Question about eating back calories

Keffinger22 · July 2013

Okay I am 5'6 at 215lbs and I am 25 years old (I will be 26 in a few months so I put the calculator at 26 years of age). From Scooby's calculator with selcting desk job little to no calories and gave me 1701 calories (20% calorie reduction).

My questions is: I plan to workout 3 times a week once my broken toe is healed (2 weeks) by taking Boxing classes; they say you can burn up to 1,000 cals. in an hour. From taking Zumba before that also said you can burn 1,000 cals in one hour I would typicaaly burn between 750-800.

So say I burn 750 per class....am I supposed to eat back those calories on the workout days and then 1701 on the non-workout days?

Thanks for your help in advance!!!

Kimberly

jwdieter · July 2013

If you are doing TDEE-20%, you are not supposed to eat back exercise calories. The exercise calories are supposed to be included in the TDEE in the first place.

Greenrun99 · July 2013

Yes MFP is designed so you eat back your exercise calories.

Onesnap · July 2013

Here's a helpful post: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/713460--eating-back-exercise-calories-simple-breakdown?hl=eating+back+exercise

jwdieter · July 2013

Here's a helpful post: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/713460--eating-back-exercise-calories-simple-breakdown?hl=eating+back+exercise

Except the OP is not using MFP's approach. She went to Scooby's site and is trying to do TDEE-20%. If she's doing TDEE and eating back her exercise calories, which are theoretically already included in TDEE, she's not going to lose weight.

erickirb · July 2013

If you are using MFP guideline eat them back, if you used an external calculator just change your activity level and enter the new, higher caloric intake as your goal intake.

Onesnap · July 2013

Here's a helpful post: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/713460--eating-back-exercise-calories-simple-breakdown?hl=eating+back+exercise

Except the OP is not using MFP's approach. She went to Scooby's site and is trying to do TDEE-20%. If she's doing TDEE and eating back her exercise calories, which are theoretically already included in TDEE, she's not going to lose weight.

ahhh okay. Thanks for clarification.

Pangea250 · July 2013

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1051695-exercise-calories?hl=exercise+calories#posts-16151654

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1047512-do-you-eat-back-your-exercise-calories?hl=exercise+calories#posts-16085264

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1046262-food-vs-exercise-calories?hl=exercise+calories#posts-16060311

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1035368-do-i-have-to-eat-all-my-exercise-calories?hl=exercise+calories&page=2#posts-16040230

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1043598-confused-about-exercise-calories?hl=exercise+calories#posts-16018272

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1043083-how-many-exercise-calories?hl=exercise+calories&page=2#posts-16026523

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1042639-eating-back-exercise-calories?hl=exercise+calories&page=2#posts-16002722

Keffinger22 · July 2013

Well it gives the option to change it from desk job-little exercise to 1-3 hours of light exercise and it bumps the calories to 1949. That just seems high, not to mention that I would not consider this ''light exercise'' but the next option is 3-5 hours of moderate exercise and bumps the calories to 2197. It just seems really high on calories

mile626 · July 2013

I think this link is very helpful:

http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

Pangea250 · July 2013

I think this link is very helpful:

http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

erickirb · July 2013

Well it gives the option to change it from desk job-little exercise to 1-3 hours of light exercise and it bumps the calories to 1949. That just seems high, not to mention that I would not consider this ''light exercise'' but the next option is 3-5 hours of moderate exercise and bumps the calories to 2197. It just seems really high on calories

The 1949 seems reasonable to me, once you start working out again. Give it a try for 3-4 weeks and if you don't like the results readjust at that time

csheltra26 · July 2013

For some reason, women have been programmed to believe we have to eat as little as possible to lose weight. You want to be able to eat, maintain your muscle, and lose weight while keeping your metabolism running high. TDEE - 20% seems to work for a lot of people on this site. If you are concerned how much you are actually burning, a HRM will help give you numbers for what you actually burn.

Plus, you are over 200 pounds right now. As you lose weight (every 5 pounds) you will recalculate your numbers. Try it for a few weeks and see how it works. I have seen too many posts on this site that said people weren't losing weight and when they added more calories they started to lose weight. Those numbers look pretty accurate to me.

Keffinger22 · July 2013

Okay erickirb, do I eat 1949 even on the days I don't work out or eat the 1701 on the days I don't workout?

Kimberly

Onesnap · July 2013

Well it gives the option to change it from desk job-little exercise to 1-3 hours of light exercise and it bumps the calories to 1949. That just seems high, not to mention that I would not consider this ''light exercise'' but the next option is 3-5 hours of moderate exercise and bumps the calories to 2197. It just seems really high on calories

Also note that anyone with a desk job is considered "sedentary". Even for folks that do an intense workout class for 1 hour/day.

suziepoo1984 · July 2013

You will need to eat at those number calories all days of the week (workout or no work out), assuming you will be working out atleast 1-3 hours/week

Keffinger22 · July 2013

Awesome thankyou Suziepoo1984!!!!

Keffinger22 · July 2013

Oh and thankyou csheltra26, I will definietly give it a few weeks and see what happens!!!

DancingMoosie · July 2013

Okay erickirb, do I eat 1949 even on the days I don't work out or eat the 1701 on the days I don't workout?

Kimberly

Why not take the average of the two calorie goals (1949+1701)/2=1825 and try that for a while? Then you don't have to worry about which day to eat which calorie goal. It should average out through the week anyway, whether you eat the 1701 on sedentary days, 1949 on workout days, or 1825 everyday. But I like the idea of a set calorie goal per day, makes it a little easier. And like another poster said, you will need to recalculate as you lose. Good luck:)

Keffinger22 · July 2013

That is a good idea Dancing Moosie! Thanks, I will try that!

Mia_RagazzaTosta · July 2013

I think this link is very helpful:

http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

I definitely stole that for future use :flowerforyou:

erickirb · July 2013

Okay erickirb, do I eat 1949 even on the days I don't work out or eat the 1701 on the days I don't workout?

Kimberly

Why not take the average of the two calorie goals (1949+1701)/2=1825 and try that for a while? Then you don't have to worry about which day to eat which calorie goal. It should average out through the week anyway, whether you eat the 1701 on sedentary days, 1949 on workout days, or 1825 everyday. But I like the idea of a set calorie goal per day, makes it a little easier. And like another poster said, you will need to recalculate as you lose. Good luck:)

No that is not how it is done. TDEE calcs calculate your dialy intake by averaging your exercise over the week. The 1949 averages out your workouts so you eat some everyday (same caloric intake everyday) otherwise stick with the 1700, and eat back the exercise cals on the days you workout, so it would be like 1700 and 2200-2300, which would average to around 1949/day.

Keffinger22 · July 2013

Oh ok, got it. I will do the 1949!!! Thank you for your help!!!

Question about eating back calories

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