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    do i have to eat all my exercise calories?

    Posts: 27
    edited January 28 in Food and Nutrition
    on a normal day i would eat and exercise and they balance eacch other out.
    Now today i go to dance class and will burn off 550 calories i would use approx 200 of these but that still leaves 350 calories in the pot is that too many? Or should i try and eat more of them?

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    Replies

    • Posts: 1,143 Member
      What is your caloric goal?
    • Posts: 1,853 Member
      How are you measuring your calorie burn? If you are using MFP it notoriously overestimates, so I'd eat half. If you are using something much more accurate like a HRM, I would eat most of them.
    • Posts: 26 Member
      I use my exercise calories as "fun calories". The more I burn, the more tasty snacks I get to eat (if I'm hungry). I only eat when I'm hungry and only eat one serving. I try to choose things that may have more calories up front, but will keep me from being hungry longer!
    • Posts: 1,548 Member
      You don't HAVE to eat them.
      If you're using MFP the way it's designed (and assuming you're logging accurately), then you should eat them.
    • Posts: 23
      MFP often overestimates burns. If you are using a HRM, then I would say eat more than 1/2, if not all, of the calories you are burning. Otherwise, you will deplete your energy stores, feel awful, and eventually run out of steam. MFP already sets your calorie goal at a deficit, so you should lose weight without exercise. But, exercise will boost your metabolism, build muscles, and make you feel better. You wouldn't try to drive your car an extra 100 miles without adequate fuel, why do it to your body?
    • Posts: 105 Member
      I never eat mine back, really. Don't feel the need to!
    • Posts: 862 Member
      I eat about half back.
    • Posts: 1,112 Member
      MFP often overestimates burns. If you are using a HRM, then I would say eat more than 1/2, if not all, of the calories you are burning. Otherwise, you will deplete your energy stores, feel awful, and eventually run out of steam. MFP already sets your calorie goal at a deficit, so you should lose weight without exercise. But, exercise will boost your metabolism, build muscles, and make you feel better. You wouldn't try to drive your car an extra 100 miles without adequate fuel, why do it to your body?

      Excellent point
    • Posts: 1,112 Member
      I do not use mine unless I am starving.
    • Posts: 1,249 Member
      I eat them all but I would recommend at least half.
    • Posts: 2,205 Member
      I eat some of mine back, until I'm no longer hungry. Generally this means one to two hundred calories, so about half.
    • Posts: 19 Member
      I use them if I feel the need to, Mostly it ends up being naughty additional snacks, But it is hard to eat into 400+ calories if your calorie goal is enough, Mine is 1350, and I swim off 300-400 in an hour!
    • Posts: 19 Member
      Problem with the naughty snacks though is that it isnt just calories I need to watch but the fat/sugar content! I'm a sucker for sweets and chocolate!
    • Posts: 586 Member
      I eat some back because I know that MFP over estimates some workouts.
    • Posts: 27
      Thanks for your help. I will eat about half of them if im hungry. I'm still learning to listen to the hunger signs in my own body.
    • Posts: 41,865 Member
      If you are substantially missing on your calorie goals on a routine basis, it might be an issue (depends on how much weight you have to lose and a number of other factors). If it's occasionally being substantially under then it's not that big of a deal. It's when you're routinely malnourishing your body that you have issues, not isolated events. If this becomes routine, plan your day better.

      Also, remember that calorie burn, even from a HRM is just a reasonable estimate. When I did MFP I ate back about 70% of my burn as per my HRM to account for estimation error. It's just an estimate and it's usually high because it also doesn't take into account your BMR calorie burn during that time...those calories you would have otherwise burned sitting on your *kitten* are included in the burn you get on your HRM.
    • Posts: 1,240 Member
      You do not have to eat back your exercise calories, ever.
    • Posts: 11 Member
      Problem with the naughty snacks though is that it isnt just calories I need to watch but the fat/sugar content! I'm a sucker for sweets and chocolate!

      Amen sister. This is my problem too!! It's so hard sometimes! Getting better at it though :-)
    • Posts: 8
      totally up to you. I believe it's up to the individual to decide. I personally don't eat the calories i've burned off, but I know that if I REALLY want a treat or i'm still really hungry and i've burned off 300 cals then i've got those cals up my sleeve, but I find i'm never realy hungry by the end of the day, nothing a cup of tea doesn't fix anyhow :)
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    • Posts: 22
      show previous quotes

      This is very poor advice and shows a lack of understanding of the MFP methodology. Unless you're just be coy or curt.

      I believe that if your calorie burn is fairly accurate, you should eat back the calories. There are many reasons for this, but mainly, you don't want to create too large a deficit. It's not healthy.

      Also, everyone says the MFP calories are way off. I have tested against my HRM and therefore stopped using my HRM because it was always plus or minus 10 calories. Kind of silly using an HRM when the MFP estimates are right on the money. So, I don't know what everyone is talking about with the estimates being wrong. Just food for thought.

      As a newbie, I have the same question as the OP and was more than a tad worried when I saw several posts saying that MFP overestimates burn. I went online to some other calorie burn calculators (healthstatus), and am a little reassured that their numbers match MFP, almost to a tee. Here's hoping that ^^ this guy (and MFP and the healthstatus thing) is right !!
    • Posts: 3,027 Member
      No you dont HAVE to eat them. I never get to eat all mine back. I burn closer to 1500 off a day with dedicated exercise & that on top of my already 1345 I set would make me feel so sick. I'm lucky if I can get out of the negative net by dinnertime. I'm still kickin, still healthy & well.... not hungry.
    • Posts: 2,765 Member
      show previous quotes

      As a newbie, I have the same question as the OP and was more than a tad worried when I saw several posts saying that MFP overestimates burn. I went online to some other calorie burn calculators (healthstatus), and am a little reassured that their numbers match MFP, almost to a tee. Here's hoping that ^^ this guy (and MFP and the healthstatus thing) is right !!

      I have actually found MFP's estimates for the exercise I do (primarily walking) to be LESS than my MapMyWalk and RunKeeper apps as well as LESS than two other websites I've used to estmate burns in the past. I'm not so sold on "MFP Overestimates Burns" anymore either.
    • Posts: 1,222 Member
      I eat 0 back. MFP is not my god.
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    • Posts: 1
      I don't ever eat my exercise calories.
    This discussion has been closed.

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