How often and do I eat back the calories?

elvinprincess_9

How often should I exercise and should I be eating back my exercise calories? Ive got about 3 stone to lose now I'm back off of my holiday but not sure if 3 short runs a week is enough. I'm going to be using the c25k app as I've used it before when I lost weight. Also do I eat back the calories or will that just be counter productive? Thanks

MeanderingMammal

So how often to exercise depends on your objectives, but what I would say is that losing weight comes from having a calorie deficit, whether you train or not. Different types of training then have different benefits, with CV training developing endurance and aerobic capacity and resistance training helping to retain lean mass and build strength. The three dimensions are complementary to one another.

I restarted running about three years ago with C25K, as a means of losing weight, and once I'd got to 3-4 30 minute runs per week had lost a stone through managing my calorie deficit, and running. I did eat back my running calories, but I think the main aspect was psychological. Eating 1700 calories per day felt very different to running off 300 calories and eating 2000, so it helps me to get into the various habits.

After I finished C25K I moved on to a 10K plan, which leads to about 3-4 60 minute runs per week. I'm now into marathons, so that consumes more time.

What I would suggest is balancing the running with some form of resistance training. Personally I use bodyweight work; You Are Your Own Gym. As you're using C25K I'd suggest the NHS 12 week plan, that gives you both C25K and a related set of bodyweight training that works alongside it; http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/12-week-fitness-plan.aspx

fwiw I've lost about 4 Stone now, and have eaten back what I burn as a matter of course.

trigden1991

With 3 stone to lose, I would not eat back many/or any exercise calories unless you feel like you need them for recovery!

Nightmare_Queen88

I would say to exercise every other day or at least 3 days a week. And eat back half or almost half your calories. I don't know what 3 stone is in lbs since I'm in the US, but it doesn't sound like a lot and from I understand with only a small amount to lose you want to lose .5 lbs a week. No more than that. Not eating your exercise calories back will make you lose more weight for sure, but in my eyes it's seems counterproductive. You want to lose weight, but I'm sure you don't want to lose muscle. So definitely eat those calories back. But this is just my opinion, whatever you feel is right for you is most important.

MeanderingMammal

Nightmare_Queen88 wrote: »

And eat back half or almost half your calories.

Lots of received wisdom in these boards about only eating back half. That's an approach to compensating for the lack of accuracy in assessing calorie expenditure using exercise videos and machines like ellipticals where an accurate assessment is nearly imposssible and most methods of estimating will go way over the top.

It's fairly easy to determine running calories accurately, particularly using something like Strava or Runkeeper.

For running, I'd advocate eating back close to all of the calories expended.

I don't know what 3 stone is in lbs since I'm in the US, but it doesn't sound like a lot and from I understand with only a small amount to lose you want to lose .5 lbs a week.

1st = 14lbs, so c42lbs to lose allows for a fairly aggressive rate initially.

CasperNaegle

I never liked the term eat back calories . You need to know your total burn to stay in a deficit. I'd not go more than about 20% deficit so you need to know about what your exercise is doing in you addition to your base metabolic rate.

ryry_

elvinprincess_9 wrote: »

How often should I exercise and should I be eating back my exercise calories? Ive got about 3 stone to lose now I'm back off of my holiday but not sure if 3 short runs a week is enough. I'm going to be using the c25k app as I've used it before when I lost weight. Also do I eat back the calories or will that just be counter productive? Thanks

How many lbs a week is your goal set at?

elvinprincess_9

Set my goal to 2lbs a week.

sijomial

elvinprincess_9 wrote: »

Set my goal to 2lbs a week.

Then eat them all back. Running calories are easy to get a reasonable estimate for and you already have an aggressive weight loss target. Don't make it any harder to adhere to.

No it's not counterproductive at all to eat back a reasonable estimate of your exercise expenditure - it's neutral for weight loss (it's how this site works!) but beneficial for health, fitness and giving yourself a higher calorie allowance while still hitting your weight loss target.