Is there such thing as burning too many calories?

missbis
missbis Posts: 116 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
You get so much advice from so many people on MFP, it's hard to weed out the bad and hang on to the good. So far, I've heard that you're not supposed to eat back exercise calories because then you won't lose weight. On the other hand, many people say you SHOULD eat back the calories, because technically you didn't eat your net. I also hear that you should eat all of your allotted calories because under-eating can stifle fat loss or make you plateau.

Anyway, going with the advice to eat exercise calories. There are days when I could eat a horse, and others when I can barely eat all of my calories from exercise. Last night I burned around 400 calories and found it hard to eat them back (especially since I worked out at the end of the night).

My questions are: Should I force myself to eat all of the calories back? Should I forgo eating them back on the days that I really can't stuff myself? Should I try not to burn off so many calories in a day?

Sorry if this sounds stupid, but I really don't know. Thanks!

Replies

  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    That's what I hate about the MFP system. Your body does not work on a 24 hour clock. I prefer the TDEE system because it averages out your exercise calories for the entire week, so you eat the same number of calories every day regardless of whether or not you exercised that day. It seems stupid to force yourself to eat more that day when you're not hungry
  • frenchfacey
    frenchfacey Posts: 237 Member
    i dont think you should ever force yourself to eat. if you arent hungry dont eat.

    i doubt there are many doctors on here so be careful what advice you take, and consult a real doctor if you have serious questions because he/she will know you and your goals best and what to do to suit you personally. people on here get on total witch-hunts about calorie intake, its hilarious.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Assuming you have your activity level set to sedentary you should be eating (at least part of) your exercise calories back. This assumes that you have a reasonably accurate estimate of net calories (ie calories in addition to your BMR) expended during exercise and have accurately accounted for dietary intake.

    Right off the bat you have two possible sources of error.

    Now you know why I've adopted a TDEE based approach.........

    but to answer your question as to whether you should force yourself to eat all of the calories back or exercise less my answer would be no on both counts unless you were creating an unhealthy caloric deficit .
  • cl00bie
    cl00bie Posts: 25 Member
    I'm not a nutritionist (nor do I play one on TV). I don't worry about extra exercise calories. I figure I will just lose more weight. If i'm hungry, I might eat some of them back. But then there are other days when I don't exercise enough, and I go over. I like to have that extra "padding" (if you'll excuse the term) to fall back on.
  • missbis
    missbis Posts: 116 Member
    Assuming you have your activity level set to sedentary you should be eating (at least part of) your exercise calories back. This assumes that you have a reasonably accurate estimate of net calories (ie calories in addition to your BMR) expended during exercise and have accurately accounted for dietary intake.

    Right off the bat you have two possible sources of error.

    Now you know why I've adopted a TDEE based approach.........

    but to answer your question as to whether you should force yourself to eat all of the calories back or exercise less my answer would be no on both counts unless you were creating an unhealthy caloric deficit .

    Thanks. My goals are custom after reading about TDEE and BMR, but I think I calculated it using "light activity" but your comment made me realize that that gives me more calories on top of the exercise calories, which would be a surplus. I fixed it, tough it's only an 89 calorie difference.
  • born2drum
    born2drum Posts: 731 Member
    Use this to solve all your questions

    http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

    Eat at 20%-25% of your TDEE without eating back your calories. Good luck
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Use this to solve all your questions

    http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

    Eat at 20%-25% of your TDEE without eating back your calories. Good luck

    I think you mean eat 20%-25% below your TDEE...
  • TheBitSlinger
    TheBitSlinger Posts: 621 Member
    It's Fox News reporting it, so some will reject it simply for that reason alone, but there's common sense in this article:

    http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/07/22/trying-to-lose-weight-ditch-calorie-rich-rewards-after-exercise/
  • erinsueburns
    erinsueburns Posts: 865 Member
    I agree with the poster who said your body isn't a 24 hour clock. I look at the week as a whole, for the most part, maybe I am not hungry the day I exercise but am ravenous the next day. I eat when hungry and over the course of the week try to hit my NET for that week fairly closely.

    And the problem with eating too low, tends to be that it reduces you activity level overall. Your body tries to move less to help you conserve calories for vital bodily functions.

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