Do you eat back exercise calories?

ajcmoran2005
ajcmoran2005 Posts: 173 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone!

I know that this has probably been asked a ton but I just wanted to see if you eat back your exercise calories. I normally eat about 1400 cal a day but after a long run I do eat back some of them but I never go below 1200. I hit a plateau a few weeks ago so someone suggested that I eat 1200 calories for a week and then go up to 1500 calories. I'm on my third day of 1200 calories but I just had a super hard and long run. If I don't eat any of them back I will be at about 800-900 calories for the day, which seems crazy, correct? When I asked the person who recommended this to me she said to never eat back your calories, even though 800 calories is really low. So, is she right or is that crazy?

Thank you!

Replies

  • waldronsix
    waldronsix Posts: 18 Member
    Sometimes its the reason I exercise. Because I'm hungry!!!
  • brazcub
    brazcub Posts: 15 Member
    Not always, but I too exercise so I can eat more sometimes.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I eat them all. MFP was designed so that you eat your exercise calories. My recommendation is to eat all of your exercise calories in the beginning and then scale back if you are not losing weight.

    I cannot imagine eating 1200 calories on even a rest day.
  • Lexicpt
    Lexicpt Posts: 209 Member
    I rarely eat mine back. Depends how many calories I burn through exercise and how hungry I am.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Are you using MFP as designed? Then yes, you should be eating back your exercise calories. MFP gave you a deficit with zero exercise factored in. That way people who can't exercise still lose weight.

    The tricky part is figuring out what number to use as a calorie burn. Many MFP users eat back a portion 50-75% and then adjust as needed.

    The reason for eating back calories.....large deficits make it hard to support existing lean muscle. This is more and more true the closer you get to goal. 1200 is MFPs lowest default minimum, so unless you are older and very petite....you're working on a pretty high deficit already.
  • ajcmoran2005
    ajcmoran2005 Posts: 173 Member
    I'm 5'4" and weigh 123.6 pounds. I only want to lose about six more pounds. There is absolutely no way I could sustain a 1200 calorie diet. I follow the TDEE method and up until I hit the plateau that it had me eating 1700 calories a day. I'm just desperate to change things up so I can lose these last few pounds. Believe me, this week is going to stink because 1200 calories isn't a lot!
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    At 1700 calories, you are eating very close to your maintenance, so a plateau is expected unless you eat less or increase your exercise.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    A portion of them, yes.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It is the way MFP is designed; however, a lot of people underestimate intake and overestimate their burn which is why there are so many "it's not working" threads.

    I would say it also depends on the exercise...it's far less stress on my body to go for a slow walk in the park with my dog than going for a 50 mile ride on my bike at 15-20 MPH. The latter is going to be pretty stressful for my body and I"m going to require energy (calories) and nutrients to aid in recovery and repair. Learning to properly fuel exercise activity is important...unfortunately a lot of people just don't seem to get that.
  • amy8400
    amy8400 Posts: 478 Member
    Especially after a hard workout, I eat back half of my exercise calories. Not going to work out just to starve.
  • TiffanyR71
    TiffanyR71 Posts: 217 Member
    Lexicpt wrote: »
    I rarely eat mine back. Depends how many calories I burn through exercise and how hungry I am.

    Same here. Or save for the weekend, when it can be tougher to stay within normal allowance... Otherwise, I think of them as insurance against logging errors/inaccuracies.
  • ajcmoran2005
    ajcmoran2005 Posts: 173 Member
    I might eat back some of them. I honestly don't know how people purposely eat 1200 calories a day. If I had to eat this little for more than a week I would not be a fun person to be around!
  • lisafrancis888
    lisafrancis888 Posts: 119 Member
    I eat nearly all mine back and would struggle on 1200 if I didn't. It's not fun the days I don't exercise.
  • tsalagi82
    tsalagi82 Posts: 76 Member
    No, I never do. If I do, I gain!
  • North44
    North44 Posts: 359 Member
    lisafrancis888 wrote: »
    I eat nearly all mine back and would struggle on 1200 if I didn't. It's not fun the days I don't exercise.

    Yes same for me. I find myself taking a walk or bike ride on weekends when I normally don't exercise so I can fit in a hundred or so more calories.

    There's no way I could play tennis for 2 hours (which I do fairly often) on 1200 cals a day!
  • ellskiNZ
    ellskiNZ Posts: 32 Member
    I don't usually eat mine back, although my calories are a bit higher than most people in here -1600.
  • Vixenmd1
    Vixenmd1 Posts: 146 Member
    I run 5.5 miles everyday day with a garmin HRM and have my calories set at 1200. I eat most of those calories back. In fact setting my calories at 1200 is a huge incentive to get my running shoes on. Working out pretty well for me 13.5 lbs in 34 days.
  • Roxiegirl2008
    Roxiegirl2008 Posts: 756 Member
    I typically don't except on long run days. I am able to listen to my body and I space out all of my food through out the day so there really is not a point that I am not eating something every few hours. Not because I think it will increase metabolism but because I am a grazer and like to eat. :smiley: I just plan my calories out however, if I feel hungry not bored (something that took practice) I will eat more.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    tsalagi82 wrote: »
    No, I never do. If I do, I gain!

    then you are eating more than you think...

    To the OP MFP is designed for you to eat some of them back ...at least 50%.
    TimothyFish wrote: »
    At 1700 calories, you are eating very close to your maintenance, so a plateau is expected unless you eat less or increase your exercise.
    You don't know what their maintenance is....

    OP try logging more accurately with a food scale.


  • njlegault
    njlegault Posts: 15 Member
    I'm at 1220 cals per day which is tough but I only have about 5lbs of vanity weight to lose so given that is my situation yes I do eat back all my exercise calories. Additionally, when I do intense cardio I get really hungry and NEED the extra 500-600 calories I get from my workout. Also it's a good motivating factor to go to the gym (the extra cals) because 1220 is not that much... And I like my meats and cheeses hahaha
  • njlegault
    njlegault Posts: 15 Member
    Vixenmd1 wrote: »
    I run 5.5 miles everyday day with a garmin HRM and have my calories set at 1200. I eat most of those calories back. In fact setting my calories at 1200 is a huge incentive to get my running shoes on. Working out pretty well for me 13.5 lbs in 34 days.
    << nice work girl!

  • jwschutz
    jwschutz Posts: 306 Member
    I rarely eat back all my calories, like many others have said, I look forward to exercise so I can eat more.
  • carliekitty
    carliekitty Posts: 303 Member
    I eat back mine most of the time unless i am trying to loose weight a little faster. I've lost 105 lbs. I figure running calories burned at .63xweight then x by how many miles i ran =) I hope that helps. Honestly i don't think eating so little is necessary. Eat more, run more =)
  • lauracups
    lauracups Posts: 533 Member
    Before I log the exercise I cut in half the estimated burn mfp gives. Then I will eat that amount back but I try not to eat all. Today I didn't eat more than a few back. I'm at a plateau so I'm trying different things to shake it up.
  • Thiatereika
    Thiatereika Posts: 6 Member
    I generally don't eat them back as I use them for inaccuracies, and it allows a cushion for my cheat days. If I'm super hungry and have a cushion then I don't feel as guilty either. Sometimes you just need to eat.
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