Eating back exercise calories ??

I eat mine back if I’m hungry or feel low on energy. I don’t eat then back when I feel fine/full. You can also eat back some vs all. Do what feels best for you.

If you're typically getting 10,000, I'd probably go with lightly active. I'm usually around 4-6k unless I go running, so I'm set at sedentary (desk job and all that). Whichever way you go, keep an eye on how things shake out after a month or so and adjust as needed. Those big extra calorie numbers can be intimidating at first, but you'll get a sense of how accurate the burns recorded are for you. On my longer runs, I'll rack up an extra 1200+ calories, and I usually eat back 85-95% of them, depending on how hungry I am that day. If you're tracking properly, you'll keep losing.

MrsKSlim wrote: »

grimendale wrote: »

If you're typically getting 10,000, I'd probably go with lightly active. I'm usually around 4-6k unless I go running, so I'm set at sedentary (desk job and all that). Whichever way you go, keep an eye on how things shake out after a month or so and adjust as needed. Those big extra calorie numbers can be intimidating at first, but you'll get a sense of how accurate the burns recorded are for you. On my longer runs, I'll rack up an extra 1200+ calories, and I usually eat back 85-95% of them, depending on how hungry I am that day. If you're tracking properly, you'll keep losing.

Wow really!! I have stayed in my minimum deficit but it’s nice to know they’re there for sure. Just wary that according to that my 10,009 steps earned me 5 kitkats! If I was doing slimming world or something that would never be allowed.

Some days I am 10,000 steps and others I’m not - tomorrow it’s raining all day & I have to travel to a long meeting so I’m unlikely to get many at all, should I change it depending on the day or does it have to stay the same level throughout??

Unlike most other calculators, MFP's calorie goal uses your NEAT (not your TDEE) which does not include purposeful exercise. So MFP's goal is usually lower than other's, because you are expected to log your exercise and eat back at least some of those calories.

Your activity level should include stuff you do every day, so I would set it to your level on your least active days. Then you should log any other activity (like steps) when it happens. If you have an activity tracker, you can sync it with MFP and get calorie adjustments throughout the day. If you don't necessarily keep track of all this extra activity, you could see how many calories MFP gives you for the lower activity level and the higher one, leave it set at the lower level but make a note of how many extra calories it would give you, and then know you have those calories to dip into on active days. It sounds complicated, but after awhile you just get used to it. I know on my more active days my Fitbit gives me an extra 200-250 cals, so when a technical glitch keeps them from syncing I still know about where my calories should be.

It's trial and error, just log accurately whatever you decide so you know what to tweak if your results aren't what they should be

MrsKSlim wrote: »

kimny72 wrote: »

MrsKSlim wrote: »

grimendale wrote: »

If you're typically getting 10,000, I'd probably go with lightly active. I'm usually around 4-6k unless I go running, so I'm set at sedentary (desk job and all that). Whichever way you go, keep an eye on how things shake out after a month or so and adjust as needed. Those big extra calorie numbers can be intimidating at first, but you'll get a sense of how accurate the burns recorded are for you. On my longer runs, I'll rack up an extra 1200+ calories, and I usually eat back 85-95% of them, depending on how hungry I am that day. If you're tracking properly, you'll keep losing.

Wow really!! I have stayed in my minimum deficit but it’s nice to know they’re there for sure. Just wary that according to that my 10,009 steps earned me 5 kitkats! If I was doing slimming world or something that would never be allowed.

Some days I am 10,000 steps and others I’m not - tomorrow it’s raining all day & I have to travel to a long meeting so I’m unlikely to get many at all, should I change it depending on the day or does it have to stay the same level throughout??

Unlike most other calculators, MFP's calorie goal uses your NEAT (not your TDEE) which does not include purposeful exercise. So MFP's goal is usually lower than other's, because you are expected to log your exercise and eat back at least some of those calories.

Your activity level should include stuff you do every day, so I would set it to your level on your least active days. Then you should log any other activity (like steps) when it happens. If you have an activity tracker, you can sync it with MFP and get calorie adjustments throughout the day. If you don't necessarily keep track of all this extra activity, you could see how many calories MFP gives you for the lower activity level and the higher one, leave it set at the lower level but make a note of how many extra calories it would give you, and then know you have those calories to dip into on active days. It sounds complicated, but after awhile you just get used to it. I know on my more active days my Fitbit gives me an extra 200-250 cals, so when a technical glitch keeps them from syncing I still know about where my calories should be.

It's trial and error, just log accurately whatever you decide so you know what to tweak if your results aren't what they should be

I just hit my 10,000 steps and my Fitbit synced with MFP has given me an extr 795 calories. Does that sound right to you? When you eat back your calories what
Sort of foods are you eating?? Are we talking hounous & protein or treats??

That would be a lot for me, but it depends on your weight. If it seems too much to you, start out eating half, give it a few weeks, and see if you end up hungry (eat more then) or not losing as much as expected (eat less then).

I don't really micro manage what I eat, and some days I eat like a vegetarian hippie while another day I eat like a 7 yr old boy

I just focus on hitting my calories, protein, and fiber. The rest is what it is. I always eat an afternoon snack and an evening snack, so on unusually active days, I'd probably eat more in a main meal rather than add a snack. Or maybe I'd have a beer

Don't increase your activity level and also eat back the steps as exercise. That would essentially be double counting.

I don't log my steps. They are just part of daily living or your basic activity level. I do log deliberate exercise - if I go for a walk or run. Those calories I eat back. If you log both your steps and your walks or runs, you could again be double counting.

kimny72 wrote: »

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10503681/exercise-calories-do-i-eat-these-a-video-explanation/p1

^great post. There's a reason this video is included in the stickied "must reads" posts at the top of each forum section. Definitely check those out if you haven't had a chance yet.