Extra Calories

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  • ShannonTodd
    ShannonTodd Posts: 105 Member
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    I try to stay under my calorie goal without eating into my exercise calories. At least that's the case during the work week! :)
    On the weekends, I do my best to keep it that way. If I can't, I don't really sweat it. There is - hopefully - enough of a deficit saved up for food calories that I won't get dinked too badly if I go over on a particular weekend day.
  • taurie
    taurie Posts: 225 Member
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    I only eat mine back on weekends. I did 2 months of eating them back every day and didn't lose a pound. I only lose when I don't eat them back most days of the week; but I know of people that only lose when they eat them back. Everyone is different.
  • shorty276
    shorty276 Posts: 5
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    I'm new here as well and haven't been eating my exercise calories either.. Reading those post just confused me more. Do we eat them or just leave them alone??
  • its_betty
    its_betty Posts: 104 Member
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    I think there is a bigger question with "eating your exercise calories back" than I usually see addressed. It depends on your calorie goals. (And I'm not an expert so this is just my thought on the subject.)

    I'm female. My calorie goal is set to about 1460/day to lose .5 lb/week. I usually eat (at least) 1460/day.

    If I exercise more than 260 calories worth, I eat my exercise calories back so that I at least net 1200/day. If I do that some days a week, I might lose up to an extra .5 lb. If I'm hungry, I eat them all to net my 1460 net goal. (And usually, after exercising a lot, I'm hungry.)

    If I set my weight loss goal to 1 lb a week, MFP sets my calorie goal at 1200/day. If I set my calorie goal at 2lbs/week, MFP says "No way." and sets my goal at 1200/day. Setting aside the whole "starvation mode" thing, it is really hard to give yourself the nutrients needed on less than 1200 calories a day, and it's really hard to have energy to exercise well on less than 1200 calories a day.

    So I think the answer to "should I eat my exercise calories" should be something like, "Yes, if you need them to net 1200 calories a day, and yes if you are hungry. You can skip them if you will still net over 1200 calories a day and still have energy to exercise tomorrow." (And for most men and very active or larger women, the minimum calories is higher. Damn you.)
  • gmrgirl
    gmrgirl Posts: 50 Member
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    I always eat mine back but it's because I'm a fitness professional (Personal trainer and Group exercise instructor) and i'm working on building lean muscle mass and burning fat. I have almost 50# to lose to reach my final goal and I can't afford to get there by losing the lean muscle mass that fuels my metabolism.

    That being said, I edit my burn based on my HRM and don't go by the default numbers listed in each fitness activity. On any given day I can burn between 500 -1500 calories depending on which workout I'm doing and how many classes I'm teaching that day.

    Everyone is different. I would offer this advice: Find out what your Basal Metabolic Rate is, remove 500 calories. If you want to have a 1000 calorie deficit, move so you burn 500 calories in an activity. This will help you retain your lean muscle mass and hopefully not push you into starvation mode.

    You have to EAT to lose. Just make sure the choices you make on what to eat are sensible ones!
  • jewel3575
    jewel3575 Posts: 16 Member
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    I think there is a bigger question with "eating your exercise calories back" than I usually see addressed. It depends on your calorie goals. (And I'm not an expert so this is just my thought on the subject.)

    I'm female. My calorie goal is set to about 1460/day to lose .5 lb/week. I usually eat (at least) 1460/day.

    If I exercise more than 260 calories worth, I eat my exercise calories back so that I at least net 1200/day. If I do that some days a week, I might lose up to an extra .5 lb. If I'm hungry, I eat them all to net my 1460 net goal. (And usually, after exercising a lot, I'm hungry.)

    If I set my weight loss goal to 1 lb a week, MFP sets my calorie goal at 1200/day. If I set my calorie goal at 2lbs/week, MFP says "No way." and sets my goal at 1200/day. Setting aside the whole "starvation mode" thing, it is really hard to give yourself the nutrients needed on less than 1200 calories a day, and it's really hard to have energy to exercise well on less than 1200 calories a day.

    So I think the answer to "should I eat my exercise calories" should be something like, "Yes, if you need them to net 1200 calories a day, and yes if you are hungry. You can skip them if you will still net over 1200 calories a day and still have energy to exercise tomorrow." (And for most men and very active or larger women, the minimum calories is higher. Damn you.)


    I thought this exact same thing...depending on what ur goals are set to be.. after all these answers (THANKS EVERYONE) I think I totally agree with your last paragraph! As long as I am consuming my minimum 1200cals and not hungry I will be good, :)

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