Should I Eat Back the Calories?

annied1961

Hello: 1200 calories isn't enough for your height.
Be patient with your progress.
Walk as much as you are able.
Get oxygen-fresh air is wonderful for your complexion
and mood.
And this simple exercise is easy to do,
doesn't cost anything and you can walk anytime
or anywhere.Show Yourself What You Can Do!!!

franola12

One of the easiest things to do is stop eating the second you're no longer hungry. That may sound crazy, but if you slow down the pace of your eating and stop when you're full, you'll consume fewer calories.

pagefan

HUGE issue. Huge question. Lots of responses... not sure what works. have done the more thing (TDEE) (gained weight) have done the less thing, body holds on to fat. have done the don't eat it back, not lost... have done all and still trying to figure it out.. Drink more water, eat more high volume low cal foods (non carb veggies!!!) I am somewhere in the middle when it comes to eating my cals back to 1200. if I work out, I allow myself to eat the max. if I do not, which is every other day, I usually stick between 958 and 1200. Either way, it's science. I was 6 lbs away from my goal 2 years ago and had to have back surgery. gained back 12 lbs, and now, 17 lbs away from my goal.. GRR.. and it is harder than ever to drop even a .2 or .4 of a lb weekly.. it's not a diet, it's life, and a journey...

Morgaath

Jhingerz wrote: »

i am new to this, can someone please help me understand, everyone keeps saying that we have to eat the calorie goal say (1200), and eat back what ever is burned correct? so how will i create a deficit if i eat 1200 + the calorie burned?

Say you are aiming for a 1000cal deficit (2lbs a week), and you daily goal number is 1200.

On Monday you burn 2200cals, and you eat 1200cals. It is a normal typical day.
This is a 1000cal deficit.

Now on Tuesday you go shopping, and hit every single store in the mall, burning 3000cals. You eat 2000cals that day.
This is a 1000cal deficit.
If you had eaten only 1200cals, it would be a 1800cal deficit.

On Wednesday you sit at your desk all day long, and late into the night. You burn 1900cals. You eat 1900cals due to eating dinner out of the vending machine.
This is a 0cal deficit, but you still did not gain any weight.

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Also understand that if you are the type that doesn't move (Meaning you burn very few cals in the course of a day), and tell MFP that you want to lose 2lbs per week, it will likely tell you your target is 1200/day...even though this will not get you a large enough deficit to cause you to lose 2lbs/week...Because doctors have pretty much determined that eating less than 1200cals a day for extended time periods will really mess you up, both physically and mentally (As you are not getting enough nutrients to power the brain fully).