Exercise calories

lorib642
lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just did an hour walk and MFP added calories to my goal. I don't plan on using all of them. Do people eat more? I am just starting. I am estimating amounts, but I am losing.

Also, what are easy sources of protein? I was told 60-80g is a good amount for me.

Replies

  • La5Vega5Girl
    La5Vega5Girl Posts: 709 Member
    I do not eat my exercise calories, but everyone is different. a lot of people do, or eat half. do what feels right to you.

    protein:
    peanut or nut butter
    cheese
    lean meats
    kale or other dark leafy greens
    nuts (walnuts are especially healthy)
    eggs
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    I eat enough back for a healthy net, but never all of them. The burns on here tend to be overestimated.
  • cookeylady
    cookeylady Posts: 147 Member
    I don't eat mine back, unless I feel legitimately hungry after working out and I have a low deficit that day.
  • momaureen
    momaureen Posts: 5 Member
    The first month of tracking, I ate my exercise calories and lost 4 pounds total for the month. The second month of tracking I did not eat my exercise calories and lost 8 pounds. Now I exercise longer (just walking) and eat some of those calories but not all. If I earn 600 exercise calories I might eat 100-150 of them. Trial and error is the way to see what will work for you. The thing to consider is what you can live with long term. Good luck to you.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Some eat them all back, some eat none back, a lot eat half back and some eat some other percentage.

    I only go over my daily number when I'm really hungry.

    Protein:
    Lean, white meat (all meat has protein, but those are the good ones)
    Tuna
    Cottage cheese
    Eggs

    That's how I get most of mine,:)
  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
    Thanks. Do you add anything to cottage cheese? We have some but it tastes bland to me
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    If you are using MFP the way ti is intended to be used, then you need to eat back the calories. Most eat 50-75% back, some eat 100% back (which I recommend if you let MFP set your calorie goal for you as many people choose "sedentary," which is waaaaaaaaaaaay too low on MFP and usually too low on drop-down websites in general, so eating allt he exercise cals back would probably help prevent undereating).

    You would only not eat them back if you are using exercise to create your deficit, which likely would mean a few hours of exercise daily.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    Thanks. Do you add anything to cottage cheese? We have some but it tastes bland to me

    If you eat fish, you should try topping the fish with some cottage cheese. I like doing this for salmon and trout the most so far, I don't add anything to it other than spices on the fish.
  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
    Thank you
  • Keeta83
    Keeta83 Posts: 423 Member
    I personally have figured out my TDEE (to the best of my knowledge) so as that I don't have to worry about eating back or adding on or any of that nonsense! IMO I just eat!!!
  • Josephine237
    Josephine237 Posts: 72 Member
    Protein: brussel sprouts, beans, egg whites, flounder, whey protein powder, cottage cheese, nuts
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    A good read:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
    A good read:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
    Awesome, thank you
  • 424a57
    424a57 Posts: 140 Member
    One of the problems I've found with MFP, machines, and HRM is they all tend to estimate total calories instead of net calories. Think about asking these two questions:

    1. How many calories did I burn by doing "Exercise A" for 30 minutes?
    2. How many *more* calories did I burn by doing "Exercise A" for 30 minutes, compared to my normal daily activities?

    Depending on what is your normal daily activity, the answer to the first question might be significantly higher.

    I read through some of the responses to your question and find that a lot of people say that exercises are "overestimated" and they recommend not eating back all of your exercise calories. I suppose that is one way to handle the situation. I find it somewhat "disconnected" knowing that MFP provides total calories for exercise, but adds them to your estimated calories for your normal daily activity. So I adjust the calories burned when I enter the exercise.

    For example, if I walk for 30 minutes at 4 mph MFP says I burn 190 calories. But, by looking at my "Diet Profile", I see that I burn 1,980 calories per day in Normal Daily Activity. This works out to 1.375 calories per minute (1,980 calories / 1440 minutes per day). My 190 calorie walk is really a 148.75 calorie walk (190 - (30 * 1.375)), since 41.25 calories are already accounted for by MFP in my Normal Daily Activity.

    http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/articles/net-versus-gross-calorie-burn.aspx
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    I eat enough back for a healthy net, but never all of them. The burns on here tend to be overestimated.
    I don't personally eat mine but this ^

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