Do you eat your calories back that you burn

Just wondering how others treat the calories they burn doing exercise?

I ran today and burned 720 calories. I ate 400 of them back, but don't want to eat them all as I feel it defeats the purpose of exercise.

Also, just wondering how many calories others eat and how much they work out?

I eat 1500 calories ( Sometimes more) and am 232lbs and 5'5".

thanks
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Replies

  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    If you understood the way this system is set up, you'd realize that eating back calories burned through exercise doesn't "defeat the purpose."

    MFP already gives you a deficit without exercise. So exercising is basically just a bonus of more calories being burned and a larger deficit being created. But you're already eating at a deficit and shouldn't extend that deficit to an unhealthy and potentially dangerous number.

    That being said, cals burned numbers aren't accurate so I would take that into consideration when eating them back. Maybe eating back 75% of them, to adjust for inaccuracies.

    Also,
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    If you understood the way this system is set up, you'd realize that eating back calories burned through exercise doesn't "defeat the purpose."

    MFP already gives you a deficit without exercise. So exercising is basically just a bonus of more calories being burned and a larger deficit being created. But you're already eating at a deficit and shouldn't extend that deficit to an unhealthy and potentially dangerous number.

    That being said, cals burned numbers aren't accurate so I would take that into consideration when eating them back. Maybe eating back 75% of them, to adjust for inaccuracies.

    Also,
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    /end thread
  • I been wondering the same thing as well.
    My daily intake limit is 1300.
    I burn on average 2000.
    This is how I did my formula.
    2000 - 1300 = 700
    So I actually only count 700 as burned cause I consumed 1300.

    Correct me if I'm wrong please.
  • bobbijodmb
    bobbijodmb Posts: 463 Member
    There are a lot of theories about this and two different ideas. I think finding what works for you is the best.


    I used to eat them back and now I technically don't and I am quite successful in losing weight.

    I worked with a nutritionist that explained to me that it's best not to eat them back-- because it allows for a bit of error in calculating your food totals-- you go out to eat and you aren't exactly sure, you forget something you ate, etc.

    But i also listen to my body, if I am hungry, I will eat a healthy snack.
  • airdiva1
    airdiva1 Posts: 198 Member
    I also want to be clear on this too.
    My daily set goal is 1350 calories
    I'm 272lbs at 5'5 and normally walk 4 miles at least five days a week, this shows around 540 additonal calories.
    While I make sure to eat at least 1,200, I normally only have a net in the 800's with around 500 calories remaining.
    Since I know it can be a difference in food calorie count, I would like to leave some wiggle room. But am I leaving too much with a net under 1,000?
    My goal is to lose two miles a week.
    I don't eat no fried food
    steel cut oatmeal with cinnamon for breakfast daily,except four times a month, plain greek yougart with blueberries and granola
    Red meat only twice a month
    Steam 95% or bake 5% of all veggies with Kale with every lunch and dinner (motto half must be green on plate!)
    baked fish (salmon mostly) or chicken
    also alot of beans
    apple and 16 raw almonds for snacks
    dark 86% chocolate every other day (but sometimes not even this often)
    hummus once in a while 2tablespoons
    Only water
    and green tea
    Am I doing right? Lost 19lbs so far
    I do a cheat meal monthly,but find myself not into it as much. A cheat is two slices of whole grain bread with a little butter, once in a while
  • DangerJim71
    DangerJim71 Posts: 361 Member
    The purpose of exercise is to be fit and strong. The purpose of counting calories is to lose weight. I know it's hard but they are exclusive.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    nope i'm not following MFP guidelines though. i'm doing TDEE - 1000 to get 2 pound fat loss a week. my TDEE numbers are based on the assumption that i'll be working out 3-5 hours a week. If i work out more than that then i might end up eating those calories back anyway because i'll be hungrier.
  • PunkyRachel
    PunkyRachel Posts: 1,959 Member
    Sometimes, it just depends on how hungry I am. I don't eat unless I am hungry, like today I worked out but didn't eat my calories back because I'm just not hungry. Then there are days that I will eat all of them back.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    If you are using MFP as designed and your calorie goal is from MFP then that is the way this tool is designed...there is no debate and it's not some kind of theory...it's actually the way the tool is designed.

    Other calculators include an estimate of exercise up front in your activity level...so technically, you're eating them back with other calculators too, just not deliberately as they are already included in your calorie goal.

    Just make sure you're not overestimating your burn, that's the biggest issue. You really don't burn as much as you think you burn. I'd question a 700+ calorie burn running....that's a lot of running. Where are you getting that burn?
  • jennipooh0324
    jennipooh0324 Posts: 85 Member
    My NIKE plus on my Ipod said 700 ish calories burned. And I know the treadmill has given me a similar type calorie burn too.

    Is there a good site to go to find out a more accurate amount of calories burned?
    I don't have a heart rate monitor right now, so I rely on my NIKE Plus and on the workout machines at the gym.

    I have heard that the more you weigh, the more calories you burn. I weigh 232 lbs and ran 55mins (a total of 6.27 km's).
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I been wondering the same thing as well.
    My daily intake limit is 1300.
    I burn on average 2000.
    This is how I did my formula.
    2000 - 1300 = 700
    So I actually only count 700 as burned cause I consumed 1300.

    Correct me if I'm wrong please.

    Are you saying that your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is 2000? These are total (24 hr) calories for everything including exercise.

    If your TDEE is 2000 & you eat 1300 ....then your daily deficit is 700 ....which is 1.4 pounds a week

    If 2000 is all actual exercise (sounds super high?!).............then 1300 is in no way enough food (ie: fuel) to keep from losing muscle mass. A modest calorie deficit helps you lose fat and NOT muscle.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    My NIKE plus on my Ipod said 700 ish calories burned. And I know the treadmill has given me a similar type calorie burn too.

    Is there a good site to go to find out a more accurate amount of calories burned?
    I don't have a heart rate monitor right now, so I rely on my NIKE Plus and on the workout machines at the gym.

    I have heard that the more you weigh, the more calories you burn. I weigh 232 lbs and ran 55mins (a total of 6.27 km's).

    Calories burned...........height, weight, age, gender, exertion level.......and other factors are used to calculate calorie burns.
    HRMs are designed for cardio ....so those are not accurate for strength training.

    Try a couple sources .....on-line calculators too....and choose a conservative number. If you start to feel run down or lethargic....you are not eating enough....if weight loss stalls....you are eating too much.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    I do TDEE, so my exercise is already accounted for. But if I were to be doing it the way MFP sets it up, then yes I would be eatting back my exercise calories.
  • jennipooh0324
    jennipooh0324 Posts: 85 Member
    I was just reading up on the TDEE and have found out some inforamtion and was hoping someone might be able to confirm this for me?

    MFP had me eating 1410 a day (and I rarely ate my activity calories back) but now I have realized that I wasn't even eating enough to cover my BMR.

    Correct me if I am wrong, but my BMR that I calculate on Fat2Fit website is 1815 calories.
    I workout at least 3 times a week, and hopefully more like 5. I also run a home daycare, so am on my feet, up and the stairs quite a bit.
    So when i look at the MODERATE ACTIVITY it says I should eat 2361 calories.

    My current weight is 232 lbs and my GOAL weight is 165lbs. So i take 20% away from the 2361 calories giving me a DAILY CALORIC INTAKE of 1889.

    I eat this amount of calories regardless of whether I worked out that day or not ( as that number reflects the 3-5 times I said I was going to workout).
    My workouts are around 30-60 mins each time (including strength and cardio) so does that still fit in the moderate activity, or should i go based on light activity??

    Am I on the right track??
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    If you are using MFP as designed and your calorie goal is from MFP then that is the way this tool is designed...there is no debate and it's not some kind of theory...it's actually the way the tool is designed.
    It's the way the MFP goals are designed but I think there is room for debate because if you hit the floor of 1200, that means you are not allowed by MFP to pursue the deficit you'd prefer. To say that in that case you can't get to the deficit you prefer by exercising more is a bit odd. You can put your activity level in as active and then take a straight (say) 750 calorie deficit from that with no 'eating back'. But if you instead put in sedentary with logged workouts, under that scenario you now can't get to a 750 calorie deficit because you have to 'eat back' because you described your activity as 'exercise' instead of 'activity'. Your body doesn't differentiate. You can create a deficit of 750 under either scenario. The only 'net calories' your body recognizes is your total activity minus your total intake.
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  • I been wondering the same thing as well.
    My daily intake limit is 1300.
    I burn on average 2000.
    This is how I did my formula.
    2000 - 1300 = 700
    So I actually only count 700 as burned cause I consumed 1300.

    Correct me if I'm wrong please.

    Are you saying that your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is 2000? These are total (24 hr) calories for everything including exercise.

    If your TDEE is 2000 & you eat 1300 ....then your daily deficit is 700 ....which is 1.4 pounds a week

    If 2000 is all actual exercise (sounds super high?!).............then 1300 is in no way enough food (ie: fuel) to keep from losing muscle mass. A modest calorie deficit helps you lose fat and NOT muscle.

    So is my formula right? Am I burning too much?
    My daily goal is 2lbs.
  • S3r3knitty
    S3r3knitty Posts: 159 Member
    I don't eat them back unless I am hungry. However I only have a couple more pounds to loose so my margin of error is small and I usually burn only 200 - 350 a day through exercise. If I do more I usually eat half of it back.
  • mrsamanda86
    mrsamanda86 Posts: 869 Member
    I was just reading up on the TDEE and have found out some inforamtion and was hoping someone might be able to confirm this for me?

    MFP had me eating 1410 a day (and I rarely ate my activity calories back) but now I have realized that I wasn't even eating enough to cover my BMR.

    Correct me if I am wrong, but my BMR that I calculate on Fat2Fit website is 1815 calories.
    I workout at least 3 times a week, and hopefully more like 5. I also run a home daycare, so am on my feet, up and the stairs quite a bit.
    So when i look at the MODERATE ACTIVITY it says I should eat 2361 calories.

    My current weight is 232 lbs and my GOAL weight is 165lbs. So i take 20% away from the 2361 calories giving me a DAILY CALORIC INTAKE of 1889.

    I eat this amount of calories regardless of whether I worked out that day or not ( as that number reflects the 3-5 times I said I was going to workout).
    My workouts are around 30-60 mins each time (including strength and cardio) so does that still fit in the moderate activity, or should i go based on light activity??

    Am I on the right track??

    This sounds about right. Of course there might be slight errors given with any online calculators, so the best thing to do would be eat at around 1890 for like a month, and then reevaluate based on what you lost and if that was on point with what you were aiming for in that time period. I would definitely say you do moderate activity though given that you are running around chasing kids all day and you hit the gym at least three times a week.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I been wondering the same thing as well.
    My daily intake limit is 1300.
    I burn on average 2000.
    This is how I did my formula.
    2000 - 1300 = 700
    So I actually only count 700 as burned cause I consumed 1300.

    Correct me if I'm wrong please.

    Are you saying that your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is 2000? These are total (24 hr) calories for everything including exercise.

    If your TDEE is 2000 & you eat 1300 ....then your daily deficit is 700 ....which is 1.4 pounds a week

    If 2000 is all actual exercise (sounds super high?!).............then 1300 is in no way enough food (ie: fuel) to keep from losing muscle mass. A modest calorie deficit helps you lose fat and NOT muscle.

    So is my formula right? Am I burning too much?
    My daily goal is 2lbs.

    When you say you are burning 2000 - how did you come up with that number? We burn calories even while sleeping. To include 100% of your calories (exercise too) = TDEE total daily energy expenditure

    Calculator ........http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

    To lose weight you take a percentage (cut) off of TDEE .....when you have lots of weight to lose the cut can be as big as 30% ....as you get closer to goal....your cut becomes smaller ....say 5%

    The way you determine ....big cut or small cut: look at your BMR.....these are the calories your body would use if you did nothing except sleep all day. You don't want to eat below this. http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/bmr-calculator.html

    With TDEE - exercise is included, therefore you don't have to log exercise separately & eat calories back....it's all inclusive. A different set up than MFP......but the numbers are helpful to see.