Do I eat back the calories I burn during workout?

nirsky
nirsky Posts: 38 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Question.

I need to eat 2000 calories to lose fat.
If I workout and burn 800 calories, do I need to eat these calories back?
If I do not eat these calories back, will it drop me to 1200 calories per day, and put my body in starvation more, and it will not lose fat?

I am 5'-10"
185 lb,
22% fat.
I have 4 pack when I flex, but I am trying to get ripped
Thanks

Replies

  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited March 2017
    1) Starvation mode is a myth.

    2) Here's a great video by a very knowledgeable trainer discussing workout calories. Well worth the three minutes it takes to watch it: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10503681/exercise-calories-do-i-eat-these-a-video-explanation
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    If working out you will likely need to eat some back. Just keep watching the numbers and adjust as needed. When I was logging and losing I was eating 2500 to 3000 a day. I was also running 25+ miles a week at the time and doing Nautilus every other day. I was also doing planks daily too. I slacked of and the fat and weight are coming back. I did get to 14% BF at my peak.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    If you got your 2000 calorie goal using MFP, then yes you eat exercise calories back. Because you were given a deficit before exercise.

    However, calorie burns are estimates. Some estimates are better than others. Most people here start by eating back 50-75% of exercise calories and then adjust that number up or down based on actual results over a period of a few to several weeks.

    Starvation mode isn't a thing really. Don't worry so much about that, as large deficits (especially when close to goal) will make it harder for your body to support existing lean muscle mass. For a larger % of fat loss you want a moderate deficit.
  • ccsernica
    ccsernica Posts: 1,040 Member
    - Worry about "starvation mode" when you get down to about 5% body fat, not before.
    - MFP assumes you'll eat back your exercise calories. Most folks eat back about half to allow for overestimates in your exercise calorie burn.
  • LaauraLoses
    LaauraLoses Posts: 29 Member
    I don't worry about it the extra loss is most of the incentive for exercise to begin with lol
  • Rebecca0224
    Rebecca0224 Posts: 810 Member
    rsclause wrote: »
    If working out you will likely need to eat some back. Just keep watching the numbers and adjust as needed. When I was logging and losing I was eating 2500 to 3000 a day. I was also running 25+ miles a week at the time and doing Nautilus every other day. I was also doing planks daily too. I slacked of and the fat and weight are coming back. I did get to 14% BF at my peak.

    I just started doing planks and I hate them, after 10 seconds I'm shaking and ready to quit lol
  • LessCookiess
    LessCookiess Posts: 538 Member
    People often say on this site to eat back at least half of your workout calories. This will help you stay nourished from the hard work you did! And also machines often overestimate burn, so this will ensure you and stay at the deficit you want. Feel free to eat back more if you want it depends on the person!!

    Good luck! ^_^
  • ccsernica
    ccsernica Posts: 1,040 Member
    Rebecca0224 wrote: »
    rsclause wrote: »
    If working out you will likely need to eat some back. Just keep watching the numbers and adjust as needed. When I was logging and losing I was eating 2500 to 3000 a day. I was also running 25+ miles a week at the time and doing Nautilus every other day. I was also doing planks daily too. I slacked of and the fat and weight are coming back. I did get to 14% BF at my peak.

    I just started doing planks and I hate them, after 10 seconds I'm shaking and ready to quit lol

    At least that means you're doing them right!
  • alexlr05
    alexlr05 Posts: 4 Member
    I have been working with a PhD nutritionist, and I have learned that if you are working out for PERFORMANCE (as in, you are competitive, you're trying to learn new skill, training for a race, etc.), then you eat back some of the calories. If you are working out for weight loss, then you do not. The idea is that any additional movement/exercise will accelerate the fat loss by creating a bigger deficit. (As long as your base intake is high enough for fat loss to be safe/sustainable.) If you're working out for performance, the greater deficit would likely at least somewhat negatively affect your performance, so you'll want to supplement calories burned with some additional food. Regarding how big of a deficit is ok in either scenario- I'm told that at your weight, as long as you're not losing about 1.5 pounds/week, you're good. You'll also want to eat about a gram of protein per body weight pound in order to maximize preservation of muscle.

    I'm not an expert- just passing along the great knowledge that's been shared with me.
    Another note- be careful not to overestimate caloric burn. A lot of the gadgets that estimate calories burned tend to be high, or even a LOT high.
    Good luck to you!!
  • Rebecca0224
    Rebecca0224 Posts: 810 Member
    ccsernica wrote: »
    Rebecca0224 wrote: »
    rsclause wrote: »
    If working out you will likely need to eat some back. Just keep watching the numbers and adjust as needed. When I was logging and losing I was eating 2500 to 3000 a day. I was also running 25+ miles a week at the time and doing Nautilus every other day. I was also doing planks daily too. I slacked of and the fat and weight are coming back. I did get to 14% BF at my peak.

    I just started doing planks and I hate them, after 10 seconds I'm shaking and ready to quit lol

    At least that means you're doing them right!

    I do each one for 30 seconds then rest and there's no point in doing something if you don't do it right

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