Is it okay to bank the calories you earn during a workout?

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lmsimo2
lmsimo2 Posts: 3 Member
in Food and Nutrition
When I log my cardio, it tells me I have those calories to use! Confused..... I already get 1,600 calories a day and find it hard making it to that number let a lone adding another 650 calories burned in Zumba class! Thoughts? Thanks!

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  • iKapuniai
    iKapuniai Posts: 594 Member
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    I never go by my daily calories, I consider my weekly calories. I don't think there would be an issue "banking" your calories for a larger meal, or dessert or a "cheat day" or whatever. The only time it would be concerning is if you aren't eating enough to fuel your workouts. A rule of thumb is that women shouldn't eat less than 1200 calories on any given day... could be BS, but who really knows? So basically, if you're allowed 1600, and you burn 650, your net calorie total is only 950... in which case you should eat at least 250 calories more to get to 1200 cals. This is what a lot of people say/think, buutttt... if you think about it, the people on the biggest loser have 1200 calorie diets and work out up to 8 hours a day and they turn out just fine, soooo... with that, I just say do what you feel is best for you. :)

    Love and Alohas,
    Ihilani Kapuniai
  • Karalopolous
    Karalopolous Posts: 574
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    Go by what your body tells you. Are you feeling really tired and worn down? Probably need some food. If your doing ok, well try that out for a while.
  • shanchamber
    shanchamber Posts: 29
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    I also find this a little annoying. There's some evidence to suggest that when you go from a higher weight to a lower one, your body does not burn as many calories as most calculators think that it does. (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/tara-parker-pope-fat-trap.html?pagewanted=all.) I'd suggest not entering your exercise for a week or so and checking to see if it makes a difference at weigh in.
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
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    Seconding the advice to go by what your body tells you. Some people need to eat back their exercise calories, and others don't.

    I had a day where I had 1,000 more net calories than normal, and I was ravenous that evening and the next day. There was just no way to eat those calories back in one day, and trying to resulted in a huge stomachache.

    What I do now if I know that I'll have a spike in exercise calories like that is to prepare by eating more before, then continuing to eat more the day after.

    On the other hand, you may feel you don't need to eat the exercise calories, in which case, you shouldn't force yourself.
  • SRH7
    SRH7 Posts: 2,037 Member
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    When I log my cardio, it tells me I have those calories to use! Confused..... I already get 1,600 calories a day and find it hard making it to that number let a lone adding another 650 calories burned in Zumba class! Thoughts? Thanks!

    Just a little word of advice... most people find that the MFP calculations of calories burned is way off the mark so just be a bit careful as you may not actually be burning that amount in your zumba class.

    I've just ordered a heart rate monitor (HRM) so that I can start logging a more accurate burn so that I don't accidentally go over my calories.
  • AJ_Pete
    AJ_Pete Posts: 863 Member
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    You're going to get SO MANY conflicting opinions on this.... AND HERE'S ONE MORE. YAY! My calories are set at 1600. Whatever exercise I do, I log it, but I typically don't eat them back. As long as you're NETTING 1200 cals a day (average), you're fine. MY ISSUE WITH EATING BACK MY WORKOUT CALORIES IS THIS: Once I get into having to eat all those calories, I eat fatty, sodium filled things to make up those calories. MUCH MORE UNHEALTHY THAN NOT EATING THEM BACK.

    This is a journey, not a race. Tweak a few things.... try new things.... LISTEN TO YOUR BODY..... your body is screaming at you all the time what it needs... rest, food, water, exercise.... LISTEN. It knows what's best.

    AND get a HRM. Some workouts are less calories than mfp estimated and some are more.... get an HRM and know for certain what you're burning. I got the Polar FT4 and it was $60 from amazon..... and it's fantastic!!!

    Good luck!
  • maleva720
    maleva720 Posts: 165 Member
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    I find when I eat most of my exercise calories back I lose weight. MFP is set up for you to do that. Search it, its a very popular topic.
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
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    Yes, and they get about 2% interest.
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
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    650 cals of exercise.

    To be on the safe side (regarding overstimation of burn), eat half back - 325 cals.

    325 cals = 1 whole grain bagel with a spoon of peanut butter. *shrug*
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    I find when I eat most of my exercise calories back I lose weight. MFP is set up for you to do that. Search it, its a very popular topic.

    ^This! I lose weight when I eat all of my calories back too - BUT I have a heart rate monitor so I know my exercise calories are not overstated.

    I eat them back to preserve muscle mass ..... sure I may lose weight faster (at first) if I did not eat my exercise calories back ... but at the expense of losing muscle mass ... no thanks.
  • amatxuof5
    amatxuof5 Posts: 40
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    I also find this a little annoying. There's some evidence to suggest that when you go from a higher weight to a lower one, your body does not burn as many calories as most calculators think that it does. (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/tara-parker-pope-fat-trap.html?pagewanted=all.)

    I follow a blog about a girl who has lost 160 pounds and has kept it off for 18 months now. She's a runner. She has noticed that as she has lost weight and gotten more fit, she burns fewer calories with the same amount of exercise. She ran 10 miles the other day and only burned a little over 300 calories. So I think you are right - and it is very annoying!
  • dmaster555
    dmaster555 Posts: 73
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    I d say no because 99.9% of you over estimate the calories you burned in exercise.
  • dmaster555
    dmaster555 Posts: 73
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    If you are following what the cardio machine says you burned, then it is wrong. Studies have shown those machines greatly exaggerate calories burned and it will cause some of
    You to over eat thinking you're just eating exercise calories
  • AJ_Pete
    AJ_Pete Posts: 863 Member
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    I WILL ADD: (HAHA, I KNOW) That if I burn a ridiculous amount of calories ( there are days where I've burned 2400 calories... BEAST, I KNOW.... kidding) I EAT SOME BACK. Or the next day I will be revenous alllllll day. I try to at least NET 1200 cals regardless.
  • cressievargo
    cressievargo Posts: 392 Member
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    I never go by my daily calories, I consider my weekly calories. I don't think there would be an issue "banking" your calories for a larger meal, or dessert or a "cheat day" or whatever. The only time it would be concerning is if you aren't eating enough to fuel your workouts. A rule of thumb is that women shouldn't eat less than 1200 calories on any given day... could be BS, but who really knows? So basically, if you're allowed 1600, and you burn 650, your net calorie total is only 950... in which case you should eat at least 250 calories more to get to 1200 cals. This is what a lot of people say/think, buutttt... if you think about it, the people on the biggest loser have 1200 calorie diets and work out up to 8 hours a day and they turn out just fine, soooo... with that, I just say do what you feel is best for you. :)

    Love and Alohas,
    Ihilani Kapuniai

    How many of them are able to continue that after the show? Not many, I'm sure.
  • osualex
    osualex Posts: 409 Member
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    I do. I mean, if I burn 700 calories during p90x kenpo (which I'm 99% sure is inaccurate) there's no way I could squeeze in even half that much healthily into one day. So on a day where I want to have a treat, I eat it then.


    *Note-if you're at 1200 calories a day you may want to eat at least 100 of your exercise calories throughout the day to help you work out better.
  • brightnhappy
    brightnhappy Posts: 4 Member
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    :heart:
  • alyson820
    alyson820 Posts: 448 Member
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    Do what works for you! I'm given 1250 calories a day, and I try to eat within that range (sometimes I'm a little over, sometimes a little under). I DON'T eat back my exercise calories, because I don't feel like I need to. I eat healthy, whole foods, and I feel satisfied. If I was hungry, I would eat more. But not eating back my exercise calories every day makes me feel like I can bank them for when I eat out with friends and have a few drinks at the end of the week without worrying.
  • RNmomto4
    RNmomto4 Posts: 143
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    I also find this a little annoying. There's some evidence to suggest that when you go from a higher weight to a lower one, your body does not burn as many calories as most calculators think that it does. (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/tara-parker-pope-fat-trap.html?pagewanted=all.)

    I follow a blog about a girl who has lost 160 pounds and has kept it off for 18 months now. She's a runner. She has noticed that as she has lost weight and gotten more fit, she burns fewer calories with the same amount of exercise. She ran 10 miles the other day and only burned a little over 300 calories. So I think you are right - and it is very annoying!

    Do you have this blog name by chance!?! TIA!
  • Martucha123
    Martucha123 Posts: 1,093 Member
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    I also find this a little annoying. There's some evidence to suggest that when you go from a higher weight to a lower one, your body does not burn as many calories as most calculators think that it does. (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/tara-parker-pope-fat-trap.html?pagewanted=all.)

    I follow a blog about a girl who has lost 160 pounds and has kept it off for 18 months now. She's a runner. She has noticed that as she has lost weight and gotten more fit, she burns fewer calories with the same amount of exercise. She ran 10 miles the other day and only burned a little over 300 calories. So I think you are right - and it is very annoying!

    this is normal
    and mfp estimations take your weight into account when they give you estimation on how much did you burn

    think about it, moving 300lbs of "meat" will burn fare more then moving only 160lbs with the same speed on the same distance. as we lose weight we need to work harder to burn the same, but mfp accounts for that. now other thing is mfp burned kcals are ONLY estimation based on time speed gender and weight so there is always big chance that you over or underestimate what you burn

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