exercise calories...do you eat them?

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  • liscar
    liscar Posts: 311 Member
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    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.

    Exactly I am REALLY surprised at how many people said not to eat your exercise calories. I eat them ALL. This response above is accurate. Your body needs a set amount to function - if you did NOTHING but sit on the couch....MFP gives you a deficit to lose weight. If you exercise, you need to refuel your body to do it again - energy in/energy out. ANYWAY ---- the quickest way to get yourself stuck in starvation mode and NOT lose anything, is to not eat enough. It takes the average person 1500-2500 calories a day, just to function, MFP takes away 500 calories off your daily intake ---- so you will lose weight. Now, you add exercising and burning off another 400 calories -- now you are at a greater deficit and will be feeding your body only 800 calories ---- your body is going to CLING to every fat molecule it can to save itself.

    PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE go the main community board and search for "eating exercise calories" There's a wealth of information on there.

    I work out like a mad woman - I eat my 1200 AND every tiny exercise calorie I can. I've lost 21 pounds and three sizes --- I did this based on what I learned on here, to eat them. In fact, even when you set your goals, it tells you at the bottom to eat your calories at a minimum you need your NET.
  • liscar
    liscar Posts: 311 Member
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    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!

    EXACTLY!!!!!
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
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    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.

    Sorry, but completely incorrect. MFP is designed with a built in deficit, regardless of exercise. It is designed for you to EAT them, to maintain the deficit you chose. If you do not eat them, you have created a larger deficit than you (presumably) intended.

    Here are some threads that explain how MFP works, metabolism, and why too large of a deficit is detrimental.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/173853-an-objective-look-at-eating-exercise-calories

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

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/153704-myth-or-fact-simple-math-3500-calories-one-pound-eat
  • AMSull19
    AMSull19 Posts: 37 Member
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    thanks everyone.....sounds like im going to try to vary it up some more.

    i dont want to get stuck at the same weight for eating too few calories or have my healthy food choices stored as fat. Its hard sometimes to make myself eat more w/o feeling guilty.
  • Jess21684
    Jess21684 Posts: 202 Member
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    I agree! It seems weird and kinda of like a waste eating back what you have burned thru excercise but according to this site, they only factor in the activity you get in from day to day not the "extra" excercise you do so when you do any "extra" excercise you are allowed to eat more calories and you will still lose the lbs you are set to lose a week. I stuggle with this also, like many people seem to do. I usually only try to eat about half of them back and leave the other half alone. thats what a majority of people seem to do, so thats how I have been kinda doing it as well. I like knowing i have some extra calories left over just incase i miscounted something along the way neways, having extra cals left over is re-assuring to me
  • Jo_Bird
    Jo_Bird Posts: 38 Member
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    I just listen to my body and if it feels like I am hungry or craving something then I eat them. If I'm full and not hungry then I don't. I just try and keep balanced meals, healthy snacks and know some days are different than others. When I do a hard workout my body usually just wants to drink tons more water. You've got to do what you feel is right for your body and listen to it's que's. Overall as long as you are eating healthy, exercising and drinking plenty of water you're heading in the right direction. And, you'll learn what works for you.
  • zeeeb
    zeeeb Posts: 805 Member
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    i don't eat the exercise calories generally, and perhaps on the weekend, if i feel like a treat, i might use up a few of those calories from the weeks exercise.
  • EmilyJ1979
    EmilyJ1979 Posts: 144 Member
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    I just listen to my body...if I'm hungry I eat some, if not I don't.
  • aimlow
    aimlow Posts: 39 Member
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    If I eat them all back I don't lose weight. I try to have low calorie days then higher calorie days to zig zag so some days I eat them back and other days I don't.
  • ChassityGetsFit
    ChassityGetsFit Posts: 173 Member
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    When I was dieting in the past I never ate my exercies calories because I figured that created a larger deficit of calories burned. If I was super hungry and had no more calories to spare at the end of the day then I would consider it, but other than that, I didn't and don't plan on it this time around either! :D
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
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    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.

    Sorry, but completely incorrect. MFP is designed with a built in deficit, regardless of exercise. It is designed for you to EAT them, to maintain the deficit you chose. If you do not eat them, you have created a larger deficit than you (presumably) intended.

    Here are some threads that explain how MFP works, metabolism, and why too large of a deficit is detrimental.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/173853-an-objective-look-at-eating-exercise-calories

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

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/153704-myth-or-fact-simple-math-3500-calories-one-pound-eat

    Ladyhawk beat me to it but these are THE threads to read. Also what liscar said. They are SOOOO right.

    I was STARVING on 1200. I am 5'2" 105 lbs , eating 1800 a day and NOT gaining.
    The closer you are to goal, you should not be set at 2 lbs a week, sometimes not even 1.
    A half will suffice for the last ten pounds, and exercise and EAT them. The key is to weigh all your food so you're not e=overeating and use a good HRM so you're not overestimating those workout calories you're eating back.

    Too high a deficit can cause a TON of problems, only one being a stall in weight loss. Your health can be affected as well.
  • hellen72
    hellen72 Posts: 144 Member
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    I run a lot, if I ate all my exercise calories I would be eating more than before and I was putting om then.

    I have adjusted my figures slightly. I think my maintenance is 1600 ish not the 1900 tells me as I know I will but on if I eat thatvand don't exercise

    So to give myself a deficit of 500 a day I have set my target at 1100 plus exercise - I exercise just about every day. Mfp is too generous on exercise so I have made 1 mile 80 rather than over 100. If I didn't eat my exercise cal I wouldn't survive! On a long run day I will end the day quite a long way into the green. On a normal day I will be slightly in the green. I am generally ending the day on 1400-1800 ( apart from on marathon days or the day before or day after a marathon when I eat what I want).

    If I have a day of no exercise then I don't stick to the 1100. My no exercie day will be before or after a marathon which is an eat what u want day anyway
  • thankyou4thevenom
    thankyou4thevenom Posts: 1,581 Member
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    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.

    Sorry, but completely incorrect. MFP is designed with a built in deficit, regardless of exercise. It is designed for you to EAT them, to maintain the deficit you chose. If you do not eat them, you have created a larger deficit than you (presumably) intended.

    Here are some threads that explain how MFP works, metabolism, and why too large of a deficit is detrimental.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/173853-an-objective-look-at-eating-exercise-calories

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

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/153704-myth-or-fact-simple-math-3500-calories-one-pound-eat

    I'm going to quote these links again because they're important to read. If afterwards you don't agree that's fine but at least know both sides of the argument.

    I do eat them but only when I'm hungry. If don't want to eat I won't force food down my throat to meet a calorie count.
  • cgwhite
    cgwhite Posts: 8 Member
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    Most of you seem to be missing a major point here... Exercise changes your body!!! Start exercising and you will change the way your body uses calories. For most people, I am talking about those of us who are not marathon runners, exercise starts to build muscle again. It also starts to increase our metabolic rate, lower our resting heart rate and also blood pressure.

    If you don't feed these changes you are wasting your time and will slip into a deficit that can lead to the body going into reverse, start storing fat again and eating muscle instead. Beware of over deficiting your body it can have dire effects. Yes, your body will start maintaining weight as it struggles to survive. Much has been said on this effect elsewhere.

    This is all about a lifestyle change. The fact that you lose weight should be looked at as the side effect of your increased exercise and better diet. Counting calories, all calories including your exercise ones, is of the utmost importance WHEN you get started with MFP. If you don't then why bother. Once you have been doing it for years you will know what is going on with your body and be able to guestimate your daily intake. Your weight will be your guide. Assess your progress based on not only your weight but your fitness and I might suggest your body fat %. (Skinfold calipers are very cheap and highly accurate.)

    Being fitter will pay dividends as your BMR goes up, your weight comes down, and you can then eat more and enjoy it rather than worrying how to reduce your calorie intake.

    Enjoy life.

    Regards,

    Chris.
  • sarahliftsUP
    sarahliftsUP Posts: 752 Member
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    I'm just kind of in shock with how many misinformed people there are on here..

    Many people know why it's important to eat back your exercise calories, or at least as many as you can, but some people are confused with how MFP calculates your calories for the day. I try to eat back as most as I can, leaving roughly 100 untouched for whatever estimations I have made throughout the day. I try to log every bit of food I eat, but sometimes I may screw up and forget.

    So, yes, I eat my exercise calories! You need to eat them back as MFP already has your calories set at a deficit.
  • mikeylikesit1177
    mikeylikesit1177 Posts: 79
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    not eating back all your calories will put your body in starvation mode. Your body will then think it needs to store whatever you eat as fat so it will have fat stores to burn when you starve it again. Eat your calories and keep your metabolism up.
  • corrinnebrown
    corrinnebrown Posts: 345 Member
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    This has me at 1200 calories and I am doing p90x...there is no way my body can survive on 1200 so I eat 1800, like p90x tells me to. The MINIMUM caloric intake is 1200 calories for your body to survive so if you work out you need to replenish those calories or your body goes in starvation mode. Take it from me, when I started this site I was working out 6 days per week and eating 1200 calories a day...I gained weight. When I went up to 1800 the weight started falling off
  • Enigmatica
    Enigmatica Posts: 879 Member
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    I just listen to my body...if I'm hungry I eat some, if not I don't.

    Same here
  • scagneti
    scagneti Posts: 707 Member
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    From what I can tell, it seems as though there are two types of people on MFP -- those who have adapted this as their new lifestyle and will continue to exercise and use the tools MFP provides and those who are trying to get to whatever goal weight and are counting down the days when they can stop exercising and monitoring what they're eating. There is no way to continue to eating so sparsely and exercising regularly for an extended period of time (like the rest of your life).

    For those in that 2nd group of people, I can't count how many say that they can't lose weight unless they severely restrict their caloric intake and that it's ok because they're "not hungry anyways". The sad thing is that they don't seem to realize that their metabolism is already shutting down (THAT'S WHY YOU'RE NOT LOSING UNLESS YOU EAT LIKE A BIRD! DUH!) and it doesn't bother telling your body that it's hungry because it knows you're not going to feed it anyways.
  • mikeylikesit1177
    mikeylikesit1177 Posts: 79
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    PS I have lost 9 pounds 12 days using the numbers they give me on here including eating back my calories

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