burned calories - leave or eat?

apamapandapa
apamapandapa Posts: 31 Member
edited December 22 in Health and Weight Loss
hey! So I am new here and trying to find out my way in world of healthy food, regular exercises and loosing weight! I have read a lot of the discussions around and I am kind of confused about the burned calories. I have noticed that a lot of you mention that you eat back the burned calories. I dont really get this and I am confused if I should get them back, or have them as extra and so improving my weight loosing. How do you think guys? I am opened for any kind of suggestions and opinions. :)

Replies

  • BigDaddyBRC
    BigDaddyBRC Posts: 2,395 Member
    Try one. If it works. Continue. If not, go with the other one.
  • pamelagalli
    pamelagalli Posts: 8
    Does "eat exercise calories" mean the same thing as eating whatever calories are shown as "Remaining"?
  • apamapandapa
    apamapandapa Posts: 31 Member
    yes, thats what I meant with it. Sorry, if I didn't make myself clear :)
  • liog
    liog Posts: 347 Member
    I eat my exercise calories most of the time. It has been working for me so for now I'm sticking with it.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,455 Member
    Try one. If it works. Continue. If not, go with the other one.

    ^^ This. If you read the forums, you'll get yourself seriously confused. This tool works. Use it and change it when needed.
  • mfoutch86
    mfoutch86 Posts: 87
    LEAVE! If you want to drop the pounds you must burn more calories than you consume. If you eat what you "earned" then its a wash for the day, nothing lost, nothing gained. Mine says I earned 490 additional calories, but I ignore that. I'm not interested in going above my daily alloted calories...
  • shaynak112
    shaynak112 Posts: 751 Member
    If you want to lose weight, eat less. Just because it says you're "allowed" to eat more, doesn't mean you have to. If you're not hungry, don't eat any more. If you are a bit hungrier because of a workout, eat a bit more, but don't eat all your "extra calories".
  • apamapandapa
    apamapandapa Posts: 31 Member
    Thank you guys. The question to those who eat the remaining calories - how in this case happens the weight loss? I am not (yet) so competent in this all, so I am kind of confused.
  • leeann0517
    leeann0517 Posts: 74 Member
    If you calculated your daily calorie allotment using your activity level of sedentary and then you exercise, you should eat the calories back. MFP already has you at a deficit. Too much of a deficit and you don't lose.
  • KatherineVictoria
    KatherineVictoria Posts: 68
    Eat them! MFP sets your daily intake of calories based on your activity throughout the day, not including exercise. For instance, if you scheduled yourself to work out four times a week, there are 3 days that you would not be working out. The calories on your ticker are the amount you can eat without gaining weight and still set to lose. Typically I say eat back half of the calories you burn. Just to be safe. But your body needs that food to fuel up. I didn't get it at first either, but it's true that you should eat them.
  • theartichoke
    theartichoke Posts: 816 Member
    It depends on how MFP was set. If you let the site do your calculations then yes, you need to eat them back. Here's why...

    Let's say your TDEE is 2300 cals a day. You told MFP you want to lose 2lbs a week. They give you a 1000 calorie deficit giving you 1300 calories a day. Your deficit is built into the setting. You should NET the number they give you. If you take your 1000 calorie deficit and create an even larger deficit by not eating exercise calories back you may run into problems down the road.

    If you can eat those cals back and still lose weight in a healthy manner, why wouldn't you? I love my calories! I wish you the best on your new journey!
  • mmarcy7
    mmarcy7 Posts: 227 Member
    If I eat them all back I stall out, but I use them as a buffer if I happen to go over. If you don't eat them and are starving, eat some back. Just play around with it a bit until you see what works.
  • KristinaMarieOH
    KristinaMarieOH Posts: 121
    Great question! I was wondering the same thing. I'm curious to see what most of the people who have had success on here do.
  • jenkidney
    jenkidney Posts: 149 Member
    If I am feeling legitimately hungry (ie - not thirsty, bored, etc), I will grab a healthy snack with some of those calories. If I am not hungry at all, then I will leave them alone.
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
    the entire point of doing cardio for weight loss is to burn extra calories and not eat them back... if you do cardiovascular exercise and eat calories back, you will be healthier and in better shape... but still be the same weight.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    If you used MFP to determine your daily calorie allowance - then you should eat them. MFP assumes you will add (and eat) more when you exercise. They aren't designed to be "bonus" calories to eat if you feel like it, they make up part of the recommended total amount you should eat each day to stay healthy while you lose weight.

    If you have used a different system to calculate your calories - then you should follow what that says.

    My opinon is that a very restrictive calorie allowance (like 1200 which many people choose) is just too low to be healthy or sustainable for most people. If you are eating at this level you would be wise to eat more to fuel your exercise.
    Unless you have a LOT of weight to lose in which case you can probably get away with a bigger calorie deficit. It's still not really necessary though.

    But, it's aways a personal choice - eat them if it makes sense to you, or not. It's your choice.
  • SunshineDieter
    SunshineDieter Posts: 41
    Personally, I eat mine, but what works for one person won't necessarily work for another. Try not eating them, see what happens, then do the opposite :)

    I've just completed my first week, and, although I've been eating mine, I can feel my appetite getting smaller, so as the weeks gone on I've felt I've needed to use less of my burned cals.

    Good luck :)
  • Whitezombiegirl
    Whitezombiegirl Posts: 1,042 Member
    I don't change my eating habits really no matter how much I exercise, unless I get hungry, in which case i'll have a few nuts or 1/2 a bananna (and if that doesn't do it i'll finish the bannana). I don't usually get hungry after exercise so I don't see the point in eating more that i don't need/ want.
  • sabbychill
    sabbychill Posts: 8
    :smile: Really good question, very informative for my journey. Thanks for posting this it has inspired me with my diet. thank u
  • DonttrythatwithME
    DonttrythatwithME Posts: 214 Member
    You need to look at how much you are 'netting' the body needs these calories to function if your netting 500/600 calories after exercise then i would strongly suggest refueling say 600 cal into your body after all your net calories for the day putting you at 1200 cal roughly still @ 2lb weight loss.

    as a caveat to this i would also say its about what you put in your body. really look hard as to what you are eating and work out what gives you the best energy boost pre workout, what fills you up for breakfast the longest, things like that help too :)
  • apamapandapa
    apamapandapa Posts: 31 Member
    Thanks to everyone for amazing answers :)
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