Are we supposed to eat exercise cals?

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Emilygracemcmullen
Emilygracemcmullen Posts: 19
in Health and Weight Loss
are we meant to eat these?
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  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1047512-do-you-eat-back-your-exercise-calories?hl=exercise+calories#posts-16081725

    See above link. Short answer - yes.
  • xampx
    xampx Posts: 323 Member
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    It depends how you work out your daily goal.

    If you put your activity level to zero, then yes, eat exercise calories.

    If you put your activity level to include your exercise, then no dont eat them.

    If its the first one, bear in mind that MFP only estimates calories burned so unless you have a HRM, eat maybe 50-75% of the calories back.
  • thebowhunter
    thebowhunter Posts: 173
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    Ive been on here for 301 days in a row and never ate back my workout cals. Ive lost .51 pounds per day during that time. If you dont eat them back you lose faster.
  • Sierra_christine89
    Sierra_christine89 Posts: 156 Member
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    I don't.
    I might be wrong but I've been told by many people that by eating back your exercise calories you are just maintaining your weight. If you want to lose don't eat them back.
    Also, I'd suggest figuring out your TDEE, no you don't have to go by it but it helps see how much you should actually eat if all you're wanting to do is maintain your weight at the time. The calorie intake it tells you to have everyday is a little high, well for me anyway.
    What's your calorie intake at the moment? It also depends on that..
    If you're eating 1200 calories then I wouldn't worry about losing weight while eating back exercise calories, as thats too low of a number anyways so even if you ate back your calories on a 1200 plan you'd most likely still lose weight!
    Hope that helped? :)
  • AnotherXFitGuy
    AnotherXFitGuy Posts: 58 Member
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    I do but opinions vary. From what I've read, your daily allotment of calories is based on your normal daily, non-exercise, activity. Not eating back your exercise calories will result in greater weight loss but a good portion will come from lost muscle. Below is taken from the MFP Help Section regarding Exercise Calories.


    How does MyFitnessPal calculate my initial goals?
    Last Updated: Jun 17, 2013 07:42PM PDT

    We set your daily calorie goal in Net Calories which we define as:

    Calories Consumed (Food) - Calories Burned (Exercise) = Net Calories

    This means that if you exercise, you will be able to eat more for that day. For example, if your Net Calorie goal is 2000 calories, one way to meet that goal is to eat 2,500 calories of food, but then burn 500 calories through exercise.

    Think of your Net Calories like a daily budget of calories to spend. You spend them by eating, and "you earn more calories to eat by exercising". We do not recommend that any member consume fewer than 1200 net calories on any given day.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
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    Ive been on here for 301 days in a row and never ate back my workout cals. Ive lost .51 pounds per day during that time. If you dont eat them back you lose faster.
    I've eaten mine back and I've been here less time and lost more. Point is, it varies for a lot of people.. BUT...

    Too many people decide on 2lbs/week loss and sedentary. They get the 1200 goal and never eat up to that point and typically don't eat back their calories either.

    Will you lose? Sure. Is it sustainable? For most people, no.. it isn't.

    OP. Eat at least a portion of them back or eventually the weight loss will stop. These are goals, to hit, not limits. The name of the game isn't "eat as little as possible and still lose." It's more "still lose without starving yourself and eating well."
  • SailorKnightWing
    SailorKnightWing Posts: 875 Member
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    You are supposed to, but depending on your calorie goals you may or may not have to. For instance if you're told to eat net 1400 and exercise off more than 200 to fall below net 1200, you really should eat at least some of them back to get enough calories for you organs to work properly.
  • Emilygracemcmullen
    Emilygracemcmullen Posts: 19
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    my job is mainly sitting down all day so i put it as sedentry but i walk to work 40mins there and back every day?
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
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    my job is mainly sitting down all day so i put it as sedentry but i walk to work 40mins there and back every day?
    walking for 80 minutes per day to work and back isn't sedentary.

    ETA: OP, your profile on here, you even talk about how you're active and love being active.
  • kevindhaliwal
    kevindhaliwal Posts: 17 Member
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    i dont
  • amyqp
    amyqp Posts: 2
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    I have logged in 25 days in a row. I am not losing ANY weight because apparently I eat every calorie I exercise. Anyone know if there's a way to enter the exercise but have it NOT count into your calories?

    I have been using this program since January and for whatever reason it's just not working. I'm entering my info daily, I exercise at least 3 days a week, usually 4-5. These past 3 weeks it has been 5 days a week of an exercise video that does 3 miles, 4 miles, 1 mile, 2 miles and 5 miles with strength exercises afterwards.

    So far the only thing that has worked for me since January has been Almased (a protein, low-sodium, low glycemic index drink). If I do that for 2 weeks I lose weight and then when I go back to 3 meals a day you can imagine what happens.

    I almost never eat red meat or pizza -- maybe twice a month total.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
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    I might be wrong but I've been told by many people that by eating back your exercise calories you are just maintaining your weight. If you want to lose don't eat them back.

    Yes you are completely wrong, whoever is telling you this fails to understand basic maths.

    MFP works out your deficit without any exercise, for every 1lb/week loss you set as a target MFP subtracts 500 calories a day from your estimated maintenance calories. This is your deficit to lose weight - burning calories through exercise increases your deficit but too big a deficit can be counter productive.

    Exercise for health and fitness and eat back the calories!
  • Emilygracemcmullen
    Emilygracemcmullen Posts: 19
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    its only 40minutes
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
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    its only 40minutes

    why are you arguing about being able to eat more?

    you said 40 minutes each way. I took it as 40 minutes to, 40 from. Either way. 40 minutes per day of walking every day = not sedentary.

    Change your goal to 1lb per week / lightly active. Eat those calories. You could also check out a number of other online calculators...

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

    is my favorite.
  • tbresina
    tbresina Posts: 558 Member
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    Ive asked this question before but no one answers me-I just keep trying-why would you eat you exercise cals back, I mean aren't we exercising to burn calories? Isn't the reason most of us are here is due to being fat caused by too many calories? Why exercise in the first place if all your going to do is put the cals back in?
    Please no snotty replies, this is a serious question that I would really like answered since I just don't get it
    Thanks
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
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    Ive asked this question before but no one answers me-I just keep trying-why would you eat you exercise cals back, I mean aren't we exercising to burn calories? Isn't the reason most of us are here is due to being fat caused by too many calories? Why exercise in the first place if all your going to do is put the cals back in?
    Please no snotty replies, this is a serious question that I would really like answered since I just don't get it
    Thanks

    ...because the number that MFP gives you is already with a deficit to lose. Not eating the exercise calories will extend the deficit. Too large of a deficit will slow your loss instead of speeding it up. You have to fuel the body in order for it to work for you. Burning fat takes input... calories... fuel to work.
  • rachdp
    rachdp Posts: 2
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    I try not to - as a personal rule BUT if I do go over, then I don't beat myself up about it.
  • justicer68
    justicer68 Posts: 1,223
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    I generally eat back the majority of my calories on active days. I have a desk job so I have it as sedentary using the TDEE method. I have my daily calorie goal set at 1360 which is a little less than what it should be (20%). I just know when I work out regardless if it says I have xxx calories left I can eat I just try for 1600-1700 calories and I'm good.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
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    I generally eat back the majority of my calories on active days. I have a desk job so I have it as sedentary using the TDEE method. I have my daily calorie goal set at 1360 which is a little less than what it should be (20%). I just know when I work out regardless if it says I have xxx calories left I can eat I just try for 1600-1700 calories and I'm good.

    If you're TDEE, with only 10lbs left to go, you could move that up from the 20%... 10% would still be enough.. and being that close to goal.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
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    Ive asked this question before but no one answers me-I just keep trying-why would you eat you exercise cals back, I mean aren't we exercising to burn calories?
    No - you should be exercising for health and fitness not to "burn calories".
    Generally speaking the slower you lose the better your results, less muscle loss, less loose skin, learn good lifestyle habits for the rest of your life to name a few benefits.
    [/quote]
    Isn't the reason most of us are here is due to being fat caused by too many calories? Why exercise in the first place if all your going to do is put the cals back in?
    To live a longer and healthier life! Surely no-one wants to be thin and unhealthy when they get to goal?
    To maintain muscle mass while you are losing weight - do you want to lose fat or muscle?
    Vanity as well - think about how you want to be at your goal weight.

    Another benefit of exercising and eating more is that it's so much easier to sustain rather than feel deprived all the time.
    Much easier to get good nutrition and eat tasty, satisfying meals when you have a larger calorie allowance.

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