For those of you who don't eat exercise cals back

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  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    I do not eat my calories back. For now this is working. There may be a time where I'll have to mix it up, but mostly I try to only eat when I'm hungry.

    I log everything just so I can keep track and see if the MFP numbers agree with weight dropping. I follow more of a weekly guide (what is the deficit compared to what I've lost) and so far it has been reasonably accurate.
  • smilingalltheway
    smilingalltheway Posts: 216 Member
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    I don't eat back my calories burned, and I don't log my exercise I know what I've done and I don't need the record. I don't feel run down or have a lack of energy so I feel I'm doing what is right for me.
  • spicypepper
    spicypepper Posts: 1,016 Member
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    I log everything including exercise.

    I don't eat the calories burned back in their entirety, I typically leave myself about 200-500 calories extra.

    I am also of the same mindset that if I've burned them, why eat them back; but then I also understand as a nursing momma that I need those calories so I'm not a walking zombie too.

    Last year when I lost 50lbs before getting pregnant (Thanks MFP!) I didn't eat back all calories burned and managed to lose weight without a problem. I'm trying that route again, modified because of the wee one though.
  • mandipandi75
    mandipandi75 Posts: 6,035 Member
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    I use the mobile app which only shows me calories left including exercise, and I don't want to go in my diary and add up each amount of calories burned from each activity then subtract it from how many MFP says I have left. Adding the calories burned in as 1 is a good idea but I do want to know how many I burn so I can set goals, so I think I'll just stick to adding them in at the end of the day.

    I use the app also... in the page where you log your food, it has a section at the top that says GOAL (1200) then FOOD (which is actual food consumption) then EXERCISE and then adds the two for the TOTAL. You can just look at the food total to see where you are at. I don't eat back my calories.
  • suzanne_oh
    suzanne_oh Posts: 95 Member
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    I do not eat my calories back. For now this is working. There may be a time where I'll have to mix it up, but mostly I try to only eat when I'm hungry.

    I log everything just so I can keep track and see if the MFP numbers agree with weight dropping. I follow more of a weekly guide (what is the deficit compared to what I've lost) and so far it has been reasonably accurate.

    I'm always hungry so....LOL
  • dvisser1
    dvisser1 Posts: 788 Member
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    The very obvious answer would be to not log the exercise at all since you're rendering it pointless.

    For those of you not eating back calories because the only reason you burned them was to create a larger deficit than is healthy, why do you bother eating?

    Because they're (well, some of them are) calculating activity already in their calories instead of using MFP's formula which automatically includes a deficit. Some people take a 15% or so cut from their TDEE and eat, say, 1900 calories a day, and therefore do not need to eat their exercise calories back unless they are doing a ton of exercise and netting below 1200.

    I understand the rational. Understand that how MFP defines exercise is any and all physical activity above and beyond your normal daily activity level. If you accounted for said activity in your daily activity (and I do not care if it's a half mile walk to the bus stop every morning and evening or an hour on the treadmill) then it is not exercise as MFP looks at it. If you go the 15% less than TDEE route, you have to either be doing roughly the same caloric burn EVERY day or calculating a custom TDEE EVERY day.

    If you put in a weight loss goal and have MFP calculate a net calorie goal, the deficit to lose weight is built into that. If you choose to not eat your exercise calories back, you are increasing that deficit. The problem is you might be providing enough calories to your body for it to function properly over a long period of time and could be effectively limiting your healthy weight loss by doing so.

    Eating at a deficit is to lose weight. Exercising is to improve fitness. How you achieve these is up to you.
  • beccagable
    beccagable Posts: 8
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    I agree as well! I eat all of mine back and have steadily lost 2lbs a week, which is my goal.

    If it helps, I use a monitor for my calories burned, not MFP, so maybe it's a little more accurate.

    Also, you have to feed your muscles when you workout by eating back healthy, clean, foods. That's the whole point of eating back your calories. Do your research. It's science and I promise you it's not some cosmic ploy to stop you from losing weight.
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
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    I log my exercise but don't eat them back. I feel that if I'm eating back the calories I've burned, why did I burn them in the first place.
    ^^^^^^^^
    NOT This
    Because MFP already builds in your deficit.
    Do what you want, but why make life harder than it has to be? No offense, and I wish you folks all the best in reaching your goals.
    Losing weight is hard enough as it is. When you make it even harder, what's the pay off?
    High deficits stifle metabolism, and then where are you?
    I enjoy eating. And I EAT WELL :drinker:
    I usually eat close to 3000 calories per day and still lose a pound per week. Again, do as you please, but as for me?
    COUNT ME OUT!
    I eat back all exercise calories, because the MFP plan expects you to. You are supposed to.
    Read this to learn more.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
    Follow the recommendations on this site for safe, steady and lasting results.
    You could lose weight faster, but what kind of weight would it be?
    Muscle! And that stifles metabolism.
    No, eat right, exercise - both cardio and resistance, lose weight in such a way that maintains health and preserves lean body mass which burns more calories at rest.
    Good luck to you.:flowerforyou:
    All Is Possible!
  • beccagable
    beccagable Posts: 8
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    I log my exercise but don't eat them back. I feel that if I'm eating back the calories I've burned, why did I burn them in the first place.
    ^^^^^^^^
    NOT This
    Because MFP already builds in your deficit.
    Do what you want, but why make life harder than it has to be? No offense, and I wish you folks all the best in reaching your goals.
    Losing weight is hard enough as it is. When you make it even harder, what's the pay off?
    High deficits stifle metabolism, and then where are you?
    I enjoy eating. And I EAT WELL :drinker:
    I usually eat close to 3000 calories per day and still lose a pound per week. Again, do as you please, but as for me?
    COUNT ME OUT!
    I eat back all exercise calories, because the MFP plan expects you to. You are supposed to.
    Read this to learn more.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
    Follow the recommendations on this site for safe, steady and lasting results.
    You could lose weight faster, but what kind of weight would it be?
    Muscle! And that stifles metabolism.
    No, eat right, exercise - both cardio and resistance, lose weight in such a way that maintains health and preserves lean body mass which burns more calories at rest.
    Good luck to you.:flowerforyou:
    All Is Possible!

    THANK YOU, person who's lost 76lbs...people should trust you.
  • angrodriguez92
    angrodriguez92 Posts: 193 Member
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    I just use basic subtraction to keep track of how many daily calories I have left. It's pretty easy, and I like seeing the deficit right there, on the screen. I eat all day, veggies and nuts and things like that in moderation so that I dont get hungry and my metabolism stays active. If you don't feel hungry, why eat the cals you burned?
  • soontobesam
    soontobesam Posts: 714 Member
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    The very obvious answer would be to not log the exercise at all since you're rendering it pointless.

    For those of you not eating back calories because the only reason you burned them was to create a larger deficit than is healthy, why do you bother eating?

    THIS
  • tvanhooser
    tvanhooser Posts: 326 Member
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    I just don't pay attention to the total calories it says I can eat and just keep an eye on the number actually consumed compared to the baseline calories allowed before exercise. It doesn't confuse me in the slightest. Since my baseline is 1200 according to FP and I usually get enough from exercise to allow 1500-1700, I just make sure my actual consumption falls somewhere between 1200 and 1400. Usually on the lower end unless it's a special occasion like a birthday or something in which case I just watch what I eat the rest of the day to save room in my calorie limit for the cake (or pie or cookies....or as my son reminded me today, save room for the s'mores on the Fourth! :o) ) But I pre-plan what I am going to eat and exercise each day the day before so I know more or less that it is going to balance and pretty much stick to it with only occasional minor variations. But that way, if I underplan the calories and something unexpected comes up, I haven't necessarily totally blown it for the day.
  • sfaria76
    sfaria76 Posts: 1
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    Please reconsider this statement. I have checked the calories burned on MFP against the calorie counts on the machines at the gym, and the count is nearly the same. I also wear a Fitbit to triple check, and the calories burned all seem to line up correctly.
  • aimeeinohio
    aimeeinohio Posts: 301 Member
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    I log my exercise but don't eat them back. I feel that if I'm eating back the calories I've burned, why did I burn them in the first place.

    ^^^^ this

    This is my thought, too!
  • JenAiMarres
    JenAiMarres Posts: 767 Member
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    I don't eat back. I either don't log...or I only put 1 cal burned and make up a stupid thing i did like "10 cals burned...plugged my phone into charge". My friends either think I'm witty or annoying! More than likely annoying.

    If I see that I have cals to eat I will eat them. No questions about it.
  • amberpickens
    amberpickens Posts: 149 Member
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    The very obvious answer would be to not log the exercise at all since you're rendering it pointless.

    For those of you not eating back calories because the only reason you burned them was to create a larger deficit than is healthy, why do you bother eating?

    My thoughts exactly! I've lost the recommended 1 lb. per week and ALWAYS eat back my exercise calories because that is what my body NEEDS. Slow and steady weight loss is the HEALTHY way to go.

    thats the same way with me. i always make sure i hit 1200 a day no matter what. that includes the calories i have burnt. i did this and lost almost 20lbs between christmas and v-day..then i got pregnant and gained some back lol
  • andreamkelly
    andreamkelly Posts: 169
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    I have a fitbit and HRM to help me calculate calories burned, but don't eat them back. I did override MFP for my calories and sodium to match my BMR and the sodium my doctor would like to to stick to. I try to eat as close to BMR as possible, but sometimes it's not possible. (Unless I hit the 6 boxes of girl scout cookies on my dresser that I keep forgetting to give away.)
  • denisebme
    denisebme Posts: 103 Member
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    I think everyone needs to decide if they are on a "diet", or if they are changing their lifestyle. If your goal is simply to lose weight, than not eating back exercise calories makes sense, in the very short term. In the long term though, it's sure fire failure.

    Look, I'm in he same boat as everyone else. I had yo-yo dieted myself over the years all the way to 180 lbs. I knew how to diet, I did NOT know how to change my lifestyle. This time, I got smart, got a trainer, and went to see a nutritionist and what I learned is this- When you're exercising, your body needs fuel, and you aren't giving it, it'll get rid of lean muscle as well as fat. Even worse, if you're eating to little, it will store the fat, and just burn the muscle, completely defeating the purpose.

    My goal this time is to change my lifestyle and get fit. It's not easy, but its worth it.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Because I'm eating at a calorie level that takes into account my daily activity, including exercise, I just change the "calories burned" to 1 when I log my exercise. I like to log it, because I like looking back at what I was doing when, when I started specific programs, etc.

    This is what I do also. Strength has separate logging, but with cardio you have to put at least 1 calorie in the calories section to be able to log the activity.

    People are totally missing the point of this post - its not a 'should I eat them back' debate (well it was not supposed to be)...and dear me we have enough of those...but how do people deal with eating to a goal that is a cut from TDEE (that includes exercise).
  • denisebme
    denisebme Posts: 103 Member
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    One last thing- Any trainer or nutritionist will tell you that 1200 calories is barely enough to sustain the average sized person if all they did was lay in bed all day. So, if you're exercising at all, its simply not enough fuel. You're not only at a calories deficit, you're at a nutritional deficit as well.

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