Why do people suggest eating back your calories?

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FuneralDiner
FuneralDiner Posts: 438 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Unless I'm missing something, isn't that just countering all the exercise you've done for that day?

I'm so confused.

Replies

  • CortnieD
    CortnieD Posts: 5 Member
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    Its like doing that workout allows you to have those calories back. If you hadn't worked out you would be over your calorie goal. It depends on each person's body, and if that works for them.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    It's because you calorie deficit is already there based on how you set up MFP for yourself. For example, if you set it to lose 1 lb per week, you have a 500 calories per day deficit. If you exercise and burn substantially more calories, making your deficit higher and potentially creating a situation where you would get inadequate nutrition if you did not eat thos calories back.
  • wifealiciousness
    wifealiciousness Posts: 179 Member
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    Agreed, it depends what people are using MFP for!

    Some are using it to lose weight. In which case if you burn 500 more calories than you consume, you might allow yourself a small treat to consume a further 250? Which of course would still leave you 250 calories up and smug!

    Some people are using MFP to track toning or training. For example if you're training for something like a triathlon, it's important to ensure that you consume enough calories to fuel the exercise and training you're doing.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    If you want to starve and have no energy... then don't eat the calories back.

    If you want to do this a normal,healthy way, and keep the weight off.. then eat the calories back.

    Like others said, MFP already figures in a deficit. Exercise in a sense only makes the deficit bigger.. which is fine if you have a lot to lose. If you were like me who only had 30 pounds to lose, well then not so much. In order to keep my energy levels up so I could exercise, plus keep my deficit in check, I had to eat at least some of my calories back.

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