To eat or not to eat calories burned?

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  • jennbuck22
    jennbuck22 Posts: 17 Member
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    I work out for an hour a few days a week. The machines at the gym say I've worked off about 500 calories.

    "eating back"
    I just have a protein smoothie afterwards that I don't count towards my daily total
    These are anywhere from 200-260 calories depending on what I put in it
    Like other posters have said, make sure at least half a banana is in there
  • lili61
    lili61 Posts: 231 Member
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    I work out 4x per week and tend to eat back about 50% of my exercise calories, sometimes more if I'm still hungry. On really tough workout days or when I'm feeling really fatigued, I may eat back about 75%.

    I don't really trust the calorie burns MFP gives and do not want to get an HRM or FitBit type device (I know I would become obsessed), and I am consistently dropping weight.
  • Hell_Flower
    Hell_Flower Posts: 348 Member
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    I tend not to as I'm trying to lose.

    That said, if, for whatever reason, I feel manically hungry or just want a cupcake, then I'm not going to deprive myself.

    That happens rarely - probably because that 40 minutes at the gym was damn difficult and a treat just doesnt seem worth it.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,583 Member
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    MFP is designed with a deficit in place already.
    If you're using an HRM for steady state cardio, it's still an estimate.. but a closer one than the database on MFP.

    That said; eat a portion of them back. Losing faster isn't necessarily the goal.
  • Frood42
    Frood42 Posts: 245 Member
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    Well, as I cycle commute, I eat back my exercise calories to fuel my journeys to and from work.
    Imagine being on just "1200 calories" and cycling 40 miles a day, you would probably feel pretty low and crap after a time.

    However MFP has been setup to create a deficit for you, and has been setup so that you eat back your exercise calories, this is so that you maintain a steady deficit each day.

    MFP is really very simple.

    If you don't eat your exercise calories that is up to you, and at first you may well see a good loss of weight, but if you maintain a too big a deficit for too long, either you will find it harder and harder to maintain the deficit, or you will find it harder when you move into maintenance.
    .
  • JoshD8705
    JoshD8705 Posts: 390 Member
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    I eat back enough that I don't go to sleep feeling hungry. If you don't feel unbearably hungry then don't worry about eating back calories. Just be aware you can have a nice snack or small meal. Aim for a protien instead of a fat, or carb. It won't change your weight loss, but it will help you heal faster.
  • brinabj
    brinabj Posts: 28
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    most of the time i don't have time to eat them back i plan my meals and i normally workout in the evening sometimes before dinner sometimes after either way if i work out and burn 500 after dinner pretty soon its bed time for me and my family ... am i supposed to stuff my face with something just so i can eat back all the calories before bedtime even if i'm not hungry? No i do tend to eat more on the weekends so maybe that evens it out idk
  • ImaWaterBender
    ImaWaterBender Posts: 516 Member
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    For now, as a person with a hundred pounds to lose, I hoard all of my exercise calories like a cat lady hoards tuna.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    MFP is designed with a deficit in place already.
    If you're using an HRM for steady state cardio, it's still an estimate.. but a closer one than the database on MFP.

    That said; eat a portion of them back. Losing faster isn't necessarily the goal.
    This.

    If you are using MFP correctly, then yes, you eat them back, at least a good portion of them. Otherwise you are creating a cavernous deficit for yourself, which can do your more harm than good in the long run, and generally isn't sustainable.

    Food is fuel - don't sell yourself short by under eating in hopes for quicker weight loss.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Hi.

    What do people recommend....eating back calories burned or not???

    Thanks

    Karen

    Depends..............

    Are you using MFP as designed? .......Then yes, because you already got your deficit BEFORE exercise.

    Are you using TDEE less a percent? ....Then no, because TDEE already includes exercise.


    MFP works for people can't/won't exercise.....as well as those who do. The reason for eating calories back is this....really large calorie deficits don't support existing muscle. This mean you lose fat + muscle. If you want a lower body fat %.....then eat back a portion of calories.....the portion part is difficult to ascertain, as calorie burns are hard to "guesstimate."
  • akaMrsmojo
    akaMrsmojo Posts: 762 Member
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    I exercise so I can eat more. I know me, I would be too hungry and fall off the wagon.
  • Meganosborn1988
    Meganosborn1988 Posts: 24 Member
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    I was eating back my calories burned for the past month, and was not really seeing much movement on the scale. this was really discouraging so I decided last week to not eat back the calories, and I have already lost 2 lbs. So I am going to continue to not eat back the calories (until I get to my goal weight). Everyone is different, it did not work for me so I had to change. Good luck!
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    Please see here:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    ^^This is the best explanation you'll find on exercise calories.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    I personally never do and I have seen fast results.

    Fast weight loss is not healthy weight loss unless you are very obese. Your body may be using existing muscle mass for fuel, if your NET calories are low enough.

    Pounds per week
    75+ lbs to lose 2 lb range
    Between 40 - 75 lbs to lose 1.5 lb range
    Between 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lb range
    Between 15-25 lbs to lose 1 -.50 lb range
    Less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs range
  • rebecca_chess
    rebecca_chess Posts: 101 Member
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    I usually calculate the calories eaten by what is on the package (or specific brand website) & I use a HRM to obtain the most accurate calories burned figure. Personally, I see better results when I eat back all but 100 - 200 of my exercise calories. If I have more than 200 remaining, my body tends to go into "hold on to the weight" mode.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    It is the way this tool is designed...exercise is not accounted for in your activity level...you have to account for exercise somewhere. I do not see why this is such a difficult concept for people...

    exercise is good for you but also breaks down the body...you can't eat 1200 calories and then go ride 30 miles on a bike and burn 1300 calories and not eat back exercise calories...you would be starving your body of the nutrients needed for basic functions not to mention nutrients needed to heal the body.
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,065 Member
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    I eat them back.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
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    I don't do a ton of exercise right now (I'm lazy and working out a plan I can stick with rather than just going ahead with something I can't keep to), but if I go for a long walk and find myself noticeably hungry I'll eat something like a banana or an apple, and not worry if I'm a bit over my calories for the day, but it all depends on how I feel.

    As I get closer to my target, I plan on joining the Y and working out more (focusing first on strength then on cardio), so I predict I'll have to eat back more of my calories, although I'll use the scale and how I feel as guides.

    Interesting selection of comments though. It really goes to show how everyone is very different and how lots of people have found a way that works for them.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,583 Member
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    Interesting selection of comments though. It really goes to show how everyone is very different and how lots of people have found a way that works for them.

    Calorie deficit works for everyone.
    If you're not eating the calories back, you're just creating a larger deficit. That's all. If you use MFP as designed, it has a deficit built in. Not eating the exercise calories only creates a larger deficit.
  • fortunate1204
    fortunate1204 Posts: 22 Member
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    iam just saying if your hungry eat back them calories dont sit back and let yourself be hungry .. its better than binge you keep cutting back it might hit there... allow yourself to eat 150-250 cals over i guess... iam advize ing only

    I tend to go along with this view as well. I will NOT allow myself to starve and our bodies do not like to be in starvation mode. I workout in the evenings a lot and don't usually have an appetite because its so close to bed time, but I still make a point to at least make some eggs or have a protein shake. I usually don't eat back ALL of my workout cals but just go along with how I feel and at least make sure not to go OVER my workout cals. Good luck!

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