Eating your exercise calories

Edie30
Edie30 Posts: 216
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi,
What do you think about eating your exercise calories? I often have up to 500 extra a day I could eat I guess. I'm just getting into lots of running/ weights etc over the last few weeks and got back onto mfp to log calories as I don't think I was estimating well before. Somy question is... Should you eat your excersise calories too or does it not matter if you don't and stick to the 1200. Thanks
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Replies

  • Edie30
    Edie30 Posts: 216
    Oh and I guess it's worth mentioning that I'm trying to lose some weight. About 12 kilos to go roundabout.
  • spah33
    spah33 Posts: 18 Member
    I am not an expert but I started off eating my exercise calories and it was working at first (eating it back in protein and veggies) I lost about 45lbs really quickly in 3 months then my weight loss slowed down and I stopped eating the calories back and dropped another 20 lbs. I personally feel better not eating the calories back-- but I may be obsessive. I am trying to lose a total of 115lbs.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    edited October 2014
    Dudes, if you're doing 1200 calories you have to eat your exercise calories back. There are tons of threads on this topic. First off, a lot of people will tell you 1200 calories is not enough, but I will not. Because that's your choice. Second, you NEED at least 1200 calories, so if you burn 500, you're not netting 1200 and that's bad. Third, you don't need to worry about it too much because 1200 is not very many calories-but, lets say you were eating a more reasonable amount-1400-1440, then you would probably want to only eat half of the calories back if you're going by MFP numbers. They are exaggerated.
  • 50sFit
    50sFit Posts: 712 Member
    edited October 2014
    Edie30 wrote: »
    Hi,
    What do you think about eating your exercise calories? I often have up to 500 extra a day I could eat I guess. I'm just getting into lots of running/ weights etc over the last few weeks and got back onto mfp to log calories as I don't think I was estimating well before. Somy question is... Should you eat your excersise calories too or does it not matter if you don't and stick to the 1200. Thanks
    MFP is designed with your daily deficit already built in.
    EAT BACK THOSE CALORIES!
    :D
    This site works to maintain that 1 pound per week goal for weight loss. MFP supports steady, safe and lasting results. When we crash diet and lose weight too fast, our metabolism can stifle. Yes, you'll lose weight, but what kind of loss will it be?
    You'll lose too much muscle which further slows metabolism. and once you finally reach your weight goal...guess what? You look and feel bad, and the weight starts piling back on in most cases. Don't be that person.
    Remember, this is not a race.
    GOOD LUCK!
    <3
  • Boccellin
    Boccellin Posts: 137 Member
    I do eat mine back, because I'm at 1200, which is the lowest safe amount of calories. I could never just eat 1200 calories and be ok with it, I usually exercise off at least 300, sometimes as much as 1000, so I can eat a decent amount of food at keep my net at 1200. As long as your net is 1200 (or whatever you choose for it to be) you will lose. HOWEVER, do not base your burns of what MFP says! It overestimates by a lot! I bought myself a decent heart rate monitor so I can know pretty much exactly what I am burning.
  • TossaBeanBag
    TossaBeanBag Posts: 458 Member
    If your goal is losing weight and, after a while, the scale never moves or moves up, probably want to cut back on calories a little. Try eating your exercise calories for a week and see what your scale tells you.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    jbach2 wrote: »
    If your goal is losing weight and, after a while, the scale never moves or moves up, probably want to cut back on calories a little. Try eating your exercise calories for a week and see what your scale tells you.

    This is not the question, and no.
  • dangie2002
    dangie2002 Posts: 71 Member
    Oh wow, I didn't realize you were supposed to eat those calories......
  • 50sFit
    50sFit Posts: 712 Member

    dangie2002 wrote: »
    Oh wow, I didn't realize you were supposed to eat those calories......

    YES!
    zi38s6iqpwve.png
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    ay ay ay
  • Trishism
    Trishism Posts: 79 Member
    I only realized you're supposed to eat back those calories like a week ago. It explained some things from the first two weeks of weight loss. :)
  • Edie30
    Edie30 Posts: 216
    Thanks guys for all your answers I really appreciate it. I lost 32 k initially just by cleaning up my diet but am now doing the working out too. Ido 2 strength weights sessions with my trainer a week and around 4 30 min runs I did with one of those couch to5 k apps. I am now moving on to more of an interval trainer which still gets you to 10 k but better weight loss apparently. I lost the 32 k over 18 months so I'm a slow and steady girl and don't want to lose it quick and put it back on. I think I choose 1200 as I had come to a standstill with weight loss but I'm happy to go higher on good advice. I also bought a scale and am now weighing rather than estimating which might change things somewhat!! I also have a heat rate monitor as I agree mfp overestimates calories burned. So yep maybe I should eat them or some of them and see. I'm not too clued up on this stuff sojourns ice is much appreciated! :-)
  • Edie30
    Edie30 Posts: 216
    Your advice I meant!!!
  • Edie30
    Edie30 Posts: 216
    Also my diet is pretty good. I'm vegetarian ( the good sort) and eat a really varied diet, no dairy but I do eat eggs and occasional fish. Ive added a protein shake in the mornings. Any advice well appreciated so thanks :-)
  • dangie2002
    dangie2002 Posts: 71 Member
    I've been on a plateau, stressed over it, the husband took my scales away and told me once a month weigh in. So, I have revamped the caloric goals, and am going to try to eat my exercise calories. This is going to be hard.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    It's not harder, it's easier.
  • dangie2002
    dangie2002 Posts: 71 Member
    I disagree. I'm trying to eat clean. When you are really big and healthy calories = lots of volume, its difficult because I'm full.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    I see what you mean...but you can still find things that are calorie dense, clean, and small.
  • dangie2002
    dangie2002 Posts: 71 Member
    Working on it. :smile:
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    Edie wrote:
    What do you think about eating your exercise calories?
    Should you eat your excercise calories too or does it not matter if you don't and stick to the 1200.
    My doctor & dietician told me to eat calories equal to 10x my healthy goal weight (in pounds), and ignore exercise.
    Exercise is a bonus.
    Most people underestimate what they eat, and most machines (including MFP) overestimate what you burn.

    So if 120 lb is a healthy weight for your height (look at a BMI chart), eating 1200 cal would be OK. Difficult, but OK.
    If you're really hungry some evening, eat 1/3 to 1/2 of your exercise cal that day.
  • EmeraldRain
    EmeraldRain Posts: 22 Member
    I think everyone is different, the best way to know, is to try different ways and see what works best for you :) just make sure you are losing weight safely.
  • FitnessTrainer69
    FitnessTrainer69 Posts: 283 Member
    If you want to maintain then you should eat them back. If your wanting to lose then your fine.
  • Edie30
    Edie30 Posts: 216
    I need a cup of tea chat with arditarose! The thing is I don't want to go so low that I have to always keep low because that seems gahhhh and I want to be able to eat a reasonable amount.
    A question... Now I haven't used my mfp app for a while and I notice that the calories are set on 1200 and I'm not sure if I did that or if it automatically does that in settings. I know that it addson my excersise calories... I guess I could just plug them in myself from my hr monitor right? So then I wouldn't get the over estimation? Also what amount of calories would be right to eat for someone 167 cm and 77 kilos to lose weight ? I guess I can google that and work it out :-)
  • EMTFreakGirl
    EMTFreakGirl Posts: 597 Member
    I do eat my exercise calories back...kind of. I think that the estimated burn is way to high on MFP so I eat back 1/3-1/2. Sometimes a bit more if I am really famished. The thing that makes it difficult for me is that I tend to only be able to find time to work out after 8pm, if I'm lucky, most days my workout hour is usually 10-11pm. It's hard to eat back all those calories before bed. I don't want to eat them earlier in the day because I might get called out on a 911 call and not get my workout in...it's a catch 22, for sure.
  • Edie30
    Edie30 Posts: 216
    Ahhh yes that's tricky :-(
  • Edie30
    Edie30 Posts: 216
    Hmmm maybe I won't eat them back then... There seems to be some differing opinions!
  • Edie30
    Edie30 Posts: 216
    So after a good read around the forums here I have reset my daily calories to 1470 and will plug in the calories I burn from my heart rate monitor and eat them back! As I said I'm a slow steady kind of girl and I also work out quite hard and need the energy. I'm quite happy not to be a 1200 girl :-) I shall let you know how I go ...
  • cw106
    cw106 Posts: 952 Member
    Edie30 wrote: »
    I need a cup of tea chat with arditarose! The thing is I don't want to go so low that I have to always keep low because that seems gahhhh and I want to be able to eat a reasonable amount.
    A question... Now I haven't used my mfp app for a while and I notice that the calories are set on 1200 and I'm not sure if I did that or if it automatically does that in settings. I know that it addson my excersise calories..

    update it yourself using current stats and future goals.

    . I guess I could just plug them in myself from my hr monitor right? So then I wouldn't get the over estimation? Also what amount of calories would be right to eat for someone 167 cm and 77 kilos to lose weight ? I guess I can google that and work it out :-)

    depending on monitor,you can sync it with mfp.

    as 50sfit pointed out correctly,there are many reasons to eat back exercise calories including the loss of lean muscle.
    do you incorporate any strength training?
    i notice you use a personal trainer too, whats their input?

    there is a definitive thread on here,just search. eating back exercise cals.
    sorry dont have skills to link it from ipad.

    great work so far!
  • Tacita88
    Tacita88 Posts: 10 Member
    I eat half, but only in protein dense foods.
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
    MKEgal wrote: »
    Edie wrote:
    What do you think about eating your exercise calories?
    Should you eat your excercise calories too or does it not matter if you don't and stick to the 1200.
    My doctor & dietician told me to eat calories equal to 10x my healthy goal weight (in pounds), and ignore exercise.
    Exercise is a bonus.
    Most people underestimate what they eat, and most machines (including MFP) overestimate what you burn.

    So if 120 lb is a healthy weight for your height (look at a BMI chart), eating 1200 cal would be OK. Difficult, but OK.
    If you're really hungry some evening, eat 1/3 to 1/2 of your exercise cal that day.

    This sounds like terrible advice. If I only ate 1450 calories per day I would waste away to nothing. I am losing weight at 2500/day.

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