Should I Eat Back The Calories?

amos127 · March 2014

Hi! I'm a newbie. This question might have been asked a thousand times. But I won't get answers if I don't ask (and I cant find any thread). So, should I or shouldn't I eat the calories back?

example of the numbers today:

goal: 1740
exercise: -1023 [i worked my *kitten* off today. spinning class is crazy! and A couple of minutes walk/sprint on the treadmill. I use HRM to calculate burned cals ]
food: +1948 [I'm 208 over my goal

]
net: 925

should I eat till I have a net of 0?
would I still lose weight if I did?

thanks

Edit: i have a sedentary lifestyle and only started working out today

clarebear230786 · March 2014

If your goal is 1740 you need to eat another 815 calories
(your goal calories - your net so far)
Hope this helps!

tesha_chandler · March 2014

I have read that you should eat at least 75% of your workout calories back. (Exercising off everything you eat every day is actually considered to be a form of anorexia and is unhealthy for you) BUT my Dr suggested that I have a cheat day, then fast the next day. On the days that I fast, I burn off everything I eat. So pretty much, you should eat your 1,200 (or whatever your goal is) calories + 75% of work out calories.

amyhoss · March 2014

I think it depends on your body. I didn't feel like I was progressing when I ate back my exercise calories. Some people, however, do just fine eating them all back and may even work out just to be able to eat more. For now, I am eating back 50% of my workout calories.

amyhoss · March 2014

Awesome workout btw!!

2dogzrule · March 2014

I think it depends on your body and how you lose weight best. MFP says eat them back. I rarely eat mine back and do well losing weight that way. My goal is 1500 and my net is often 900-1200.

tryclyn · March 2014

I would suggest some reading to start with.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1187899-in-place-of-a-roadmap-short-n-sweet-reposted
http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

and a group to check out
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress
(read all the stickies first)

da_bears10089 · March 2014

Eat back exercise calories as long as when you calculated your intake, you did NOT include exercise. For me, my goal is 1670, and that includes my exercise.

If you set it to sedentary, then eat back exercise calories.

amos127 · March 2014

I did 45mins of spinning class and 30 mins walk on the treadmill.

So I should be eating it back. Thanks.
I have a very sedentary lifestyle and I only started working out today. Yay.

swanny320 · March 2014

Personally I believe in calories in, calories out. It takes 3500 calorie deficit to burn a pound. If you're eating back what you worked off, it doesn't seem to make sense that you would lose. Now, I do think that if you are feeling extra hungry and want to eat, eating them back is fine...but remember, the more of a deficit you make, the faster you will lose.

asdowe13 · March 2014

And a spinning class doesn't burn that much. Your HRM is probably incorrect. That is too much.

She didn't say it was all from a spinning class, but even still it is possible to burn that many calories in a spin class.

RGv2 · March 2014

Personally I believe in calories in, calories out. It takes 3500 calorie deficit to burn a pound. If you're eating back what you worked off, it doesn't seem to make sense that you would lose. Now, I do think that if you are feeling extra hungry and want to eat, eating them back is fine...but remember, the more of a deficit you make, the faster you will lose.

Then you don't understand how it all works.

Yep. Poster has been at MFP for 4 years and still doesn't understand the deficit is built in.

Pirate_chick · March 2014

you can eat back some but not all.

scrittrice · March 2014

Personally I believe in calories in, calories out. It takes 3500 calorie deficit to burn a pound. If you're eating back what you worked off, it doesn't seem to make sense that you would lose. Now, I do think that if you are feeling extra hungry and want to eat, eating them back is fine...but remember, the more of a deficit you make, the faster you will lose.

But MFP already builds in that deficit when it gives you a number. You are supposed to eat back your exercise calories. The whole point is to lose at a controlled pace, not as fast as possible.

tomwatso · March 2014

I eat mine back. It has not had an adverse effect.

Holly_Roman_Empire · March 2014

I think it depends on your body. I didn't feel like I was progressing when I ate back my exercise calories. Some people, however, do just fine eating them all back and may even work out just to be able to eat more. For now, I am eating back 50% of my workout calories.

It depends on nothing. MFP is designed to eat the exercise calories. Why do you think it adds them back when you log it?

amos127 · March 2014

I would suggest some reading to start with.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1187899-in-place-of-a-roadmap-short-n-sweet-reposted
http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

and a group to check out
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress
(read all the stickies first)

Thanks

Should I Eat Back The Calories?

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