Is it better to eat back your exercise calories?

kiddosmama2012
kiddosmama2012 Posts: 10 Member
edited November 27 in Food and Nutrition
I had started off at 1400 calories per day about 60 days ago. I've lost weight so I adjusted my number to 1200 calories per day. According to the calculator that would be appropriate. I'm struggling to stay at 1200 calories, but exercise 4 to 5 days a week. 3 days a week I do boot camp class followed by a cardio kickboxing class (higher calorie burn). 2 of those 3 days I also do a martial arts class in the evening. Tues and Friday are less because it's just on my own in the morning.

I love the changes my body is taking on, but I'm starting to wonder if I actually need to eat my exercise calories. If my body would do better with them being consumed. Since starting 1200 calories, I will consume about 200 to 300 exercise calories per day. But I am not sure if it's just needing to adjust better to the lower requirement or if I actually NEED them.

of course I'm concerned eating them will stall my weight loss or even cause me to gain weight. Thoughts?

Replies

  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    If you are getting your goal from MFP, yes you should eat back at least some of your exercise calories. MFP gives you a lower calorie goal assuming you will eat more when you exercise.

    Eating back your calories would only cause you to gain if they are incorrect. Many start out eating back half and then tweaking based on their results. If you are losing weight faster than you should, you should eat more until your rate of loss falls into line. If your logging isn't accurate, you might already be eating more than you think. The only way to tell for sure is in your weight loss over several weeks.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10503681/exercise-calories-do-i-eat-these-a-video-explanation/p1
  • kiddosmama2012
    kiddosmama2012 Posts: 10 Member
    Excellent video, thanks!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    It really depends on how accurate you are with your logging, a lot of people underestimate how much they eat and end up eating too much when they add in exercise calories.

    But yes, MFP assumes that you are eating exercise calories back (but typically overestimates exercise calories too).
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    Unless you're very tiny you need way more calories for the exercise you describe. Yes, you need to fuel your body appropriately for your level of activity. Not doing so will lead to muscle loss, hair loss, and all kinds of bad stuff. 1200 is the bare minimum requirement for a sedentary woman.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    MFP uses the NEAT method (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), and as such this system is designed for exercise calories to be eaten back. However, many consider the burns given by MFP to be inflated and only eat a percentage, such as 50%, back. Others, however, are able to lose weight while eating 100% of their exercise calories.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818082/exercise-calories-again-wtf/p1
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