do YOU eat your exercise calories?

BeautyFromPain
BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
edited October 2 in Food and Nutrition
okay so I know this topic has been bored to death and fought about over and over but would just like to see who does and who doesn't... reasons for this?

also, does anyone have any success stories they would like to share about their journey with eating their calories back?

i'm thinking of starting to eat mine back

:)

Replies

  • Thamantha
    Thamantha Posts: 102 Member
    I do eat mine back.
    In theory because it keeps my net calories up to the level where I maintain a 500 calorie deficit daily, and thus won't lose more than 1lb per week. I am fairly close to my goal and do not want to lose faster.
    In practise it is also because if i have exercised I am generally hunngier and I enjoy the opportunity to have a larger food intake on some days.
    That said I don't eat them back just to make a target, I eat the calories from healthy food, and because of hunger. So sometimes I will eat slightly under the goal to get my net calories when I have exercised

    Edit: I have always met my target for weight loss on this site, and always been eating back my calories. It works for me.
  • dgirllamius
    dgirllamius Posts: 171 Member
    I eat mine back.

    If I didn't I'd be mega hungry all the time.
  • Blackthorne99
    Blackthorne99 Posts: 250 Member
    I eat mine back because a deficit is already built into my formulas. I *do* have days where I do not succeed at that, but I do try to end up right around zero to100 calories remaining for the day.
  • CRutherford73
    CRutherford73 Posts: 10
    Yes. Always Yes
  • ickybella
    ickybella Posts: 1,438 Member
    And then some. I do and always have. Click the link in my signature to see my success. P.S. (God, I miss you, Taso) http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    I focus more on quality rather than quantity when it comes to fuelling my body for exercise.

    If I'm heading for a heavy cardio session at the gym, some good carbs first - wholemeal toast with nut butter, or a piece of fruit, handful of raisins.

    After cardio my body is craving carbs, so it'll be a small portion of wholemeal pasta with some good protein - chicken or tuna.

    After strength training, I'm a big chocolate milk fan to repair the muscles.

    THEN I'll check that I'm still under my calorie goal for the day. I don't feel the need to go right up to the limit, given the large element of uncertainty in estimating calories both eaten and burned, but it'll usually be somewhere between my basic calorie goal and the higher limit with exercise calories added.
  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
    I do eat mine back.
    In theory because it keeps my net calories up to the level where I maintain a 500 calorie deficit daily, and thus won't lose more than 1lb per week. I am fairly close to my goal and do not want to lose faster.
    In practise it is also because if i have exercised I am generally hunngier and I enjoy the opportunity to have a larger food intake on some days.
    That said I don't eat them back just to make a target, I eat the calories from healthy food, and because of hunger. So sometimes I will eat slightly under the goal to get my net calories when I have exercised

    Edit: I have always met my target for weight loss on this site, and always been eating back my calories. It works for me.

    This basically sums it up for me. I've lost 18lbs eating my exercise calories back. It helps feed your body to recover and grow from the exercise you're giving it. I agree with making the healthier choices in the name of nutrition instead of just getting anything.
  • martinh78
    martinh78 Posts: 601
    Yes, when training hard four or five times a week you have to in my opinion. You can't ask your body to carry you 10 miles during a run without giving it fuel.

    If I was just burning 100 calories by gentle walking I wouldn't bother so much.

    To make the most out of exercise sessions, and get the most in each week, it's important to fuel your body correctly.

    Some people use exercise calories for pizza or chocolate, I use mine to fuel my workouts.
  • grobbygru
    grobbygru Posts: 292 Member
    I always try to as I don't want to be in any more of a starvation mode than I have put my body through thus far.
    Seems to be working - so I am happy with that.
  • martinh78
    martinh78 Posts: 601
    I focus more on quality rather than quantity when it comes to fuelling my body for exercise.

    If I'm heading for a heavy cardio session at the gym, some good carbs first - wholemeal toast with nut butter, or a piece of fruit, handful of raisins.

    After cardio my body is craving carbs, so it'll be a small portion of wholemeal pasta with some good protein - chicken or tuna.

    After strength training, I'm a big chocolate milk fan to repair the muscles.

    THEN I'll check that I'm still under my calorie goal for the day. I don't feel the need to go right up to the limit, given the large element of uncertainty in estimating calories both eaten and burned, but it'll usually be somewhere between my basic calorie goal and the higher limit with exercise calories added.

    This sums it up for me really. I'll pre-load during the day as well if I know I'm going to the gym that evening.
  • emmab0902
    emmab0902 Posts: 2,338 Member
    I go by how hungry I am. I eat pretty well and healthy during the day and will eat according to appetite. plus I think some of the calories burned are overestimated. Today I did a swim and afterwards was more tired than usual so had more to eat afterwards.
  • MuffinMan25
    MuffinMan25 Posts: 110
    YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :drinker:
  • AH2013
    AH2013 Posts: 385 Member
    I know the topic has been done to death, but when I started on here I was eating all my calories back and losing b**ger all. I then started eating jless despite the exercising and was losing a pound a week and more and was not at all hungry!! Then I got confused because of all the forum posts and asked the question and was told - you have to eat all your calories back or you'll ruin your metabolism and gain weight when you start eating properly again!! - well I started doing that and have yet again lost nothing, in fact I put a pound back on over the last 2 weeks. I'm going to go back to eating whatever I want and not trying really hard to fill myself up with calories because I was finding that really difficult. I am a vegetarian and trying to eat my 1200 cals and then another 6-800 was a nightmare. I think that as long as I am getting plenty of protein, plenty carbs and am never hungry I don't see the problem. I eat 6 times a day, homemade fruit smoothies, veg soups, protein packed meat substitute, steamed veg, nuts etc etc and that will bring me up to 1400 cals a day or more, leaving 400 cals over -ish.
    I know I'll get knocked for saying this but I don't care, its my body and I want to lose weight. If I am going to get myself into a routine of eating this way for the rest of my days then I don't see the problem. I'm not planning on eating more than I am now. The point of doing this for me is to lose weight AND change my eating habits. I do not want to be eating more than I'm eating now as this leaves me happy, satisfied and full of energy.

    This is what I am doing, I am in no way advocating this as a suggestion to anyone else!!!
  • lilyinlove
    lilyinlove Posts: 441 Member
    If I feel hungry then yes...If I am full then no.
  • Angel1066
    Angel1066 Posts: 816 Member
    Yes i do all i would starve, it's working for me that the moment when it stops working i will change.
  • LifeLoveUniverse
    LifeLoveUniverse Posts: 8 Member
    Yes, I do. If there is green left for the day, I'll eat back as much of that as I want.

    So long as I have set myself a sensible net calorie deficit, keep working consistantly on my exercise regime and eat a nutritionally balanced (and varied) diet... I don't let myself worry about it.
  • livi_cowgirl
    livi_cowgirl Posts: 198 Member
    I don't. Not right now. I don't even log my exercise right now. Cos I tried it for a while, logging exercise and eating some of them back (only about 300-400, so not all of them) and I never lost weight. I never put on either but I never lost. So I decided to try just eating my 1330 weather I exercise or not. I feel hungry a lot of the time but I am losing weight now. I think I just need to get used to feeling hungry because it seems to be the only way I am going to lose any weight.
  • kymmixxx
    kymmixxx Posts: 151 Member
    if im hungry or ive burned more than 300 ill try and eat into them. i find if i eat mine back i dont lose weight.
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
    I don't, as i simply don't trust how many I've burned! My daily exercise just allows me have a treat that day...its worth that sweat just to actually have the chicken leg with skin on, rather than off!
  • Scoobies87
    Scoobies87 Posts: 379
    If I feel hungry then yes...If I am full then no.

    Me too
  • nettleboo
    nettleboo Posts: 177 Member
    Hello during the week i eat 1300 cals per day whether i exercise or not for the last two weekends ive been trying this eating back my cals when i exercise and i notice i put weight on a couple of lbs each time. in my mind i think surely if you want to lose weight you need the exercise without the extra cals but thats just me i must eat enough protien and stuff because i dont feel bad after exercise even on my lower cal days. this one really puzzles me
  • Crystalchaos72
    Crystalchaos72 Posts: 531
    I sure do....in fact the more I eat back the more I have lost. It is harder now becuse I am in maintainence and consume 2650 a day, but I do eat my exercise cals back, even on my high burn days.
  • keiraev
    keiraev Posts: 695 Member
    YES! Most and usually all :)

    If you have 20lb or less to lose seriously it's the way forward. I lose more when I eat more and I've lost 19lb since May :)

    I know people will have their own ideas about this and that's fair enough I am just sharing personal experience.
  • Teliooo
    Teliooo Posts: 725 Member
    I physically can't otherwise I would.. Sometimes I burn over 1000 a day and I just cannot eat that much food throughout the day. I try so hard to but it is impossible without hurting my stomach. I just eat when I am hungry, otherwise I would stretch my stomach too far. I think it is good to if you can.
  • neenaj33
    neenaj33 Posts: 347 Member
    Not all the time, but on days when I feel like I just cant stop eating I do. I really try not to tho'.
  • Teliooo
    Teliooo Posts: 725 Member
    I know the topic has been done to death, but when I started on here I was eating all my calories back and losing b**ger all. I then started eating jless despite the exercising and was losing a pound a week and more and was not at all hungry!! Then I got confused because of all the forum posts and asked the question and was told - you have to eat all your calories back or you'll ruin your metabolism and gain weight when you start eating properly again!! - well I started doing that and have yet again lost nothing, in fact I put a pound back on over the last 2 weeks. I'm going to go back to eating whatever I want and not trying really hard to fill myself up with calories because I was finding that really difficult. I am a vegetarian and trying to eat my 1200 cals and then another 6-800 was a nightmare. I think that as long as I am getting plenty of protein, plenty carbs and am never hungry I don't see the problem. I eat 6 times a day, homemade fruit smoothies, veg soups, protein packed meat substitute, steamed veg, nuts etc etc and that will bring me up to 1400 cals a day or more, leaving 400 cals over -ish.
    I know I'll get knocked for saying this but I don't care, its my body and I want to lose weight. If I am going to get myself into a routine of eating this way for the rest of my days then I don't see the problem. I'm not planning on eating more than I am now. The point of doing this for me is to lose weight AND change my eating habits. I do not want to be eating more than I'm eating now as this leaves me happy, satisfied and full of energy.

    This is what I am doing, I am in no way advocating this as a suggestion to anyone else!!!

    Like the above post a lot. I hate eating for the sake of eating. It gave me very bad habits in the past. Before I joined this site I lost a hell of a lot of weight (7 stoneish) and I did not even think about deficit etc. I don;t think I ever ate the cals back and if I did then I didn't notice. It is important to me to eat when I am hungry, too many cals or not. I have always counted fat content though, calorie counting is new to me.
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