Do I eat the extra calories I burn?

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shutterbabe
shutterbabe Posts: 125 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
No doubt someone has posted this question before, but I did some looking and couldn't find an answer.

I'm wondering if its counterproductive to eat those extra calories MFP gives you after you exercise. Because you only lose weight if you burn 500 calories more than you eat, right? My caloric daily goal is 1200. If I burn 500 at the gym, MFP bumps up my current day goal to 1700. But if I eat all 1700 calories, doesn't that sort of defeat the purpose of going to the gym and burning that 500 in the first place?

Replies

  • tripthelight33
    tripthelight33 Posts: 1
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    I am also wondering the exact same thing...any answers out there?
  • twoosugars
    twoosugars Posts: 18
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    Looking for answers too,my weight loss has stalled in the past because I have done too much and eaten too little.
    Hoping to avoid this.
  • leftoverprattf
    leftoverprattf Posts: 8
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    Yesss please help! I need to know too.

    I started my new diet last week, and I lost 4 pounds in the first week (not that great--isn't it supposed to be a stable 1 or 2?) and when I checked today, I GAINED it back (was super upset on this):

    What's the deal with net calories? I searched all over the net and positive net is bad? (but I'm ALWAYS on the positive side!) Is net calorie for MFP different?

    And do I have to eat what I burned back? What if I don't? Does that mean a greater weight loss or starvation mode?
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
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    Really, you looked and didn't find anything? There have literally been thousands of posts about this. There's even a website because this question has been asked so much.

    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com

    Yes, you should eat them. If you are eating 1200 calories and burn 900, you are only taking in 300 calories. You should always net at least 1200.
  • leftoverprattf
    leftoverprattf Posts: 8
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    I've been searching for some answers, so I got this link:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/252851-article-about-eating-back-calories-burned?error_user_id=18203126&error_username=leftoverprattf&hl=eat+back+calories+burned


    & thank you elisabat! That's a wonderful link. Now I'll spend hours reading them :)


    I'm new to this (a week& half now), & i've always had the mentality of "eat less, lose more", so it's going to be scary to eat my calories back (since I work out so much--I guess I can cut back a bit on the gym now), but I'm going to try :)
  • ravihira1892
    ravihira1892 Posts: 149 Member
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    no matter how much calories you burn...you take it back to your calorie intake MFP has recommended.

    So if its 1200 calories a day set by MFP

    and you burn 1000 calories

    you need to eat back 1000 calories so at the end of the day you still reach your goal of 1200 calories otherwise your starving your body.
  • betaleonis
    betaleonis Posts: 178
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    I've been wondering about this too.. I mean I find it totally impossible to eat back ALL of my exercise cals, so on days of heavy exercise I try to eat extra calories. Its all about the balance of taking in enough calories to keep your body functioning// metabolism fueled.. I think ;)
  • Givemewings
    Givemewings Posts: 864 Member
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    Please remmebr that MFP has already worked a calorie deficit into your calories and so any extra calories you burn during exercise should be consumed, at least some of them should!!! It has worked for me!!
  • ttulio
    ttulio Posts: 23 Member
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    I exercise for two reasons:

    1. To increase fitness
    2. To be able to eat more

    (not necessarily in order of importance)

    So I always eat back my calories and I usually meet my weight loss goals for the week. But everybody is different, so maybe you should try eating your exercise calories for a week or two and see what the numbers say.
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
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    I exercise for two reasons:

    1. To increase fitness
    2. To be able to eat more

    (not necessarily in order of importance)

    So I always eat back my calories and I usually meet my weight loss goals for the week. But everybody is different, so maybe you should try eating your exercise calories for a week or two and see what the numbers say.

    This is me, too!
  • twoosugars
    twoosugars Posts: 18
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    Can exercise calories be banked for the weekend or is that binging ?

    Yesterday ate 1200 cals but did 400cals of exercise so I ate 800 cals yesterday ...............why was I not starving.

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