Eating exercise calories

EEF8
EEF8 Posts: 123 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
do you eat the extra calories you earn by exercising? I'm doing 1200 a day but after a workout the program then says I have 700 calories left rather than the 400 I left for dinner. Aren't you just erasing your workout?
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Replies

  • TiffanyR71
    TiffanyR71 Posts: 217 Member
    A lot of people eat a portion of their exercise calories (a portion instead of the whole amount to account for overestimated calorie burns). I personally don't unless I'm hungry (I'm also at 1200) - sometimes I save them for the weekend when I go out or have a couple glasses of wine...
  • MzManiak
    MzManiak Posts: 1,361 Member
    Yes, you should. If it makes you uncomfortable to "eat back" your calories expended, change your activity level from sedentary, as you are not sedentary if you are working out. You are not erasing your workouts by eating extra calories to fuel said workouts... you are preventing yourself from being at too high of a deficit.
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    I'll eat them or half of them if I know I worked hard that day. If I just walked or something, then I won't eat those back.
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    I'll eat them or half of them if I know I worked hard that day. If I just walked or something, then I won't eat those back.
  • glasshalffull713
    glasshalffull713 Posts: 323 Member
    I try not to unless I'm hungry however my calories are at 1400. I feel like at 1200 I would need a small snack to fuel my workouts. 1200 is just not a lot of food.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    If the only reason you are working out is to burn calories, then yes, you are erasing your workout. You might as well not even do it. But most of the health benefits come from exercise rather than from being thin. Instead of looking at it like eating your exercise calories is erasing your workout, look at it as, the extra fat you are carrying around is detrimental to your workout.
  • sthoms2
    sthoms2 Posts: 41 Member
    I only do on days I know I will eat a little more (like holidays or going out for dinner). Otherwise I try to not eat them.
  • EEF8
    EEF8 Posts: 123 Member
    Thank you all it sounds like it is varied. I think I will consider them verboten unless I'm starving and then maybe eat 50% or less
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
    I eat a portion of my workout calories every day. Sometimes nearly all of themOtherwise could not do 1200 calories consistently. It's an incentive to stay active, which has all sorts of health benefits over and above weight loss. When I am tempted to skip a workout, the ability to eat a bit more after a workout gets my butt out the door.
  • mindcontrolcandy
    mindcontrolcandy Posts: 8 Member
    I try to eat back a little, but aim to eat no more than half. That way I don't overeat and I'm less likely to go 'sod it' and pig out at night.

    I work on the theory that the exercise machines/fitbit/mfp calculations are engineered to be a little overly generous. Or that they're calculated under 'perfect' conditions. So eating the whole lot back means there's a small risk of overeating.

  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    Here's the theory:

    You tell MFP your stats, your activity level and they use calculators to say you burn X per day before exercise. Lets say its 2000 for an easy to work with number.

    You then tell MFP you want to lose 1 pound a week. So MFP subtracts 500 from 2000, and says eat 1500. Eating at this rate, assuming the information you provided is accurate and your food log is accurate, over time should average 1 pound a week.

    You then work out. You log your workouts, and MFP says: you're burning more than 2000. Now you're burning 2500 (for 500 exercise calories) so to lose 1 pound a week 2500 - 500 = 2000. You can eat more.

    Whether or not you want to will depend on a couple of things. Do you feel hungry, or like you're lacking in energy? Those are key signs that you need more food. Its your body's fuel source. Do you have a 2 pound per week goal? If so, you should probably eat some of your exercise calories - as too large of a deficit will increase the among of lean body mass you lose rather than making you burn thru more fat. On the other hand if you have a small goal such as .5 pounds per week, you probably won't feel the need to eat back your exercise calories.

    Do be careful of the # you claim. Its easy to overestimate them. That's why many eat back only a portion.
  • GothyFaery
    GothyFaery Posts: 762 Member
    StaciMarie1974 wrote: »
    Here's the theory:

    You tell MFP your stats, your activity level and they use calculators to say you burn X per day before exercise. Lets say its 2000 for an easy to work with number.

    You then tell MFP you want to lose 1 pound a week. So MFP subtracts 500 from 2000, and says eat 1500. Eating at this rate, assuming the information you provided is accurate and your food log is accurate, over time should average 1 pound a week.

    You then work out. You log your workouts, and MFP says: you're burning more than 2000. Now you're burning 2500 (for 500 exercise calories) so to lose 1 pound a week 2500 - 500 = 2000. You can eat more.

    Whether or not you want to will depend on a couple of things. Do you feel hungry, or like you're lacking in energy? Those are key signs that you need more food. Its your body's fuel source. Do you have a 2 pound per week goal? If so, you should probably eat some of your exercise calories - as too large of a deficit will increase the among of lean body mass you lose rather than making you burn thru more fat. On the other hand if you have a small goal such as .5 pounds per week, you probably won't feel the need to eat back your exercise calories.

    Do be careful of the # you claim. Its easy to overestimate them. That's why many eat back only a portion.

    All of this. MFP is designed for you to eat your calories back and still lose weight at the rate you want. I say eat back at least a portion of them. If you don't fuel your body properly, you will start to lose muscle mass and when you do get to your goal, you could be "skinny fat".
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    MFP already has your deficit built in. Most eat back a portion, to accommodate miscalculations in logging and overestimations in burns.
  • deloachkl
    deloachkl Posts: 17 Member
    I eat them all. It's week 7 and I've lost 7 pounds which is my goal. I don't feel deprived or hungry which is key for me in sticking with a program.
  • Gska17
    Gska17 Posts: 752 Member
    I eat (or drink, heh) them if I feel like it. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.
  • K_saine
    K_saine Posts: 58 Member
    GothyFaery wrote: »
    StaciMarie1974 wrote: »
    Here's the theory:

    You tell MFP your stats, your activity level and they use calculators to say you burn X per day before exercise. Lets say its 2000 for an easy to work with number.

    You then tell MFP you want to lose 1 pound a week. So MFP subtracts 500 from 2000, and says eat 1500. Eating at this rate, assuming the information you provided is accurate and your food log is accurate, over time should average 1 pound a week.

    You then work out. You log your workouts, and MFP says: you're burning more than 2000. Now you're burning 2500 (for 500 exercise calories) so to lose 1 pound a week 2500 - 500 = 2000. You can eat more.

    Whether or not you want to will depend on a couple of things. Do you feel hungry, or like you're lacking in energy? Those are key signs that you need more food. Its your body's fuel source. Do you have a 2 pound per week goal? If so, you should probably eat some of your exercise calories - as too large of a deficit will increase the among of lean body mass you lose rather than making you burn thru more fat. On the other hand if you have a small goal such as .5 pounds per week, you probably won't feel the need to eat back your exercise calories.

    Do be careful of the # you claim. Its easy to overestimate them. That's why many eat back only a portion.

    All of this. MFP is designed for you to eat your calories back and still lose weight at the rate you want. I say eat back at least a portion of them. If you don't fuel your body properly, you will start to lose muscle mass and when you do get to your goal, you could be "skinny fat".

    This may seem like a dumb question but what is "skinny fat"
  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
    I don't. One, I feel the calorie burns are exaggerated. Two, I know I'll probably go to an event this weekend and eat/drink with abandon. Doing it this way makes my calories balance out over the week.
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
    edited May 2015
    I think "skinny fat" is when you are thin but out of shape, as in not being fit.
  • bewarethedog
    bewarethedog Posts: 42 Member
    I don't eat mine back typically, but I also didn't enter sedentary as my lifestyle to account for it. So I'm eating 1400 a day. 1200 a day just made me too hungry. I need those extra 200 calories.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    galgenstrick wrote: »
    I'll eat them or half of them if I know I worked hard that day. If I just walked or something, then I won't eat those back.

    Shut the front gate!

    So when I burn 1000 calories from walking, then I shouldn't bother counting those? Because piddly walking doesn't count as exercise....

    OP I try not to eat my exercise calories back, but sometimes I just have to lol It is then I hope and pray that my fitbit and mfp is giving me accurate numbers. As long as I'm in the green at the end of the day all is good.
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
    1,000 calories from walking? Impressed. How far do you walk?
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    EEF8 wrote: »
    do you eat the extra calories you earn by exercising? I'm doing 1200 a day but after a workout the program then says I have 700 calories left rather than the 400 I left for dinner. Aren't you just erasing your workout?

    MFP gives you a calorie goal based on NEAT eg it ignores purposeful exercise

    so when you exercise yes you eat them back on top of your initial calorie allowance from MFP - but best to eat 50-75% of machine / MFP database estimates and judge on your weight loss

    you need to fuel your body to workout

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    christinev297 wrote: »
    galgenstrick wrote: »
    I'll eat them or half of them if I know I worked hard that day. If I just walked or something, then I won't eat those back.

    Shut the front gate!

    So when I burn 1000 calories from walking, then I shouldn't bother counting those? Because piddly walking doesn't count as exercise....

    OP I try not to eat my exercise calories back, but sometimes I just have to lol It is then I hope and pray that my fitbit and mfp is giving me accurate numbers. As long as I'm in the green at the end of the day all is good.

    I remember the days when you were a couch potato

    :bigsmile:
  • FrostAyy
    FrostAyy Posts: 23 Member
    If I didn't eat them back I'd probably quit my diet...
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    christinev297 wrote: »
    galgenstrick wrote: »
    I'll eat them or half of them if I know I worked hard that day. If I just walked or something, then I won't eat those back.

    Shut the front gate!

    So when I burn 1000 calories from walking, then I shouldn't bother counting those? Because piddly walking doesn't count as exercise....

    OP I try not to eat my exercise calories back, but sometimes I just have to lol It is then I hope and pray that my fitbit and mfp is giving me accurate numbers. As long as I'm in the green at the end of the day all is good.

    I remember the days when you were a couch potato

    :bigsmile:

    aaahh yes, I was pretty bad! :tongue:

    Getting a fitbit was the best thing I could have done. I'm addicted now!!

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    christinev297 wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    christinev297 wrote: »
    galgenstrick wrote: »
    I'll eat them or half of them if I know I worked hard that day. If I just walked or something, then I won't eat those back.

    Shut the front gate!

    So when I burn 1000 calories from walking, then I shouldn't bother counting those? Because piddly walking doesn't count as exercise....

    OP I try not to eat my exercise calories back, but sometimes I just have to lol It is then I hope and pray that my fitbit and mfp is giving me accurate numbers. As long as I'm in the green at the end of the day all is good.

    I remember the days when you were a couch potato

    :bigsmile:

    aaahh yes, I was pretty bad! :tongue:

    Getting a fitbit was the best thing I could have done. I'm addicted now!!

    it's being able to eat all the foodz :wink:
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    christinev297 wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    christinev297 wrote: »
    galgenstrick wrote: »
    I'll eat them or half of them if I know I worked hard that day. If I just walked or something, then I won't eat those back.

    Shut the front gate!

    So when I burn 1000 calories from walking, then I shouldn't bother counting those? Because piddly walking doesn't count as exercise....

    OP I try not to eat my exercise calories back, but sometimes I just have to lol It is then I hope and pray that my fitbit and mfp is giving me accurate numbers. As long as I'm in the green at the end of the day all is good.

    I remember the days when you were a couch potato

    :bigsmile:

    aaahh yes, I was pretty bad! :tongue:

    Getting a fitbit was the best thing I could have done. I'm addicted now!!

    it's being able to eat all the foodz :wink:

    Man, makes every minute of exercise so worth it :+1:

  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    ASKyle wrote: »
    I don't. One, I feel the calorie burns are exaggerated. Two, I know I'll probably go to an event this weekend and eat/drink with abandon. Doing it this way makes my calories balance out over the week.

    ^^not this ^^

    This is one of the things that leads to weight gain. People exercise and then tell themselves that means they deserve to eat more later. Even if you want want a day when you eat more than on other days, you should never "eat/drink with abandon."
  • ArkMom35
    ArkMom35 Posts: 225 Member
    I eat at least 50% of them back and have lost weight well.
  • 198cmahmwsi
    198cmahmwsi Posts: 7 Member
    If I didn't eat mine back, I would be at a dangerously low deficit, and I suspect that my body would be burning off muscle to fuel itself (not good - This really does "erase" your workout!)

    I keep my net intake at about 1700, which for me means a total intake of about 3000 on a typical day. I've been losing steadily at the expected rate, approximately 0.5kg (1 lb) per week.

    Does make rest days difficult though, as my appetite is "tuned" to receiving 3000 calories worth of food, so if I have a day off I have to be very careful with what I eat. I tend to make rest days coincide with maintenance days for this reason.

    One thing to be careful of though: MFP will quite often vastly overestimate the calories that you burned through exercise, so if you can't get an accurate number then try dividing MFP's estimate by 2 before logging it.

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