[alexandraT]

Recently I've begun walking to and from work, 2.5 miles each way, for a total of 5 miles. According to several online calorie calculators, for my weight and the pace I'm going, I burn about 190 calories each way. Now, we all know some online calculators can be way off, but should I be including this as exercise as well? If the calorie counters are right, and I'm burning an extra 380 calories, should I be eating more?

[alexandraT]

Forgot to mention - I also work out for 1-2 hours everyday in addition to this.

[Onederchic]

I would include it, yes.

[randomcards]

Yes, include it.

My opinion though is to not eat back all your exercise calories. Instead I've found a hybrid approach works.

If you think you are burning 500-800 calories a day in exercise don't just add that to your calorie count (say it is 1400). But don't leave your calories at 1400 either as you might not be giving your body enough fuel. Instead maybe going to like 1600 might be good if you are exercising a lot.

Just my 2 cents

[RunnerChemist]

I eat back about 75% of my exercise calories. I've lost almost 8 pounds in 6 weeks doing this, so I feel it's what works for me.

You can always do the experiment - eat back about half of the calories, for a couple weeks and see how that works for you. Are you starving? Up your calories a little. Are you not losing weight and feel satiated? Lower them a little.

If there's one thing I've noticed, overall, calories in < calories out works for weight loss, but the specifics are different for everyone.

BTW, way to go you for adding 5 MILES to every day! That's a significant increase!

[Eliana]

I say, yes include it as exercise, definitely!! But I say, No, don't eat the calories back.

I separate calories from exercise. I live by the rule "Weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise." For me, there is not a direct enough correlation for me to eat back my calories.

[rockinrobin]

Include it - don't include it. Quite frankly, I don't track my calories burned through exercise as I see no point to do so. You mentioned that you were losing slowly or stalled if I recall correctly. Well here you go. Adding in some walking is a great unstressful way to create a larger deficit without cutting back on calories. Why in the world would you eat those calories/that deficit BACK???? Seems highly counter productive to me.

I keep my calories consumed totally and completely separate from my calories burned. I eat what I eat and I burn what I burn. One has nothing to do with the other.

If you're exercising (yes to be fit and healthy and toned) to burn more calories and create more of a deficit, why eat those calories BACK? Unless of course you're running marathons.

I eat what I eat. I've found the right number for me that keeps me full, satisfied and with great blood work - that doesn't change due to exercise. I look at any calories burned due to exercise as a bonus in the deficit department.

Exercise can't negate the benefits of the food that you've eaten. So though you're creating more of a deficit, you're not creating a nutritional deficit. So nutritional wise there is no reason to eat more - hunger - that's another story.

If you find that you're hungrier due to that fact and who really knows if that IS the reason why, then I would add in on that particular day an extra 100 (or more) calories if need be.

[AmandaPlus4]

I personally eat back all of my exercise calories, because when I decided to stop eating them I completely stopped losing weight for that month. Once I added them back in I broke through my plateau.
But everyone is different and if you are happy with your loss then I wouldn’t add those calories in now. But if you are having problems finding the right balance then I would try it and see how it goes.

[asharksrevenge]

Rockinrobin said it perfectly for me. I must admit I don't fully understand "eating the calories back"--I do know what you mean by it, but because I also keep my eating calories and my burning calories totally separate, the concept confuses me. I don't pay any attention to how many calories I burn. I know the ballpark figure, but to me, if I am creating approx. 1000-calorie deficit daily, I feel like I am on track.

[Onederchic]

Originally Posted by Onederchic

I would include it, yes.

I wanted to clarify this.

I meant, I would include it in when adding up your exercise but I would not eat the calories back.