Eating back calories burned from exercise?

Yes, if you are following the MFP structure.

That being said, the calorie burns can be inflated on MFP so most people will start off by eating around 50% of their exercise calories back.

The 1200 # that MFP set you up with already included a calorie deficit so don't think you are "undoing" your workout by eating those calories back. It's how the system is designed and has worked for plenty.

TheFeynmanGuy wrote: »

INVOLUNTARILY.... THE BODY HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN REGARDING FAT LEVELS AND MASS

STOP TRYING TO FIGHT IT, THIS WHOLE SITE IS TOTAL UNSCIENTIFIC FRAUD.

huh?????

A

shadowofender wrote: »

If you're using the numbers from MFP, then yes. MFP is designed to give you a number not counting workouts. If you found your TDEE and use that number, then no.

But with a goal of 1200 (which is pretty low) I'm assuming you just use the goals MFP gave you and you should eat back exercise calories. However, most people and evevn MFP way over-estimate what those numbers are, so most of us eat back only a portion. For example, if MFP says you burned 300 calories in a workout, it's common to eat back only 150-225 to account for margin of error. Make sense?

Where is the nodding emoticon? I agree with this 100%.

I'd also add that if you undereat for your calorie burn, say by half, you will find that you are getting more food, which can be rewarding AND you are losing weight faster, which can also also rewarding so you are motivated to exercise! (Hey, I'm not ashamed that this motivation helps me get my rear out the door when it is wet and cold!)

Indigoblu1 wrote: »

shadowofender wrote: »

If you're using the numbers from MFP, then yes. MFP is designed to give you a number not counting workouts. If you found your TDEE and use that number, then no.

But with a goal of 1200 (which is pretty low) I'm assuming you just use the goals MFP gave you and you should eat back exercise calories. However, most people and evevn MFP way over-estimate what those numbers are, so most of us eat back only a portion. For example, if MFP says you burned 300 calories in a workout, it's common to eat back only 150-225 to account for margin of error. Make sense?

I am just curious - isn't eating back burned calories defeating the purpose of burning the calories in the first place? It just doesn't sound right. If you exercise to burn the calories, then why would you want to replace those calories? It sounds like that's reversing everything you exercised so hard for.

Some people with lower calorie targets because of age, gender, weight, desired weight loss rate, medical conditions, etc exercise in order to be able to eat a little more.

Some people work out for heart and bone health.

Some people lift weights to get stacked.

Some people work out to run far and fast and get shiny race medals.

Some people come to discover for themselves that working out in and of itself is not a good weight loss plan--the couple hundred calories you might burn in a "normal" (i.e. not athlete-in-training) Zumba class or whatever will basically cover the margin of error in calorie counting from estimation on nutrition labels, sneaking a handful of grapes, etc.

Some people (hi!) have a history of working out specifically to burn calories and have gotten sucked into it as an obsessive/eating disorder-related behavior. Eating back 75-100% of calories as a rule has been a great way for me to keep up exercise (I run and bike) without falling into old patterns.

So many reasons for so many different kinds of people!

Indigoblu1 wrote: »

shadowofender wrote: »

If you're using the numbers from MFP, then yes. MFP is designed to give you a number not counting workouts. If you found your TDEE and use that number, then no.

But with a goal of 1200 (which is pretty low) I'm assuming you just use the goals MFP gave you and you should eat back exercise calories. However, most people and evevn MFP way over-estimate what those numbers are, so most of us eat back only a portion. For example, if MFP says you burned 300 calories in a workout, it's common to eat back only 150-225 to account for margin of error. Make sense?

I am just curious - isn't eating back burned calories defeating the purpose of burning the calories in the first place? It just doesn't sound right. If you exercise to burn the calories, then why would you want to replace those calories? It sounds like that's reversing everything you exercised so hard for.

Not at all...

Because your calorie goal already includes your weight loss deficit if you were to do NO exercise whatsoever. You don't have to "burn" every calorie you eat off with exercise...you "burn" calories 24/7...your greatest "burn" is you merely existing on this planet.

Let's look at the math...let's say I maintain my weight at around 2400 calories with no exercise whatsoever...just the fact that I exist is "burning" around 1800 or so calories, plus my day to day hum drum. In this scenario, MFP would give me a calorie goal of around 1,900 calories to lose 1 Lb per week (provided that I selected that rate of loss). 2,400 - 1,900 = 500 calorie deficit.

Now let's say I exercise and burn 250 calories everyday and I log it and eat back those calories...so I'm eating 2,150 calories but I still maintain a 500 calorie deficit...because my maintenance number will also increase by those same 250 calories...therefore 2400 + 250 = 2,650 and 2,650 - 2,150 (calories I'm now consuming) = 500 calorie deficit still.

Learning how to properly fuel your activity, including exercise activity is important to being healthy and fit...it's not all about dropping weight as fast as possible. The purpose of exercise isn't to burn calories or lose weight...I've been maintaining for over 1.5 years and if that was the case, why would I keep cycling 100 miles per week? The purpose of exercise is general health and well being...your weight control is largely dependent on your energy consumption.

All that said, you have to be very careful with the MFP method...many if not most people tend to underestimate their consumption and aren't particularly accurate in their logging...and they're equally inaccurate in determining calorie burns and end up thinking they're in an energy deficit when, at the end of they day they have so much error going on that they've wiped everything out.

I would also add that the more vigorous and intense your exercise regimen is, the more important it is to figure out what you need fuel wise to support that activity and to support recovery...I wouldn't be overly worried about eating back exercise calories from a little walking or a zumba class or something...training for a marathon is another story.

Thanks for all the replies. I think that what was mentioned about calories burnt being overestimated is important to keep in mind. I hadn't considered that before when eating back calories.

It largely depends on your fitness level. If it's low, the calorie burn is low and the risk of over-eating it probably outweighs anything benefits.

dblzng0613 wrote: »

Ok my calories for the day are at 1600. I work out everyday and burn around 275-360 calories during the exercise. So am I supposed to eat those calories back?

If that 1600 was given to you by MFP then you should eat back at least some of those exercise calories - because keep in mind, that number isn't 100% accurate. Think of it this way, if you're supposed to eat 1600 but then you burn 400 extra with exercise, you've only really netted 1200 calories for the day. So not only are you going to be hungry most likely, but that's probably too low for most people.

If the 1600 is a number you came up with using the TDEE method, which includes your activity level, then no, don't eat them back.