Eat back calories burned?

Yes, it's the easiest way to do it and the way they design these apps.

If, after a couple weeks, you find that you aren't losing any weight, then think about maybe eating half back.

Everyone does it differently, but try the way way first. Don't make it harder than it needs to be, KWIM?

My boxing trainer just told our class that in order to loss weight you have to consume more calories to cover the calories burned. So I try to have a protein & small carb after that class. Plus I drink 3-4 glasses of water too.

Good luck.

Eating back exercise calories is tricky to me. First it all depends on how your exercise calories are calculated? I am also using a fitbit to track my activity and exercise (big help)..

If I use MFP, then I know without a shadow of a doubt it is over estimated and will only eat a portion back. I will compare MFP calorie burn for the same exercise and a machine computer and they never match. So, on exercise day (cadio) I eat back a small portion and on lifting days, I do not eat back, I just eat what I need to replenish and recover from the workout...

gia07 wrote: »

Eating back exercise calories is tricky to me. First it all depends on how your exercise calories are calculated? I am also using a fitbit to track my activity and exercise (big help).

When you connect an activity tracker (like Fitbit), MFP adjusts your daily calorie goal to TDEE minus deficit.

OP, your default MFP calorie goal is activity level minus deficit, so you're supposed to eat back your exercise calories. All the calorie counts & burns are estimates, so some people reduce the margin of error by eating back a percentage of their exercise calories.

Food is fuel, and we should all be looking for the maximum number of calories at which we lose weight—never the minimum. It'll take trial & error to find out what works for you.

Pooh973 wrote: »

Should I eat back my calories burned? I have found mixed reviews on the Internet. I'm trying to lose fat and build muscle. What are your thoughts?

This is a really confusing subject. Last year, when I was on my health kick, I did eat back calories. I did lose weight and gain muscle, albeit slow. This year, I used the IIFYM calculator to determine my daily caloric need which already included a general estimate of weekly activity; therefore, I no longer eat back the excess MFP calories unless I have been substantially more active in a week than my estimation.

there are basically two methods of calorie counting...you have to know which one you're doing to even begin to have an intelligent conversation. You also have to understand that this is all just a simple 5th grade math equation...that's all weight loss is.

There is the NEAT (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) method (MFP) and the TDEE method. The difference between the two methods is where you account for exercise...because you should be accounting for it somewhere...fueling your fitness is important.

With the NEAT method (MFP), your activity level when you set your account up is only to include your day to day hum drum WITHOUT exercise. As such, your calorie targets are derived from your day to day hum drum WITHOUT exercise...thus exercise is a completely unaccounted for activity. This is why you get calories to eat back when you log exercise...I mean really, do you think MFP is just trying to trick you or something? With the NEAT method (MFP) you account for exercise activity on the *kitten* end of the equation.

With the TDEE method (Total Daily Energy Expenditure....TOTAL being the key word here) you include some estimate of your exercise activity in your activity level...thus your calorie targets include some estimate of the calories that would be required to fuel your fitness...thus, if you ate back exercise calories using the TDEE method, you would be double counting as they are already accounted for in your activity level.

Also, when you start to wrap your head around fitness for the sake of fitness rather than weight loss or weight management, fueling your fitness makes a lot of sense...I mean really, if I didn't fuel my 30 mile ride today, I'd be on my *kitten*. Healthy and fit people know how to eat and train.

I usually eat most of them back.

It's a personal decision. And personally, I only workout so that I can have wine and popcorn!