Eating back calories...what to do!!!

LTRUITT3
LTRUITT3 Posts: 205 Member
edited September 28 in Health and Weight Loss
So I have a question....if i know that i will be working out after work and have a rough estimate of how many calories Im gonna burn is it ok to eat more calories through out the day to make up for it....because i don't understand if I have my regular calories left over plus the calories burned from working out thats alot of calories to consume for the night. Not sure what to do or how to handle this....any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated...Thanks in advanced :)

Replies

  • michelle_mareshfuehrer
    michelle_mareshfuehrer Posts: 312 Member
    I always work out at night (I'm a night owl), so I just eat whatever I would eat during the day and then work it off at night. I have lost weight and haven't had any problems with it...
  • leomom72
    leomom72 Posts: 1,797 Member
    im guessing you will get mixed advice..i personally eat my cals back, but some will tell you not to...i say do what you think your body can handle, and sometimes more food is too much..i know i find it hard to eat more, more often than not..best of luck
  • Heatherbelle_87
    Heatherbelle_87 Posts: 1,078 Member
    If you find youre hungrier after your workout then by all means eat back your excercise cals. If you arent hungry dont force yourself. If you find youre hungrier the day after (since you workout at night) then you may be under cals one day then slightly over the next (which wont harm you)

    Best way to handle it if youre hungry during the day and KNOW youre going to workout try to eat extra cals throughout the day and burn them off in your workout
  • kr3851
    kr3851 Posts: 994 Member
    If I knew I was exercising later in the evening, knew roughly how much I'd be working off, and wanted to eat the calories BEFORE I'd burned them, I would do it. Just make sure you do the exercise, otherwise you'll have eaten for no reason. In fact, that sounds like a good strategy to make sure you do your workouts... pre-eating the calories so you have no choice!
  • kylakesgal
    kylakesgal Posts: 952 Member
    Yes that is what I usually do. It helps if you can plan ahead and spread your calories out through the day. It's really tough to eat them all at night if you have a big workout. It takes practice but I'm getting better at it. Protein shakes or smoothies are great to add to help fill in the calories needed for the day. Best of luck to you:)
  • imnotyourpal
    imnotyourpal Posts: 162 Member
    If I know I'll be working out that night and I'm still hungry after eating the breakfast and lunch that I packed for the day, I'll grab some popchips out of the vending machine and not think twice about it. I'm also guilty of snacking at night, so I like to have those calories to play with, just in case.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    it ok to eat more calories through out the day to make up for it....

    Yes, absolutely 100%!
  • qtpiesmom
    qtpiesmom Posts: 394 Member
    Just make sure your not under 1200 NET! if you are have a snack after exercise a good thing is chocolate milk. high in cals too. Have some nuts doesnt take many to add extra cals on. Or plan what your eating during the day around what calories your burning or needing to burn
  • LovelySnugs
    LovelySnugs Posts: 389
    If I knew I was exercising later in the evening, knew roughly how much I'd be working off, and wanted to eat the calories BEFORE I'd burned them, I would do it. Just make sure you do the exercise, otherwise you'll have eaten for no reason. In fact, that sounds like a good strategy to make sure you do your workouts... pre-eating the calories so you have no choice!

    QFT. I used to do that - back when i was still dong stuff i should do!

    ETA: i think some people think you're asking IF you should eat back your exercise calories. but you're actually asking if it's a good idea to PRE-EAT them, right?
  • crysthom
    crysthom Posts: 27
    I personally do not eat back my calories. And if I do I don't eat many of them. I know all people are different, but I see more of a weight loss if I don't and become stagnat if I do. Like I said though, all bodies are different...some people find better results if they do eat all their calories back.
  • LauraLLee
    LauraLLee Posts: 210
    I just realized it depends on if you are using a hrm or just mfp's calculations. If you have a hrm then eat them, if not then only eat back about half of what mfp says. When I was not counting my exercise calories, I was losing quickly and then when I started logging them I slowed down. Now that I have a hrm I understand why that was happening because I was probibly eating more calories than I should have. Hope that helps.
  • LTRUITT3
    LTRUITT3 Posts: 205 Member
    If I knew I was exercising later in the evening, knew roughly how much I'd be working off, and wanted to eat the calories BEFORE I'd burned them, I would do it. Just make sure you do the exercise, otherwise you'll have eaten for no reason. In fact, that sounds like a good strategy to make sure you do your workouts... pre-eating the calories so you have no choice!

    QFT. I used to do that - back when i was still dong stuff i should do!

    ETA: i think some people think you're asking IF you should eat back your exercise calories. but you're actually asking if it's a good idea to PRE-EAT them, right?

    Yes i am asking if its a good idea to pre-eat them...thank you
  • deeharley
    deeharley Posts: 1,208 Member
    ETA: i think some people think you're asking IF you should eat back your exercise calories. but you're actually asking if it's a good idea to PRE-EAT them, right?

    You're right, she is asking about pre-eating them. And I would say that's fine as long as you KNOW for sure you're going to exercise.
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    If you're unsure whether you'll work out, it's often best to spread about half of them throughout the day (or up to whatever your maintenance cals would be without exercise). Then maybe have a light snack after your workout. That way, if you don't end up working out, you haven't done anything worse than maintain for the day.

    If you are sure you'll work out, by all means, eat them beforehand. :smile:
  • Harrar10
    Harrar10 Posts: 116
    I believe this program is just for dieting and doesn't really take into account the exercising part.
  • Charger440
    Charger440 Posts: 1,474 Member
    OMG!!! Do what works for you. You just opened the "Eat your calories" bag of worms :)
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    I believe this program is just for dieting and doesn't really take into account the exercising part.

    Hmm nope. MFP does consider exercise - it just considers it a way to get fit and healthy, it's not necessarily for weight loss. You can (and should) log exercise in addition to logging food.

    MFP is different than many calorie counters/weight loss programs, or the way that many trainers set up a plan. These other plans take your “intended exercise” and use that to create a deficit, keeping your daily cal goal static. Therefore, with other plans, you would not replace calories you burn through exercise. MFP is different and you CANNOT compare them, unless you’re prepared to do some calculations to get apples vs. apples and not apples vs. oranges.

    MFP was designed with the idea that many people can't exercise regularly, or at all, due to physical limitations or time. They also recognized that most people set up an exercise plan, but as we all know, that's not necessarily what actually happens every day. So they built the site to allow for weight loss with or without exercise.

    MFP creates a BUILT IN CALORIE DEFICIT, based on your loss per week goal, regardless of exercise. So when you log exercise, cals are added back in to keep that deficit stable. If you don't replace those cals, you've made your deficit larger than you (presumably) intended. A larger deficit does not necessarily mean faster/more weight loss; it is usually unhealthy and unsustainable and most often backfires, leading to feelings of deprivation, binges, quitting, and weight regain.

    For people with large amounts to lose, it is less critical to eat them, as their bodies can withstand a larger deficit. However, there are other risks. People with less to lose need a more conservative deficit and usually do better eating at least some of them back.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits
  • LTRUITT3
    LTRUITT3 Posts: 205 Member
    I believe this program is just for dieting and doesn't really take into account the exercising part.

    Yes this site is for exercisng too.....your suppose to log you daily excercise. Look at the tab at the top next to FOOD, and this site suggest you eat the calories you burn during exercising back.
  • crysthom
    crysthom Posts: 27
    Ok, so I posted earlier, but I guess I didn't read it right. I think it is best to eat the bulk of your calories earlier in the day so you have a chance burn them before bed. So, if you know you know you know you are going to exercise, eat them earlier. But if you think you may, I would wait until you actually do just so you know if you do or not!
  • Harrar10
    Harrar10 Posts: 116
    I believe this program is just for dieting and doesn't really take into account the exercising part.

    Hmm nope. MFP does consider exercise - it just considers it a way to get fit and healthy, it's not necessarily for weight loss. You can (and should) log exercise in addition to logging food.

    MFP is different than many calorie counters/weight loss programs, or the way that many trainers set up a plan. These other plans take your “intended exercise” and use that to create a deficit, keeping your daily cal goal static. Therefore, with other plans, you would not replace calories you burn through exercise. MFP is different and you CANNOT compare them, unless you’re prepared to do some calculations to get apples vs. apples and not apples vs. oranges.

    MFP was designed with the idea that many people can't exercise regularly, or at all, due to physical limitations or time. They also recognized that most people set up an exercise plan, but as we all know, that's not necessarily what actually happens every day. So they built the site to allow for weight loss with or without exercise.

    MFP creates a BUILT IN CALORIE DEFICIT, based on your loss per week goal, regardless of exercise. So when you log exercise, cals are added back in to keep that deficit stable. If you don't replace those cals, you've made your deficit larger than you (presumably) intended. A larger deficit does not necessarily mean faster/more weight loss; it is usually unhealthy and unsustainable and most often backfires, leading to feelings of deprivation, binges, quitting, and weight regain.

    For people with large amounts to lose, it is less critical to eat them, as their bodies can withstand a larger deficit. However, there are other risks. People with less to lose need a more conservative deficit and usually do better eating at least some of them back.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    I just ment it doesn't count it because it adds it back into the calorie count. like its not exercise specific more for dieting but has option for exercise
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    I believe this program is just for dieting and doesn't really take into account the exercising part.

    Hmm nope. MFP does consider exercise - it just considers it a way to get fit and healthy, it's not necessarily for weight loss. You can (and should) log exercise in addition to logging food.

    MFP is different than many calorie counters/weight loss programs, or the way that many trainers set up a plan. These other plans take your “intended exercise” and use that to create a deficit, keeping your daily cal goal static. Therefore, with other plans, you would not replace calories you burn through exercise. MFP is different and you CANNOT compare them, unless you’re prepared to do some calculations to get apples vs. apples and not apples vs. oranges.

    MFP was designed with the idea that many people can't exercise regularly, or at all, due to physical limitations or time. They also recognized that most people set up an exercise plan, but as we all know, that's not necessarily what actually happens every day. So they built the site to allow for weight loss with or without exercise.

    MFP creates a BUILT IN CALORIE DEFICIT, based on your loss per week goal, regardless of exercise. So when you log exercise, cals are added back in to keep that deficit stable. If you don't replace those cals, you've made your deficit larger than you (presumably) intended. A larger deficit does not necessarily mean faster/more weight loss; it is usually unhealthy and unsustainable and most often backfires, leading to feelings of deprivation, binges, quitting, and weight regain.

    For people with large amounts to lose, it is less critical to eat them, as their bodies can withstand a larger deficit. However, there are other risks. People with less to lose need a more conservative deficit and usually do better eating at least some of them back.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    I just ment it doesn't count it because it adds it back into the calorie count. like its not exercise specific more for dieting but has option for exercise

    Ah, ok. Sorry, misunderstood what you were saying. :flowerforyou:
  • Harrar10
    Harrar10 Posts: 116
    I believe this program is just for dieting and doesn't really take into account the exercising part.

    Hmm nope. MFP does consider exercise - it just considers it a way to get fit and healthy, it's not necessarily for weight loss. You can (and should) log exercise in addition to logging food.

    MFP is different than many calorie counters/weight loss programs, or the way that many trainers set up a plan. These other plans take your “intended exercise” and use that to create a deficit, keeping your daily cal goal static. Therefore, with other plans, you would not replace calories you burn through exercise. MFP is different and you CANNOT compare them, unless you’re prepared to do some calculations to get apples vs. apples and not apples vs. oranges.

    MFP was designed with the idea that many people can't exercise regularly, or at all, due to physical limitations or time. They also recognized that most people set up an exercise plan, but as we all know, that's not necessarily what actually happens every day. So they built the site to allow for weight loss with or without exercise.

    MFP creates a BUILT IN CALORIE DEFICIT, based on your loss per week goal, regardless of exercise. So when you log exercise, cals are added back in to keep that deficit stable. If you don't replace those cals, you've made your deficit larger than you (presumably) intended. A larger deficit does not necessarily mean faster/more weight loss; it is usually unhealthy and unsustainable and most often backfires, leading to feelings of deprivation, binges, quitting, and weight regain.

    For people with large amounts to lose, it is less critical to eat them, as their bodies can withstand a larger deficit. However, there are other risks. People with less to lose need a more conservative deficit and usually do better eating at least some of them back.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    I just ment it doesn't count it because it adds it back into the calorie count. like its not exercise specific more for dieting but has option for exercise

    I mis-word things sometimes and don't realize it until its too late! No worries
  • AniMarieSt
    AniMarieSt Posts: 119 Member
    In the past I've eaten and then worked them off on a consistent basis. It's worked rather well for me. Since I'm off school for the time being I'll be working out sooner and eating back my deficit calories. It's the same difference in the end. To lose MFP starts you off with a deficit of generally 500 calories as it is so that you'll have a deficit of 3,500 by the end of the week (500 x 7 days/week). Whatever deficit you have beyond that is an extra that you can eat back guilt free.
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