A bit confused

KT022
KT022 Posts: 46 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I've read some posts and a lot of them say to eat your exercise calories back...

Would this still apply if I have burnt say 500 calories, to take my overall caloric intake to 1200 - or is it more important for me to eat them back if I drop below 1200?

I'm not trying to starve myself to 1200, because that's silly, but I'm just trying to control my calories, because that's where I tend to trip up :) (mmm peanut butter)

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    if your calorie goal is 1200, and you exercise and burn 500, then you should eat 1700 to get your NET to 1200.
  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
    Agree. MFP expects you to eat back your calories, regardless of what your calorie goal is. Mine is set at 2000, but I still eat back everything I burn to net 2000.
  • marshallexi
    marshallexi Posts: 162 Member
    I could not eat all mine back every day, it would be a struggle. I just eat as and when I'm hungry and aim for a good gross total for my height and weight.
  • KT022
    KT022 Posts: 46 Member
    Thanks guys :) The idea of eating back my lost calories still seems a little... pointless but I guess with the calorie deficit already added in to my daily total, then it makes more sense... slightly
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Thanks guys :) The idea of eating back my lost calories still seems a little... pointless but I guess with the calorie deficit already added in to my daily total, then it makes more sense... slightly

    just remember that there is such thing as too large a calorie deficit!
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    You can eat them back but just be cautious of how many. Unless you have some absolute concrete proof of exactly what you burn then I'd take about 1/2 to eat back. Most of us are not great at estimates and tend to under estimate the food we eat and over estimate the exercise we go. You can really mess up your effort if both are off by a couple hundred.
  • lilcassers
    lilcassers Posts: 163
    YES. 1200 is way too low if you exercise daily. Your body may go into starvation mode.

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