Should I eat my exercise calories?

Miranda_the_Phoenix
Miranda_the_Phoenix Posts: 32 Member
edited November 8 in Food and Nutrition
Here's what I'm wondering: Given I'm starting out with so many pounds to carry around with me, when I use my elliptical machine, the calories burned are up over 1000. Should I allow myself to go by MFP's guide and just keep my net calories under my target, or should I try to dip into those "extra" calories as little as possible?

On the one hand, I may lose weight faster to start out if I don't eat all of them, but I'm concerned that I might also plateau at some point and have not as much room to decrease any farther...

Any thoughts?

Replies

  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
    Here's what I'm wondering: Given I'm starting out with so many pounds to carry around with me, when I use my elliptical machine, the calories burned are up over 1000. Should I allow myself to go by MFP's guide and just keep my net calories under my target, or should I try to dip into those "extra" calories as little as possible?

    On the one hand, I may lose weight faster to start out if I don't eat all of them, but I'm concerned that I might also plateau at some point and have not as much room to decrease any farther...

    Any thoughts?
    Yes, eat them back.
    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.
    Exercise hard and eat back the calories. The hard exercise will RAISE your metabolic rate and burn more fat at rest.
  • JuliePete
    JuliePete Posts: 53
    Everyone on here asks that same question, and everyone has their own opinion. Here is my two cents for what they are worth...I have found that I do better at keeping on track when I do eat at least a majority of them back. I feel better, and I am able to keep focused on what I need to be eating. I have also noticed that it helps me not go into "starvation mode". For what it's worth. Keep up the good work though no matter what you decide.
  • misskerouac
    misskerouac Posts: 2,242 Member
    http://www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/
  • xtinalovexo
    xtinalovexo Posts: 1,376 Member
    :explode:
  • xtinalovexo
    xtinalovexo Posts: 1,376 Member
    http://www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

    you took the words right out of my virtual mouth!
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    MFP already builds in your deficit when you set up what you want to lose each week so any calories burned during exercise should be consumed to fuel you body for your workouts. My BMR is 2450 and I set my MFP to lose 1 lb. a week.. I consume 3200 calories a day (that is with eating my exercise calories back) and am still losing 1 to 2 lbs. a week after 31 months and 295 lbs. lost on this journey.....
  • stevenleagle
    stevenleagle Posts: 293 Member
    This one has been answered many times, do a search.

    Personally, I believe in eating calories back, mainly because I get hungry if I don't!

    However I have seen some mfp friends get very good results by not eating any of their exercise calories (or if they do, they only eat part of them back).

    I guess it depends on your goals, the settings you have made and what your body is telling you.
  • Nana_Booboo
    Nana_Booboo Posts: 501 Member
    YES!!!! Please eat them.

    You will not fail and it will become a lifestyle.

    Eat, exercise, lose and enjoy life!!
  • BPayton27
    BPayton27 Posts: 626 Member
    I recently decided to start eating exercise calories back after I plateaued after losing 40 lbs. My body slowed way down with a large deficit. Now I am eating the calories back and not only do I FEEL better and have more energy, I am back to losing.

    Think of it this way. Say you have a limit of 1200 cal per day (bare minimum) and ate them all. You burn 1000 of that on the elliptical and don't eat anything else. Your body has netted 200 calories for the day. It is going to hold on to fat as long as it can. It's not realistic to think your body can run on that with exercise no matter how much you have to lose. You may lose in the beginning but I PROMISE it will catch up with you in some way or another.

    Proof.

    Edit to add: I should say, eat most. Like others pointed out, MFP has a tendency to over estimate calories burned during exercise. Unless you have a hrm that you really trust, you might want to give yourself a little cushion.

    Best of luck.
  • shellyt1
    shellyt1 Posts: 119
    I try not to eat my exercise calories giving back to me but tonight they are comeing in handy! I haven't eaten bad but did have a big salad at lunch and some of that took more then I had this week. I think of them as a savings account, it is there but you don't want to use unless have to! Good luck.
  • Nana_Booboo
    Nana_Booboo Posts: 501 Member
    Eat your exercise calories
    You should eat back your exercise calories.
    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.
    Exercise hard and eat back the calories. The hard exercise will RAISE your metabolic rate and burn more fat at rest.
  • MinaAriel
    MinaAriel Posts: 138 Member
    I would eat most of them back. I say most because I found that MFP overestimates how I much I burn during certain exercises (including elliptical and circuit training). It wasn't until I got a HRM that I discovered that instead of the 300 calories burned per mfp I was actually only burning 200. Eating back that extra 100 calories was kind of hindering me a bit. After the HRM, I feel fully comfortable eating most of my exercise calories. If you don't have a hrm, trying eating about 75% of the calories burned back.
  • LittleMissDoll
    LittleMissDoll Posts: 185
    I only eat mine if im hungry. I will re-evaluate that decision if it stops working :)
  • nu2012
    nu2012 Posts: 562 Member
    I have wondered the same thing.

    As some other people have said here,MFP takes into account the amount of weight we need to lose and then gave the calories. In my case exercise or no exercise,the calories stay at 1200. I guess that's because it's the least amount that we should take in for existence.

    What I have observed is that,when I log in my food and exercise and when I click on "Complete this entry" (after When you're finished logging all foods and exercise for this day, click here:) the program shows how much you will weigh in 5 weeks. In my case , when I eat back my calories it shows a 2 lb loss in 5 weeks. Which is too less. But for the days when I end up working out harder and have around 400-500 calories remaining after the day,it shows a 2 lb loss per week. So for me it seems I have to have a calorie deficit of sorts.

    So what I try to do is eat 1200 and workout is the extra bonus.

    I am not sure whether it is right or not but this seems to be my conclusion.
  • Miranda_the_Phoenix
    Miranda_the_Phoenix Posts: 32 Member
    http://www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

    Wow. I had no idea this was such a well worn topic! Lol! My first day in the forums and I've been schooled like a noob. ;)
    But really, thanks for pointing me in the right direction!
  • cfred40
    cfred40 Posts: 151 Member
    No opinion for you as to eat them or not. Just to point out, larger people are able to maintain a larger calorie deficit. The more weight you lose, smaller you become, you will need to readjust, but in the beginning, no problem.

    Best wishes to you.
  • lisaripson
    lisaripson Posts: 1
    Ok. But, what if you are not hungry -- at all. I have eaten very healthy and good all day...I did spin this morning. I still haven't eaten my full1200 -- i have about 100 to go to hit the origional 1200. But, i have 681 with the exercise. I am not going to force myself to eat if i am not hungry.
  • greeneyedaries
    greeneyedaries Posts: 45 Member
    I ask my nutrionist this same question today. Here is what she had to say.. If you exercise 30 to 40 minutes low impact, do not eat them back. But if you exercise for an hour or more with high intenseity then you eat them back. This based on a 1500 cal. a day diet, I was not to eat no less than this a day..no more than 165 carbs. a day.
  • jazzalea
    jazzalea Posts: 412 Member
    I play with my "exercise calories"........If i'm hungry I will try and have healthy snacks to fill those calories and enjoy them guilt free..... but I don't budget for them on a daily basis..... I figure they are the calories I worked off after the 1200 mfp allows me :)



    To be honest though, somedays that healthy snack is covered in chocolate and says Hersheys on the wrapper :)
  • xtinalovexo
    xtinalovexo Posts: 1,376 Member
    Eat your exercise calories
    You should eat back your exercise calories.
    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.
    Exercise hard and eat back the calories. The hard exercise will RAISE your metabolic rate and burn more fat at rest.


    quoting him right?
  • daisydarling
    daisydarling Posts: 44 Member
    Hi,
    You mean if I burn 200 calories and I am under my goal for calories. I should use some of the up
    Daisydarling
  • kmacgera
    kmacgera Posts: 137 Member
    Hi,
    You mean if I burn 200 calories and I am under my goal for calories. I should use some of the up
    Daisydarling

    Yes, tho many have commented that mfp's exercise cals are too generous.
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