Eating back your fitness burned calories: Yes or No?
serenere
Posts: 70 Member
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
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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.0
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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 burn0 -
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.0
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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.0 -
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 0 -
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.0 -
no, never. But then again I don't go by the # MFP told me, I go by TDEE -20%.0
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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:0 -
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 them0
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Maybe.0
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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:0
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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.......0 -
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!0
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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.
Agreed0 -
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.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
Good Luck0 -
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.0 -
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.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
Good Luck
Wow, 1400 calories is really low.0 -
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.0 -
Not any more. I've changed from the MFP settings to my TDEE less 20%.
It's given me more calories and I'm feeling happier and more settled.
It's different for everyone, find what works for you! :-)0 -
I eat back my calories, but not all of them.
First, because I think MFP tends to overestimate calories burned so to be on the "safe side" I don't eat them all back.
Second, I set a maximum total caloric goal for myself of 1600 calories so if I have a day where I exercise a lot more than usual, I don't end up overeating that day.
So far, so good. I'm losing an average of 1.4 lbs per week and I'm very happy with that.0 -
Not any more. I've changed from the MFP settings to my TDEE less 20%.
It's given me more calories and I'm feeling happier and more settled.
It's different for everyone, find what works for you! :-)
TDEE -20% takes your exercise into account.0 -
no, never. But then again I don't go by the # MFP told me, I go by TDEE -20%.
^^this. However, if I have worked out for the day and do go over my calories a little bit I do not get upset with myself. If I'm hungry, then I eat.0 -
I have done that in the past and for me it turned into a fast way to feel like crap. My net calories were too low and I got too tired and hangry. I need to eat more to keep doing this for the long haul. I no longer have any need to race to the finish. I'd rather take it slow and make healthy, permanent, new habits.0
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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.
Well FOR YOU that may make sense but FOR ME it doesn't. I am disabled and cannot run at any speed, I cannot lift weights at all, I cannot use any exercise machines and I am not even supposed to be walking for exercise.
That being said, I will repeat myself: To me it is quite simple if the goal is weight loss like it is for me (104 lbs. to lose when I started).
Your stated goal is muscle building along with weight loss so there is no comparison.0 -
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
Except yours is based on a false premise, that exercise is for weight loss. Exercise is for fitness and cardiovascular health. The calorie goal is supposed to be based on your weight loss goal. The deficit is built in. So if you exercise and create an even bigger deficit, you are NOT hitting your calorie deficit goal. You are way under, which will screw your body up and eventually come back to bite you.
It will work in the short-term but virtually everyone who comes on here talking about how they don't eat exercise calories because the point is to lose weight ends up in one of three categories:
-Disappearing and going back to old ways because it's too hard to keep up with starving yourself
-Complaining about hitting that "mysterious" plateau
-Seeing the light, upping calories, and reaching target weight0 -
I eat a portion back. For example, if I burn 300 calories at the gym I'd probably eat 100-200 of those back.
Food is fuel. You absolutely need to eat more if you're going to be exercising off a significant amount of calories. I had a friend in real life who I convinced to use MFP. Her calorie goal is 1,200 and after a while I realized she was only netting ~300 calories a day because she burned ~900 calories at the gym... not okay!
If I were you OP, I'd be as accurate as humanly possible with food logging and then eat back around 1/2 of your exercise calories. If you find that you feel hungry, sluggish, etc then you know your body needs more fuel for your workouts.0 -
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.
Well FOR YOU that may make sense but FOR ME it doesn't. I am disabled and cannot run at any speed, I cannot lift weights at all, I cannot use any exercise machines and I am not even supposed to be walking for exercise.
That being said, I will repeat myself: To me it is quite simple if the goal is weight loss like it is for me (104 lbs. to lose when I started).
Your stated goal is muscle building along with weight loss so there is no comparison.
So you don't exercise, but you eat back your exercise calories. Hmm...that doesn't really make sense. Seems you should just move on to the next thread then! I think it is pretty clear the OP is clearly asking for advice from those who work out and burn a significant amount of calories from working out.0 -
I like to log my workouts to track my progress, and my workouts aren't always exactly the same, so I tell MFP that I'm sedentary despite the fact that I run 6x/week. I log my workouts and eat back the calories. Since my cardio is running and not a machine, it's fairly accurate. No other physical activity gets logged (for example, I don't try to nitpick how much I burned running around with my daughter or if I walked around a lot on a particular day to try to justify eating more. To me, that all counts as sedentary calories because I'm not drenched in sweat while doing it).
On my off-day, I eat at the sedentary calorie goal plus I allow myself to use calories I have 'saved' from throughout the week if I'm still hungry. If I underestimate my calories burned from activity, I just end up losing the weight faster, so it's win-win.0
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