Ask the Child: Should I eat calories of exercise?

If you exercise, you probably wondered how many cargo exercise burns your sweat sessions. Some strips or other cardio machines even show the number of calories that have reportedly burned while working.

But do you need to eat calories of exercise? It seems logical to add them to your daily caloric goal and enjoy an additional snack.

But the truth is, there is no simple answer that or not to this combustion. Whether eating these calories exercise depends on several factors, including your specific goals, exercise routine and how your body feels.

“First of all, it’s always best to listen to the signs of your body,” says Mifithesspal dietitian Brookell White.

“Are you hungry and do you need to burn your body? Then it is best to listen to and consume these calories no matter what your caloric goal,” she says.

Hungry towels aside, let’s explore a number of factors that can lead your decision to whether the meal calorie is to exercise and how to make the best choice for your personal health and fitness goals.

It is not the correct science

Most fitness tracking and applications offer an estimate of how many calories you burn during exercise but remember: these are just estimates (1).

“Energy expenditures for expenses are not always perfectly precise,” says white. “So they eat these calories back could mean you will eat more calories than you are spending, which makes it very common for people to overestimate the amount of calories that consume,” says White.

The Studio with the Cornell University revealed that almost everyone misrepresentes calories intake. People in normal weight usually underestimate about 20% (2). Some other sources suggest that the deviation might be as much as 50%! (2).

“Plus, the calories burned in the exercise are not equated with the same increase in total calories burned for the day,” Nelson explains. “In other words, if you salate 100 calories through exercise, you actually actually increase your daily calorie for about 70 calories (5). “

This can make it difficult to maintain a calorie deficit, which is needed to lose weight or avoid eating more than your body maintenance need.

---

About experts

Brookell White, MS, Rdis a registered curator of food and nutritional data on MyFitnessPal. She deserved her bachelor shops and masters at the State University of San Diego and finished his dietary in Sodexo. Her focus areas include metabolism, health hoses, obesity and weight management.

Stephanie Nelson, MS, Rd is a registered food and food for yourFitness food. Passionate to promote healthy lifestyles, Stephanie graduated from the State University of San Diego with a focus on research and disease prevention.

---

Factors to be considered to set up your calorie goals

Several factors can help you determine if you need to eat those calories of exercise:

Weight goals

If you want to gain muscles and you are not focused on weight loss, it can make sense to eat your calories exercise back. You may need those additional calories to repair and muscle growth (3).

If weight loss is your goal, Nelson recommends that you enter your calories exercise burned when you set the level of your activity in MyFitnessPal. This can help ensure that whole eat enough. “This will slightly increase your daily caloric goal, but not as much as typical lawsuits.

Exercise intensity

If you are a marathon or triathlet, it is different than if your typical training is a 20-minute walk away.

“People who participate in an hour or more moderate high-intensity exercises several times a week will need additional calories to support repairs and muscle growth and for fuel”, explains white (3).

However, if you exercise less often or with minor intensity, you may need further fuel.

Hunger

One of the best ways to decide if eating calories for exercise to listen to your body. According to white, it can be quite simple.

“Ask yourself,” I’m hungry? “If the answer is yes, then it is probably the best to listen to and consume those calories eating nutritious food,” she says. Low-calorie and high foods like Greek yogurt can be a great choice.

4 tips on how to decide whether to eat the calories of exercise

If you are still unsure of whether you will eat your calories of exercise, these peaks from white can help in your decision:

1. Start with the hydration check

Clinical studies have shown that 37% of people make thirst for hunger (4). Before he reaches for food, sign up with your hydration levels. First you have a glass of water and see if your hunger stops.

2. Don’t get stuck on numbers

Remember that Fitness escorts provide calories estimates. Don’t feel by pressing to eat all the calories burned during exercise if you are not hungry or your progress suggests that it is not necessary. At the same time, don’t starve to hit the goal calorie.

3. Focus on high quality protein and carbohydrates

If you decide to eat some calories of exercise, you will prioritize nutrients that will help recovery, such as skinny proteins and whole grains. This helps you ensure that you get quality calories that support your fitness goals.

5. Spread meals and snacks

If you’ve accumulated 500 calories for exercise, you don’t need to eat them in one pull. Instead, think about spreading over a few meals or snacks during the day. This can help prevent overeating and maintaining a level of stable energy.

Why did MyFitnessPal added the calories of exercise?

Myfitnesspal Adds the calories of exercise to your daily caloric goal to help you balance your energy entry with your energy expenditures.

As Brookell White Notes, “Your caloric goal is calculated based on your weight targets, depending on whether you want to lose, maintain or get weight. Technically, eat calories back would be good.”

But that selection should always be based on your individual situation and goals, says white.

Bottom line

Ultimately, whether you need to eat your calories of exercise depends on your situation.

If you are trying to lose weight, be careful because of them. If you are focused on building muscle or weight maintenance, eat these extra calories if you are hungry.

Either way, it is crucial to listen to your body, monitor your progress and make settings as needed.

Originally published 15. December 2016; years; Updated 17. February 2025

Post Ask the Child: Should I eat calories of exercise? first appeared MyFitnessPal Blog.