Why I don't eat my exercise calories.

emmab0902
emmab0902 Posts: 2,338 Member
edited October 5 in Health and Weight Loss
This is not intended to dissuade anyone from not eating theirs, as I know the school of thought here is largely that we should eat them. This is just to explain why I don't, incase others are the same.

1) I know it's common to underestimate food intake
2) Exercise calories may be overestimated - taking these together, when you only have a small amount to lose and trying to create a small deficit, that can easily be blown by those errors.

BUT

Most importantly FOR ME the reason I dont is that I know I would easily get into the trap of linking eating to having exercised, which is a slippery slope to "I haven't exercised today/haven't burned enough today so I have to eat less." etc etc. Again I am talking for me, not trying to say this is going to happen to others.

Hence a big change for me has been eating mindfully and going by appetite, rather than checking numbers too obsessively.

Just thought I would share!
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Replies

  • Kelly_Wilson1990
    Kelly_Wilson1990 Posts: 3,245 Member
    Great thoughts and the same reasons I do not eat mine!! Thanks for posting.
  • mrmanmeat
    mrmanmeat Posts: 1,968 Member
    I eat mine, because I burn a lot.

    If you're burning 125-200 calories a day, sure, don't eat them.


    But on days I burn a minimum of 600 calories (as high as 2500) - I have to eat.
  • jill___
    jill___ Posts: 188 Member
    I feel the same way!! I eat my exercise calories if I'm really hungry, but I'm not going to force myself to eat them back everyday if I'm not hungry.
  • bonnt
    bonnt Posts: 171 Member
    That is exactly the same way I feel!
  • brittanyjeanxo
    brittanyjeanxo Posts: 1,831 Member
    I don't necessarily always eat all mine, either. I might eat some, might eat none. I just eat 'til I get to somewhere between 1200 and 1500.

    ETA: this is the first time I've seen someone post why they personally don't eat them that actually makes sense.
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
    But if I don't exercise, I do have to eat less because I've burned fewer calories. It's not a self-punishment for not exercising, it's simple math. I work out, I burn more calories, I need more fuel. I sit on the couch, I burn fewer calories, I don't need as much fuel.

    But I'm glad what you're doing is working for you.
  • hellotina
    hellotina Posts: 147 Member
    i agree with you, i try not to eat mine as well. sometimes they are used for a beer on a weekend day but thats it lol
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    But if I don't exercise, I do have to eat less because I've burned fewer calories. It's not a self-punishment for not exercising, it's simple math. I work out, I burn more calories, I need more fuel. I sit on the couch, I burn fewer calories, I don't need as much fuel.

    But I'm glad what you're doing is working for you.

    Yep.
  • sjcply
    sjcply Posts: 817 Member
    Me too!! I only eat some of them if I am hungry....BUT I dont eat them back just because everyone says I should and I will go into starvation mode if I dont!
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
    I generally only eat mine if I'm hungry, or if I know my food intake has been super low that day. I'm really trying to keep my metabolism up as well, since I'm down to the last 10lbs. As I rule I like to leave myself at least a 100cal deficit to make room for miscalculations though.
  • KatieTee83
    KatieTee83 Posts: 196 Member
    I think that's a smart way to think about it. There are days when I'm famished after working out, and days when I'm not. So if I don't feel like I need them then I'm not going to force myself to eat them.
  • BeautifulScarsWECHANGED
    BeautifulScarsWECHANGED Posts: 749 Member
    I don't eat mine either for pretty much the same reasons.
  • Asil76
    Asil76 Posts: 477 Member
    I don't eat back my exercise calories, I don't even track my exercise. I exercise daily I go with the healthier food choices for the most part and I eat when I am hungry....simple as that. My first time around on MFP I was to obsessed with the numbers so this time around I am trying a different approach and so far so good :)
  • rachel4
    rachel4 Posts: 95 Member
    I eat mine, because I burn a lot.

    If you're burning 125-200 calories a day, sure, don't eat them.


    But on days I burn a minimum of 600 calories (as high as 2500) - I have to eat.

    ^ ME TOO except I only eat back half of my calories, but my body needs the fuel.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    why are those thoughts: "I haven't exercised today so I should eat less" a problem? If we all followed this rule we'd likely have pretty good outcomes, right?

    I don't see the danger?
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,412 Member
    If you don't have a lot of weight to lose it makes sense for you. I don't worry as much about it now as I did when I was working at dropping the lbs regularly. PS: I do make it point to eat less on the days I don't work out
  • shortandfeisty
    shortandfeisty Posts: 38
    Ditto!
  • anulle2009
    anulle2009 Posts: 580 Member
    I try not to eat mine back either. I found myself saying "oh if i just burn 200 cals thats my lunch" so I have pushed myself more and more and don't think that way anymore
  • kmbrooks15
    kmbrooks15 Posts: 941 Member
    I just make sure I eat enough back to make sure my NET is at least 1200. Some days I eat back every single one, other days I don't. For example, today after eating all my meals/snacks, I'll be right at my 1400 allotment. Whatever exercise I do will be extra. I usually burn about 400-450, so I'll have to eat at least half of them to net my 1200. Some days, though, I'm ravenous or I've eaten out and need the additional calories.
  • lsfisher
    lsfisher Posts: 1 Member
    I do not eat mine either. I am trying to loose fat and weight and my trainer has set me up with 1400 calories a day regardless of the exercise I do. He keeps an eye on what my intake is on fitness pal and makes sure I am not losing muscle but fat. He will increase my food intake if I stop loosing weight. :happy:
  • luvbwfc
    luvbwfc Posts: 107 Member
    I don't eat them religiously, but if i've done 800 calories at the gym (half my daily allowance) I tend to be hungrier, so don't worry about going over my base target by a few hundred.
  • Devonanne
    Devonanne Posts: 102 Member
    Makes sense - do what works best for you! Personally, I almost always eat mine, even if I only burned 200-300. Reason being that I am ALWAYS hungry enough to eat all of them, and on days I don't exercise I find it extremely hard to stay under. This is great motivation to exercise..because I know if I don't earn some extra calories I'll be hungry! I am losing 1-2 lbs a week so it seems to be working :)
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    I don't even track calories burned during exercise. I just keep everything consistent and adjust calories as necessary to maintain progress.
  • annimal74
    annimal74 Posts: 25
    I always have a high protein shake after I workout (260 cals) but I workout 6 days a week and burn between 700-1000 calories at the gym a day and I eat 1300 cals a day including shakes. I still have a very slow appetite which I'm told is a good thing however can be very frustrating when you need to eat and your not hungry at all. But I keep trying for 1300 everyday :)
  • summer827
    summer827 Posts: 516 Member
    That makes sense! I usually eat mine, but they aren't many! I'm 5' and 119 lbs and I try to be very conservative in measuring my calories burned, so as not to out-eat my fitness program.
  • fatty2fit88
    fatty2fit88 Posts: 116 Member
    My daily calorie intake is about 1600 and I try to burn 500 per workout average.... i don't usually eat mine.... because honestly 2100 is a bit too much for me if I'm eating clean.

    haha when I'm eating 'crap foods' its easy...all I need is some B&J :D
  • kiwipearls
    kiwipearls Posts: 43
    I eat mine, because I burn a lot.

    If you're burning 125-200 calories a day, sure, don't eat them.


    But on days I burn a minimum of 600 calories (as high as 2500) - I have to eat.

    I agree, it really should depend on how much you have burned/exercised.

    I don't eat back all of my exercise calories either - but I don't burn heaps at the moment so don't need to give myself any more energy.

    But if I was burning a lot I would eat a healthy snack like an apple or something (or sometimes my mint slice biscuits (naughty) - just to get me through to my next big meal.
  • samb
    samb Posts: 464 Member
    I personally agree 100%. I eat if I am hungry, don't eat more if I am not. I listen to my body and it seems to work very well. If I do eat back my exercise calories I end up gaining or maintaining and not seeing the results I am looking for. I agree it is likely because everything is estimated and those estimates are not 100% correct. I intend on getting a HRM though so I will actually know calories burned more accurately, however, I still plan to stick with what I am doing and just eating when I am hungry. I will probably slowly try to start eating back those calories more and more as I do get closer to my goal in order to maintain easier. But for now, it seems just listening to my body is the best route. And as other posters said it is difficult to even want to eat that much while eating clean. :)
  • lorals05
    lorals05 Posts: 47
    I just eat when I am hungry, or when I have time to eat. With my job it's hard to have regular meal/snacks. I sometime eat some of my calories burned back later in the day, but usually I don't eat enough calories to have it make much of a difference. The only time I really get close is if I go out to dinner or drink a few beers.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    It's a totally valid (and probably the more common) way to go. Just make sure you set your calorie target to something that reasonable resembles your TDEE (including exercise). The math works out the same either way.

    So in other words, I can eat my 2500 a day + exercise,
    OR, I can eat my 2800 a day and ignore exercise calories. (since my average burn of 300 is factored in).
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