should i eat my burned calories

joleenerodriguez
joleenerodriguez Posts: 5 Member
edited October 4 in Health and Weight Loss
Ok so I am way confused. I need to lose weight, the calorie counter says eat 1270 calories, then I got workout for an hour and it tells me I should have another 600 cals for the day. I am getting different info from different people. Should I or should I not eat back the calories? Am I just suppose to consume the 1270 and thats it?

Replies

  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
    Different people find different ways work for them.

    Try eating them back, try not eating them back, try eating back some of them.

    See what works best for you!
  • mfpseven
    mfpseven Posts: 421 Member
    Different people find different ways work for them.

    Try eating them back, try not eating them back, try eating back some of them.

    See what works best for you!

    this is really going to be your best bet, try each out for a week or two and see how it works for you. You don't want to feel sluggish or tired but you do want to see results. good luck!
  • stephanie8625
    stephanie8625 Posts: 119 Member
    everyone is different -- there are many "boards" about this, look it up to get some ideas
    For me, I had to play around with it to see what worked -- and at this point, I am eating 1/2 of my exercise calories back -- it all depends on your body. You will also find, once you start losing, you might have to adjust it again.
    Stick with it though, do not get frustrated --- MFP is great for your support and ideas. GOOD LUCK :flowerforyou:

    10344221.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • aqua_zumba_fan
    aqua_zumba_fan Posts: 383 Member
    Well under 1200 calories and apparently your body thinks it's in starvation mode and you won't lose weight. The 1270 is how many calories you should consume in order to lose weight and therefore eating back your exercise calories will keep you at that figure and you should still lose weight. On the other hand, if you don't eat them back you're burning extra calories and ending up with a net amount of calories under 1200 which isn't what you want.
  • GouchisGirl
    GouchisGirl Posts: 321 Member
    Everyone is different. I choose not to eat mine back. I am working out to burn calories not maintain, but some people find that eating them back actually helps. Try a week both ways and see which you like best. :)
  • april_beth
    april_beth Posts: 616 Member
    you need to NET 1200...if yoiu can live on that, more power to you...eat your exercise calories back...
  • Algrady
    Algrady Posts: 15 Member
    Eat your caloric limit for the day. If you "earn" extra calories from exercising...great! It gives you some wiggle room if you get hungry and need to eat. But only eat if you're hungry. I wouldn't recommend eating all your exercise calories though. You go into "starvation mode" if you don't eat your regular caloric goal each day, not it you don't eat your exercise calories. Good luck!
  • cpow81
    cpow81 Posts: 114
    I usually don't eat them back, but if I do I may eat back half of my burned calories. I work out at night so by the time I figure how much I burn it's too late to really "eat them back".

    I would try what the previous posts have suggested - try all scenarios and see which works best for you.

    Good luck!
  • jweidner33
    jweidner33 Posts: 83 Member
    Your target goal for weight lost is just that, your target goal. MFP takes exercising into its calculations. This means if you reach your target goal everyday whether you eat your calories burned back or not you should lose roughly the amount of weight you set your goals to. Remember Starvation mode is somewhat misunderstood. Yes your body goes into SURVIVAL mode and slows your metabolism down but regardless you will still lose weight. Just not as efficiently as it should and you will rob your body of important nutrients.
  • kwest_4_fitness
    kwest_4_fitness Posts: 820 Member
    Different people find different ways work for them.

    Try eating them back, try not eating them back, try eating back some of them.

    See what works best for you!

    this is really going to be your best bet, try each out for a week or two and see how it works for you. You don't want to feel sluggish or tired but you do want to see results. good luck!

    ***APPLAUSE*** Great answers!! I think the best ones I've seen in answer to the great exercise calorie debate!
  • kwest_4_fitness
    kwest_4_fitness Posts: 820 Member
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  • myiceisonfire
    myiceisonfire Posts: 782 Member
    Under 1,200 is supposedly "starvation mode" and your body thinks it can't lose. Your net needs to be at 1,200, so if you eat 1,200 and don't work out you're fine. But if you eat 1,200 and work out 300, it puts your net at 900.
    .... At least that's what people say. But like everyone else said, different things work for different people.

    Personally I'm at 1,200 calories a day, and if I work out I don't eat them back. ... But if I'm extra hungry one day I will eat more food so I'm not hungry. My dr & my personal trainer told me NOT to eat them back because it defeats the purpose. It's worked for me. BUT that's MY experience.
  • unmitigatedbadassery
    unmitigatedbadassery Posts: 653 Member
    There has been some heated debate on this topic. Depending on how heavy you are (how much fat you have to lose) you can get away with eating back less of you spent calories.

    Personally I don't eat back hardly any and keep my intake to 1300-1500 per day which I'm told is too low but I eat clean and I eat when I'm hungry. I have been doing this for over a month and I feel great - no fatigue or any of the "starvation mode" symptoms.

    The general consensus here is try it and see and I have to agree with that.
  • thankyou4thevenom
    thankyou4thevenom Posts: 1,581 Member
    Different people find different ways work for them.

    Try eating them back, try not eating them back, try eating back some of them.

    See what works best for you!

    This.

    And it's always worth switching it up when you hit a plateau.
  • GouchisGirl
    GouchisGirl Posts: 321 Member
    Under 1,200 is supposedly "starvation mode" and your body thinks it can't lose. Your net needs to be at 1,200, so if you eat 1,200 and don't work out you're fine. But if you eat 1,200 and work out 300, it puts your net at 900.
    .... At least that's what people say. But like everyone else said, different things work for different people.

    Personally I'm at 1,200 calories a day, and if I work out I don't eat them back. ... But if I'm extra hungry one day I will eat more food so I'm not hungry. My dr & my personal trainer told me NOT to eat them back because it defeats the purpose. It's worked for me. BUT that's MY experience.

    Well said! :)
  • brit49
    brit49 Posts: 461 Member
    Your target goal for weight lost is just that, your target goal. MFP takes exercising into its calculations. This means if you reach your target goal everyday whether you eat your calories burned back or not you should lose roughly the amount of weight you set your goals to. Remember Starvation mode is somewhat misunderstood. Yes your body goes into SURVIVAL mode and slows your metabolism down but regardless you will still lose weight. Just not as efficiently as it should and you will rob your body of important nutrients.



    In my novice opinion this is the best answer!!!
  • ctriston
    ctriston Posts: 71 Member
    Eat your caloric limit for the day. If you "earn" extra calories from exercising...great! It gives you some wiggle room if you get hungry and need to eat. But only eat if you're hungry. I wouldn't recommend eating all your exercise calories though. You go into "starvation mode" if you don't eat your regular caloric goal each day, not it you don't eat your exercise calories. Good luck!

    This is exact;y how I look at it, means I enjoy weekends, using the 'wiggle room' and it nice to know if I really want/ need to the extra cals are there.
  • b0t23
    b0t23 Posts: 260 Member
    if you are new to exercising or to doing the current exercise program you are on, I recommend always eating back the full calories you burned from exercising.
    once you get more fit or continue to do those same exercises, you will not burn as many calories as you were at first.
    at that point you can choose to not eat back all of those calories.

    i typically under estimate what I have burned and overestimate what I have eate, throughout the day.
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