Earning extra calories from exercise

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Loopy385
Loopy385 Posts: 1
in Introduce Yourself
I have tracked my food intake and after entering workout for the day I see that the food tracker says I have earned extra calories for the day. Is it best not to intake the rest of the calories and be in a calorie deficit to actually lose weight or make sure you eat again for the extra calories earned ? New to this whole thing......
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  • norcaligirl72
    norcaligirl72 Posts: 34 Member
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    i struggle with the same dilemma. Sometimes I used the extra calories and sometimes I do not. Interested to see what experts would say about it. I used another tracker and it did not give you any extra calories for working out.
  • BrookeLee2
    BrookeLee2 Posts: 39
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    The calorie goal given by MFP already has the deficit calculated:) I personally try not to eat away the calories I gain from exercise, but there's absolutely no harm in eating those calories.

    So, if you eat 1,350 but your goal is 1200, you can burn 150 calories to make up for overeating.

    All exercising really does for your goals is allow you to eat more if you wish to.
  • Sabrena619
    Sabrena619 Posts: 7
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    From my experience, it's better to eat all your calories. Otherwise, your metabolism slows down.
  • S0nsh1ne
    S0nsh1ne Posts: 218 Member
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    You can search this topic and read more than you ever wanted to know about this question. It's asked, debated and argued all the time.
  • TheStephil
    TheStephil Posts: 858 Member
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    Its argued a lot but MFP sets your deficit up assuming you will track and eat back your exercise calories. The MFP exercise database tends to overestimate how many calories you burn so I wouldn't suggest eating all of the calories back but you should eat some of the exercise calories back.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
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    All exercising really does for your goals is allow you to eat more if you wish to.

    Diet to look good clothed, exercise to look good naked, it's been said. Exercise does a lot of other good for your body - muscles, bones, heart, digestive system, etc.

    But to answer your question, MFP already calculates a deficit, so if you don't eat your exercise calories you're in an even bigger deficit. If you're only set to lose .5 or 1 lb a week, it's probably not too bad, depending on how close you are to goal, but if you're already in a large deficit (like 2 pounds a week) and you don't eat back at least some calories, you could be hampering your efforts. A bigger deficit isn't always better. On the other hand, it's hard to know exactly how many calories you burn - some people say MFP is really inaccurate, so a lot of people opt to eat back only half to be safe.
  • norcaligirl72
    norcaligirl72 Posts: 34 Member
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    Are you guys using any sort of monitor to get a more accurate reading of calorie instead of using the general tracker here or on the machines at the gym?
  • aakaakaak
    aakaakaak Posts: 1,240 Member
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    Don't do it. The cake is a lie. I'm 40+ pounds down from not eating back my exercise calories....and busting my butt while exercising. You'll have to hit an extended caloric deficit for your metabolism to slow down. You'll also have to drop well below the 1200 calorie range. While it's not impossible to go into what people call "starvation mode" it's not a switch that happens overnight. it takes weeks to months of consistently going waaaaay under your calories and exercise for it to have much of an impact. Even if you did manage to go into a slight metabolism slow down it would be counteracted if you built a little muscle. If you'd like source documentation just ask and I'll hunt some down for you, but this really shouldn't be an argument or debated.
  • LizAnn925
    LizAnn925 Posts: 20 Member
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    Sometimes I definitely eat some of the calories I burned because 1250 calories leaves me hungry every day! But I think it is best to leave most extra calories that you earned uneaten. See, a pound of fat is equivalent to 3500 calories. The theory is that if you consume 3500 calories less than you normally do (say, less than how many calories it takes to maintain your current weight), then you will lose 1 pound of fat. So it is important to try to create a 3500 calorie deficit each week to lose a pound.

    Of course, if you're in my situation, you can't help having that extra bowl of watermelon every once in a while, and that's okay. As long as you are burning a significant amount off and not eating all the calories back EVERY day, you will be fine. :)
  • 43932452
    43932452 Posts: 7,246 Member
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    Generally I don't but when I do, it's a small margin.
    Maybe 10% the most. I like ending my day w/a nice
    deficit. It's rewarding. :)
  • ecw3780
    ecw3780 Posts: 608 Member
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    if you are following the daily calories provided by MFP (meaning, you haven't changed them based on some other equation), then yes, you are supposed to eat them back. Your net calories should not go below 1200 every day. So, if you don't want to eat all them, at least eat enough to get you over 1200 net. If you want to lose weight faster, change your goal to 2 pounds per week.
  • ddky
    ddky Posts: 381 Member
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    I generally eat back about half of my exercise calories. A registered dietician told me that she recommends eating them back if you are hungry. If you aren't hungry, don't eat them. Listen to your body.
  • FitnessBeverlyHills
    FitnessBeverlyHills Posts: 189
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    Its argued a lot but MFP sets your deficit up assuming you will track and eat back your exercise calories. The MFP exercise database tends to overestimate how many calories you burn so I wouldn't suggest eating all of the calories back but you should eat some of the exercise calories back.

    I agree, if you are going by the MFP website when you first entered in your information it asked you what your weight goal was. Your caloric recommendation on this site is based off that weight. So if you you burn say 300 calories, the site is set up so that you can still eat those calories back and lose weight.

    For example say I want to lose 10 lbs it says I need to consume 1500 calories a day, but if I wanted to maintain my weight it would say I need to consume 2,00 calories a day. If I'm aiming for 1500 calories, and I eat 1500 calories, I can still consume 300 more because I wouldn't be eating 1800 calories, I would still be eating 1500 calories since I burned 300.. Did that make any sense. This is the theory that the MFP website goes by.
  • Nenagena76
    Nenagena76 Posts: 5
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    Im using Body Media Core armband to record my calories burned. This is only day 4 but it seems to be working out. This device recommends that I have a 1000 calorie deficit to meet my weight loss goals.
  • coleenyoung
    coleenyoung Posts: 4
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    I am still trying to get my butt into gear and exercise each day!! I just don't have enough hours in my day, feel great at 2am but find if I exercise then Im really amped up and rarin to go!! And I use 1200 calories but have not yet used them all in a day....Know this is not good but with the hours I work I cannot fit in three meals! any clues?
  • Nenagena76
    Nenagena76 Posts: 5
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    Are you guys using any sort of monitor to get a more accurate reading of calorie instead of using the general tracker here or on the machines at the gym?

    I'm using Body Media Core armband to record my calories burned. This is only day 4 but it seems to be working out. This device recommends that I have a 1000 calorie deficit to meet my weight loss goals.
  • TheBaileyHunter
    TheBaileyHunter Posts: 641 Member
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    I rarely eat my exercise calories, but I do eat my exercise macros! That's where I take advantage of them. I think if you're hungry, eat them. If you're not, don't.

    Your body is pretty smart if you actually listen to it.
  • Cherry_T
    Cherry_T Posts: 62 Member
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    You don`t earn calories. You ingest them, silly. What you did was burn calories. Eat if you`re hungry that`s all.
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
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    I usually try to eat about half the calories back... This gives me a buffer for missed measurement on the intake or outflow side.
  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
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    Its a weird concept to accept at first but as others have said MFP has set it up so you will be at a deficit even if you don't workout. So when you do workout you can eat those calories and still lose weight. I use an HRM to get as close an estimate to my calories burned as possible. I eat back my burned calories and I've gone from a size ten(ish depends on the brand) to a 4-6 (again depends on the brand)

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