I'm just getting started back up counting calories (as of today, yay!!!). I'm back to using thedailyplate.com.

I set a calorie goal on TDP based on my goals and activity level. It says I should eat around 1,560 cal a day. So far so good. I got down to about 100 cal left for the day, and then I tracked my activity...that's where I get confused...

TDP added an additional 350 calories for me to eat based on today's exercise (45 min. spinning class). I'm not sure if I should eat those calories or just let them go as if I hadn't counted my activity. The confusion is that I thought my activity level was already factored in... I don't see why exercise would add to my available total.

What do yall do? I don't know if any of that made sense at all...

Personally, I don't eat back my activity calories. I stick to my plan REGARDLESS of my activity.

hahaha I just asked this the other day! I use an app on my iPhone that does the same thing!


I think the consensus is that most people dont' eat back those calories. Think of it as extra deficit. Unless you are doing very intense workouts and your body is demanding it for energy.

Thanks for the replis. I should have read back a little bit before asking.

I agree with the others. I ignore the added calories and eat in the same calorie range whether I work out or not.

I think you're good. But if a person eats 1200 and burns an extra 400 on a regular basis, you might be in trouble.

I use Sparkpeople, which gives me a daily calorie intake range and a daily exercise range. It doesn't adjust my calories that I eat based on my exercise. That would confuse me.

Total calories burned minus total calories consumed = Total calories your body must "find" in order to maintain biological functions. If you decide to "eat" your exercise calories, then all that will happen is you will not lose as fast. It's about choices.

To me, eating back "exercise/activity" calories is counter productive. For me, one of the main purposes of exercise is to create MORE of a calorie DEFICIT. Eating back those calories would negate that. Any and all calories burned through exercise and activity is a bonus, one that I look for at any opportunity.

It's all about calories IN verses calories OUT. I don't eat my calorie deficit. It would defeat the purpose of exercising. Now if I was hungry after my workout, I will have a small snack, because my body is telling me it needs something.

Well I guess it depends on how you look at it. I have one friend who exercises so she can eat 1500 calories per day, because 1200 is too little for her. She doesn't want to eat 1200 but wants the deficit she'd get from eating that, so she exercises to make the final part, and thinks of it as allowing her to eat a little more.

That's basically what I do. With my activity level set on "sedentary" FitDay tells me I can eat 1499 and lose 1 lb per week. So I usually work out for 45-60 minutes a day and eat around 1600.