Calories earned through excercise

srobersonak
srobersonak Posts: 4
edited November 9 in Food and Nutrition
Am I supposed to eat the calories I've earned through excercise and still lose weight or just the 1200 calories??? THANKS

Replies

  • inkedshears
    inkedshears Posts: 27 Member
    i wondered this as well. im assuming that since it tacks them back on to your daily allowance that yours suppose to eat them, so i dont record when i workout cuz i feel like i should only eat the 1200 to lose... but im not an expert haha
  • bpayne78
    bpayne78 Posts: 249 Member
    EAT THEM. The daily amount that MFP has given you already has a deficit built in and you will still lose if you eat EVERY workout calorie MFP gives you. NOW, with that said, MFP has been known to be over on exercise calories. So I would eat at least half of them if you use MFP to get the amount. If you cut your calories too much you will stall out and not lose as you should/could. Bigger isn't always better so a bigger deficit isn't always better. You need to give your body the fuel it needs to not only survive but to also burn off the extra weight you want to lose.
  • hellraisedfire
    hellraisedfire Posts: 403 Member
    so you're saying that if say, MFP gives me 1300 for food to eat a day, and I run 300 calories off at the gym, I should really eat 1500-1600 a day? just to clarify :)
  • srobersonak
    srobersonak Posts: 4
    Thank you for the information. I don't know how I am going to eat that much....maybe protein shakes.
  • srobersonak
    srobersonak Posts: 4
    Yes, but like she said I would cut that number in half. I just wasn't sure how it worked here on myfitnesspal. When I did weight watchers they would tell you to cut the earned calories in half and eat those. :-)
  • pa_jorg
    pa_jorg Posts: 4,404 Member
    EAT THEM. The daily amount that MFP has given you already has a deficit built in and you will still lose if you eat EVERY workout calorie MFP gives you. NOW, with that said, MFP has been known to be over on exercise calories. So I would eat at least half of them if you use MFP to get the amount. If you cut your calories too much you will stall out and not lose as you should/could. Bigger isn't always better so a bigger deficit isn't always better. You need to give your body the fuel it needs to not only survive but to also burn off the extra weight you want to lose.

    This
  • regions02
    regions02 Posts: 154 Member
    Everybody does it differently. Personally, I do not eat mine back. I stick with 1300 cals per day. Guess it's all personal choice.
  • crawpapa
    crawpapa Posts: 156 Member
    I don't.
  • junyr
    junyr Posts: 416 Member
    Watch your caloric goal when you add exercise. It adds them. Eat them, or at least a good portion of them.
  • sailorsiren13
    sailorsiren13 Posts: 460
    I think it is finding what works for you. I don't eat all of mine back but some days i'm hungrier than others and some days i exercise harder than others. i'm not a fitness expert or a nutrionist but i do know what works for me.:wink:
  • AbbyMC12
    AbbyMC12 Posts: 9 Member
    I work out just so I can have more calories to eat...but I do really like working out, too. I find it nearly impossible to stick to the 1200 calories allowed. Maybe I need to get more creative with what I eat.

    I definitely say eat them - otherwise your metabolism will slow down to adjust to the lack of nutrients your body is getting and expending.
  • mommyb923
    mommyb923 Posts: 8 Member
    I will tell you I just had a struggle with this. I was sticking to the minimum, but working out burning 2000+ calories per week. And I wasn't losing, or if I did it would gain the next week. Once I started eating my calories, I began to lose!

    The problem is your minimum is not enough to fuel through a tough workout. You need more. The deficit is built in, even with exercise!

    So have just a little more at dinner. Make sure you are snacking!! I eat before and after workouts. And get your protein!!

    Good luck :)
  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
    mfp is set up for you to eat them.
    it gives people the option to exercise or not to lose their weight, or to still meet their weekly goals if they miss a workout or two.
    a lot of plans will say "ok, eat 2000 calories, and burn off 500 a the gym every day to lose a pound a week"
    mfp says "ok, eat 1500 to lose a pound a week. oh you exercised and burned 500 calories, thats great! eat those too and youll lose a pound a week"
    both ways youre eating the same number of calories - mfp just leaves a little wiggle room for days you cant exercise or whatever.

    the only times i dont recommend eating them is if your on a strict diet from your Dr. or you included your exercise in your daily activity levels.
    if you use a HRM to get your calorie burns, eat all of them. if youre using MFP or a machines numbers, you may want to eat half or 3/4 of them to leave room for error.. ive found mfp can be off by up to 400 calories for me, and the elliptical i use is usually about 100 off as well.
  • k_gilphy
    k_gilphy Posts: 5 Member
    Be careful with the number that MFP calculates for calories burned. I just started using my heartrate monitor and what I'm actually burning is significantly (100 - 200 calories) less than what the calculator spits out.
  • Gt3ch
    Gt3ch Posts: 212 Member
    You have to experiment. If you are wrecked or so ravenous you can't function or recover from exercise you should't deprive yourself. OTOH if you are doing OK without eating all or most of your exercise calories back you are at best slowing weight loss by eating them.

    I have to eat a bit more when I exercise or on some recovery days. But I try to not eat all my exercise calories. All the calorie numbers I'm using are approximations and estimates (including even BMR). I'd rather error on the side of faster weight loss as long as it is safe and I'm not markedly less active or alert during the day. I rely less on formulas & theories and give much more credence to what my body is telling me.
  • chipndip
    chipndip Posts: 12 Member
    ive read that the number of calories we are to eat depend on weight, goals and exercise. so the more we workout the more we need to eat or else your body stores all of our ugly fat and calories.......not sure but thats what i hear
  • ivansmomma
    ivansmomma Posts: 500
    I think it is finding what works for you. I don't eat all of mine back but some days i'm hungrier than others and some days i exercise harder than others. i'm not a fitness expert or a nutrionist but i do know what works for me.:wink:

    I believe this is the best way. Do what works for your own body. Everyone is different, everyone metabolizes their nutrients differently, etc. etc. I think we've heard it all before, but yes, do what is best for you, eat healthy, and move!
  • amoffatt
    amoffatt Posts: 674 Member
    I have learned for myself that I have to eat all or most of my exercise calories back...

    1). I am hungrier and shakey if I dont eat some calories back) when I exercise because I burn calories so I am burning fuel.
    2.). I have personally lost weight or my weight didnt stall when I ate most of them back then when I didnt.

    See what works for you. :happy:
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