Do you eat exercise calories?

jessica7368
jessica7368 Posts: 64 Member
edited October 5 in Fitness and Exercise
Accordion to MFP I can only eat 1200 calories a day to loose 1.6 pounds per week. I have about 50lbs to loose so I am surprised at how low my calorie count is, but I digress. I typically work out 6-7 days a week. I'm wondering if I should be eating my exercise calories? I feel hungrier on those days but lately my weight loss has slowed down. about 1lb per week now. Just curious on everyone's thoughts?

Replies

  • FoamyRiver
    FoamyRiver Posts: 276 Member
    Yes! In fact, I exercise just so I can eat more. :laugh:
  • bigbugboo
    bigbugboo Posts: 161
    There are many, many posts on this subject if you search in the forums.
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
    Yes you should.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    According to MFP you can only eat 1200 + exercise calories to lose 1.6 lbs per week. That's how MFP works. The deficit is built in to your 1200.

    If you're not "eating exercise calories" you're going to be netting too low.

    Do you have to "eat exercise calories"? No. You can always just set your calories to something that reflects your TDEE with the deficit (say around 1500 per day) and just eat to that target, ignoring the exercise calories.

    Make sense? If not, give this a read http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits
  • danceforlifee
    danceforlifee Posts: 10
    I don't. I sometimes dont even count exercise so I know how many I actually ate.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I consume them, but mostly in a long stemmed glass.
  • jessica7368
    jessica7368 Posts: 64 Member
    So how does MFP factor in a deficit for me. I calculated my Basal Metabolic Rate and it said 1587, so if I eat 1200 calories, that means my deficit is only 387 per day, which for me doesn't seem like much?? So I was thinking if I ate less of my exercise calories, then maybe I could actually loose the 2lbs a week I'd like. Or is that not how it works?
  • _Timmeh_
    _Timmeh_ Posts: 2,096 Member
    I do sometimes, mostly I try not to. I don't exercise just so I can eat more.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    So how does MFP factor in a deficit for me. I calculated my Basal Metabolic Rate and it said 1587, so if I eat 1200 calories, that means my deficit is only 387 per day, which for me doesn't seem like much?? So I was thinking if I ate less of my exercise calories, then maybe I could actually loose the 2lbs a week I'd like. Or is that not how it works?

    BMR is how much you would burn in a coma. I'm assuming that you're not in a coma. So you're burning more than that. The deficit is subtracted from your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), not BMR.

    You would lose more not eating exercise calories - that just means your deficit is bigger. But that can lead to weight loss stalls at best and health problems at worst. Think about it. If you would need 1587 just to keep your body running in a coma, why would you ever eat less than that?

    You want your deficit to be just large enough to allow a weight loss, but not so large as to significantly lower your metabolism or cause your body to catabolize its precious muscle mass.

    Short answer: just keep eating until it says 0 calories left.
  • jessica7368
    jessica7368 Posts: 64 Member
    So How do I figure out what my TDEE is?
    So how does MFP factor in a deficit for me. I calculated my Basal Metabolic Rate and it said 1587, so if I eat 1200 calories, that means my deficit is only 387 per day, which for me doesn't seem like much?? So I was thinking if I ate less of my exercise calories, then maybe I could actually loose the 2lbs a week I'd like. Or is that not how it works?

    BMR is how much you would burn in a coma. I'm assuming that you're not in a coma. So you're burning more than that. The deficit is subtracted from your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), not BMR.

    You would lose more not eating exercise calories - that just means your deficit is bigger. But that can lead to weight loss stalls at best and health problems at worst. Think about it. If you would need 1587 just to keep your body running in a coma, why would you ever eat less than that?

    You want your deficit to be just large enough to allow a weight loss, but not so large as to significantly lower your metabolism or cause your body to catabolize its precious muscle mass.

    Short answer: just keep eating until it says 0 calories left.
  • MzFury
    MzFury Posts: 283 Member
    Your BMR is NOT the same as your inactive metabolic rate.

    You probably burn closer to 1800 - 1900 in a sedentary day, not to mention walking, cooking, chores, etc. BMR is basically the calories you need to be alive.

    You'd probably be fine to just eat 1500 - 1600 cals a day and exercise, and not worry about the MFP numbers. And definitely eat if you're weak and hungry...
  • MzFury
    MzFury Posts: 283 Member
    I also put up a long post on this that might be a little helpful, over in General Diet and Weight Loss Help.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    So How do I figure out what my TDEE is?

    MFP did it for you when you entered your age, gender, weight, activity level.

    You can use a third-party calculator like this one for a second opinion
    http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-metabolism-calculator
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