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Hi all, help please. Been back using the app religiously and consistently exercising for a week. I’ve been feeling really hungry and then agitated, mood going down hill. Do you guys eat back any of the calories you burn off through exercise? I haven’t been and now I’m wondering if I should be as I might be unintentionally starving myself. I gotta keep myself together for work and family, that feeling is not sustainable. What are your theories on these “extra earned calories” ??

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    MFP is set up so that you are given a deficit before exercise, so yes, you should be eating your exercise calories back.
  • Pootler74
    Pootler74 Posts: 223 Member
    edited October 2018
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    Gawd, yes, eat your exercise calories! Lots of people find that eating a percentage of them works best because apps and gym machines are often overgenerous when working out how much you've burned. The standard amount to eat back among MFP members is 50%, but I'd say up to about 75% is probably fine too. Just play around with it and see how it affects your results.

    Eating lots of protein (30% or more) and getting enough fat (25% or more works for me) can also stop you feeling hangry. :)
  • Kimmotion5783
    Kimmotion5783 Posts: 417 Member
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    Sounds like you may not be eating enough protein. Same thing was happening to me- feeling hungry and moody. Upping my protein intake helped tremendously. So upping your protein intake may be something to consider, especially if you are exercising.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,030 Member
    edited October 2018
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    Sounds like you may not be eating enough protein. Same thing was happening to me- feeling hungry and moody. Upping my protein intake helped tremendously. So upping your protein intake may be something to consider, especially if you are exercising.

    Or, you know, just eating enough food in general. The OP didn't mention eating low protein.

    I lost a lot of weight and wasn't eating high-protein...but I did eat the amount of food and macros suggested on my FOOD page, and I ate all the calories from the exercise.