Poll: How many calories do you "eat back" after exercise?

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Replies

  • dlwyatt82
    dlwyatt82 Posts: 1,077 Member
    It's not really a precise thing since the calories burned while exercising (and those in the shake I get at the gym) are estimates, but here we go:

    I do the StrongLifts 5x5 workout for 30-60 minutes, followed by 30 minutes of cardio (usually on the elliptical). The elliptical reports the calorie burn as between 400-500 for that 30 minutes, though many people say that those machines over-estimate calorie burns. Based on a formula I found for estimating strength training calorie burn, the time I spend lifting probably burns about the same amount, giving me a rough estimate of 800-1000 calories for the workout.

    I get a shake from the juice bar at the gym after my workout. Oddly enough, there's no nutritional information available for it, but the ingredients are: milk, frozen yogurt, peanut butter, 1/2 banana, and a scoop of whey protein. Based on that and the size of the cup it's in (as compared to my morning smoothie I make at home), I'll ballpark the shake at 400-500 calories.

    That's the only thing that's consistent. Sometimes I'll have a slightly larger dinner as well, if I'm still feeling hungry into the evening hours.
  • cyclerjenn
    cyclerjenn Posts: 833 Member
    Some days I burn so many calories that i would be eating all day if I ate them back. My rule is if i'm hungry I eat. I just try to make sure to get in my 1400 calories at least.
  • trink68
    trink68 Posts: 48 Member
    Sometimes all sometimes none sometimes half....just depends on the mood and appetite that day
  • bemott
    bemott Posts: 180
    I always eat them all back and have lost 50 lbs in 6 months.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I eat as many back as is necessary to not feel hungry. I use the calories in MFP for both exercise and food and according to those I generally eat most of them back.
  • tnbaker81
    tnbaker81 Posts: 16 Member
    I try not to eat them back. But sometimes I allow myself a little treat if I'm in the mood for something I don't normally eat.
  • JessicaMarie9382
    JessicaMarie9382 Posts: 197
    I hardly ever eat any of them back.
  • p21usa
    p21usa Posts: 553 Member
    Same here....have been eating back as many exercise calories (I am on maintenance for one month now) and am still losing about .5 lbs a week.
  • runfatmanrun
    runfatmanrun Posts: 1,090 Member
    As many as I can.
  • ForRealAU
    ForRealAU Posts: 17
    I eat them back if I am hungry. I listen to what my body is telling me. If I eat them back it will be only good choices made (lean meat, veggies, healthy oils, etc.) I don't grab a cookie.
  • bserwack
    bserwack Posts: 51 Member
    I eat them if I am hungry, I usually need some extra fuel when I work out. I never eat them just because they are there I and TRY to eat them back in healthy food...most fo the time :wink:
  • aleciaj7
    aleciaj7 Posts: 39
    I have a Polar FT60 heart rate monitor that I wear to get a more accurate calorie burn.. and I have always ate back 85% of my burned calories, leaving 15% for logging errors.... Been using this system throughout my journey and it has worked quite nicely.... Best of Luck....

    You are one of the most motivating folks on here! Every time I see a post of yours, I look at the comparison pics, and every single time, I'm just like: O.o WOW.

    Thanks! :)

    Me too! Basically it's like getting information from the authority on weight loss, I love it! You are so inspiring, thank you!!!!
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
    I only eat some back if I'm hungry. I personally think it defeats the purpose of exercising. But if I want something else I'll eat sure. I also don't let going over scare me because If I'm hungry I'm gonna eat at least enough to get the grumbbelly's to go away.
  • kierstin1976
    kierstin1976 Posts: 123 Member
    I didn't when I was trying to lose weight. I raised my calories and how many calories I eat depend on how intense the workout is. I eat about 150-200 calories more on intense days.
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
    I eat 'em all. Every last glorious, yummy one of them.
  • jumptothebeat
    jumptothebeat Posts: 71 Member
    I'm now maintaining, and eat back a good portion if not all of my exercise cals. When I first started logging on MFP I didn't and quickly started following the advice of those more knowledgable than me and who had maintained their results ... that I really should be. I lost the weight, never felt like I was 'missing out' and therefore didn't/don't have huge blowouts. Sometimes if I exercise in the evening I don't actually feel like eating the cals that night, but happily will have them the next day. Overall across the week I net the right amount of cals. Since I've maintained, I havent gained so much as even 0.5 a lb.

    It depends what you want to achieve. I wanted to be healthier and fitter....forever. Therefore changing my lifestyle permanently as opposed to 'dieting' to be a set weight and then reverting to my old routine. To make an overall lifestyle change then you have to see the change as a WHOLE (so food and exercise) and not as two unconnected things. Just my opinion though, and there is always more than one way to skin a cat, so do what works for you. :-)
  • MMoriarty2012
    MMoriarty2012 Posts: 31
    I'm using MFP as my tool to monitor my lifestyle change. The MFP calculations for weight management are based on the goal that I set in my profile, but that calorie budget is already calculated before additional exercise so to use their approach I should "eat back" exercise calories when I log the exercise and MFP shows them as part of my remaining calories to eat that day.

    Using MFP and eating back my exercise calories is working for me so far. :smile:
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    95%+. But I use a fairly accurate HRM to measure them.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    I eat every single delicious one of them. Sometimes I drink some of them too :drinker:
  • recoiljpr
    recoiljpr Posts: 292
    I don't eat any of them back. I stick to my 1500 - 1700 calorie a day limit and ignore extra exercise calories. Once I get closer to my goal weight, I will start eating them back. But for me, my daily food intake is good, i'm not starving or ravenous so I figure why change what's working. If I end up stalling at some point, i'll reconsider. But for now, if it's not broke, i'm not going to fix it.
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