Exercise Calories?

jesseylou22
jesseylou22 Posts: 51
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Should you eat your exercise calories? I stick to my regular allotted calories, but I had a friend tell me that if you are exercising you should eat more and you will lose more weight because eating less while exercising puts you in starvation mode.. anybody have any advics to offer on this subject?

Replies

  • keynesian
    keynesian Posts: 44 Member
    Yes you most definitely should, that's why MFP calculates them for you and adds them to your daily calorific intake goal.
  • carlynishere
    carlynishere Posts: 330 Member
    Yes eat at least 50-75% of your exercise calories.
  • funkyspunky871
    funkyspunky871 Posts: 1,675 Member
    Ahem.
  • terrym123
    terrym123 Posts: 4
    OMG! I just asked the same question! I am confused by this because every time I exercise the calories are added to my counter, I thought that was defeating the purpose?
  • deniseg31
    deniseg31 Posts: 667 Member
    I don't but now I'm wondering whether I should? hmmmm...I tend to work out late at night and for instance the other day I was like 900+ cals under so I don't see how I can stuff my face at 11pm and then hit the sack. You know?

    Should be interesting what others have to say.
  • ♥_Ellybean_♥
    ♥_Ellybean_♥ Posts: 1,646 Member
    Do what you feel comfortable doing!!!! You DO NOT HAVE to eat them... if your body is hungry than eat, if it's not then don't.
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
    Your NET calories (on your home page) should be as close to the daily goal MFP set for you as possible.

    Your REMAINING calories (on your homepage and food diary page) should be as close to zero as possible.

    MFP builds in a deficit for you based on the information you gave it: height, weight, lifestyle, goal weight loss, etc.. All you need to do is follow the calorie goals it gives you.

    If you exercise at night, try to spread extra calories through the day so you don't have a ton left at the end of the night.
  • Xaspar
    Xaspar Posts: 726 Member
    My opinion:
    I eat back any calories that would put me at more than a 1000 calorie deficit at the end of the day. To lose one pound a week you only need a 500 calorie per day deficit (500x7=3500) If you are working out calculate how many total calories you burn working out and add them to how many calories you burn just living (found on the goals tab in the calories burned from normal daily activity section) and then subtract 1000. That is the MINIMUM number of calories you should be eating (about a 2 pound weight loss per week with a 1000 calorie deficit per day). Caveat: IF that number is less than 1200, then eat the 1200 calories at a MINIMUM.

    Let me know if I have confused you...
  • queenmedusa
    queenmedusa Posts: 247 Member
    @funkyspunky871 - love that webpage!
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
    I stick to a range of calories instead that accounts for eating some, but not all of my exercise calories.

    There are just too many variables that go into calculating your actual burn: machines are notoriously innacurate and I get ridiculously high burn #'s from MFP. The exception would be if you have an HRM. Additionally if you are counting everything you can still be off several hundred calories a day. By law nutritional labels can be off by as much as 20%, restaurant calorie counts are not even regulated by the FDA and assume that the food is made to recipe standard: an extra bit of butter, oil, cheese, or product substitution can easily add a couple hundred calories. And check out this video for a real eye opener on the importance of using a scale, especially w/calorie dense foods. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

    So burn less than you think + eat more than you think = no weight loss and maybe even weight gain.
  • jesseylou22
    jesseylou22 Posts: 51
    Thanks everyone for the helpful imput! Yall are great!
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