Am I supposed to eat back my calories I burned?

Options
shawnayy
shawnayy Posts: 32
in Food and Nutrition
I know this has probably already been asked, I apologize.
But it's confusing me.
«1

Replies

  • busyPK
    busyPK Posts: 3,788 Member
    Options
    Yep, eat them back! :smile: Do a search and you will find many posts with the reasons why.
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
    Options
    They are bonus calories, you can or not, its up to you. The most important thing is that you are eating AT LEAST 1200 calories a day. You have to have those.
  • runfoodierun
    runfoodierun Posts: 59 Member
    Options
    think of your metabolism as a car engine. you burn fuel at your basal metabolic rate...this burns what you eat at minimum each day....you exercise, you burn more....you spend more "fuel", thus the need to keep fuel in your "tank." Empty tank, body thinks you are in starvation mode, metabolism, like a car with no fuel, slows.....and you will not see the results you are wanting to see.
  • wwww1199
    wwww1199 Posts: 271 Member
    Options
    I don't eat them back. I just get the 1200 calories in.
  • hongruss
    hongruss Posts: 389 Member
    Options
    I would say it depends on your goals, weight loss/no - use them as your deficit. Maintenance/yes - that way you won't have a deficit & therefore will maintain :)

    Russ
  • cgsr
    cgsr Posts: 113
    Options
    Yep, eat them back! :smile: Do a search and you will find many posts with the reasons why.

    ditto
  • raisingbabyk
    raisingbabyk Posts: 442 Member
    Options
    Yes! In my opinion I would say absolutely! It's worked for me, but everyone is different. Try it for a few weeks and if it's not working try something different.
  • jerber160
    jerber160 Posts: 2,606 Member
    Options
    the nutritionist who sent me to mfp told me not to.
  • PlunderBunneh
    PlunderBunneh Posts: 1,705 Member
    Options
    The best person to answer this question is your nutritionist. Most will do a over-the-phone appointment to give you some helpful tips. When I asked mine the same question, she suggested that I eat back 200 cals for every 30 minutes of heavy exercise. She warned that although MFP is a great site and a very helpful tool, the estimates for calories burned aren't very accurate. If you have a HRM, that's a great way to be more accurate. I don't have one, and had been eating back the amount that MFP said I had burned, and wasn't losing anything. As soon as I started using the 200 per 30 minutes, I started losing wonderfully.
  • gif78
    gif78 Posts: 1
    Options
    Only if you want to maintain your weight. If you want to lose weight, a 500 calorie deficit will allow you to lose 1 lb/week. Make sure you eat at least 1,200 calories a day though.
  • KCrandi
    KCrandi Posts: 125 Member
    Options
    Eat them back, because If you burn them, it's as if you didn't consume the 1200 in the first place because once you burn them, they're gone. It'll slow your metabolism.
  • runfoodierun
    runfoodierun Posts: 59 Member
    Options
    the nutritionist who sent me to mfp told me not to.

    As a nutritionist, I have to say your nutritionist is wrong. I wish you luck.
  • Rugbychick16
    Rugbychick16 Posts: 183 Member
    Options
    I've done this for a few years and had great success with weight loss by eating them back. Good luck! :flowerforyou:
  • ZumbaD1
    ZumbaD1 Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    I think it all depends on what your fitness goals are. If your desire is to lose weight, then those exercise calories should be left alone, dont eat those. If your desire is to maintain your weight, feel free to eat into those calories. If your desire is to gain weight.... then party on sister!! Hope that helps :) This whole health & fitness thing can be very confusing, but when you start to feel good & your body is doing what you want it to do... it makes it all worthwhile!! Have fun!
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    Options
    Only if you want to maintain your weight. If you want to lose weight, a 500 calorie deficit will allow you to lose 1 lb/week. Make sure you eat at least 1,200 calories a day though.


    You will not maintain by eating back your exercise calories as you will still be in deficit. MFP has already allowed a 500 deficit when it sets your calories for 1lb a week, even with no exercise.
  • bigfrank2
    bigfrank2 Posts: 9
    Options
    I would not eat them back always but if you have met your calorie goal for the day and you are still hungry you can use some of them to reward yourself. Also, if you are going out to eat you can use them to allow yourself a cheat meal.

    You should look to vary your calorie and your micro nutrient counts daily anyway as your body can adapt quickly to what you are doing. That is why it is important to spread your eating accross 5-6 meals a day. If your body get used to being fed every 2 -3 hours it will adapt by not storing nutrients to use later for energy since it is being fueled consitently thru the day.

    Platues are caused by the body adapting to your calorie/micronutrient intake/burn rate. To conntinue to make progress you need to "schock" the body by changing some thing up try switching up you carb/protien ratio for a few days. Also if you have lost 20 or more pounds you may need to recalculate your BMR and lower your caloric intake to reflect the changes.

    Good Luck!
  • sixswings
    sixswings Posts: 4
    Options
    The answer is no. If you want to lose weight. Your best answer will be from a nutritionist since they know the body the best. But to eat the bonus calories will only keep you at your current weight unless you are less then 20lbs from your ideal weight then you should be eating more to fuel more intense exercises/ strength training to drop the weight. Do Not eat more with no change to your exercise.
  • kimberly774
    kimberly774 Posts: 29
    Options
    i eat 1500 cals a day and burn 300 usually i dont eat them back except for days im really hungery i think everyone is different and you just have to play around with it for a few weeks to see what works for you; i was told to eat them/dont eat them from 20 different people so i tested each way and did what worked best for me which is to not eat them back most of the time good luck
  • Nana_Booboo
    Nana_Booboo Posts: 501 Member
    Options
    The answer is no. If you want to lose weight. Your best answer will be from a nutritionist since they know the body the best. But to eat the bonus calories will only keep you at your current weight unless you are less then 20lbs from your ideal weight then you should be eating more to fuel more intense exercises/ strength training to drop the weight. Do Not eat more with no change to your exercise.

    Not true if you are already restricting.
    Simply stated MFP has already figured out your total calories you need to eat per day to lose 1lb etc. a week. That's WITHOUT exercise. You'll notice that when you actually add exercise in, the calorie limit goes up. Why? Because it's telling you to eat your exercise calories. Large deficits aren't really good to do because while you will lose weight, what kind of weight will it be? In many cases you'll lose lean muscle tissue which LOWERS your metabolic rate even more. Then you have to eat even less to compensate for less of a calorie burn to continue to lose the same amount of weight each week. Be efficient.
    Eat and exercise. That's easy!! =)
  • fortyplusclub
    fortyplusclub Posts: 4 Member
    Options
    I'm glad you asked. I had the same question :)

Categories