Eating back calories?

wykkedtruth
wykkedtruth Posts: 47 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I know some people eat back their calories. I was instructed not to track my exercise here just to do macros. I've lost 8 lbs so far and just wanted to know people's thoughts on eating more calories back when working out etx. I generally work out 4-5 times a week with strength training. My macros are 140p 45f 140c I'm 5'6 and 137 pounds now. I think I could probably be a bit leaner but am not concerned so much about weight loss vs inches lost. I was skinny fat lol. Wimpy. Any and all advice is appreciated.

Replies

  • distinctlybeautiful
    distinctlybeautiful Posts: 1,041 Member
    If your goal isn't weight loss, I'd suggest eating them back. I do, and I've reduced my body fat by like six percent so far. I'm curious who instructed you not to track exercise.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    It depends whether you have a reasonably accurate way of measuring it, and how you have set your goals up - if your activity level already allows for your workouts then no you wouldn't need to log them separately.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    If you aren't concerned about weight loss but have lost 8lbs (in an unspecified time frame...) then you need to start eating more.
    Who instructed you? Why, what was the idea? Was your calorie goal already accounting for exercise or not?
  • wykkedtruth
    wykkedtruth Posts: 47 Member
    I wanted to lose 10 pounds and inches. I started in January on the 6th. I am happy with the weight loss and now just want to tone and build muscle lose inches. A trainer instructed me not to track exercise on mfp because it would mess up the macro tracking.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited February 2016
    wykkedtruth wrote: »
    A trainer instructed me not to track exercise on mfp because it would mess up the macro tracking.

    That's actually not a great reason as protein and fats are minimums. So he/she was really giving you a TDEE minus a percentage goal that included your exercise but gave you a deficit to achieve your desired weight loss.
    As you approach goal weight it's a good idea to start adding calories so that your deficit reduces and you start to get closer to what your maintenance calories will be.
    You can either add back calories on the day you exercise or if your prefer to eat same amount daily (TDEE method) then just increase your daily goal.
  • wykkedtruth
    wykkedtruth Posts: 47 Member
    So I have a few more pounds to go till desired weight loss. So for now keep doing what I'm doing and then once I achieve desired weight I'll just eat more on work out days. I've been on fitness plans before but my daily calories were higher and I can't remember if I ate back calories or not it was so long ago. Just wanted to get some other opinions. Thanks

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