Eating Back Exercise Calories...Is This the Right Way?

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navbiha
navbiha Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello!

I've been reading discussions about eating back exercise calories, and though it makes sense, there's one thing I'm unclear of: how do we measure how MUCH calories we should eat in total? For example, my net calorie goal is 1200, which I understand it to be once I subtract the calories lost during exercise. So say for example I burn 500 calories a day...does that mean I should eat 1700 calories per day?

And as a side-question: I only plan on exercising 5 times a day. Should I still eat 1200 calories those 2 days?

I'm still trying to figure out the specifics to healthy weight loss (particularly the habits that ensure I don't easily gain back the weight once I reach my goal), so thank you for your help!

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  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,021 Member
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    Hello!

    I've been reading discussions about eating back exercise calories, and though it makes sense, there's one thing I'm unclear of: how do we measure how MUCH calories we should eat in total? For example, my net calorie goal is 1200, which I understand it to be once I subtract the calories lost during exercise. So say for example I burn 500 calories a day...does that mean I should eat 1700 calories per day?

    And as a side-question: I only plan on exercising 5 times a day. Should I still eat 1200 calories those 2 days?

    I'm still trying to figure out the specifics to healthy weight loss (particularly the habits that ensure I don't easily gain back the weight once I reach my goal), so thank you for your help!

    I presume you meant to say "I only plan on exercising 5 times a week"
    :wink:


    If you are doing this the MFP way - ie you plugged your numbers into MFP and that is how you got your calorie goal - then, yes, what you are saying is correct - on the days you exercise, you would eat 1700 calories total and on the days you don't, you would eat 1200. (or at least ,what averages out to that)
  • navbiha
    navbiha Posts: 5 Member
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    Haha, yes I meant 5 times a week :P And thank you! It helps put everything together.
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
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    What MFP gives you, is assuming you don't do exercise. At all.

    You exercise? log it in for the day. Viola, more calories to eat.

    Simply put. MFP foud the # you need to eat without exercise. If you exercise, you burn more calories throughout the day. Since there's more burnt, means more can be ate!

    So, a general rule of thumb, eat back only 50% to 75% of calories. This offsets the over estimation of caloric burn.

    Better to eat a few too few than a few too many when losing weight.
  • coboltpunch
    coboltpunch Posts: 15
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    I'm using a HR monitor to log my calories. Should I still eat 75% less assuming I'm wanting to be at maintenance?
  • Murph1908
    Murph1908 Posts: 125 Member
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    I'm using a HR monitor to log my calories. Should I still eat 75% less assuming I'm wanting to be at maintenance?

    I use a HRM, and I only eat back about 80% of what it says, just to be safe. That way if my restaurant meals and other questionable calories end up being more than what's logged, I'm covered somewhat.

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