Balance of "eating calories back" while exercising... SEND ALL THE HELP!

Need all the advice!! I started going to the gym mid-July with the goal of losing weight and reshaping my body. I currently attend bodypump 3-4 times a week and bodyattack 2 times a week. The scale hasn't moved that much, but I have noticed a change in my body shape, ever so slowly. I am currently a size 14-16 with a goal of size 8, at whatever weight that is. I currently weigh 200 lbs. and I'm 5'6" and in my head I'd like to be in the 130's, but also know that I'd like to be a certain size(I know it varies depending on what you are buying etc... blah, blah, blah) vs. just weighing a certain number on a scale. Man that was long, just to ask how many "exercise" calories should I eat back. I hope this makes sense!! Thanks in advance!!!!

Replies

  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Many people start with 50% of estimated calorie burns. If you use that number for several weeks you will figure out if that's too high or too low. There are so many estimations re: weight loss. Just tweak things until you find the right "zone."
  • pinata1120
    pinata1120 Posts: 16 Member
    Thank you!!
  • I have yet to master this after 1.5 years and 79 pounds lost....I generally end up eating them back but am currently trying to change that because my weight loss has stalled for over 3 months now. I am going to tweak again. Good luck!
  • pinata1120
    pinata1120 Posts: 16 Member
    Thank you! Congrats on all the weight loss!!! Nice job!
  • BrianKMcFalls
    BrianKMcFalls Posts: 190 Member
    If you are doing 5 or 6 hours of fairly intense cardio weekly, that you weren't doing before mid-July, and have seen no weight loss, you're eating at maintenance now and the body changes you are seeing are the result of recomp. You need to get into a calorie deficit to see weight loss. That being said, you could start by not eating any exercise calories back, but your problem is more than likely in your calorie tracking overall.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    It's just as likely your food estimates are off - you could just adjust your daily goal downwards to resume losing weight.
  • pinata1120
    pinata1120 Posts: 16 Member
    If you are doing 5 or 6 hours of fairly intense cardio weekly, that you weren't doing before mid-July, and have seen no weight loss, you're eating at maintenance now and the body changes you are seeing are the result of recomp. You need to get into a calorie deficit to see weight loss. That being said, you could start by not eating any exercise calories back, but your problem is more than likely in your calorie tracking overall.


    Thank you!!! Just didn't want to get too far into not doing something "right" or making it more difficult!
  • pinata1120
    pinata1120 Posts: 16 Member
    It's just as likely your food estimates are off - you could just adjust your daily goal downwards to resume losing weight.

    Thank you!!! Gonna track very carefully and go from there and adjust if I need.