Do you eat your exercise calories?

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rslarsenx2
rslarsenx2 Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Was wondering if anyone eats their exercise calories? Trying to loose 2 lbs a week. 5'7" and 173. Trying to get to 145-150.
To eat or not to eat.... that is the question... and/or, if you eat them, do you eat them that day or can you save them up for meal eating out on the weekend??
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Replies

  • jchadden42
    jchadden42 Posts: 189
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    I am not trying to lose a lot of weight at once. I often end up eating many or most of my exercise calories unless I've had a crazy workout day, ie I've run 10 miles that day. Even without trying, I have found that I've lost about a pound a week. It's important that you not lose too much weight too quickly, and it's important that your body get the calories it needs to sustain a reasonable level of activities. I know that Weight Watchers makes the "exercise points" optional (as in, don't feel you have to eat them), and they are added to the weekly points if you don't use them. I don't know if that's helpful, but...

    Anyway, I actually exercise as much as I do because I wouldn't be able to stay within my calorie limit if I didn't anyway. :blushing:
  • rslarsenx2
    rslarsenx2 Posts: 6 Member
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    Thank you. I was also wondering if I don't eat those calories will by body go into starvation mode??
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,473 Member
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    no
  • glin23
    glin23 Posts: 460 Member
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    No it won't. And no I don't usually eat back my exercise calories.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    I eat mine...if you are following the MFP format it is setup so you do eat your exercise calories back...but it's a choice just eat enough that's all you need to do...

    Only thing is why 2lbs a week? that's an awful lot for someone who doesn't have a whole lot?
  • thinklivebefree
    thinklivebefree Posts: 328 Member
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    NO!
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
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    I absolutely eat them. :)
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
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    Sometimes.

    I go more by what my weekly average is, so consumed minus exercise leaves me my net. If my net is my BMR or over, it's fine.

    It depends how hungry I am, how much I was over/under yesterday etc.
  • WestCoastPhoenix
    WestCoastPhoenix Posts: 802 Member
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    Yes. You still have a built-in deficit in MFP. Making this deficit too large by not eating your exercise calories can work against your efforts.
  • MsKeelah919
    MsKeelah919 Posts: 332 Member
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    Some of them.
  • lilfurson
    lilfurson Posts: 190
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    Most days I try to eat them back unless I really don't feel hungry. The first couple weeks I had my calories set too low and I could barely function let alone exercise. Try it out and see how things go. You can always adjust.
  • davemanges
    davemanges Posts: 7
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    No. My regular caloric goal is high enough, I have trouble hitting it most days.
  • sunsetzen
    sunsetzen Posts: 268 Member
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    I eat some or all of mine back. It depends on my net calories (I eat to go over 1200), and if I'm actually hungry.
  • emAZn
    emAZn Posts: 413 Member
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    I wasn't eating mine back but I started this week... well as of today actually... my exercise calorie burn varies so much each day/week so I am hoping to be able to track my net calories better... plus if I'm ever gonna eat that blueberry cheesecake I've been dreaming about since I started MFP I am going to need to create a calorie deficit with exercise :)
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,065 Member
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    Depends on the days, sometimes I do sometimes I don't.
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,862 Member
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    I listen to my body. If it's screaming at me, yes.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Was wondering if anyone eats their exercise calories? Trying to loose 2 lbs a week. 5'7" and 173. Trying to get to 145-150.
    To eat or not to eat.... that is the question... and/or, if you eat them, do you eat them that day or can you save them up for meal eating out on the weekend??

    2 pounds a week to way too aggressive a goal for you. When you try to lose weight too fast ....... you promote muscle loss.

    Between 40 - 75 lbs to lose 1.5 lb range
    Between 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lb range
    Between 15-25 lbs to lose 1 -.50 lb range
    Less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs range

    MFP as designed gave you a calorie defecit BEFORE exercise ...... so not eating exercise calories back is like trying to lose weight too fast ......again you are promoting muscle loss

    If your goal is to reduce your current body fat % .....you will want eat some of your calories back. I say "some of your calories" ....because MFP over states most calorie burns.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    With MFP, you're supposed to. If you set your activity level up correctly, it does not include any exercise...so exercise is extra activity that needs to be fueled. Your calorie GOAL (a lot of people need to look that word up apparently) includes a massive deficit from maintenance already...and that GOAL is net of exercise.

    Other calculators are different. A TDEE calculator for example will include an estimate of exercise in your activity level...so while your'e not physically logging and eating those calories back, you are still essentially eating your exercise calories in that it is included in your activity level.

    MFP is really easy...you net to your GOAL...why do people feel the need to make it more complicated than that?
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
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    If I was going by MFP then yes, I'd eat them back. At least to make sure I netted 1200 a day.
    If I go by TDEE then no.

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