Eating Exercise Calories?

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Do you eat the calorie allowance for when you exercise? Share your experiences.
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  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
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    Sometimes yes, sometimes no. A lot of it depends on whether I'm hungry or not. On average I'd say over the course of a week I'll eat (or drink!) about 1/3 to 1/2 of my exercise calories back.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    when i did MFP i did...it is the way this tool is designed...there are stickies that you're supposed to read that explain all of this. you should make some kind of allowance for estimation error though.
  • emhunter
    emhunter Posts: 1,212 Member
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    I do not. For me, it feels like why did I work out. But if eating them back works for you, I say go for it! I definitely am not in the eat more to weigh less camp because it does work for me.
  • jbuzzed
    jbuzzed Posts: 10,173 Member
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    I don't often but sometimes, if I'm extra hungry or have a special occasion.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
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    I do now I'm maintaining, apart from walking.

    When I was losing I ate 75%.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    emhunter wrote: »
    I do not. For me, it feels like why did I work out. But if eating them back works for you, I say go for it! I definitely am not in the eat more to weigh less camp because it does work for me.

    IDK...fitness maybe? the purpose of exercise isn't burning calories or losing weight...if that were the case, why would anyone in maintenance exercise...burning calories is a nice bi-product of fitness...but fitness is for fitness sake...it is essential to overall health and wellbeing...it is completely unnecessary for weight loss.

    you should probably read the stickies too....

    once you wrap your head around fitness for the sake of fitness, it makes sense...also, when you understand that your deficit is already built into your goals it makes sense.
  • emhunter
    emhunter Posts: 1,212 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    emhunter wrote: »
    I do not. For me, it feels like why did I work out. But if eating them back works for you, I say go for it! I definitely am not in the eat more to weigh less camp because it does work for me.

    IDK...fitness maybe? the purpose of exercise isn't burning calories or losing weight...if that were the case, why would anyone in maintenance exercise...burning calories is a nice bi-product of fitness...but fitness is for fitness sake...it is essential to overall health and wellbeing...it is completely unnecessary for weight loss.

    you should probably read the stickies too....

    once you wrap your head around fitness for the sake of fitness, it makes sense...also, when you understand that your deficit is already built into your goals it makes sense.

    You are right. Working out for fitness is a reason to work out. A very good reason. Also working out is not necessary for weight loss. Some of my biggest losses came during not working out.

    But for me if my goal is to lose weight, if I exercise and then eat back the calories I burned, I do not lose weight. I am not saying that it is everyone's truth. It is mine.

    The OP asked for an opinion based on our experiences and I gave it.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    emhunter wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    emhunter wrote: »
    I do not. For me, it feels like why did I work out. But if eating them back works for you, I say go for it! I definitely am not in the eat more to weigh less camp because it does work for me.

    IDK...fitness maybe? the purpose of exercise isn't burning calories or losing weight...if that were the case, why would anyone in maintenance exercise...burning calories is a nice bi-product of fitness...but fitness is for fitness sake...it is essential to overall health and wellbeing...it is completely unnecessary for weight loss.

    you should probably read the stickies too....

    once you wrap your head around fitness for the sake of fitness, it makes sense...also, when you understand that your deficit is already built into your goals it makes sense.

    You are right. Working out for fitness is a reason to work out. A very good reason. Also working out is not necessary for weight loss. Some of my biggest losses came during not working out.

    But for me if my goal is to lose weight, if I exercise and then eat back the calories I burned, I do not lose weight. I am not saying that it is everyone's truth. It is mine.

    The OP asked for an opinion based on our experiences and I gave it.

    Then you ate back more than you burned.
  • emhunter
    emhunter Posts: 1,212 Member
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    emhunter wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    emhunter wrote: »
    I do not. For me, it feels like why did I work out. But if eating them back works for you, I say go for it! I definitely am not in the eat more to weigh less camp because it does work for me.

    IDK...fitness maybe? the purpose of exercise isn't burning calories or losing weight...if that were the case, why would anyone in maintenance exercise...burning calories is a nice bi-product of fitness...but fitness is for fitness sake...it is essential to overall health and wellbeing...it is completely unnecessary for weight loss.

    you should probably read the stickies too....

    once you wrap your head around fitness for the sake of fitness, it makes sense...also, when you understand that your deficit is already built into your goals it makes sense.

    You are right. Working out for fitness is a reason to work out. A very good reason. Also working out is not necessary for weight loss. Some of my biggest losses came during not working out.

    But for me if my goal is to lose weight, if I exercise and then eat back the calories I burned, I do not lose weight. I am not saying that it is everyone's truth. It is mine.

    The OP asked for an opinion based on our experiences and I gave it.

    Then you ate back more than you burned.

    Not necessarily. I am not a newbie to mfp. Been logging for over 3 years. I know my body.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    emhunter wrote: »
    emhunter wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    emhunter wrote: »
    I do not. For me, it feels like why did I work out. But if eating them back works for you, I say go for it! I definitely am not in the eat more to weigh less camp because it does work for me.

    IDK...fitness maybe? the purpose of exercise isn't burning calories or losing weight...if that were the case, why would anyone in maintenance exercise...burning calories is a nice bi-product of fitness...but fitness is for fitness sake...it is essential to overall health and wellbeing...it is completely unnecessary for weight loss.

    you should probably read the stickies too....

    once you wrap your head around fitness for the sake of fitness, it makes sense...also, when you understand that your deficit is already built into your goals it makes sense.

    You are right. Working out for fitness is a reason to work out. A very good reason. Also working out is not necessary for weight loss. Some of my biggest losses came during not working out.

    But for me if my goal is to lose weight, if I exercise and then eat back the calories I burned, I do not lose weight. I am not saying that it is everyone's truth. It is mine.

    The OP asked for an opinion based on our experiences and I gave it.

    Then you ate back more than you burned.

    Not necessarily. I am not a newbie to mfp. Been logging for over 3 years. I know my body.

    So how do you explain eating back your exercise calories and that preventing you from losing? It should be neutral and have zero effect, unless you eat more than you burned.
  • emhunter
    emhunter Posts: 1,212 Member
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    Because some people need a larger deficit to lose. Accordingly eating back hurts me.

    It does not matter though, this is my experience. As the OP asked.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    emhunter wrote: »
    Because some people need a larger deficit to lose. Accordingly eating back hurts me.

    It does not matter though, this is my experience. As the OP asked.

    Your experience is trumped by science.
  • emhunter
    emhunter Posts: 1,212 Member
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    emhunter wrote: »
    Because some people need a larger deficit to lose. Accordingly eating back hurts me.

    It does not matter though, this is my experience. As the OP asked.

    Your experience is trumped by science.

    My experience includes science.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    emhunter wrote: »
    emhunter wrote: »
    Because some people need a larger deficit to lose. Accordingly eating back hurts me.

    It does not matter though, this is my experience. As the OP asked.

    Your experience is trumped by science.

    My experience includes science.

    Then you would understand that a calorie is a measure of energy and that stored fat has a known number of calories per unit of weight. If you think you "need a larger deficit to lose" ... you are wrong. Science trumps your statement.
  • emhunter
    emhunter Posts: 1,212 Member
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    emhunter wrote: »
    emhunter wrote: »
    Because some people need a larger deficit to lose. Accordingly eating back hurts me.

    It does not matter though, this is my experience. As the OP asked.

    Your experience is trumped by science.

    My experience includes science.

    Then you would understand that a calorie is a measure of energy and that stored fat has a known number of calories per unit of weight. If you think you "need a larger deficit to lose" ... you are wrong. Science trumps your statement.

    Okay whatever you say!

    OP- whatever you choose I hope it works for you and keep us posted!
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    It isn't what I say. It's what physics and biology say.
  • emhunter
    emhunter Posts: 1,212 Member
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    It isn't what I say. It's what physics and biology say.

    Whatever you say in your post! It doesn't matter to me :)
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    emhunter wrote: »
    It isn't what I say. It's what physics and biology say.

    Whatever you say in your post! It doesn't matter to me :)

    I honestly don't care if facts matter to you or if you choose to lie to yourself about how your "truth" is different than what science dictates. Facts and reality are posted to help others so they don't believe untruths about the science at work here.



  • emhunter
    emhunter Posts: 1,212 Member
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    emhunter wrote: »
    It isn't what I say. It's what physics and biology say.

    Whatever you say in your post! It doesn't matter to me :)

    I honestly don't care if facts matter to you or if you choose to lie to yourself about how your "truth" is different than what science dictates. Facts and reality are posted to help others so they don't believe untruths about the science at work here.



    Ok!

    OP if you eat back your exercise calories, it can make it harder or slower to lose for many. Try eating them back and if it works for you, you are all set! If it does not, don't eat them back and watch the scale :)