Exercise Calories

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fitb4forty
fitb4forty Posts: 13
in Food and Nutrition
About what percent of your exercise calories earned should you "eat back" each day? I know everyone's body responds differently and I will need to find what works best for me but to start is there an average to go by?

Replies

  • jram70
    jram70 Posts: 91 Member
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    No set percentage for me. If I am hungry I eat them if not I don't. I always try to leave a little cushion (100-200 calories) when I eat them back in case I forgot something during the day or was inaccurate.
  • Egger29
    Egger29 Posts: 14,741 Member
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    Think of your "Exercise Calories" like the gas in your car.

    If you go for a long drive...you empty the tank....thus, you need to re-fill it so that you're able to get to your next destination.

    there is already a deficit calculated into your MFP goals so NOT eating back your exercise calories will NOT help you reach your goals faster.

    In fact, continually fuelling yourself after your workouts stimulates both Insulin release and Growth Hormone production which helps burn fat more effectively than by cutting calories alone.
  • ceschwartz
    ceschwartz Posts: 240 Member
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    All of them to start with. MFP already has you at a deficit. Double check it by use a BMR calculator. As long as your deficit is around 200-400 calories you are just fine. It will be better to eat small meals and keep that metabolism up.
  • rainbowbuggy
    rainbowbuggy Posts: 320
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    Think of your "Exercise Calories" like the gas in your car.

    If you go for a long drive...you empty the tank....thus, you need to re-fill it so that you're able to get to your next destination.

    there is already a deficit calculated into your MFP goals so NOT eating back your exercise calories will NOT help you reach your goals faster.

    In fact, continually fuelling yourself after your workouts stimulates both Insulin release and Growth Hormone production which helps burn fat more effectively than by cutting calories alone.

    Very good response!
  • HannahPendrigh
    HannahPendrigh Posts: 147 Member
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    but be careful because the MFP calories burnt aren't 100% accurate, I think it exaggerates alot
  • fitb4forty
    fitb4forty Posts: 13
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    Great way to put it, thank you! One other question for you then, when you say that MFP already put a deficit in my calories, what do you mean by that?
  • mowu
    mowu Posts: 245 Member
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    Great way to put it, thank you! One other question for you then, when you say that MFP already put a deficit in my calories, what do you mean by that?

    When you choose to lose weight in MFP it asks you how much/week and sets your deficit accordingly (e.g 500 cal deficit/day for a loss of 1 pound).

    In my example I would need to eat about 2200cal/day to maintain my current weight (at my current activity level where I don't include my excersises) and I told MFP I want to lose a pound a week - so it allotted me 1700 cal/day.

    So if I work out I go below my deficit of 500 cal that MFT set and actually end up in a deficit of 1000 cal (e.g 500 cal worth of excersise) if I don't eat some of them back.

    If you want to be very strict you could say that you only need to eat back the extra calories you worked out and correct them for what you would have burnt justsustaining yourself (in my case about 80 cal/hour).....but I personally find that more of a hassle than a help.
  • Scott156
    Scott156 Posts: 13
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    I rarley eat my exercise calories back. I will occasionally eat some of them back if I begin to feel tired or hungry. I think everyone is different, you just need to listen to your body and adjust accordingly.
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
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    100%

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