Do you eat your burned calories?

jclguru

Thank God I don't listen to these people that say 'yes yes yes' or you HAVE to eat back your
excercise calories. I burn roughly 1000-1500 calories a day. With my calorie intake at
roughly 1800, there's no way I could eat back all of those calories that I've burned.

I've been on this change for 13 months now. From the beginning I've kept stats of all
my workouts. On average, I lose 2.5 pounds per 7 workouts. Never plateaued.

In summary, eat what you can and you'll be just fine.

Doug

de1amo

i generally lose about 2lbs per 3 workouts--i average about 700 to 900 cals per workout--including strenghts--its not pushing myself hard

ashie075

My friend is a Physiologist and a personal trainer and she's always said you should eat half of what you've burned. So if I burn 800 calories i'll eat back about 400. You need to keep that metabolism humming and your body NEEDS food after an intense workout.

de1amo

that sounds about what i have been doing--my cal norm is 1200 and the most i have ever eaten was 1699 on a 900 cal exercise day--makes sense for the way i have done it!

There are so many theories it seems with anecdotal evidence about what under eating the cals does--what about the hordes who must be eating to their allowance--how does it work for them??

Rea_K

This is just my opinion, but before I started using the MFP message boards I did what I was told- low calorie healthy balanced diet, plenty of exercise. I purely used MFP to log my food using the iphone app. I was happy doing what I was doing, burning 900 cals, eating 1200. I did this for four months and lost 55lbs, a lot in the first couple of months but 2lbs per week for the last couple of months. I then started reading the posts about 'starvation mode' and eating exercise calories. I was duped, I panicked, and I started eating my exercise calories and as I thought I was going to go into starvation mode or start putting on weight. Well, after 2 weeks I didn't lose any weight and I was just hungry all the time!! I wqas struggling to eat the calories so I took advice and ate high cal foods and 'healthy fats'. Which of course once I'd have a few nuts I'd want the whole lot, etc. I was at my weakest point mentally since I'd been dieting. I started getting hungry at ridiculous times and really felt as though I was going to fail.

I decided to forget about the starvation mode and eating my exercise calories and I went back to normal. I lost 3lbs, and am no longer constantly hungry. I have my routine back. I LOVE eating vegetables and salads, I really cant see how eating 1 tablespoon of peanut butter will benefit me more than eating a whole cucumber, two peppers, and 100grams of beetroot- this is roughly what it is equivilant to. Last night for my dinner I had the above with loads of cottage cheese. There was soo much food I couldn't even finish it!! So to me, I AM eating enough food, it's not my fault that the fruit and veg which I love to eat are low in calories. I feel great. I'm sure I'd know if my body was in starvation mode. I'm not going to have a beer or eat a chocolate just to boost up my calories. The whole thing for me was to eat healthy and fell healthy, which I am doing.

As I say, this is my opinion and it works for me. We are all diferrent.

SHBoss1673

This is just my opinion, but before I started using the MFP message boards I did what I was told- low calorie healthy balanced diet, plenty of exercise. I purely used MFP to log my food using the iphone app. I was happy doing what I was doing, burning 900 cals, eating 1200. I did this for four months and lost 55lbs, a lot in the first couple of months but 2lbs per week for the last couple of months. I then started reading the posts about 'starvation mode' and eating exercise calories. I was duped, I panicked, and I started eating my exercise calories and as I thought I was going to go into starvation mode or start putting on weight. Well, after 2 weeks I didn't lose any weight and I was just hungry all the time!! I wqas struggling to eat the calories so I took advice and ate high cal foods and 'healthy fats'. Which of course once I'd have a few nuts I'd want the whole lot, etc. I was at my weakest point mentally since I'd been dieting. I started getting hungry at ridiculous times and really felt as though I was going to fail.

I decided to forget about the starvation mode and eating my exercise calories and I went back to normal. I lost 3lbs, and am no longer constantly hungry. I have my routine back. I LOVE eating vegetables and salads, I really cant see how eating 1 tablespoon of peanut butter will benefit me more than eating a whole cucumber, two peppers, and 100grams of beetroot- this is roughly what it is equivilant to. Last night for my dinner I had the above with loads of cottage cheese. There was soo much food I couldn't even finish it!! So to me, I AM eating enough food, it's not my fault that the fruit and veg which I love to eat are low in calories. I feel great. I'm sure I'd know if my body was in starvation mode. I'm not going to have a beer or eat a chocolate just to boost up my calories. The whole thing for me was to eat healthy and fell healthy, which I am doing.

As I say, this is my opinion and it works for me. We are all diferrent.

you are correct in saying we are all different, but who told you to eat that stuff because you might be in starvation? And look at you, look how far you've come, why would you EVER want to lose 2 lbs a week? This isn't a race, eating for life requires some study, some observational decision making, and not just listening to some people on forums.

I love giving advice, but I'm not disheartened if someone takes it with a grain of salt and goes to do their own research, you SHOULD do that.

I don't know if someone told you to eat high calorie foods or not, or if you just read it, or what, but that's NOT what the concept of starvation mode is all about. Why can you lose weight while at a serious deficit, even if you are already close to, or at, your goal weight? Because your body can and will slow down organ function to lower your total calorie burn, it takes MONTHS to recover from prolonged metabolic slow down (which means switching your calorie levels for 2 to 3 weeks will do nothing more than make you gain weight and feel bloated), and you shouldn't just start eating tons more food, it's a process, a process you do because eventually, you're going to want to be at maintenance, and to do that you really need to eat enough to fuel your body. That doesn't mean eating chocolate and drinking beer, nothing of the sort. It means being able to eat comfortably for the rest of your life, what you choose for food is your own decision, but before you make it, talk to people who have experience with this stuff, this is not something that peers should be advising you on because anecdotal evidence is no evidence at all.

Essentially, don't believe everything you read, and seek the advice of experts before doing something like that. That would be my advice.

I hope this helps.

de1amo

i can echo Rea's experience but i didnt feel drawn to eating the excess--i try to eat everything that is healthy and nutritionally of value. someone suggested i eat chocolate drink to use my calories on here the other day-ridiculous!

i eat more than before joining here and have a more measured approach to my exercise-i was running myself ragged and getting moody on 'my' own regime---i am still losing regularly and in a better mood.-i have learnt a lot here and find the info about food invaluable but i will never eat crap food for the sake of keeping the counter moving towards an arbitary target--i do wish the calorie extras could be spread a bit to rest days as thats when i feel hungriest!--i am me Rea is her and we are all different with different diets and routines--we are as individual as the stars and no one fit diet will serve all of us.

Rea_K

SHBoss1673, I was only using de1amo's example of the beer and chocolate. I didn't do this myself, lol. Just thought I'd clarify as I didn't want you thinking I just started eating loads of junk and unhealthy foods, haha!

When I first started using the message boards, my first ever experience on here wasn't a very good one. Someone started a psor saying she hates people who claim to be 'full' eating 1200 calories a day. I simply contributed saying that I am full on that many calories. Well soon after I was being patronised and made to feel bad for being able to eat 1200 cals! Anyway, my doctor is fine with my diet, and I told them this, but some of them still thought they knew best. I started to doubt myself so I tried eating my exercise calories. I wasn't excessively eating, but I really wasn't used to eating so much. I've never been a big eater. I tried substituting the foods I ate for higher calorie food, but as I say, it didn't work for me. I would have fallen off the diet wagon had I continued.

I know I mentioned 2lb a week weightloss but that was when I was heavier. These days there's no way I'd lose that. I'm more focused on just toning now and am not bothered if I lose any more as I've coe further than I thought I would. The way I eat now is a way of life for me, and I don't burn as many calories as when I started, as I mainly do strength training now & just one day of cardio. I feel that I am happy with my weight now, am happy with what I eat now. My whole life I was never a big eater. I eat more than I used to, I just eat the right stuff now. Even though I eat 1200 cals, I should mention that I have Thursday evenings 'off' within reason (yay,lasagne & trifle tonight), & I have Sundays off after weigh in- again, within reason. Maybe this is why I am able to go without eating my exercise calories. For me, I like sticking to 1200 so that I can have that treat when I want it! This works as a way of life for me rather than a diet. I believe that I have lost the weight healthily and have been well informed throughout. I have bought books, spoken to my gym instructor and my doctor. My only mistake was feeling forced into something by some members on here. Of course the majority of the people on MFP are lovely, & genuinely want to help & be nice- including yourself! x

de1amo

as my brother commented to me--going to the gym is for those who wish to eat what they want without bothering about weight gain--once i reach my goal i will be less obsessive about constant diet--i have learnt a lot of things about my intake and portion control but look forward to being freer with my calories but still keep the exercise going--my gym cost me a fortune and i would have extreme guilt about spending so much and not using it!

Rea_K

as my brother commented to me--going to the gym is for those who wish to eat what they want without bothering about weight gain--once i reach my goal i will be less obsessive about constant diet--i have learnt a lot of things about my intake and portion control but look forward to being freer with my calories but still keep the exercise going--my gym cost me a fortune and i would have extreme guilt about spending so much and not using it!

I am with you on this one. Last Friday I went to a Greek restaurant (I'm Greek, no way could I cut out the food!!!) and had a meze. I overate by soooo many calories. The next day I went for an 80 minute run to make up for it!!
I don't want to be on a diet my whole life and as I'm pretty fit now I'd rather just exercise and in keep in shape. Exercise is a major part of my life again now, and I am so fit. As soon as I have completely toned up I know that the main thing I have to do is maintain my body and my focus will be on keeping up the gym. But I already know I will, as the hard part was getting that fitness back. All I need to do is keep it up.

I was always fit and healthy, and never had that emotional relationship with food. I just got lazy and stopped exercising. I really admire and feel for the people who have had to overcome the emotional part of losing weight. I think I definitaly got it easy. I never really ate much, just the wrong food, skipped breatfast, etc. Now I eat right, eat my 3 meals a day, and keep up the exercise.

de1amo

i am building a healthy regime like you--a lifestyle change with sustainability at the heart of it. i have moved away from my country of birth to Turkey where healthy food abounds and i life is generally healthier i. My draw back was that i came here overweight and despite no exercise i didnt gain weight. i have dieted and exercised on what was a healthy lifestyle(i was a bit big portion happy)-i want to live a exercise based lifestyle not a calorie counting one.
i will still use here but to keep fit and toned