Net calories and not hungry for eating them back

jlscherme
jlscherme Posts: 157 Member
edited December 4 in Health and Weight Loss
I've maintained my regular diet even though I've started exercising regularly. I'm burning between 300-500 calories per workout according to mapmyfitness. I'm just not hungry to eat back those calories. My goal calories is 1450, I'm netting about 1000-1100. Is this bad? Should I force myself to eat back to get the net calories? I'm 5'11'' F 168 lbs. I'm just not sure I understand how this works...

Replies

  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    Not likely an issue, but it's difficult to gauge without your bodyfat percentage and macro layout.
  • sllm1
    sllm1 Posts: 2,130 Member
    If you're eating 1450 and are not hungry, I'd go with it.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    This actually depends.. If you have been doing this for only a short period of time, none of this may be affecting you today.. MFP NEAT method is designed to eat back some of your exercise calories.. however as you continue with your diet and exercise and if you start having any side effects, this might tell you that you need to eat more..

    For me, not eating back exercise calories when eating in a moderate deficit might be problematic as the diet continues.. too aggressive of deficit might get unconformable, but again varying factors on the individual, their activity level and exercise are all to be considered.
  • jlscherme
    jlscherme Posts: 157 Member
    According to a couple of online body fat calculators, my body fat percentage is about 29%. My macros layout is the generic MFP standard. I have trouble hitting the protein and carb macros. I thought the daily recommendation for protein was 56 g, but MFP is telling me I need something like 103 g!
  • jlscherme
    jlscherme Posts: 157 Member
    I see my macro goals are wonky. I don't know what to set them at.
  • ericwhitt
    ericwhitt Posts: 87 Member
    Also keep in mind most likely your exercise calories are being grossly overestimated. None of the trackers are ever really accurate. But really just pay attention to your body and if it feels like you're struggling to work out after a few weeks, you'll know you aren't eating enough. Just up the calories a little bit if you feel weak.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    ericwhitt wrote: »
    Also keep in mind most likely your exercise calories are being grossly overestimated. None of the trackers are ever really accurate. But really just pay attention to your body and if it feels like you're struggling to work out after a few weeks, you'll know you aren't eating enough. Just up the calories a little bit if you feel weak.

    Mine is accurate. I eat all my exercise. Lose as predicted (Garmin Vivoactive with chest strap for reference, mostly Fitness Blender workouts).
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    What kind of exercise and for how long? How much were you losing weekly before adding the exercise?

    On the whole (although I may change my mind depending on the answers), I'd say don't worry about it, but keep track and if you feel low energy or hungry or just want them, feel free to eat at least some of them. Don't think that because you don't start by eating them that you shouldn't or it's a weakness if you do. Often you won't be hungry for them immediately after a change, but later you will (and as you do the exercise regularly you may increase intensity and calorie burn).

    One thing I noticed is that when I include substantial calorie-burning exercise (like longer runs) in my week I am often not hungry for them (or for most of them) the day I exercise, but on other days, especially an off day, I might be. I switched to a method where I averaged exercise calories over the week to deal with this.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    edited November 2016
    You should eat them back and you can "force" yourself to do so with some chocolate, or ice cream or a cookie or something. I don't think I've ever had to "force" myself to eat ice cream.

    Only caveat is to make sure your burn estimate is accurate.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    If you're hitting your macros and aren't hungry, then I wouldn't force yourself to eat them back. I have had some days where I eat back every last exercise calorie, and some long run days when I'm just not hungry enough to want all 1000+ calories I burned. Usually I average eating back 1/2 to 1/3 of mine.
  • rontafoya
    rontafoya Posts: 365 Member
    No, don't eat them back, if weight loss is your goal. Keep weighing yourself, listen to your body (how you feel) and as long as you are losing weight steadily (not too fast) and feeling fine, you are good. These tools you rely on are not 100% accurate in all cases. Listen to your body.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited November 2016
    Many choices here.. eat them back, do not eat them back, trust the method of your calorie burn, etc .. Heck now I am confused and I have been doing this for several years..

    I am not writing all this out.. hopefully the link will help some..

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818082/exercise-calories-again-wtf/p1
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    That all depends on the answers to some questions.

    1) How do you estimate your caloric intake. Do you measure and weigh everything?

    2) How long have you been eating the same diet but not eating back calories?

    a) How much weight have you lost in that time?

    b) How does that line up with the weekly goal you have entered into MFP?
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