Should I eat my exercise calories or not? Confused!!

mommyoftwins05
mommyoftwins05 Posts: 645 Member
edited September 28 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,

I'm new to all this.. well I keep reading that if you exercise and burn say 500 calories..you should eat 500 calories worth of food.. well then I see people eatting their calorie goal but they don't eat what they burned off..

so now I don't which way to go...

I was talking to my fiancee yesterday and I told him I was doing this..and told him how you gotta eat your exercise calories he's like then whats the point of exercising lol

Replies

  • Kat0310
    Kat0310 Posts: 341
    I don't eat my exercise calories. But I usually only burn about 300/day.
  • thefishers4
    thefishers4 Posts: 165 Member
    I used to but now I don't. The only time I would, would be if I was say exercise and burned 500 calories I would only eat to keep me at 1200. My calories are 1,530 a day but I think if you don't stay above at least 1,200 calories a day you send your body into stravation mode.
  • baddkitty187
    baddkitty187 Posts: 62 Member
    Personally I do not eat them back I changed my diet in feb and started the gym in march nd I have lost over 70lbs, just one individual though
  • baddkitty187
    baddkitty187 Posts: 62 Member
    I used to but now I don't. The only time I would, would be if I was say exercise and burned 500 calories I would only eat to keep me at 1200. My calories are 1,530 a day but I think if you don't stay above at least 1,200 calories a day you send your body into stravation mode.

    <3 yes yes yes
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
    When you set your weight loss goal, MFP automatically calculate the number of calories you can eat per day and loose the desired amount of weight without exercising.

    For me, if I eat 1340 calories per day and don't exercise, I can lose 2 pounds per week. This is because my body consumes about 2340 calories per day just doing normal metabolic functions (no exercise). By having a 1,000 calorie deficit per day, I have a 7,000 calorie deficit per week. 1 pound of fat (which is where the body stores calories) = 3500 calories, so I use 2 pounds of fat per week eating 1340 calories per day.

    For me, this is not sustainable, it feels way too much like dieting. Plus, I want to tone my body and exercise the most important muscle of all (my heart), so I exercise. Exercising allows me to eat more reasonable amounts of food and still loose weight. You will loose more if you don't eat back your exercise calories, obviously, but it might be easier to maintain these diet habits long term if you do eat back at least some exercise calories.
  • kelvanfleet
    kelvanfleet Posts: 4 Member
    I don't ever eat my exercise calories....I don't know if this is the right way but I agree with your fiance what would be the point of exercising then....I have lost 17 lbs in 1 month 1 week and so I 'm sticking to the way I do it.....
  • ageros
    ageros Posts: 66 Member
    The idea behind eating your exercise calories is that if your body burns too many calories it can go into a "starvation" mode where it holds calories instead of using them. As a result losing weight would be extremely hard.

    Keep in mind, if you are working out and eat back the calories you worked out, you are still on a calorie deficit.

    The simple answer to whether to do it or not is to simply find whats best for you. Plenty of people have lost weight not eating back their calories, while plenty have lost weight doing it. Try not eating them for a week or two and then try eating them for a week or two and see what is more effective.
  • mommyoftwins05
    mommyoftwins05 Posts: 645 Member
    I used to but now I don't. The only time I would, would be if I was say exercise and burned 500 calories I would only eat to keep me at 1200. My calories are 1,530 a day but I think if you don't stay above at least 1,200 calories a day you send your body into stravation mode.

    MFP has my goal set at 1200 calories a day..
  • meryllb
    meryllb Posts: 28
    i think the "eating your calories" option is there for the people that want to maintain weight. i remember when i first signed up, it asks your goal, and one option was "maintain weight".
  • henney16
    henney16 Posts: 288
    I don't eat them back. I am just trying to eat between 1700-2000 per day (its so hard because determining the amount of calories burned from what I read is not an exact science). I just try and do what my body tells me, which sometimes makes me eat more, sometimes makes me eat less. I always try and stay with that range of 1700-2000 per day, but thats just what has worked for me so far.

    Dave
  • sarah307
    sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
    first off, welcome to MFP!

    alright, there are MANY MANY posts about this topic...

    but they should seriously have a banner running across the screen saying "eat your exercise calories!"

    BECAUSE - myfitnesspal comes up with your calorie goal for you to lose weight without exercising.. meaning you already have a deficit without working out. That's why they want you to eat your exercise calories back. - on this site!!

    Now.. benefits of exercise ... take a few minutes and read the following article!!

    http://www.busywomensfitness.com/exercise-benefits.html

    and add to that list - if you are using MFP, you get to eat more and still lose! and if you go over by a little bit of your goal - then you get to go take a walk and it's all good :) haha.

    But seriously, read the article! :) good luck to you!
  • mbaker81
    mbaker81 Posts: 8
    I guess the answer here depends on what your calories a day are to begin with. I only get 1200. If I do kickboxing, which I do twice a week, I burn over 600 calories. My body would shut down without the extra calories. The point is to build muscle and you will break down your muscle if you work your body and don't feed it. You should eat at least a chunk of them back.
  • cjwolfjen
    cjwolfjen Posts: 323 Member
    When you set your weight loss goal, MFP automatically calculate the number of calories you can eat per day and loose the desired amount of weight without exercising.

    For me, if I eat 1340 calories per day and don't exercise, I can lose 2 pounds per week. This is because my body consumes about 2340 calories per day just doing normal metabolic functions (no exercise). By having a 1,000 calorie deficit per day, I have a 7,000 calorie deficit per week. 1 pound of fat (which is where the body stores calories) = 3500 calories, so I use 2 pounds of fat per week eating 1340 calories per day.

    For me, this is not sustainable, it feels way too much like dieting. Plus, I want to tone my body and exercise the most important muscle of all (my heart), so I exercise. Exercising allows me to eat more reasonable amounts of food and still loose weight. You will loose more if you don't eat back your exercise calories, obviously, but it might be easier to maintain these diet habits long term if you do eat back at least some exercise calories.

    I couldn't have said it better myself. Well said.
  • Crystal817
    Crystal817 Posts: 2,021 Member
    I was talking to my fiancee yesterday and I told him I was doing this..and told him how you gotta eat your exercise calories he's like then whats the point of exercising lol

    *sigh*

    MFP already sets you at a calorie deficit. Which means even if you didn't exercise, if you stayed within your calorie goal, you would still loose weight. So when you do exercise and your body uses energy (calories), it can be very helpful to re fuel your body. It's good to keep your net calories at 1200 (or whatever mfp has set for you).

    I realize people do lose weight without eating back, but there are hundreds of people on here who lose weight while eating back their calories. Do what works for you...
  • mommyoftwins05
    mommyoftwins05 Posts: 645 Member
    The idea behind eating your exercise calories is that if your body burns too many calories it can go into a "starvation" mode where it holds calories instead of using them. As a result losing weight would be extremely hard.

    Keep in mind, if you are working out and eat back the calories you worked out, you are still on a calorie deficit.

    The simple answer to whether to do it or not is to simply find whats best for you. Plenty of people have lost weight not eating back their calories, while plenty have lost weight doing it. Try not eating them for a week or two and then try eating them for a week or two and see what is more effective.

    Ok I will test it thanks :)
  • mommyoftwins05
    mommyoftwins05 Posts: 645 Member
    Thanks all for your replies!!! :)
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
    When you set your weight loss goal, MFP automatically calculate the number of calories you can eat per day and loose the desired amount of weight without exercising.

    For me, if I eat 1340 calories per day and don't exercise, I can lose 2 pounds per week. This is because my body consumes about 2340 calories per day just doing normal metabolic functions (no exercise). By having a 1,000 calorie deficit per day, I have a 7,000 calorie deficit per week. 1 pound of fat (which is where the body stores calories) = 3500 calories, so I use 2 pounds of fat per week eating 1340 calories per day.

    For me, this is not sustainable, it feels way too much like dieting. Plus, I want to tone my body and exercise the most important muscle of all (my heart), so I exercise. Exercising allows me to eat more reasonable amounts of food and still loose weight. You will loose more if you don't eat back your exercise calories, obviously, but it might be easier to maintain these diet habits long term if you do eat back at least some exercise calories.

    really well said. I agree ;)
  • Aileen46
    Aileen46 Posts: 176 Member
    For me, in order to maintain the weight that I want to be, I could have around 1600 cals per day without exercise. MFP has my calorie intake at 1330 in order to get to that weight. When I exercise, I could eat more cals, but I generally will only have the 1200 or 1300 regardless of how many cals I've burned. As an example, I've had 1300 today but burned 350, so I've only had 950. I'm not hungry and have put the 1300 in, so I'm staying there. I try not to go over the 1300, but also try to make sure I have had 1200. And to me, the exercise is like a bonus. I hope that makes sense!! :) I want to lose 1.5 per week and I'm right on track so it must be okay. :smile:
  • lnelson378
    lnelson378 Posts: 2
    I had the same question when I started this. Keep in mind the database already cuts you the number of calories you need to burn to lose weight. As long as you take in fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. I try to eat close to all the calories the database gives me for exercise, but still stay below that total. I have lost 35 lbs in four months without feeling hungry and I am really happy with my results. Exercise will tone your muscles, burn body fat, and give you an athletic appearance. If you diet without exercise, you only lose fat which is hard on your body, and makes you look like you are starving to death. You will weaken your body. If you do exercise, you need the fuel to get the most out of your workouts. Food is fuel.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    If you go by the sites approach to weight loss, then you should absolutely eat your exercise calories. Those who have lot of weight to lose can probably get away with it, but the closer to the goal, the more you will need to eat.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    The point in eating them back is the MFP calculator already builds in a safe deficit. You can eat them back or not...but the loss deficit is already there. That being said, I eat back about 40%-60% of mine, because I know that most people's exercise calories on the logs are exaggerated, and I don't have my heart rate monitor yet. Additionally, a little extra deficit on exercise days isn't always a bad thing. Just keep it within a safe margin.

    Cris
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