Eating Back Calories Burned??

Personal opinion (based on reading the MFP stickys) but I go with eating back your exercise cals. It increases your carbs, fats and proteins when you exercise too (because your body needs those to fuel a good workout). No matter what I exercise off, I still try to be at 1200+ net cals everyday.

MFP is designed around the idea of having a set calorie deficit. So if you're trying to lose 2 lbs/week, that's 1000 calorie deficit per day. MFP builds that deficit into your eating goals BEFORE any exercise is considered. So, to keep that same deficit, you are supposed to eat the additional calories earned through exercise.

Example:

Person A normally burns 2500 calories per day based on their height/weight/age/gender and normal daily activity level
So to lose 2 lbs/week, they need to eat 1500 calories/day (2500 - 1000 = 1500)

If they workout and burn 500 calories, then they've burned 2500 + 500 = 3000 calories. If they only eat 1500, their deficit will now be 1500 instead of the 1000 that is planned.

You may be thinking that a higher deficit is better, but that's not really the case. Slower weight loss is better - it is more likely to stay off, and it can ward off health problems from losing weight too fast. 2 lbs/week (1000 calorie deficit per day) is the highest amount recommended unless you're under doctor supervision.

SO to answer your question: YES you're supposed to eat those calories, especially if you're only on a lower number of regular calories per day. You need to keep your net calories (calories eaten minus exercise calories) at a high enough level to keep your metabolism from slowing down. If you eat low net calories for a long period of time consistently, then you will lower your metabolism and weight loss will be difficult.

That said, one day of not eating them won't hurt - just try not to do it regularly. When you know you'll be working out, plan ahead and eat a heavier lunch or breakfast. Also, you don't necessarily need to eat ALL of them - it's very easy to overestimate exercise calories (I find MFP tends to be pretty high estimates), and if you eat all of them, that can slow weight loss because you're decreasing your deficit. I aim to eat 50-75% of mine.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

Here is one of the stickies on the topic. Personally, when stuff is working for me I eat at least some of my exercise calories back because it keeps me from getting too tired and I still lose weight.

It's good to eat back the calories as long as you don't overestimate how many calories are burned etc. :] And if you're not hungry don't intentionally eat them back just to break even... just don't make it so you're net calorie intake is super super low because that is unhealthy!

Thanks so much for asking this question. I wondered about it myself. I always assumed you can eat those in which you lost exercising. I am trying to run or jog daily for 30 minutes and I didn't know if I should put those calories back in. I always seem to finish under my goal for the day anyways. I'm usually busy throughout the weekday. I try not to eat after 7pm. Getting off work at 5pm makes it kinda hard.

I had questions about this as well. I used to eat so much food. I weigh 182 and most meals I eat the same if not more as my boyfriend who weighs 100 more pounds than me. It's the household I grew up in, and I am trying to change this.

So, my point was, either way, I am eating way less and exercising when I never did before. I HAVE TO LOSE WEIGHT! How could I not?

the website is setup for you to loose weight without exercise, just eating less. therefore if you exercise, you burn more calories than normal and can eat them and still loose weight. if you're not starving and don't want to eat them, don't. maybe you'll lose even more faster.

I have a hard enough time eating the calories I need to eat, eating more just cus I burned them, I can't see that happening lol.