Eating back calories when already at a deficit

cedder1
cedder1 Posts: 139 Member
edited December 3 in Health and Weight Loss
So I manually figured my BMR and TDEE calories. My BMR is 1338 calories, my TDEE based on my activity is around 1900. I have my calories set for the day at 1338...so should I eat my exercise calories back since I am already at a deficit? Just curious. I am trying to lose about 7 -10 pounds and have been playing around with my macros....

Replies

  • daniip_la
    daniip_la Posts: 678 Member
    If you're eating the calories MFP gives you, then eat back at least part of your exercise calories. If you're eating TDEE calories, don't.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    In your scenario, no. I would advise, however, that you up your calories to about 10% off of your TDEE. With so little to lose, a large deficit like this may cause you to lose more muscle than intended.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    cedder1 wrote: »
    so should I eat my exercise calories back since I am already at a deficit?

    If you're already at a deficit before you exercise, that means you're at a much larger deficit after. Maybe too big? Depends how much you struggle with hunger, lack of energy, etc. If you stay at a big enough calorie deficit long enough it will harm you.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    cedder1 wrote: »
    so should I eat my exercise calories back since I am already at a deficit?

    If you're already at a deficit before you exercise, that means you're at a much larger deficit after. Maybe too big? Depends how much you struggle with hunger, lack of energy, etc. If you stay at a big enough calorie deficit long enough it will harm you.

    TDEE includes exercise, though, unlike MFP's goals
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    Neither my dietician nor my weight-loss doc (endocrinologist specializing in weight issues)
    had ever heard of "eating back" exercise calories.
    Don't do it.
    Treat exercise as a bonus toward losing weight.

    You can't be sure that the machine at the gym (or MFP, for that matter) accurately calculates your calorie burn,
    and you can't be sure that you've accurately measured everything you're eating.
    For most people, most of the time, the error in food measurement is more or less offset by the error in exercise measurement.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    If you're using the TDEE method, don't eat back exercise calories. I'd say though, if your TDEE is 1900, a 500 deficit is probably too large... I'd eat 1500 minimum.
  • Trish1c
    Trish1c Posts: 549 Member
    If you are hungry, eat the exercise calories back. If you are not there is no need to consume calories. The key to weight loss is not to consume more then your TDEE but you need about a 500 calorie per day deficit to lose 1 pound per week
  • cedder1
    cedder1 Posts: 139 Member
    I am not eating TDEE calories. So my TDEE is 1800, I set my calories at 1,300 and only look at that number. I also do not eat any of the exercise calories back, so some days I could burn an additional 700 which makes my deficit 1,200 for that day and I try and eat around 1,300
  • Gena575
    Gena575 Posts: 224 Member
    TDEE already includes exercise if calculated properly. In that case, no you would not eat back exercise calories. If MFP set you at 1300 for a 1lb a week loss then 1800 is your NEAT which excludes exercise. In that case you would eat back at least a % of your exercise calories.
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