be working the way they should, or when its so difficult to know if the numbers you are being given for calories consumed or burned is really accurate...and when you work your butt off and deny yourself and the scale doesn't seem to reflect that.

    I keep hearing that weight loss is simple. You just create a calorie deficit! But, creating that...or rather, ensuring that you create that, isn't so simple in my experience.
  • Zita_Jenn
    Zita_Jenn Posts: 252 Member
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    I find, the only time for me is to work out at night around 6 or 7 pm maybe sometimes 8 pm. I don't eat after 5:30/6:00 pm. I burn 800 Calories in a day. I don't eat my extra calories at all. Maybe because I am afraid to. lol I am new still so I am learning as I go.

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