How many of you eat back your exercise calories?

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  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    i didn't know i was suppose to eat them back.
    so i had 193 for breakfast
    174 for lunch
    a horrible snack that was 160
    then i exercised..... leaving me with 889 calories.... there's no way i'm gonna eat that much for dinner
    I could easily eat that much for dinner! :bigsmile:

    Seriously - those of you eating miniscule calories, low cal, low fat, "diet-y" type foods - eat your cals! If you have a hard time reaching your goal every day, either cut back on the exercise so you don't burn as much (assuming your burns are accurate), and/or eat more calorie dense foods! Add nuts, nuts butters, seeds, avocado, cheese, full fat dairy (do not be afraid of fat - fat doesn't make us fat, too many calories do), use olive and coconut oils in cooking, but some butter on that toast or those steamed veggies! You can get a good dose of healthy cals in small portions with those foods, getting you closer to goal without eating a ton of food.
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
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    i didn't know i was suppose to eat them back.
    so i had 193 for breakfast
    174 for lunch
    a horrible snack that was 160
    then i exercised..... leaving me with 889 calories.... there's no way i'm gonna eat that much for dinner
    That doesn't seem like that much. 1450ish all told. On a rest day, I have more than that.
  • spaingirl2011
    spaingirl2011 Posts: 763 Member
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    I have my baseline calorie goal set at 1230.... but I end up eating substantially more than that to account for my exercise (I like doing it this way so that I can see how much I have to eat and can account for unusual days) calories. There is no way I could run and lift if I only ate 1230 calories a day (I also wear a fitbit, so even when I'm not doing traditional workouts, it's linked to account for more walking than usual. Again, I rarely eat only 1230 calories.

    I should also imagine that when you get to maintenance, eating more (or at least, eating back your exercise calories) will help prevent the 5lb "bump" that many (but not all) maintainers get since you're not all of the sudden adding in a lot more calories to your daily calorie allotment.

    All best to you!
  • peaceenharmonyy
    peaceenharmonyy Posts: 49
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    aint no way. Youd be fainting.

    im alive and typing :laugh:

    i did have 80 oz of water.... idk if that makes a diffrence
  • peaceenharmonyy
    peaceenharmonyy Posts: 49
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    I could easily eat that much for dinner! :bigsmile:

    Seriously - those of you eating miniscule calories, low cal, low fat, "diet-y" type foods - eat your cals! If you have a hard time reaching your goal every day, either cut back on the exercise so you don't burn as much (assuming your burns are accurate), and/or eat more calorie dense foods! Add nuts, nuts butters, seeds, avocado, cheese, full fat dairy (do not be afraid of fat - fat doesn't make us fat, too many calories do), use olive and coconut oils in cooking, but some butter on that toast or those steamed veggies! You can get a good dose of healthy cals in small portions with those foods, getting you closer to goal without eating a ton of food.
    Thank you.. but i dont think 2 fried eggs strawberries and Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup with sour cream and cheese is diety
  • lpshizza
    lpshizza Posts: 30 Member
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    My weight loss has been very slow although I know I'm building muscle. I'm curious to see how many people eat back their exercise calories. MFP tells me to eat 1200 with no activity and I mostly stay on track :) I know some people say to eat back your exercise calories or your body will starve and store fat but I'm not sure if that' working for me. I wanted to lose 20 lbs by May. I started 2 months ago and have only lost a few :(
    Honestly, I doubt you're building any muscle on 1200 cals a day (unless you are a very tiny person!), especially if you're not eating back exercise cals.

    MFP is designed that you are SUPPOSED to eat back your exercise cals. The daily goal you're given already has a deficit built in - meaning eat TO GOAL every day, do zero exercise and you'll lose weight. Burn off more cals through exercise and now you're creating a HUGE deficit, which is no bueno. Especially if your goal is to actually build, or even retain your muscle and lean body mass while dropping fat.

    Food is fuel - don't sell yourself short by underfueling & thinking that eating soooo much less is going to result in quicker weight loss. It may cause some loss, but you risk losing muscle along with fat, running out of energy, stalling weight loss, and eventual burn out and exhaustion.

    There's a reason MFP adds those cals back into your daily goal. 1200 is the very minimum recommended for women (and it really too low for most of us!), so your daily NET cals should be 1200, especially if you are exercising.

    Good luck!

    I know I'm building muscle because I can do things now that 2 months ago were impossible....not to mention I can feel certain muscles (abs, glutes and biceps) and they are harder than before. I have been eating my exercise calories back and I use a heart rate monitor for accuracy. I was just curious as to what other people do. I read a few posts from some people that looked like they had very successful weight loss and some mentioned they did not eat back their exercise calories. I do want to keep the muscle and build more so I will keep going :) Thanks Everyone!
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    I could easily eat that much for dinner! :bigsmile:

    Seriously - those of you eating miniscule calories, low cal, low fat, "diet-y" type foods - eat your cals! If you have a hard time reaching your goal every day, either cut back on the exercise so you don't burn as much (assuming your burns are accurate), and/or eat more calorie dense foods! Add nuts, nuts butters, seeds, avocado, cheese, full fat dairy (do not be afraid of fat - fat doesn't make us fat, too many calories do), use olive and coconut oils in cooking, but some butter on that toast or those steamed veggies! You can get a good dose of healthy cals in small portions with those foods, getting you closer to goal without eating a ton of food.
    Thank you.. but i dont think 2 fried eggs strawberries and Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup with sour cream and cheese is diety
    Your diary is closed so I had no idea what you had eaten today. :smile: Was just a guess.
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
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    I usually eat them back on lifting days and I oftentimes go under on cardio day(s) while still hitting my protein macro. Assuming they aren't factored into your caloric target, you should be eating them back. The trick is to calculate them as accurately as possible, and I'd recommend logging things like "cleaning the house" and eating those calories back. I'm skeptical about many of MFP's estimates on caloric burn.
  • dixoncrew
    dixoncrew Posts: 186 Member
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    Yep. My calorie goal has my exercise calories already built in so I eat around 2000 calories every day. And I'm losing on that and don't feel deprived and I'm less prone to binge, which was a struggle for me.
  • czechwolf52
    czechwolf52 Posts: 194 Member
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    I normally do. On days where I have huge burns I like to net around 1300 just in case the machine or my measurements were off. I haven't for the past 3 weeks because of the holidays, but once school starts again I plan to eat almost all of my exercise calories back. If I earned it, I'm gonna eat it.
  • archaichoney
    archaichoney Posts: 132 Member
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    I don't, but I eat for an active person. 5'9 and I usually get in around 1600-1700 a day. Maybe 1800 on leg day.
  • Mainebikerchick
    Mainebikerchick Posts: 1,573 Member
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    I generally eat most of them back, if not all. I find whenever I don't quite eat them all, I'm STARVING the next morning!
  • sarafischbach9
    sarafischbach9 Posts: 466 Member
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    I sometimes do and I sometimes don't. I think you are supposed to! But when I do, I don't eat all of it back. Maybe like 50% of it. The most I've been eating is like 1500 calories.
  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 Member
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    My weight loss has been very slow although I know I'm building muscle. I'm curious to see how many people eat back their exercise calories. MFP tells me to eat 1200 with no activity and I mostly stay on track :) I know some people say to eat back your exercise calories or your body will starve and store fat but I'm not sure if that' working for me. I wanted to lose 20 lbs by May. I started 2 months ago and have only lost a few :(
    Honestly, I doubt you're building any muscle on 1200 cals a day (unless you are a very tiny person!), especially if you're not eating back exercise cals.

    MFP is designed that you are SUPPOSED to eat back your exercise cals. The daily goal you're given already has a deficit built in - meaning eat TO GOAL every day, do zero exercise and you'll lose weight. Burn off more cals through exercise and now you're creating a HUGE deficit, which is no bueno. Especially if your goal is to actually build, or even retain your muscle and lean body mass while dropping fat.

    Food is fuel - don't sell yourself short by underfueling & thinking that eating soooo much less is going to result in quicker weight loss. It may cause some loss, but you risk losing muscle along with fat, running out of energy, stalling weight loss, and eventual burn out and exhaustion.

    There's a reason MFP adds those cals back into your daily goal. 1200 is the very minimum recommended for women (and it really too low for most of us!), so your daily NET cals should be 1200, especially if you are exercising.

    Good luck!

    I know I'm building muscle because I can do things now that 2 months ago were impossible....not to mention I can feel certain muscles (abs, glutes and biceps) and they are harder than before. I have been eating my exercise calories back and I use a heart rate monitor for accuracy. I was just curious as to what other people do. I read a few posts from some people that looked like they had very successful weight loss and some mentioned they did not eat back their exercise calories. I do want to keep the muscle and build more so I will keep going :) Thanks Everyone!

    You can gain muscle strength and endurance without building new muscle tissue.
  • Love4fitnesslove4food2
    Love4fitnesslove4food2 Posts: 711 Member
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    I do.
  • florentinovillaro
    florentinovillaro Posts: 342 Member
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    I carb cycle, so yes, I eat back on workout days.
  • _firecracker_
    _firecracker_ Posts: 185 Member
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    Nope, don't eat them back. Although mfp told me to lose 1.5 lbs a week that my cal goal should be 1200. I laughed in its face and eat anywhere from 1600-1800 cals a day, every day. And when I stay with in that range I drop quickly without suffering in hunger pangs. I lift heavy and run too though and once I get back into my normal workout schedule (I was sidelined for almost a month being sick), I plan upping to 1900 and should still see a loss.

    Try eating a little more. Even if it's 1500 a day. You might see better losses.
  • Nutella91
    Nutella91 Posts: 624 Member
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    i don''t because i tend to get hungrier on days when i don't work out and usually eat more then.
  • 2networking
    2networking Posts: 16 Member
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    I eat them!
  • andresconejo
    andresconejo Posts: 264
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    I don`t and i don`t think i will until i get a HRM so i can get an accurate number for the cals i burn...

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