Exercising and eating back your calories?

Bruggush
Bruggush Posts: 15
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been wondering for a while now, since some people do eat back their calories and others don't, is there a benefit specifically to fat loss to exercising if you just eat your calories back after workouts?

I understand that it's possible to lose muscle mass if you don't eat your calories back after working out, given the right circumstances. I also understand that even though you're burning, say, 500 calories during exercise and if you eat 500 calories extra in your day, you're still using your muscles, gaining cardio, and there's a lot of health benefits to exercising.

But... From strictly a fat loss standpoint, are you going to lose more weight from exercising and eating 100% of your calories back that you've burned during your workout? Rather than just being at a caloric deficit and losing weight through dieting?

It sounds simple when people put it in simple terms, like Calories in < calories out = Weight loss. So does that mean that having a 500 calorie deficit each day from dieting and no exercise will result in 3500 calories in a week equaling 1 pound of weight loss.
And a 500 calorie deficit each day from dieting, + 500 calories burned while exercising, but then eating an additional 500 calories on your exercise days will still equal 3500 calories burned by the end of the week, still only resulting in 1 pound of weight loss?

Or does exercising, (Cardio as well as heavy weights), boost your amount of weight loss throughout the week regardless of eating your calories back?

Thank you for reading and responding.

Replies

  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    Part of the answer is in not creating too large a deficit for your body to function well. You can lose using MFP even if you don't exercise...you're already set at a deficit. Creating an even bigger one may be going to unhealthy levels.
    The other part of it is..I get more calories to eat! I can eat all my healthy food and still have some icecream! Or another glass of wine, or another slice of that steak.
    So, yes, I do eat back most of those calories. They're mine...I earned them.
  • Bruggush
    Bruggush Posts: 15
    Alright, so it doesn't make a difference in weight loss then?

    I haven't been eating back my calories but I'm not sure if I'm at a risk of injuring myself, I feel fine.

    I eat 2000 calories per day, my TDEE is 3854, according to a certain calculator I used.

    Though I've been losing a bit more than 4 pounds per week.

    I don't feel tired, I always have energy at the gym as long as I eat before I exercise, and I stay very hydrated. I've also been making very large strength gains on the weight machines.

    From what I've read, this could be considered dangerous, setting a deficit much too low or over-burning calories and not eating them back, but I've still been able to do this and lose weight while it SEEMS like gaining muscle. (Even though I've read that it isn't really possible to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time)

    Should I slow down or should I be fine to continue what I'm doing?
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    Losing too fast isn't healthy...and can ultimately damage your metabolism. What's the hurry? Eat smart, exercise smart. I'm not going to throw around terms like "starvation mode"...that is a more complicated issue, and you aren't near those levels at all. But if you're exercising and losing weight, your body needs sufficient nutrition to keep working optimally. You could feel fine...but still be doing subtle damage.
    Ive always seen that when people lose fast, they regain fast. I'm not sure if that's nutritional, psychological, or behavioral...but it seems to be true...has been for me too, in the past. I feel like Ive finally learned to take proper care of my body.
    I see you are using a TDEE/BMR calculator, so eating back your exercise burn isn't necessarily even an issue for you. (Ive used MFFP's method of calculating calorie levels..and been happy with it)
    Either way..best of luck to you!
  • Bruggush
    Bruggush Posts: 15
    Yeah I get what you mean, you're right. I just feel like I am in a hurry because I've got some certain goals I want to reach that are only once in a lifetime opportunity. The window of opportunity is so small so I feel like I have to do everything perfectly to get the weight off efficiently, or I'm going to miss my opportunity by being too out of shape. I'm hoping to lose 100 pounds in 10 months, which would put me close enough to my goals.
  • Bruggush
    Bruggush Posts: 15
    Part of the question I'm still trying to find the answer for though is this:

    If I exercise and eat my calories back compared to not exercising at all, what difference will there be in weight loss?
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
    Part of the question I'm still trying to find the answer for though is this:

    If I exercise and eat my calories back compared to not exercising at all, what difference will there be in weight loss?

    In theory, no difference.

    In practice, you'll usually lose less if you eat back *all* of your calories -- this is because most databases (and people) overestimate how many calories are burned through exercise, and underestimate how many calories are consumed.

    It's all a big estimate -- you have to adjust things based on your week-to-week results anyhow.
  • Bruggush
    Bruggush Posts: 15
    In theory, no difference.

    In practice, you'll usually lose less if you eat back *all* of your calories -- this is because most databases (and people) overestimate how many calories are burned through exercise, and underestimate how many calories are consumed.

    It's all a big estimate -- you have to adjust things based on your week-to-week results anyhow.
    [/quote]

    Okay great, thank you.

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