Exercise Calories

shafer_m15
shafer_m15 Posts: 1
edited November 12 in Food and Nutrition
I have about a 1300 calorie daily intake. If I exercise, MFP tells me I have earned ____ many calories.. are you SUPPOSED to eat back those extra caloris? Like if I burn around 300 and it says I have 1,000 more to eat, am I supposed to eat like 1600 calories total for the day? Is it still possible to lose weight when eating exercise calories? I'm so lost, can someone explain this to me!?

Replies

  • sheila569
    sheila569 Posts: 269 Member
    There are those that say to eat your calories back, those that say not to eat them back. Perhaps what works for one person doesn't work for the other. I personally think if you eat all of them back then are you really going to loose weight?... and if you do I would think it would be at a much slower pace. So, for me I rarely eat any of my exercise calories back, but when I do only about 10-15%. I just think why work so hard at the gym if I'm going to eat it all back. This weekend is my first real event (my daughter's BD) so if I eat all of them back I won't sweat it. Hope my answer helps =)
  • gooseafur
    gooseafur Posts: 340 Member
    Exercise calories...... what do you do? I don't eat my calories back unless I'm hungry and need a small snack. I feel that if your busting your butt at the gym to burn calories why eat them back? In not doing so, you'll hopefully get a better weight loss while adding muscle!
  • squishycow7
    squishycow7 Posts: 820 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition


    Very helpful stuff in all those ... short answer - people on here do it both ways. personally, I eat mine, and I still lose. but I would encourage you to read up :D
  • withervein
    withervein Posts: 224 Member
    Here's a handy idea:

    Do you have loads to lose and aren't hungry? Don't eat.

    Are you hungry and within 10-20 pounds left to go? Eat em, fuel becomes more important as you have less to lose.

    Are you somewhere in the middle? Decide if you can go without based on your own prerogatives.
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
    If you set your profile up using "sedentary" for your activity level, you can eat some or all of them back. I know people who say they can't eat them back or they don't lose, and some people, like me, lose better when they do.
  • LindaCWy
    LindaCWy Posts: 463 Member
    There are those that say to eat your calories back, those that say not to eat them back. Perhaps what works for one person doesn't work for the other. I personally think if you eat all of them back then are you really going to loose weight?... and if you do I would think it would be at a much slower pace. So, for me I rarely eat any of my exercise calories back, but when I do only about 10-15%. I just think why work so hard at the gym if I'm going to eat it all back. This weekend is my first real event (my daughter's BD) so if I eat all of them back I won't sweat it. Hope my answer helps =)

    When you sign up to MFP you set your goal, and if you want to lose X amount of pounds it tells you how many calories to eat. When you exercise you create even more of a calorie deficit. You will still lose weight if you eat back your calories, just as long as you are within your goal. If you arent hungry, then don't eat it back, it's not set in stone, everyone is different. I just find when I work out hard I need the extra fuel. :)
  • TorridSkies4
    TorridSkies4 Posts: 94
    If I'm hungry I eat. If I'm not, I don't. According to MFP, you SHOULD be eating them back.
  • AEC50
    AEC50 Posts: 124 Member
    MFP builds in a deficit, so it's OK to eat calories you earn by exercising. Your body needs the fuel or else you could actually end up slowing or stopping your weight loss. I try to eat back most of my exercise calories, especially if I go extra hard on one day (i.e., today I'm scheduled to run 6 miles, which burns about 800 calories for me so I ate an extra big breakfast and am having extra snacks).

    I just get too tired if I don't eat them back, plus I've seen awesome results this way.
  • Kubiastic
    Kubiastic Posts: 20
    MFP is set up to where if you meet your goal everyday, you will lose weight. You can do whatever you want with them. I get a good run in on the weekends so I can consume a few extra beverages and its wokred out great so far. If I didn't consume them back i wouldn't enjoy myself as much and be less likely to stick to my goal.
  • Carolyn_79
    Carolyn_79 Posts: 935 Member
    I eat almost all of mine back and I've been successful in losing so far. I'm set at 1200 and I can tell you that there is no way in hell I could do the exercise I do and eat only 1200 if I didn't eat them back. I would pass out or be a big cranky pants because I'd be starving. I take 1 rest day a week and even on my rest day I eat more than 1200 calories. I also include a cheat meal in my week and I still lose.

    I say eat them back and if nothing happens then try eating a percentage of them back.
  • annatin1018
    annatin1018 Posts: 43
    If you don't eat back your exercise calories and try and live off as little calories as possible eventually your body will go into survival mode and you will NOT lose weight. Point Blank. I lose waaaay more weight when I eat my exercise calories back then when I don't. I was also concerned about this at first, but I soon learned the error of my ways, and you will too :))
  • _HeathBar_
    _HeathBar_ Posts: 902 Member
    http://www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I have about a 1300 calorie daily intake. If I exercise, MFP tells me I have earned ____ many calories.. are you SUPPOSED to eat back those extra caloris? Like if I burn around 300 and it says I have 1,000 more to eat, am I supposed to eat like 1600 calories total for the day? Is it still possible to lose weight when eating exercise calories? I'm so lost, can someone explain this to me!?

    Yes. the reason being is you picked a weekly weight loss goal and MFP gave you a caloric deficit below maintenance for you to lose that weight. When you exercise you increase your maintenance for the day, so in order to hit your goal weekly weight loss and daily deficit you must eat them back.

    If you don't eat them back you may lose weight faster but faster is not usually better, as a large caloric deficit will lead to the loss of a larger % of lean muscle, not just the fat you are looking at losing.
  • purplegoboom
    purplegoboom Posts: 400 Member
    I only eat about half of my calories back. Seems to be working for me.
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