Should I be eating my calories earned from exercise?

clarebailey355
clarebailey355 Posts: 113 Member
edited January 29 in Food and Nutrition
Apologies if this has been asked before but I'm relatively new here!

I'm using MFP to log my food and exercise and although I've set myself quite a low calorie allowance, I've been earning around 200 calories a day doing 30 Day Shred. Should I be eating these or does it defeat the object? I do find I'm hungry after I work out and I'm sure plenty of you know how punishing Jillian Michaels is!

Thanks.

Replies

  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
    Yes, MFP already has a deficit built into it and by not eating those calories you are creating a larger deficit which may not be benificial, especially if you have a calorie goal of 1200 a day.
  • clarebailey355
    clarebailey355 Posts: 113 Member
    I do have it set at 1200 a day at the moment but when I'm exercising, I'm actually eating 1400 which feels more reasonable.
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
    1200 is the minimum you are sappose to net after exercise. IMO i think its better to go a little bit over than under since it is not recommended to net under 1200 calories. So you eat 1400 and burn 200, that means you net 1200.
  • Siegel15
    Siegel15 Posts: 100 Member
    1200 is the minimum you are sappose to net after exercise. IMO i think its better to go a little bit over than under since it is not recommended to net under 1200 calories. So you eat 1400 and burn 200, that means you net 1200.
    Well done explanation.

    My only prob: if I eat back my earned calories, I don't lose. Maybe it's just me.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    1200 is the minimum you are sappose to net after exercise. IMO i think its better to go a little bit over than under since it is not recommended to net under 1200 calories. So you eat 1400 and burn 200, that means you net 1200.
    Well done explanation.

    My only prob: if I eat back my earned calories, I don't lose. Maybe it's just me.

    Then your calorie goal is not set right. Or you are outside of normal range for calculator estimates.

    MFP calculates your calorie needs just on what you need to live and for ordinary daily activity for work, school, etc. Choose an accurate descriptor for your regular activity level (most people are not truly sedentary). MFP does not include the calories you need for anything you do for exercise. When you do exercise, you need extra fuel for that.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    1200 is the minimum you are sappose to net after exercise. IMO i think its better to go a little bit over than under since it is not recommended to net under 1200 calories. So you eat 1400 and burn 200, that means you net 1200.
    Well done explanation.

    My only prob: if I eat back my earned calories, I don't lose. Maybe it's just me.

    How long of a time frame did you give?

    People often experience water retention associated to exercise when they first start/increas intensity. This can often mask small losses on the scale. Unfortunately people usuall up exercise when starting to diet so they believe they are gaining weight or not losing.
    I went up 2 lbs and stayed there for my entire first month. You can actually see the loss in my progress photos but no movement on the scale and very little with measuring tape.
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/
  • Shellster831
    Shellster831 Posts: 16 Member
    It's like this. You figure out your BMR, your basic metabolic rate, this is what your body burns if you stayed in bed all day.

    For me that number is 1587. However I don't stay in bed, so when you are active, you use a multiplier. For me to maintain my weight I would need to eat (BMR*1.55) 2460 calories. HOWEVER I am only taking in 1200 calories. So my body now has to pull from all that stored energy, I call FAT, in order for it to stay functioning.

    So lets look at a week. For a week to stay a live I need 7 x 2460 = 17220
    What I am taking in for a week is 7 x 1200 = 8400

    So 17220-8400= 8820 calorie deficit which is a little over two pounds lost. 8820/3500= 2.5lbs.

    Now if you add exercise, you would want to eat more to make up for it, but also, your muscles burn more calories just by being then fat burns just by being.

    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ follow this then click on Daily Calories Needs.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    1200 is the minimum you are sappose to net after exercise. IMO i think its better to go a little bit over than under since it is not recommended to net under 1200 calories. So you eat 1400 and burn 200, that means you net 1200.
    Well done explanation.

    My only prob: if I eat back my earned calories, I don't lose. Maybe it's just me.

    How long of a time frame did you give?

    People often experience water retention associated to exercise when they first start/increas intensity. This can often mask small losses on the scale. Unfortunately people usuall up exercise when starting to diet so they believe they are gaining weight or not losing.
    I went up 2 lbs and stayed there for my entire first month. You can actually see the loss in my progress photos but no movement on the scale and very little with measuring tape.

    Also assuming that food is being measured and logged properly and calorie burns entered are not inflated.
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