Should You Eat the Calories That You Burnt Working Out

I hate to burst your bubble, but you most likely are not burning the number of calories that you think you are through exercise.  So if you are eating those calories back, you are way overeating.  I’ve also noticed that some people are attempting to put themselves into a calorie deficit through exercise alone and not through lower food consumption.  This is risky and will not lead to the results you are hoping for as it’s unreliable.  

But…….my watch said I burned 957 calories during my workout today.  Sure ya’ did.

You should not be eating back the calories that you think you’ve burned through exercise.  If you are, you’ll find that your progress, if any, is stalled.  Note:  Sometimes MyFitnessPal will click this option on, giving you way more food for the day.  Turn this off ASAP!

A calorie deficit through food is something you can control, as you know exactly what is going into your mouth.  You can’t control how many calories you’ve burned with exercise each day.  When you calculate your macros for a calorie deficit, your activity level is already factored in.  Not eating your burned exercise calories back, just widens the calorie deficit gap.  Consider that a win!

Exercise because you like it, because it’s making you stronger, and because it’s improving your health.  Don’t workout to lose weight as oftentimes, working out is not going to be enough.  And whatever you do, don’t eat those calories back.

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