Do you eat your workout calories?

Yes.

Do you eat your workout calories? What if you don't? Will that impact weight loss?

You will get pregnant & die.

Can someone please explain what is meant by "my activity/workouts are already figured into my calorie budget" and consequently you would NOT eat back workout calories? I'm fairly new, and I want to make sure I understand the calculations. I assume it means that you don't actually add your workouts, but you consider yourself as active or extremely active...?
Thanks in advance!

Exactly. Or you might have used something else to calculate your calorie needs and just be using MFP for tracking.

Honestly either way will work just fine. I eat exercise calories because a) it's more motivating for me and b) my workout schedule is irregular.

Do you eat your workout calories? What if you don't? Will that impact weight loss?

In theory you would lose faster with not eating them, but if you don't eat enough while in a deficit you risk having a large % of your wieght loss come from lean muscle instead of fat.

I eat them.

The bottom line on this question is - Do you understand the numbers?

If you are using MFP's set up as intended, and you enter a goal to lose weight, you are given a deficit at which to lose weight BEFORE exercising. If your goal is to lose 1lb/wk then MFP gives you a number, let's say 1500. You eat that, you have a deficit to lose 1lb/wk (which might not happen consistently, weight loss is not linear). You exercise and burn 500 calories. Now you have a bigger deficit. Sounds good, right? A bigger deficit = faster weight loss? Nope, not necessarily. The more weight you have to lose the bigger deficit you can have without it being too detrimental, but the less you have to lose the better it is to keep a smaller deficit (and a larger deficit with less weight to lose could actually result in a weight loss stall). So, you eat back those 500 calories, and you're right back at your deficit to lose 1lb/wk. (Although many people will suggest eating less than 100% of cals back in order to account for inaccuracies, which seems prudent, so maybe 75%).

If you understand the numbers it makes sense. A lot of people will tell you to use TDEE or BMR as a baseline rather than MFP's numbers. That works too - I no longer use MFP's numbers myself (and later when you understand TDEE and have a set exercise routine - or lack thereof - that would be the way to go if MFP's numbers aren't working for you). Whatever.

The most important thing, in my opinion - Just understand where the numbers come from and why you are eating the number of calories you are, and you should be able to figure out what works while getting proper nutrition, maintaining lean muscle, and really just finding a sustainable method of weight loss leading to maintenance. Start with what MFP gives you (as long as you have entered a reasonable goal - e.g. you're not trying to lose 2lb/wk when you only have 10 to lose), read and learn, and then change things up if needed.

Yes, most of the time, but on my long run days it's hard to eat them all because it can be 600 to 700 calories extra.

No, it has not impacted my weight loss.

Yes, always.

I try not to but most of the time to do.

I eat them all. Every day. If I don't, my weight loss slows immediately.

This...

BUT I will say to each their own. Some bodies react differently than others. Experiment! If your weight loss stalls trying upping calories. You have to find the groove that works for you! All the best!

I usually do (sometimes not all of them if there are a lot and I'm just not that hungry). Even eating back your exercise calories, you'll still be at a deficit so why not?

If you eat any of your workout calories...you will never lose any weight. At All. Even if you eat your workout calories, then work out some more, its too late. Workout calories are meant to be hoarded up like extra minutes on your cell plan, and rolled forward till the next day, week, month, so on. Workout calories never expire, but do not eat them. Save them up for the future when you are really starving....

Work out for hours and hours every day, never eat any of your workout calories....and try to keep your intake to around 600-800 calories a day. Then, eventually you will lose the weight on the hospital food that you will end up eating.

When I was my weight would maintain. I am at that sticky last 10 - 15 mark. When i stopped eating them and maintained a constant eating schedule of every 2 - 3 hours and stopped eatting late at night with the exception of an afterwork out snack Ive started to lose weight. There are days that I will up my calories though. days when i hike, swim with the kids AND do my P90X, those days I go negative into my calorie intake and I feel weak the next day if I dont.

The bottom line on this question is - Do you understand the numbers?

If you are using MFP's set up as intended, and you enter a goal to lose weight, you are given a deficit at which to lose weight BEFORE exercising. If your goal is to lose 1lb/wk then MFP gives you a number, let's say 1500. You eat that, you have a deficit to lose 1lb/wk (which might not happen consistently, weight loss is not linear). You exercise and burn 500 calories. Now you have a bigger deficit. Sounds good, right? A bigger deficit = faster weight loss? Nope, not necessarily. The more weight you have to lose the bigger deficit you can have without it being too detrimental, but the less you have to lose the better it is to keep a smaller deficit (and a larger deficit with less weight to lose could actually result in a weight loss stall). So, you eat back those 500 calories, and you're right back at your deficit to lose 1lb/wk. (Although many people will suggest eating less than 100% of cals back in order to account for inaccuracies, which seems prudent, so maybe 75%).

If you understand the numbers it makes sense. A lot of people will tell you to use TDEE or BMR as a baseline rather than MFP's numbers. That works too - I no longer use MFP's numbers myself (and later when you understand TDEE and have a set exercise routine - or lack thereof - that would be the way to go if MFP's numbers aren't working for you). Whatever.

The most important thing, in my opinion - Just understand where the numbers come from and why you are eating the number of calories you are, and you should be able to figure out what works while getting proper nutrition, maintaining lean muscle, and really just finding a sustainable method of weight loss leading to maintenance. Start with what MFP gives you (as long as you have entered a reasonable goal - e.g. you're not trying to lose 2lb/wk when you only have 10 to lose), read and learn, and then change things up if needed.

GOOD post!

Depends ......

I usually go to the gym after work & before dinner ...... I'm starving by the time I get home, and will eat a pretty big dinner, but sometimes there are calories left over ......

No big deal ..... and I'm still losing :drinker:

I try not to eat after 6PM and since I go to the gym in the evening, I dont "eat the workout calories". But I know if I really wanted to, I can eat a snack