Still confused about the workout calories

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Shleynaynay
Shleynaynay Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been using this app for a while and not recording my exercise. I know this topic has come up a gazillion times and just when I think I have the answer I read another post condridicting it. I have my level of activity set at sedentary as I work a desk job all week, and I do not add my work out as I was convinced after trolling the forums was under the assumption you DO NOT eat your work out calories. Since I've started this about a month or two ago I really have not lost any weight. Is this because I'm not eating enough on the days that I do work out? Should I be eating these calories back? I understand that this is talked about constantly so please be gentle as the fact that I'm not losing is becoming very hard to get my butt up at 430 am four days a week to work out and stay motivated.

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  • dmenchac
    dmenchac Posts: 447 Member
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    If you are using MFP for calories, you should eat back about half of your exercise calories.

    If you aren't losing weight, its not because you aren't eating enough. You aren't losing weight because you are not in a deficit.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    If you are using MFP for calories, you should eat back about half of your exercise calories.

    If you aren't losing weight, its not because you aren't eating enough. You aren't losing weight because you are not in a deficit.

    ^This basically sums it up.

    The site sets a calorie goal for you ignoring any planned exercise that you input. Basically, it doesn't trust you to actually exercise until after you've logged it and then adds extra calories to help fuel that activity. There's a caveat, though. Gym machines and MFP may overestimate the number of calories you're burning for some activities, causing you to eat back too many calories. This is why a lot of people only eat 50-75% of their earned exercise calories.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    As for why you aren't losing weight, would you be comfortable opening your diary for us to take a look?

    Are you using a food scale, measuring cups, or eyeballing your portion sizes? Most people can be off in their estimates by a whole lot when they eyeball portions. Measuring cups are better, but a food scale is always going to be the most accurate.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1290491-how-and-why-to-use-a-digital-food-scale

    And make sure that you've calculated your calorie goals appropriately. Remember that these are just estimates. You may need to play around a little to find what works best for you.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    If you're using MFP correctly, yes you log exercise and eat back the calories.

    Your daily goal that MFP has given you already has you at a deficit - meaning you eat ALL your calories every day, do zero exercise and you lose weight. When you burn off more cals through exercise, you're creating a much larger deficit - too large, which can cause you all sorts of problems in the long run. This is why they are added back into your daily goal - your daily NET cals should be at or very near goal at the end of the day, bringing you back to your original calorie deficit, and you lose weight with a happy, well-fueled body.

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