Eating Back Calories
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donjtomasco
Posts: 790 Member
This is my 4th run at losing weight on MFP, each time in the past was goal specific and on a time deadline and I did pretty good getting where I needed. This time I am on no time table and want this path to be long and steady. But I want to see if any of you who REALLY know this stuff see any flaws in what I am doing.
I am 55, in good health, am active, work full time but just seem to go through cycles where life takes over and I get derailed. But if I stick with this, I want to lose up to 1# a week to hit my goal weight of 185. Losing .00001 to 1# per week is fine.
stats:
Started October 30th, 2017 at 203.6#. Current weight 198. 5'10". 55 years old. Goal weight 185, no time limit. Goal (on MFP) set at "Lightly Active, 5 workouts a week, 60 mins per workout, goal to lose 1# per week).
MFP set my daily calorie goal intake at 1,940 (or 2,400 per day for maintain weight less 500 cals per day to lose 1# per week).
In reality I am probably more active then "Lightly Active", and it looks like I will be able to get workouts in every day (not big deal workouts, but at a minimum 60 mininutes of walking. My weight training is nothing major, but is a vigorous workout usually 70 minutes with barbells, dumbbells and machines.
So probably I am light on the projected lifestyle and workouts, but prefer it that way.
Yesterday is a perfect example of the reason for my post. I burned 250 calories walking 4 miles and burned 250 calories lifting, upping my daily calorie goal to 2,590, I actually consumed 2,682, so I was -92 for the day, almost perfect if A GOOD GOAL is to eat back calories.
So, is it advised that I eat back those calories like that? I think the obvious answer is to consume up the the amount I am comfortable with, which last night I was comfortable with eating them all back. I easily could have eaten a lot less and banked calories, but this is my new mantra, "don't starve, log accurately, slow and easy, and things will take care of themselves.
If anyone has comments on this, especially my goals (set in MFP), my age, my philosophy, and specifically on eating back calories versus not eating them back, well this was the goal of this post.
The scale has stuck at 198 for three mornings in a row, but I am also now building back my baseline of how much I can lift, so I am guessing I am probably retaining some water (from what I read on MFP that this happens) from the lifting, and I had a good weight workout Sunday and Yesterday. Plus yesterday I consumed (for me) a large amount of calories 2,682. I think if I drank a lot of water today and ate a lot less, it would reflect on the scale tomorrow, but I am just not going to worry about that this time.
Thank you.
I am 55, in good health, am active, work full time but just seem to go through cycles where life takes over and I get derailed. But if I stick with this, I want to lose up to 1# a week to hit my goal weight of 185. Losing .00001 to 1# per week is fine.
stats:
Started October 30th, 2017 at 203.6#. Current weight 198. 5'10". 55 years old. Goal weight 185, no time limit. Goal (on MFP) set at "Lightly Active, 5 workouts a week, 60 mins per workout, goal to lose 1# per week).
MFP set my daily calorie goal intake at 1,940 (or 2,400 per day for maintain weight less 500 cals per day to lose 1# per week).
In reality I am probably more active then "Lightly Active", and it looks like I will be able to get workouts in every day (not big deal workouts, but at a minimum 60 mininutes of walking. My weight training is nothing major, but is a vigorous workout usually 70 minutes with barbells, dumbbells and machines.
So probably I am light on the projected lifestyle and workouts, but prefer it that way.
Yesterday is a perfect example of the reason for my post. I burned 250 calories walking 4 miles and burned 250 calories lifting, upping my daily calorie goal to 2,590, I actually consumed 2,682, so I was -92 for the day, almost perfect if A GOOD GOAL is to eat back calories.
So, is it advised that I eat back those calories like that? I think the obvious answer is to consume up the the amount I am comfortable with, which last night I was comfortable with eating them all back. I easily could have eaten a lot less and banked calories, but this is my new mantra, "don't starve, log accurately, slow and easy, and things will take care of themselves.
If anyone has comments on this, especially my goals (set in MFP), my age, my philosophy, and specifically on eating back calories versus not eating them back, well this was the goal of this post.
The scale has stuck at 198 for three mornings in a row, but I am also now building back my baseline of how much I can lift, so I am guessing I am probably retaining some water (from what I read on MFP that this happens) from the lifting, and I had a good weight workout Sunday and Yesterday. Plus yesterday I consumed (for me) a large amount of calories 2,682. I think if I drank a lot of water today and ate a lot less, it would reflect on the scale tomorrow, but I am just not going to worry about that this time.
Thank you.
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Replies
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so to start with MFP doesn't care how much you exercise...the calorie goal is given without exercise in mind based on your "lightly active" setting. NOw the question is does that setting include your workouts? because if it does it shouldn't.
As for eating back exercise calories it depends. Weight lifting calories are hard to calculate so most don't even count them when they are logged and change it to 0. Most suggest try eating back 50-75% of the exercise calories and see how it goes...if you are losing on track stay the course...to fast eat more...to slow eat less.
I was one of the lucky ones who didn't have to worry..I ate them all and lost target weekly weight goal.
Now as for teh scale not moving in 3 days...why would it???
You just started doing the exercises again...so water/glycogen stores are up...
and weight loss is not linear...you might see increases, big decreases and static numbers...it's all about trends and knowing you are logging accurately and consistently and following the weight loss rules of burning more than you are taking in.6 -
I set my profile to Sedentary and add in my workouts, but even then I usually only eat back about half and I am sure to vet the amount of calories because sometimes what MFP gives you in that regard is just ridiculous. I mean I KNOW I didn't burn 300 calories walking around yesterday, LOL. I just didn't.
Play around with that...eat back all, then 3/4, then 1/2...or whatever...this is something I've found from being on this boards that some people just have to tweak.1 -
So, I set MFP to sedentary, because my job is considered sedentary, based off of MFP descriptions. If my job was other than sedentary, I would choose the appropriate activity setting.
I'm a 5'8" female, weighing around 147 (for the past two days, day before that was 144.5 and remained steady at 146 before that for about four days). I have used trendweight for a very long time and my trend is down, with spikes just like nearly everyone. I've tried eating at maintenance for the past two weeks, so not surprised to see 147 the past two days.
Initially, I logged exercise and ate back calories, but I can't recall if it was a percentage or not. I have had a fitbit for a couple of years now and just let fitbit adjust my calories. I have had success eating back all of the calories fitbit adjusts, but I also don't input exercise at all - I just let fitbit adjust based purely on steps (I walk every day and do bodyweight exercises 3x/wk. Used to do jiu jitsu and still just let fitbit adjust based on steps). Probably half of my steps are from non-exercise movement - just my steps throughout the day. So, I completely disagree with those who will tell you than general movement doesn't count. Of course it does. I am not actually sedentary, though my job description fits within that category.
My initial goal, to lose .5 lb./wk, is 1480. I end up around that goal NET, and look at weekly calories. I tend to eat between 2500 and 3000 calories on Saturdays and the rest of my week varies, but usually between 1700-1900/2000. Definitely nowhere near 1480.
My point being, yes, log exercise (or use a fitness tracker or use TDEE or whatever works for you that will account for all of your activity), and fuel your body appropriately for your level of activity. I'd suggest you just keep doing what you're doing for about 6 weeks, look at your data, and then adjust one thing if necessary. Go another 6 weeks, and repeat. Although I would question your lifting exercise calories, there's no reason to adjust until you have enough data to work with, and a few days or even a few weeks isn't generally enough.0 -
I set my profile to Sedentary and add in my workouts, but even then I usually only eat back about half and I am sure to vet the amount of calories because sometimes what MFP gives you in that regard is just ridiculous. I mean I KNOW I didn't burn 300 calories walking around yesterday, LOL. I just didn't.
Play around with that...eat back all, then 3/4, then 1/2...or whatever...this is something I've found from being on this boards that some people just have to tweak.
How do you KNOW?
I don't find it unreasonable at all to think that people can burn small numbers of calories from walking. I don't know what you with our how much you walk so I have no idea how many you actually burned, but 300 isn't beyond the realm of possibility at all.
Also, I think it's weird when summer people think they just KNOW something that everyone else has to work to figure out. Usually "KNOW" is a synonym of "assume."5 -
Blah. Did a double.
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NorthCascades wrote: »I set my profile to Sedentary and add in my workouts, but even then I usually only eat back about half and I am sure to vet the amount of calories because sometimes what MFP gives you in that regard is just ridiculous. I mean I KNOW I didn't burn 300 calories walking around yesterday, LOL. I just didn't.
Play around with that...eat back all, then 3/4, then 1/2...or whatever...this is something I've found from being on this boards that some people just have to tweak.
How do you KNOW?
I don't find it unreasonable at all to think that people can burn small numbers of calories from walking. I don't know what you with our how much you walk so I have no idea how many you actually burned, but 300 isn't beyond the realm of possibility at all.
Also, I think it's weird when summer people think they just KNOW something that everyone else has to work to figure out. Usually "KNOW" is a synonym of "assume."
'Cause...I KNOW.
For me.
Because 18 months of dieting and steady tracking has shown me that when I eat X amount for "walking Xmph" back, I don't lose although I'm set at a deficit and starting at Sedentary.
I didn't say "I KNOW some other random person will never burn MPF's calculations for walking, all other things entered correctly."
I said "I know I..."
I'm not sure if you noticed the "I".
Now, yeah. My experience for me + reading others' experience (by the dozens...or hundreds) on here = /= not hard data, but rather strong inference. "Signs point to..." and all that.
As for that second part, hmmm. Perhaps you're being philosophical, as you couldn't have gotten that from my post, which clearly agreed, before you argued (?) it above, that (wait for it) "...everyone (else) has to work to figure (it) out."
Since, you know...I said many people have to work to figure this out.
HTH.
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SezxyStef - thank you, that was very insightful. From what you said it sounds like if I am going to count my exercise calories then I need to not (on my goals page) sy I plan on working out 5 days a week at 60 minutes per workout. It sounds like by saying I work out 5 days a week that MFP then calculates that in to my daily caloric intake to lose a pound a week. YES? NO? I have never heard that being an issue or a point of discussion regarding the goals page.
LAWoman - Now I like the idea of setting the goal page on sedentary like you just said you do, and put 0 days exercise then plug in the calories as I exercise. I googled "calories burned walking" and "calories burned lifting weights" and found a site (and it is general which is fine) that gives a rough number for calories burned based on your weight. Also I found out (if this is true) that is does not matter how long you walk it matters how far you walked. Which I had not heard before. So now I am counting calories burned walking on the distance not the time.
veganbaum - I like what you said too, especially about trying for awhile and adjusting, or tweaking. Now I think I should leave my setting on lightly active since my job is sales and I am seldom sitting down for long. I am adjusting my thinking after reading each of your messages. I think I will just go 0 on days planned exercise and see if that even effects my calorie count or not, it might not even affect it on MFP.
NorthCascades - nice rant. I hope you feel better.
LAWoman - FANTASTIC comeback!!!!!
Thank you all for your comments.
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donjtomasco wrote: »SezxyStef - thank you, that was very insightful. From what you said it sounds like if I am going to count my exercise calories then I need to not (on my goals page) sy I plan on working out 5 days a week at 60 minutes per workout. It sounds like by saying I work out 5 days a week that MFP then calculates that in to my daily caloric intake to lose a pound a week. YES? NO? I have never heard that being an issue or a point of discussion regarding the goals page.
LAWoman - Now I like the idea of setting the goal page on sedentary like you just said you do, and put 0 days exercise then plug in the calories as I exercise. I googled "calories burned walking" and "calories burned lifting weights" and found a site (and it is general which is fine) that gives a rough number for calories burned based on your weight. Also I found out (if this is true) that is does not matter how long you walk it matters how far you walked. Which I had not heard before. So now I am counting calories burned walking on the distance not the time.
veganbaum - I like what you said too, especially about trying for awhile and adjusting, or tweaking. Now I think I should leave my setting on lightly active since my job is sales and I am seldom sitting down for long. I am adjusting my thinking after reading each of your messages. I think I will just go 0 on days planned exercise and see if that even effects my calorie count or not, it might not even affect it on MFP.
NorthCascades - nice rant. I hope you feel better.
LAWoman - FANTASTIC comeback!!!!!
Thank you all for your comments.
Let's say your gas gauge is broken, but the car is otherwise fine, and your mechanic is on vacation. What are you going to use to know when you need to fill the tank? The clock that says how many hours you drove for, or the odometer, that says it's been 250 miles since your last fill up? Everybody would go for the odometer, right?
The reason you go by distance (in cars and in people) is simple physics about how much energy it takes moving a set amount of mass over distance. It's not going to be exact, but it's going to be very close, and reliably so.
(Speed has a much bigger effect on gas mileage than on calorie use, because air resistance goes up in proportion to the cube of your speed.)0 -
I set my profile to Sedentary and add in my workouts, but even then I usually only eat back about half and I am sure to vet the amount of calories because sometimes what MFP gives you in that regard is just ridiculous. I mean I KNOW I didn't burn 300 calories walking around yesterday, LOL. I just didn't.
Play around with that...eat back all, then 3/4, then 1/2...or whatever...this is something I've found from being on this boards that some people just have to tweak.
The MFP database is actually pretty accurate for me. Many people here say they can eat 100% of their exercise calories. Now, what MapMyHike tries to give me is ridiculous.
But yes, each person should experiment and see what percentage works for them.0 -
My standard exercise calorie answer:
MFP uses the NEAT method (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), and as such this system is designed for exercise calories to be eaten back. However, many consider the burns given by MFP to be inflated and only eat a percentage, such as 50%, back. Others, however, are able to lose weight while eating 100% of their exercise calories.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818082/exercise-calories-again-wtf/p11 -
How does that explain the cars that run out of gas sitting in traffic, specifically during the evacuations during the hurricanes? The car is still running and burning up gas while the odometer is not moving. But yes, I understand what you were attempting and trying to say. Personally I would keep topping my car off with gas till my mechanic got back.1
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donjtomasco wrote: »SezxyStef - thank you, that was very insightful. From what you said it sounds like if I am going to count my exercise calories then I need to not (on my goals page) sy I plan on working out 5 days a week at 60 minutes per workout. It sounds like by saying I work out 5 days a week that MFP then calculates that in to my daily caloric intake to lose a pound a week. YES? NO? I have never heard that being an issue or a point of discussion regarding the goals page.
LAWoman - Now I like the idea of setting the goal page on sedentary like you just said you do, and put 0 days exercise then plug in the calories as I exercise. I googled "calories burned walking" and "calories burned lifting weights" and found a site (and it is general which is fine) that gives a rough number for calories burned based on your weight. Also I found out (if this is true) that is does not matter how long you walk it matters how far you walked. Which I had not heard before. So now I am counting calories burned walking on the distance not the time.
veganbaum - I like what you said too, especially about trying for awhile and adjusting, or tweaking. Now I think I should leave my setting on lightly active since my job is sales and I am seldom sitting down for long. I am adjusting my thinking after reading each of your messages. I think I will just go 0 on days planned exercise and see if that even effects my calorie count or not, it might not even affect it on MFP.
NorthCascades - nice rant. I hope you feel better.
LAWoman - FANTASTIC comeback!!!!!
Thank you all for your comments.
your exercise goals for MFP is not relevant for the calorie goal it gives you.
You can use it to track for yourself but that's all it's for.
When you exercise you log it under the cardio section of that area and it will give you the calories you can eat...
The calories that you have pre exercise is the amount required to lose your weight.0 -
Thank SS. Actually I just tried switching the exercises per week to 0 and you are exactly correct. 0
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donjtomasco wrote: »Thank SS. Actually I just tried switching the exercises per week to 0 and you are exactly correct.
glad I could help.0
This discussion has been closed.
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