Do You Eat Your Exercise Calories?

I do, but whether or not you should depends. Being on 1200 cals per day, probably, but you didn't give enough info to really answer the question.

Please search... this topic is covered several times daily.

General rule of thumb is that if you're using MFP the way it was designed, yes, you should eat them, especially if your calorie goal is 1200. Eating too little can negatively impact your health, and sometimes your weight loss. Fuel the fire to burn the fat!

** People who start out significantly overweight can often have success in the beginning with not eating the exercise calories. But as you get closer to your goal weight, it becomes even more important to eat them, as your fat reserves are depleted and your body can't rely on your fat as much for energy. So you will hear a lot of people saying that they never eat them and they're doing great, but those people are generally not near their goal yet. Needs change as your body changes.

I try to not eat the 'extra' calories, because its just that much more that I will be losing, but at the same time it's a good way to 'sneak' something bad for you in without over-doing it.

It all boils down to how much/how quick you want to lose.

Edit: didn't notice your 1200 calories a day... at that low of an intake, to avoid upsetting your body and feeling fatigued early on in the day or your next workout, eat more... however it is a good idea to eat a decent amount of those calories shortly after your workout. I've found something like a clif bar (decent chunk of carbs with some protein) really helps with recovering energy and not going over 250 calories post workout, especially 2-3 hours before lunch.

Exactly what dave said. My best rule of thumb is to try and eat back half to 2/3 of the exercise calories back. that way I have a little cushion in case I really didn't burn as much as I thought, or whatever.

More or less. You do need the fuel to make up for what you've burned. But I try to go just a tad under so on the days I don't get enough exercise in, I can eat a little more and not feel like I'm starving. I try to do weekly overall totals rather than daily so there's some wiggle room for special occasions (or if I just feel like indulging).

I do.

They're my most delicious calories.

Thanks for all the good info, first I am hearing of this.

Yes, sometimes I zig zag them, but I always get them at some point. I'm active and want to stay that way. When I don't eat my body is tired, when I'm tired I can't push myself, when I can't push myself I get frustrated . . .

I love this response! "When I can't push myself I get frustrated..." Too often we aren't giving our body the fuel that it needs and then wonder why things aren't changing, why we're tired, etc. When we change the way we look at food (thinking of it as fuel instead of a reward) we change our bodies. However, I guess 'eating back' exercise calories depends on if you are looking to lose weight, gain, maintain... so it varies individually. And it will always depend on WHAT you are eating. If you're giving your body empty calories, it's a lose/lose situation!

I always make sure that i eat all my calories that mfp gives me and then when it comes to exercise calories i eat HALF of them back. At first i was not eating the workout calories back but was not losing weight as much but then when i started to eat all the calories it told me i could have and then HALF the excercise calories then i really started to lose the weight. I thinking eating back HALF of excercise calories is a good idea. Your body needs food as fuel.

I eat all of mine, then I go through the diaries of all my friends and for everyone who didn't, I eat theirs too.

I figure, if it's good for them to do it, then I'm just helping them out. Win-win!

THIS