Eat Calories You Burn?

nicolereneerodriguez
nicolereneerodriguez Posts: 1 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
I have a question for those that are losing weight, do you eat the calories you burn? For example, calorie limit is 1400, I eat the 1400, but when I exercise I gain 400 calories. So it says: 1400 calories - 1400 Calories Eaten + 400 exercise = 400 Calories left. What do you do?

Replies

  • crb426
    crb426 Posts: 661 Member
    Most people eat back half the calories, so 200 more added to your 1400. It helps compensate for overestimations of exercise burns.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It is the way the site is designed...your exercise activity isn't accounted for in your activity level...that's why the descriptors make no mention of any exercise when you set your activity level...suffice it to say, unaccounted for activity should be accounted for. The more you move, the higher your energy (calorie) requisites are. It's also important to learn to fuel your fitness endeavors...the trick is accurately determining the expenditure which is wher most people *kitten* up...that and they don't log accurately either.
  • dhara06
    dhara06 Posts: 18 Member
    I had the same question. Yesterday I ate 454 calories burned 454 calories. Today I ate 1455 calories burned 550 calories...should I be eating back calories to lose weight? I'm trying to find a balance.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It's basic math...

    If I maintain with no exercise on 2400 calories, MFP will give me a calorie target of 1900 sedentary to lose about 1 Lb per week.

    If I exercise and burn 300 calories, my maintenance just went from 2400 to 2400+300=2,700 calories so I could thus still lose that same Lb by eating 1900+300=2200 because my new maintenance of 2,700-2200 = 500 calorie deficit still.
  • sunfastrose
    sunfastrose Posts: 543 Member
    dhara06 wrote: »
    I had the same question. Yesterday I ate 454 calories burned 454 calories. Today I ate 1455 calories burned 550 calories...should I be eating back calories to lose weight? I'm trying to find a balance.

    Please tell me you ate more than 454 calories total yesterday.

    And yes - if 1530 is the goal MFP gave you, you should eat back some exercise calories. How much should be an experimentation on your part to find the balance where you are still losing and fueling your exercise properly.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10503681/exercise-calories-do-i-eat-these-a-video-explanation
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Also...MFP isn't trying to trick you...really, it's not...
  • debbiemuz
    debbiemuz Posts: 194 Member
    crb426 wrote: »
    Most people eat back half the calories, so 200 more added to your 1400. It helps compensate for overestimations of exercise burns.

    What crb says. You should NET 1400. But there is a tendency to overestimate exercise and underestimate food cals. So eating back half your exercise helps make up for those errors.

    If after a month you see you're losing too much, eat back more.

    I exercise for health, but I love having the extra food allowance! More chocolate...
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