Taking a poll...

Healthyby30
Healthyby30 Posts: 1,349 Member
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I am curious to know who eats back their exercise calories and who doesn't? If you do, do you just eat enough to get the minimum net calories (1200 for women, 1500 for men) or do you eat them all, etc. Also, please state why you do what you do!

I'll go first, since I asked the question. Up until this point I have not eaten back my exercise calories, but that's changing as of yesterday lol. I just find myself dragging *kitten* lots of times, not being able to push myself during workouts, no energy, tired all the time, etc. I figure it might be due to a month and a half of only having a net calorie total of 400 to 600. I've lost 28 lbs doing that, but if I don't feel good what's the point? So, now I'm going to try eating my exercise calories back to give me a net of 1200 calories and see how it goes for a month or so. I'd rather lose the weight slower and feel better then lose it fast, feel like crap and possibly gain it all back!
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Replies

  • Caffeinewitch
    Caffeinewitch Posts: 110 Member
    Yes yes yes! Eat exercise calories until you're at 1200!
    I was going under for only a couple of weeks and I was dragging my feet to get up to my office. I'm back up to 1200 a day (net) and I sleep like a baby, wake up feeling ready, and heck have the energy AFTER a workout to do laundry, and tidy my house! After work!
  • shellydd
    shellydd Posts: 156 Member
    i eat my exercise calories too. actually i've been alittle under a couple of times but i'm never "hungry". when it's time to eat, i'm ready but i'm not starved and obsessed with food. Also i get the "incentive" to exercise from the "need" to burn off some of what i've eaten. i'd be happy to see the weight fly off by not eating back my exercise calories but i know without even trying it....i'd fail
  • ashley0616
    ashley0616 Posts: 579 Member
    I exercise so I can eat more! LOL! I don't eat them all of course, but I eat until I am full. If I need an extra snack and I have extra calories from exercise, I will eat something. I notice on the days that I work out I am hungrier so I figure it's my body telling me to give it a little more.
  • Healthyby30
    Healthyby30 Posts: 1,349 Member
    Thanks for the responses. At first I thought because I had so much to lose that not eating them back would be ok, but wow I just feel like complete crap!
  • missmiller1
    missmiller1 Posts: 131 Member
    I only eat my exercise calories if I'm really hungry after a workout.

    I usually eat dinner, wait an hour or so, then circuit train and/or go for a run at night and then hit the hay less than a hour afterwards and I don't want to eat right before I go to sleep.

    So far it's worked for me.
  • rescuepete
    rescuepete Posts: 58 Member
    This seems to be the most consistently discussed topic on the forums, whereas I am anything but consistent with eating back my exercise calories. Some days I feel like I need the extra fuel, sometimes i don't. I really do consider all intake of calories as fuel for my internal fire, and I let a combination of my brain, general fatigue level, and hunger be my fuel gauge.

    I also use a HRM to track my cardio, and I read regularly to not completely trust the device. It's accurate to about 80%, and it's best to only eat back 1/2 those calories.

    So, if you eat a minimum of 1200 a day, exercise 400, then eat back another 200, you're still taking in a total of 1400, and netting 1000. That doesn't seem too far fetched or off-target for me. I think it's when you only eat a 1000 for a day, exercise say 400 again, then eat nothing back, you're netting 600. I think my fuel gauges would be screaming.
  • TaneeisFitforLife
    TaneeisFitforLife Posts: 433
    If I eat them it's no more than half of them...it really depends on how much real hunger I have. :)

    Why are you eating only 1200 at your current weight? You aren't eating enough if you are feeling like you are. (I'm in the school of eating the most calories you can & still lose weight...at your weight I was eating about 1500-1600 & still losing at least 2 pounds a week)
  • just4peachy
    just4peachy Posts: 594 Member
    I'm not consistent with my eating/not eating exercise calories. If I'm hungry or honestly feel like I need them then I do but if I still feel good/satisfied I don't bother.
  • Healthyby30
    Healthyby30 Posts: 1,349 Member
    Why are you eating only 1200 at your current weight? You aren't eating enough if you are feeling like you are. (I'm in the school of eating the most calories you can & still lose weight...at your weight I was eating about 1500-1600 & still losing at least 2 pounds a week)

    The honest answer? Lol, I really am not that hungry but I get obsessive about things and I'm very competitive. Trying to get out of that mindset now though..I would think I have to lose the most weight possible each week or I was failing, while this isn't true, I know I need to be consistent and do it healthy and not just be obsessive and unrealistic about it.
  • jkestens63
    jkestens63 Posts: 1,164 Member
    I eat a lot but I exercise a lot so I can't really eat all my exercise calories. Fortunately, I'm not hungry even if I've 500 exercise calories left to eat.But its nice to know they are there if I need them.
  • JulieBoBoo
    JulieBoBoo Posts: 642
    I eat most of mine back. I never leave more than a 100-200 cals left at the end of the day (after the exercise cals are factored in). Frankly I don't burn enough exercising to cause too big of a deficit.
  • Evermyre
    Evermyre Posts: 43
    It all dependson how many calories I've earned. I try to not be more than 500 calories below what my net should be on any given day. I'm also not on nearly as restrictive a calorie intake though. My goal is only to loose 1 pound a week so I figure if I'm below by another 500 that puts me in the 2 pound range and I'm okay with that. Usually I'll eat back at least some though.
  • Healthyby30
    Healthyby30 Posts: 1,349 Member
    That seems to be the general consensus. The reason I posted this topic is b/c I'm always browsing through people's diaries, and have asked people who have lost a lot of weight and it seems like they are way undereating, but I guess different things also work for different people, just gotta figure out what works best for me.
  • Aimee_PD
    Aimee_PD Posts: 177 Member
    I'm still trying to figure out my numbers too. I started with sparkpeople and lost 40 lbs then switched over here where my calorie allowance is about 350 cals lower than SP... i've never eaten my exercise calories but always felt like you do...tired. some days pushing through the exercise and was losing weight but staying tired...worth it? not sure! so I will adjust my profile accordingly to what SP was giving me plus eating maybe half my exercise calories... but I dont eat until I'm hungry so maybe i need to snack in between regardless? i dont know!
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
    I don't generally worry about it..I work out at night so sometimes i'm over my calories by the time i start working out so i'll work myself into a deficit, or sometimes i'll work out just enough to balance them out. most of the time i'm under, but it's never by the same amount.
  • dkrioux
    dkrioux Posts: 144
    Where does it tell you your net?? I am confused!:)
  • Healthyby30
    Healthyby30 Posts: 1,349 Member
    When you click on My Home, it says how many calories you have remaining well if you look at the end it says calories eaten - exercise calories = net calories (might not be exact wording but you get the idea.

    Basically its just the calories you've eaten, minus the calories you've burned. So if you eat 1500 calories, then burn off 500 during your workout, your net calories is only 1000.
  • DJJW
    DJJW Posts: 519 Member
    I do not eat my exercise calories. I try not even to punch in my exercise until the end of the day so I don't get confused with my "extra" calories.........but if I'm going out to eat or want to have a few drinks I make sure my exercising will cover those calories instead of going over all together. Want to have a cookie? I Go exercise those calories FIRST instead of promising to do it later.
  • dageeus
    dageeus Posts: 4
    I have never known what net means... I guess i'd better learn
  • TateFTW
    TateFTW Posts: 658 Member
    Put me in the "eat every single extra calorie I'm allowed" category. I'm not sure why someone wouldn't. Food is good, why not eat it?
  • SkierElle
    SkierElle Posts: 335
    I only do if I'm hungry or if I want to. And I hardly ever eat them all. I probably don't get an average of net 1200 daily, oh well.... I'm not "starving" ;) When I exercise more, I'm less hungry...
  • Rworthy
    Rworthy Posts: 271 Member
    My minimum net calories is 1510 and I'm a woman. I don't eat more than I need. I don't rely on MFP 100% because I cook from home a lot and don't feel like adding every ingredient individually. I am convinced it doesn't matter how much you eat if you eat the good stuff, and you have to do some sort of exercise to lose weight. I have finally learned not to worry so much about everything else!
  • amguyberson
    amguyberson Posts: 41 Member
    You're body needs the extra calories.. My FAVORITE example of WHY you need it eat is a coal train.. If you don't continually feed a coal train the coal it needs to keep going its eventually going to stop going.. You're body is no different. when you exercise you burn the "coal" if you don't put more "coal" in you're going to burn out!

    You may not lose the weight as fast but you should still lose! :)

    Good luck!
  • amguyberson
    amguyberson Posts: 41 Member
    Dageeus - Net is the Calories consumed MINUS calories burned.

    If you eat 1000 colories and burn 500 your NET is 500!! :) hope this helps.
  • Sweet13_Princess
    Sweet13_Princess Posts: 1,207 Member
    It depends if I'm hungry. If I'm not hungry, then I don't eat my exercise calories. If I'm hungry, then I eat them. I think it's good sometimes NOT to eat the exercise calories because it might help take the weight off faster.

    Shannon
  • sweetie89207
    sweetie89207 Posts: 361
    i guess when it comes down to it...i usually eat most of them...up to maybe 200-400 under but if i want it i eat it...but honestly i think the best advice here is ...TRY BOTH! see what works the best- if your happy and not hungry and still losing weight- thats the one for u...if you eat them back and dont lose- change it up...just see what works for you...everyone has all these differing opinions but when it comes down to it we all have to do whatever works for us best...
  • Healthyby30
    Healthyby30 Posts: 1,349 Member
    Yes, I agree..not everything will work for everyone. Just have to find what's right for you.
  • dkrioux
    dkrioux Posts: 144
    When you click on My Home, it says how many calories you have remaining well if you look at the end it says calories eaten - exercise calories = net calories (might not be exact wording but you get the idea.

    Basically its just the calories you've eaten, minus the calories you've burned. So if you eat 1500 calories, then burn off 500 during your workout, your net calories is only 1000.
    Thanks for explaining:) now it makes sense:)
  • amycal
    amycal Posts: 646 Member
    I exercise so I can eat more! LOL! I don't eat them all of course, but I eat until I am full. If I need an extra snack and I have extra calories from exercise, I will eat something. I notice on the days that I work out I am hungrier so I figure it's my body telling me to give it a little more.

    Me too! Although I did not exercise at all yesterday and I was really hungry last night. My calorie goal is more like 1320. I am not losing fast, but I want to make sure I get enough nutrients and don't feel hungry so I am okay with a slow but healthy change.
  • melanie92
    melanie92 Posts: 184 Member
    Please eat most if not all of your exercise calories! I understand if you have a 800 calorie workout, not eating back that many right then, but listen to your body! Most times I'm not that hungry when I get home from Zumba, I'm mainly tired! But I eat light, then see how I feel the next day. That's usually when I will eat a little more. I don't know that each day has to be excact on the old calorie count - but I think the cals should all balance out every few days. I'm averaging 1.8 lb/week weight loss with this philosophy! :happy:
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