Exercise calories

lessismoreohio
lessismoreohio Posts: 910 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
Do you eat your exercise calories?

What is the MFP stance on this?

Sometimes I eat my exercise calories and sometimes I don't; I don't know what is the recommended approach.

Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I eat them all.

    MFP is based on eating your exercise calories. Your deficit is built into the base calorie goal and then exercise calories are added on top. People tend to think that the calories are overstated so they eat only a portion. Or they want to try to rush weight loss so they don't eat them at all. I eat them all.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    If you are using MFP method, then yes you should eat some. MFP does not include exercise in its calculation for your calories. It is based on just ordinary activity, not purposeful exercise. When you do exercise and you log it, it gives you more calories to eat. Be aware that the calorie allowances of exercise are often high, so many people do not eat all of them.

    If you are using a calorie goal that includes exercise, then no, you would not eat more for exercise. (TDEE method) In that case you would be cancelling out your deficit.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    MFP designed around Non Exercise Activity Thermogensis (NEAT) which does not include exercise in its setup and includes the assumption that accurately calculated exercise calories are eaten back. This is why your daily goal increases as you log exercise.
  • Emily3907
    Emily3907 Posts: 1,461 Member
    I have started using only about 50% of my exercise calories. Mainly because I am concerned about my exercise calories being over estimated through my fitbit.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited May 2015
    It is the way MFP is designed...you have to account for exercise activity somewhere right? I mean that just makes sense right? Since MFP doesn't account for exercise in your activity level, you account for it after the fact when you log it and get those calories to "eat back" Of course, most people vastly overestimate their burn and also tend to underestimate their intake.

    I'd also say that this depends largely on what your exercise is...if your exercise is just going for a walk or something it's not going to be as imperative...but if you're training and really putting your body through a moderate to vigorous workout, you need nutrients and calories (energy) for recovery and repair....exercise is very good for you...it's also a major stress on the body and breaks down the body...calories (energy) and nutrients, along with proper rest help to repair that which has been broken down...that's when you make fitness gains.

    You also have to ultimately wrap your head around fitness for the sake of fitness here...not just weight loss...fitness should be done for the sake of fitness...when you wrap your head around that, fueling it makes a lot more sense than not.
  • misswillpower
    misswillpower Posts: 15 Member
    I think if you want to loose weight faster then do not eat all of the calories you burnt off. I do not eat more than 1/2 of the calories I burnt off.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    It is the way MFP is designed...you have to account for exercise activity somewhere right? I mean that just makes sense right? Since MFP doesn't account for exercise in your activity level, you account for it after the fact when you log it and get those calories to "eat back" Of course, most people vastly overestimate their burn and also tend to underestimate their intake.

    I'd also say that this depends largely on what your exercise is...if your exercise is just going for a walk or something it's not going to be as imperative...but if you're training and really putting your body through a moderate to vigorous workout, you need nutrients and calories (energy) for recovery and repair....exercise is very good for you...it's also a major stress on the body and breaks down the body...calories (energy) and nutrients, along with proper rest help to repair that which has been broken down...that's when you make fitness gains.

    You also have to ultimately wrap your head around fitness for the sake of fitness here...no just weight loss...fitness should be done for the sake of fitness...when you wrap your head around that, fueling it makes a lot more sense than not.

    That is such a good point and one that I often forget when reading these boards. My focus is primarily on fitness. Others might be focusing more on looks. There's certainly crossover and neither is wrong/right but this is a good reminder to me of that point.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    misswillpower wrote: »
    I think if you want to loose weight faster then do not eat all of the calories you burnt off. I do not eat more than 1/2 of the calories I burnt off.

    "faster" should very rarely be the goal...
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    misswillpower wrote: »
    I think if you want to loose weight faster then do not eat all of the calories you burnt off. I do not eat more than 1/2 of the calories I burnt off.

    MFP includes the deficit for your weekly loss goal. Fast loss is not necessarily healthy loss nor does it mean you're losing more fat.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    When I used the NEAT method MFP is known for yes I ate them all back...I was following the suggestion and fueling my next workout.

    I lost the weight I wanted while doing that and worked out consistently and never felt lethargic.
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    You also have to ultimately wrap your head around fitness for the sake of fitness here...no just weight loss...fitness should be done for the sake of fitness...when you wrap your head around that, fueling it makes a lot more sense than not.

    Because so much this.
  • losergood2011
    losergood2011 Posts: 172 Member
    Its interesting to see but I don't eat it back unless it is a really heavy day. This conversation has me thinking...
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    brianpperkins wrote: »
    misswillpower wrote: »
    I think if you want to loose weight faster then do not eat all of the calories you burnt off. I do not eat more than 1/2 of the calories I burnt off.

    MFP includes the deficit for your weekly loss goal. Fast loss is not necessarily healthy loss nor does it mean you're losing more fat.

    Agreed, fast weight loss is generally an indicator of muscle loss in a less than desirable ratio to fat loss.
  • lessismoreohio
    lessismoreohio Posts: 910 Member
    Awesome feedback; thank you all.
  • Leighkai76
    Leighkai76 Posts: 26 Member
    I eat them all BUT I don't use the calculations that MFP provides. I enter my exercise calories based on my HRM.
  • 12Ace12
    12Ace12 Posts: 30 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    I eat them all.

    MFP is based on eating your exercise calories. Your deficit is built into the base calorie goal and then exercise calories are added on top. People tend to think that the calories are overstated so they eat only a portion. Or they want to try to rush weight loss so they don't eat them at all. I eat them all.

  • higgins8283801
    higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
    Sometimes I eat them, sometimes I don't. Most of the time I save them and eat them all on a Saturday and Sunday.

    It just depends.

  • 12Ace12
    12Ace12 Posts: 30 Member
    I lost 7 pounds in 8 days is that alot of weight lost. Well I stop eating for 2 people.
  • tyronda00
    tyronda00 Posts: 5 Member
    The bootcamp I participate in has me eat 20% of my calories back so as not to eat all of the calories that I've burned.
  • bluepotatoes66
    bluepotatoes66 Posts: 45 Member
    I usually eat some of them back - some days all, some days none - depends on how hungry I am on that given day and how well my stomach is cooperating with me that day.
  • jkal1979
    jkal1979 Posts: 1,896 Member
    MFP expects that you will eat them back, but many people who do usually eat back a portion of them to offset any overestimations.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818082/exercise-calories-again-wtf/p1

    As a personal rule of thumb I make sure that I eat at least a net 1200 calories a day. My goal before exercise is 1460.
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    I eat back 50% of what MFP says I burned.... I told MFP that I want to loose .5pounds a week and I've lost 10 pounds in the past 10 weeks so I'm doing something right.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    Asher_Ethan wrote: »
    I eat back 50% of what MFP says I burned.... I told MFP that I want to loose .5pounds a week and I've lost 10 pounds in the past 10 weeks so I'm doing something right.

    Except that if you were truly on plan you would have lost 5 pounds in the last 10 weeks.
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