Eating back your fitness burned calories: Yes or No?

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serenere
serenere Posts: 70 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I know this is a hot topic, I would like to know your opinion about it. I personally try not to eat my fitness burned calories (unless it's a special occasion) but it's not like I do that because of some scientific reason...I just do that. What do you think? It would be useful or not for weight loss to use some of those calories? :)
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Replies

  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    Yes, always! MFP sets you up with a calorie deficit based on your personal info and goals. So when you exercise you create an even larger deficit and if it's too large for too long, you could be messing up your metabolism. Same idea as not eating enough in the first place. You have to fuel the machine in order for it to continue to work properly.
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
  • Donald_Dozier_50
    Donald_Dozier_50 Posts: 395 Member
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    To me it is quite simple if the goal is weight loss like it is for me (104 lbs. to lose when I started.)

    Eating back exercise calories burned = Eating back the fat you just worked your butt off to burn
  • aquarabbit
    aquarabbit Posts: 1,622 Member
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    I definitely do. My calorie goal is low (1200) and I workout twice a day. So I want that extra food! I try to keep it between a range though. I try to net between 1200-1400 calories a day. I can't even imagine working out without being able to eat more. I still try to eat healthy with a few treats here and there, but I like being able to eat more since I'm very hungry after my workouts.
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,775 Member
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    To me it is quite simple if the goal is weight loss like it is for me (92 lbs. to lose when I started.)

    Working my butt off to burn calories = I get to eat good stuff I love so I don't have to deprive myself, setting myself up for an unhealthy binge.
  • Donald_Dozier_50
    Donald_Dozier_50 Posts: 395 Member
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    To me it is quite simple if the goal is weight loss like it is for me (92 lbs. to lose when I started.)

    Working my butt off to burn calories = I get to eat good stuff I love so I don't have to deprive myself, setting myself up for an unhealthy binge.

    Then we agree. My statement is FOR ME and yours is for YOU :)
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    I totally eat mine back. I'm much happier this way and my weight loss isn't exactly slow either (averaging 1.82lbs per week).

    Mfp is designed for you to eat them back. As long as your not overestimating calorie burns, it should work.
  • _Resolve_
    _Resolve_ Posts: 735 Member
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    no, never. But then again I don't go by the # MFP told me, I go by TDEE -20%.
  • 1stday13
    1stday13 Posts: 433 Member
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    To me it is quite simple if the goal is weight loss like it is for me (104 lbs. to lose when I started.)

    Eating back exercise calories burned = Eating back the fat you just worked your butt off to burn

    Amen!!! My Doctor agreed!! Thanks:drinker:
  • serenere
    serenere Posts: 70 Member
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    mmmm the thing is, my BMR is super low (1180 cal) so if I eat those hard gained 300 cal a day I won't lose any weight! I was just wondering if it would be helpful to eat them once in a while, meaning if eating that would increase my metabolism in the long run even if I'm not losing weight eating them
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    http://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/410332-how-does-myfitnesspal-calculate-my-initial-goals-
  • SkinnyFatAlbert
    SkinnyFatAlbert Posts: 482 Member
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    Maybe.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    If your using the MFP method then yes it is encouraged to eat them back.... Having said that, it is the method I have used since I started, Yes I eat mine back and have lost a couple pounds in the process..... Best of Luck :drinker:
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    If you're using a TDEE - deficit system then no, you would not eat them back as you've already included exercise in your expenditure estimates.

    If you're using MFP's "net calorie" model and have your activity level set at sedentary you may want to eat at least a portion of your exercise calories back depending on how much weight you have to lose and how big a deficit you want to create. You also need to have confidence in both the accuracy of your caloric intake and exercise calories and it seems to be human nature to underestimate portion sizes and exercise machine makers seem to like inflating caloric burns so caution is in order.......
  • lewcompton
    lewcompton Posts: 881 Member
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    No/Yes... Let me explain... From 425 down to 250 no... Now a few calories back on occasion until I am at goal and then I will be eating them back for maintenance... If you want to drop the weight then don't eat them back. Its like spraying down your tires with water when you are stuck in mud... You want to lose quickly then eat between 1200 and 1800 and exercise heavy and you will get lighter! If you are close to maintenance eat your calories for the day and then burn a bit more than you eat... when you are at maintenance then maintain!
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,370 Member
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    Yes, always! MFP sets you up with a calorie deficit based on your personal info and goals. So when you exercise you create an even larger deficit and if it's too large for too long, you could be messing up your metabolism. Same idea as not eating enough in the first place. You have to fuel the machine in order for it to continue to work properly.

    Agreed
  • Donald_Dozier_50
    Donald_Dozier_50 Posts: 395 Member
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    mmmm the thing is, my BMR is super low (1180 cal) so if I eat those hard gained 300 cal a day I won't lose any weight! I was just wondering if it would be helpful to eat them once in a while, meaning if eating that would increase my metabolism in the long run even if I'm not losing weight eating them
    To be quite honest, I did not go by MFP, BMR or TFEE. I set my own calorie goal and it is 1,375. My exercise is limited normally to walking only since I am disabled and not even supposed to do that. I lost 67 lbs. in 84 days doing it my way. Since then, in 5 weeks I have only lost 3 lbs. due to a seemingly never ending foot injury (diabetic sore followed immediately by multiple fractures in the same foot). I am sticking to the diet plan and things are going slow but I will not give up.

    Good Luck
  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
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    To me it is quite simple if the goal is weight loss like it is for me (150 lbs. to lose when I started).

    Eating back exercise calories burned = fueling my workouts so that I can run faster, lift heavier, and achieve awesomeness, not just skinniness!




    I'm in this for the long haul, and am using MFP as it was designed. That said, the burns in the database are too high, I cut them in half for the most part. Once my running speed increases, they will probably be more accurate. I also weigh and measure my food so that I know everything is as accurate as possible.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    mmmm the thing is, my BMR is super low (1180 cal) so if I eat those hard gained 300 cal a day I won't lose any weight! I was just wondering if it would be helpful to eat them once in a while, meaning if eating that would increase my metabolism in the long run even if I'm not losing weight eating them
    To be quite honest, I did not go by MFP, BMR or TFEE. I set my own calorie goal and it is 1,375. My exercise is limited normally to walking only since I am disabled and not even supposed to do that. I lost 67 lbs. in 84 days doing it my way. Since then, in 5 weeks I have only lost 3 lbs. due to a seemingly never ending foot injury (diabetic sore followed immediately by multiple fractures in the same foot). I am sticking to the diet plan and things are going slow but I will not give up.

    Good Luck

    Wow, 1400 calories is really low.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    To me it is quite simple if the goal is weight loss like it is for me (104 lbs. to lose when I started.)

    Eating back exercise calories burned = Eating back the fat you just worked your butt off to burn

    After seeing how little you eat + exercise, than no, eating back your exercise cals wouldn't be eating back the fat you just burned.

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