Eating Back Exercise Calories...

Raynamama
Raynamama Posts: 480 Member
edited September 25 in Food and Nutrition
I'm confused about something: eating back the calories you burn from exercise...I haven't been doing it for about 2 weeks now, I only eat my alotted calorie amount to lose 2 lbs per week and ignore the extra calories MFP puts on my total to consume once I've burned them. After I read this article (see link below) it seems to me that when you are trying to lose you want to not consume the calories you have burned. When you are trying to maintain your current weight it would make sense to eat those calories I would think. Read the excerpt below and let me know your thoughts:

"Tipping the scale: Cutting calories
Your weight is a balancing act, but the equation is simple: If you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight.

Because 3,500 calories equals about 1 pound (0.45 kilogram) of fat, you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in to lose 1 pound. So if you cut 500 calories from your typical diet each day, you'd lose about 1 pound a week (500 calories x 7 days = 3,500 calories)."

(From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/calories/WT00011 )

Disclaimer*** I am in NO way that it is wrong to eat back your exercise calories or that this is 100% correct - I just wanted to start a discussion because I am not sure myself and I'm hoping to gain some insight on this subject :)
Any feedback is appreciated!

Thanks all! =)

Replies

  • ClbsMm2000
    ClbsMm2000 Posts: 5
    I agree with you. I was completely confused when I would enter my food, and MFP would add back in those calories I burned. The whole point of what I am doing right now is to lose weight. If I consume that many calories, it will be defeating the purpose.
  • abray84
    abray84 Posts: 55
    I agree with the article as well. I mean as long as you are within reason. If your only taking in say 1200 calories and burning 900 of those with exercise then I would say that it's probably not healthy if your not eating some of those calories back.
  • redwngs13
    redwngs13 Posts: 194 Member
    What most people don't understand about MFP is that the calorie allotment they give you when you put in your goals ALREADY gives you a deficit based on what you told it you want to lose.

    As an example let's say your goal was to lose 1 lb per week. MFP will calculate your BMR (the calories your body uses if you didn't move at all) and subracts 500 calories from that number per day, creating a deficit. So if your BMR is 1800, MFP will give you a goal of 1300 calories per day giving the 500 deficit. So say you eat your 1300 calories MFP gives you, then you burn 300 calories doing some sort of exercise. This means that you have really only eaten 1000 calories, and your deficit has increased to 800 calories. You'll want to eat back those 300 calories you burned to maintain that 500 deficit and reach your goal of a 1lb loss.

    I hope this makes sense. :smile:
  • Raynamama
    Raynamama Posts: 480 Member
    What most people don't understand about MFP is that the calorie allotment they give you when you put in your goals ALREADY gives you a deficit based on what you told it you want to lose.

    As an example let's say your goal was to lose 1 lb per week. MFP will calculate your BMR (the calories your body uses if you didn't move at all) and subracts 500 calories from that number per day, creating a deficit. So if your BMR is 1800, MFP will give you a goal of 1300 calories per day giving the 500 deficit. So say you eat your 1300 calories MFP gives you, then you burn 300 calories doing some sort of exercise. This means that you have really only eaten 1000 calories, and your deficit has increased to 800 calories. You'll want to eat back those 300 calories you burned to maintain that 500 deficit and reach your goal of a 1lb loss.

    I hope this makes sense. :smile:

    Thank you so much for posting that! I didn't realize that! =) That makes a lot of sense.

    Thanks! =)
    :flowerforyou:
  • punkrockmama
    punkrockmama Posts: 142 Member
    Here's what I've read and what makes sense in my head:

    Can you lose weight while NOT eating back your exercise calories or by eating below what is recommended? Of course.
    But here's why you shouldn't: when you burn too many calories, you "burn" muscle. And the problem becomes that the less muscle you have, the less you need to eat. So it's a constant downward spiral that will likely not have an effective or maintainable maintenance mode. You may weigh less, but you are a "skinny fat".

    Conversely, if you lower your fat %, w/ building muscle, your body can turn into a fat burning power house. And you will be much more likely to keep it off and be able to eat more. And you need to eat the calories to build the muscle

    So, for instance, my bff and her sister weigh similar weights, and the same height, but my bff has a 10% less fat on her and can therefore eat quite a few calories more than her sister.

    Plus, as we know, lower body fat equals better health.
  • Raynamama
    Raynamama Posts: 480 Member
    Here's what I've read and what makes sense in my head:

    Can you lose weight while NOT eating back your exercise calories or by eating below what is recommended? Of course.
    But here's why you shouldn't: when you burn too many calories, you "burn" muscle. And the problem becomes that the less muscle you have, the less you need to eat. So it's a constant downward spiral that will likely not have an effective or maintainable maintenance mode. You may weigh less, but you are a "skinny fat".

    Conversely, if you lower your fat %, w/ building muscle, your body can turn into a fat burning power house. And you will be much more likely to keep it off and be able to eat more. And you need to eat the calories to build the muscle

    So, for instance, my bff and her sister weigh similar weights, and the same height, but my bff has a 10% less fat on her and can therefore eat quite a few calories more than her sister.

    Plus, as we know, lower body fat equals better health.

    Wow thank you so much, that makes so much sense - I am doing a lot of weight training too so I definitely should be eating my calories burned back! I am so thankful I posted this question what a happy surprise! I always love being told I can eat more! LOL
    Seriously though, I really appreciate this. I want to lose the healthy way and this all makes so much more sense to me now. I definitely do NOT want to burn any of the muscle I've worked so hard to build!
    :flowerforyou:
  • Chrissieneave
    Chrissieneave Posts: 99 Member
    What most people don't understand about MFP is that the calorie allotment they give you when you put in your goals ALREADY gives you a deficit based on what you told it you want to lose.

    As an example let's say your goal was to lose 1 lb per week. MFP will calculate your BMR (the calories your body uses if you didn't move at all) and subracts 500 calories from that number per day, creating a deficit. So if your BMR is 1800, MFP will give you a goal of 1300 calories per day giving the 500 deficit. So say you eat your 1300 calories MFP gives you, then you burn 300 calories doing some sort of exercise. This means that you have really only eaten 1000 calories, and your deficit has increased to 800 calories. You'll want to eat back those 300 calories you burned to maintain that 500 deficit and reach your goal of a 1lb loss.

    I hope this makes sense. :smile:

    This has always confused me too...........

    Thanks for posting this and making it easier to understand :) x
  • sarabellum
    sarabellum Posts: 88 Member
    UGH - THANK YOU!!! This is JUST WHAT I WANTED TO READ!!! You all ROCK!!!
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