can you really "earn" calories by exercising?

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pgdakitty
pgdakitty Posts: 11
in Health and Weight Loss
Both myfitnesspal and nutritionist agree that I should be consuming 1,520 calories per day in order to slowly lose weight. However, the nutritionist tells me that I cannot consume more than 1,520 calories no matter how much I exercise, or I simply will NOT lose weight. She created an exception for very high amounts of exercise (e.g., a 40-mile bike ride). Conversely, myfitnesspal lets me eat more if I exercise.

For those of you who have been at this for awhile ... what is the correct answer?

Best,
Paulette

Replies

  • bunchesonothing
    bunchesonothing Posts: 1,015 Member
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    Your nutritionist should know more than the people on here, especially about your specific health situation... but, did she explain why you will not lose if you eat your exercise calories back?

    'Cause the law of thermodynamics states that the energy has to come from somewhere...
  • smilingmakesyouhappy
    smilingmakesyouhappy Posts: 47
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    Ultimately, I think that it is a personal choice, but I have lost a lot of weight and I do eat more than 1520 on some days, especially if I have exercised!
  • babylemonade
    babylemonade Posts: 250 Member
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    I wonder the same thing every day.
  • wwhite94
    wwhite94 Posts: 176 Member
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    follow what your nutritionist says she is the expert :)
  • macgoonda
    macgoonda Posts: 2
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    Very interested to hear what people have to say about this as well. Thanks for asking this question!!
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    Both.

    You see when MFP gives you your daily calories for the day - they assume you aren't going to exercise. So, they make sure you have a deficit in your daily calories so you'll lose weight.

    You have to eat 1520 NET calories to lose weight, right?

    1520-400 calories burned during exercise = 1120 NET calories (with your exercise calories burned - this is how many calories you're actually eating -- this is WAY below your set calories of 1520, soo...) + 400 calories earned back AFTER you workout = 1520 which is the amount of calories you're supposed to be eating. Now. MFP will show that you've eaten 1920, but you haven't because you burned 400 calories during exercise.

    Make sense?
  • SarahofTwins
    SarahofTwins Posts: 1,169 Member
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    You'll always get two sides to every topic on here...and this one definitely is brought up a lot. Just from my personal experience I eat only little of what I've exercised. Meaning I eat anywhere from 1000-1300 calories. I know others may disagree because they might eat all of their calories and still lose the weight. It's what works best for you and your body. Listening to my body and the times of hunger has helped as well. Good luck to you!:flowerforyou:
  • ShellyMacchi
    ShellyMacchi Posts: 975 Member
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    i am no nutritionist... so cannot say what is right or wrong...

    what i can say is the deficit that mfp has built in for me (i have 1200 cals a day as my base).. works perfectly for me... and i eat virtually all of my exercise calories back most days (200-300 cal per day on average).
    In fact, when i started adding in exercise and did not eat back those calories, i hit a plateau.. and all that would shake it and start me losing again was once i finally started eating back at least 1/2 of my exercise calories.. and since then i have found the more of my exercise calories i eat per week, the better the loss i have *S*
  • shannonpatton
    shannonpatton Posts: 299 Member
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    Bump
  • ttrotter1960
    ttrotter1960 Posts: 66
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    Not to dismiss what the nutritionists are telling you but a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. If you consume 50 calories and then burn 50 calories you are at net of zero. They certainly know your specific situation better than any of us but I can tell you that I have been eating my calories back (for the most part) and following MFP recommendations. I have lost 12 pounds in 3 weeks. I exercise twice a day and usually add between 400 and 600 calories back.

    It's really just simple mathematics. If your willing to burn the calories you can eat a little more, if not, then you will eat less. You have to adjust your caloric intake to your lifestyle. When you setup your profile you specified how much weight you wanted to lose per week. That is built into your starting MFP for the day. If you don't exercise at all and stay within that starting calorie number you should lose the 1 or 2 pounds a week you wanted to lose. If you exercise than you get to eat those calories back and you still lose the 1 or 2 pounds a week. I don't know why they would have a problem with that.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    Follow your nutirionalist, everyone thinks that if they exercise they can eat more, what should be on your mind is if I exercise I will see results quicker.

    Losing weight is about changing eating habits not finding ways to be "allowed" more food. Your nutitionalist is setting you up to have great long term eating and exercising habits.

    ... every diet is allowed exceptions occasionally though ;) especially if it isn't everytime you have exercised.

    I don't exercise so I can eat more. If want to eat more - I eat. I exercise because I want to be healthy and fit -- not so I can consume more food.
  • pgdakitty
    pgdakitty Posts: 11
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    Wonderful advice ... thank you all so much for your input!! :smile:
  • jamielise2
    jamielise2 Posts: 432 Member
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    Your nutritionist doesn't seem really sharp to me. I've spoken with other nutritionists who say you should eat back calories, and I stopped losing after just 2 weeks when I wasn't eating back MOST of my exercise calories. I don't eat all of them, but I only leave about 575 calories at the end of the day from my workouts. When I hit a plateau I had to eat MORE and leave only about 100-200 calories left over to continue losing.
  • Charger440
    Charger440 Posts: 1,474 Member
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    Each of us has to do what works for us. For instance, I do NOT eat back my exercise cals as it makes no sense to me while I am trying to lose weight. You should do what works for you and roll with it.
  • Avalonis
    Avalonis Posts: 1,540 Member
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    Your nutritionist doesn't seem really sharp to me.

    I agree. I'd get a second opinion.

    Simple physics says energy doesn't come from nowhere. Then again, if you have a LOT of weight to lose, your body can eat some of it for energy.

    Still, I've talked to nutritionists that had a VERY different viewpoint than what yours is saying.
  • Elleinnz
    Elleinnz Posts: 1,661 Member
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    It sounds as if your nutritionist is like my "ex" nutritionist - she just could not get her head around the concept of exercise , and especially resistance training..... All she kept on wanting me to do was walk more every week.....

    In the end I did my research - and decided to part ways with her......and I have lost 22kgs since then - by eating back a good chunk of my exercise calories.....

    If I ever go to a nutritionist again I will try and find a sports nutritionist.......
  • Avalonis
    Avalonis Posts: 1,540 Member
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    Each of us has to do what works for us. For instance, I do NOT eat back my exercise cals as it makes no sense to me while I am trying to lose weight. You should do what works for you and roll with it.

    A lot of people say "You should do what works for you". Except Bulemics and Anorexic people say the same thing. Just because you are losing weight doesn't mean you are healthy.

    Just saying. I don't know YOUR situation, I'm just saying "what works for you" needs to still be the healthy path.

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