exercise calories...do you eat them?

Options
AMSull19
AMSull19 Posts: 37 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've seen a couple different opinions in other posts on here and I'm just wondering....do you eat your exercise calories? Sometimes I do, but generally I try not to, and definately try to never eat all of the extra calories burned, but is that what I should be doing? I just dont want to affect my weight loss by eating too few calories.
«13

Replies

  • swbmcknight
    swbmcknight Posts: 19
    Options
    I never do, it just seems like a waste of all that effort exercising.
  • cardbucfan
    cardbucfan Posts: 10,427 Member
    Options
    I really vary it. Some days I eat them all, some days I only eat some. 1200 isn't enough for me and I try to eat around 1600 each day. If I'm hungry and have some leftover, I'll go over 1600, but that is usually a good amount for me and I've been losing. Now that I'm so close to my goal weight though, I may need to start eating more of them.
  • loganaw
    loganaw Posts: 62 Member
    Options
    i never ever ever do. after i work out, i eat when i am hungry and that is it. i see no point in stuffing yourself with food just so you can reach this "special number". its dumb. eat when you're hungry.
  • mandypizzle
    mandypizzle Posts: 633 Member
    Options
    I just make sure I'm never hungry. Sometimes I eat a lot of my exercise calories, sometimes I don't. I don't necessarily try not to.
  • corey_e
    corey_e Posts: 162
    Options
    I always do because when you start this program and enter your goals you are given a specific amount of calories to consume based on no additional exercise. If you say you're lightly active or very active it accounts for that when you are given your daily goal. When you work out you need to eat those back or you will starve your body and defeat the purpose.
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
    Options
    not unless im hungry
  • KaylatheChristian
    KaylatheChristian Posts: 112
    Options
    I don't eat mine. If I were hungry, maybe, but I don't really see the point in it....
  • RunWithJess
    RunWithJess Posts: 21 Member
    Options
    Today it says I get an extra 1209 calories for my exercise! No way am I eating that!! I try to stay around 1500 daily calories.
  • CNParker
    CNParker Posts: 108 Member
    Options
    If your trying to lose weight you need that deficit. If you want to maintain then eat them. If I know that I'm going to go over in calories one day I excercise extra hard a few day before and after.
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    Options
    I eat them all and usually leave myself a gap of about 100 calories leftover at the end of the day. If you regularly don't eat them it can affect your weight loss, especially if your net calories goes below 1200. (This is total calories eaten - exercise calories burnt) MFP already sets you up with a deficit when you say you want to lose ....lbs a week. A 1lb a week weight loss would give you 500 less a day than you need to maintain your weight, so any exercise on top and you're increasing that deficit.

    For example, if you are only eating 1200 and you burn off 400 but don't eat them back your body is only surviving on 800 which is not enough, but if you are eating 1600 and you burn 400 it should be ok as your net is still above 1200.
  • MiloBloom83
    MiloBloom83 Posts: 2,724 Member
    Options
    Yes
  • MiloBloom83
    MiloBloom83 Posts: 2,724 Member
    Options
    I eat them all and usually leave myself a gap of about 100 calories leftover at the end of the day. If you regularly don't eat them it can affect your weight loss, especially if your net calories goes below 1200. (This is total calories eaten - exercise calories burnt) MFP already sets you up with a deficit when you say you want to lose ....lbs a week. A 1lb a week weight loss would give you 500 less a day than you need to maintain your weight, so any exercise on top and you're increasing that deficit.

    For example, if you are only eating 1200 and you burn off 400 but don't eat them back your body is only surviving on 800 which is not enough, but if you are eating 1600 and you burn 400 it should be ok as your net is still above 1200.

    Also yes.
  • cohollywood
    cohollywood Posts: 90
    Options
    I have a hard enough time eating my 1200 calories a day - so I never eat my back what I exercise. I was actually just looking to see how much I could eat for dinner, and I had to eat another 1/2 portion of our dinner to get myself to 1144 - leaving 60 calories for dessert.
  • demone00
    demone00 Posts: 31 Member
    Options
    I never do, it just seems like a waste of all that effort exercising.

    I so agree...
  • misaacs6403
    misaacs6403 Posts: 9 Member
    Options
    I personally try not too. Sometimes it just works out that you do eat some of them. But if I work out hard, I may get a healthy smoothie to replenish the proteins. This is a good question and since I have only done this for a week, I will ask my trainer.
  • kacka68
    kacka68 Posts: 79 Member
    Options
    yes. I didn't start losing weight until I started to eat more (eating back exercise calories)!!
  • jen0619
    jen0619 Posts: 414
    Options
    I do generally. I eat them all most of the time. I spread out them during the day though I enable myself to eat larger meals not just one lump sum of calories that I feel the need to eat. :) Never failed me yet while losing and I have been maintaining for over 3 months and have been successful :)
  • corey_e
    corey_e Posts: 162
    Options
    yes. I didn't start losing weight until I started to eat more (eating back exercise calories)!!

    I just had to up my calorie intake the other day, my metabolism has changed with all my exercise and I was not getting enough food!
  • SolidGoaled
    SolidGoaled Posts: 504 Member
    Options
    I use my HRM for my workouts - whatever calories I burned, I eat them minus 100. I figure that 100 or so of my "exercise" calories I would have burned anyway just existing - so I don't like to double dip them.
  • trainguy917
    trainguy917 Posts: 366 Member
    Options
    If your trying to lose weight you need that deficit. If you want to maintain then eat them. If I know that I'm going to go over in calories one day I excercise extra hard a few day before and after.

    That's not completely accurate. As somebody stated earlier, the calorie count you are given is based on your activity level and the pace at which you want to lose weight and doesn't take into account any exercise at all. You can lose weight on this program without exercising by staying at the number they give you. Exercising adds calories burned to your baseline, so you will either increase your deficit or be able to eat more calories and still lose at the same pace.

    I generally do what a lot of other people have said--I eat when I'm hungry and often I eat part of my calories burned. But some days I burn a lot of calories and just can't and don't want to eat them all.

Categories