DON'T Eat Exercise Calories!!

kwardklinck

Your doctor tells you 1000 calories a day. My doc tells me 1200 a day isn't enough. I think everyone has to do what works for them and what their doc approves of.

Paula_Addem

Thank you all! This is all very interesting, I'm glad I found this post and could see what others are saying!

dore0021

Excellent Topic. Thanks for all your input!

eekface

I think it really depends on the person and how they ate before. if they ate like me, way over 2000 calories a day, then doing 1600 calories and 400 excercise calories isnt bad and I am still losing 2 + pounds a week.

If you start MFP and you already were a healthy eater who is moderatly active, i can see how you wouldnt want to eat as many of your excercise calories back.

flannan

As a Newbie, I'm a bit confused but think there's good advice on both sides. I've worked in Healthcare for years and can tell you from experience: some professionals are truly great, some just talk garbage. Md's are like any other profession.
Listen to your Md, but if you are hearing way too many conflicting messagesfrom reputabale sources, try another MD.

Being completely new to claorie counting, I've gone with the 1200 since I joined; but from this thread I calculated my BMR at 1556 which means 1000 cals to lose lbs. (sedentary)
I am also interested in the statement that you need to vary your calories day to day so you're body doesn't know what to expect.

I think I am going to shoot for 1000 but not panic if my range goes up to 1200 over the next week.

Thanks for all the interesting input Fitness Pals!

kwardklinck

Before MFP I was eating 1200 a day and not losing. When I came here and started eating my exercise calories (within 50-100 cals per day), I lost. I had the most consistent weight loss when I ate 1400 cals a day. After I had my last baby, I ate 900 calories a day and I lost but I didn't exercise. I maintained my weight loss for quite some time only eating the 900 calories a day with days off for special occasions.
Now with exercise, I can maintain on 1800-2000 calories per day. Had I followed the 900 calorie a day plan to lose the weight, I wouldn't be able to eat like I do now. This is the first time I can actually eat 3 balanced meals per day and maintain my loss.
I have seen people do low calorie diets under a doctor's supervision. I worked for docs who prescribed Ultrafast to their patients. The result was usually weight gain plus some when they stopped doing the diet.
There is always some medically supervised low calorie plan. HCG seems to be the "quick fix" right now. What it comes down to is eating healthfully and exercising. It's a lifestyle not a diet. I have increased my metabolism the natural way and now I know that I can maintain my weight loss. That's what MFP has done for me.

SillySkittles

I have really enjoyed reading all the contributions to this thread! Then again, I really love a good, fast debate based on rational responses rooted from sound information and documented fact and this has plenty!

I found I learned a lot of new information and further proof that even though we are all here for one common reason, everyone can go about it in so many different ways and have completely different opinions than what we have.

So putting myself in here. I joined as a member here last year when I was in a big pinch to lose a lot of weight (for me) really fast.

But with MFP's help and a goal of losing more than 1lb a week, I was able to do it. I followed the goals it had set out for me and lost. But what happened after I had met this goal? I quit and gained back ALL the weight that I had lost over the next year (which was how long I was away from here) and then some! Besides hitting the targeted date and goal that I had, I think the main reason that I quit was because it was not realistic for me to maintain what I was doing as a LIFESTYLE. I mean, I could do it for a short amount of time and get results, but it was hard and draining, both mentally and physically. I was mean and hard on myself when I didn't stay within the range that was set for me and I just couldn't stay that way forever.

So how this all relates to the original post and others I have seen. There were a few people here who mentioned that they all went to their doctors and were told the same 1000 calories per day and I'm wondering if ALL of these same people are exactly the same SEX and exactly the same HEIGHT and AGE and exactly the same WEIGHT. Not saying anything against doctors but there is also that whole "do as I say, not as I do." and I hate to say it but doctors and those who read a LOT of research without ever having DONE the same thing they've actually researched may just be stating what is written commonly in what they've read. With ANYONE eating 1000 calories a day, there WILL be weight loss, but it will be different for EVERYONE and everyone will have a different price to pay.

I can't imagine both my husband and I going to a doctor and BOTH being told to eat 1000 calories a day. As a female (and we've ALL noticed that females generally have a harder time losing weight than males!) who is 5'0 and 173 pounds and then my husband who is male, 6'2" and 235, having us BOTH eating 1000 calories just doesn't sound right. Again, our work days and level of activity and SO MANY other factors differ SO MUCH and if that's just my husband and I, it definitely goes to show that anyone on here will have a different story to tell.

Apparently I'm long-winded, can't ever get myself to stop, but the whole point that I've learned through being on here is that EVERYONE is different and EVERYONE will do things a different way, no matter how the same our goals are. If someone has advised you to do something, it's advice for YOU and not necessarily anyone else, no matter how "same" you feel the situations are.

The last thing that I learned is that weight loss should be a slow and steady wins the race kind of deal (and believe me, for someone who will look at a spoiler for a book or movie because I can't even WAIT to see the ending) this was hard for me too, but it really is the way it should be. It should be life-long and consistent. Not some quicky way to get skinny because chances are (for MOST people) it won't stay that way. Especially for myself, it took years for me to put on the weight, I can not expect for it to take weeks or months for it to come off automatically.

When you make healthy choices and changes that will work with you THROUGHOUT the rest of your life - or at least for the long term, and stay at a good, comfortable calorie deficit while staying active and working out to make yourself feel good, everything else should just follow. The weight will eventually come off and you'll find that it's easier to maintain this kind of lifestyle than one built on losing weight fast. It won't feel like you're depriving yourself of anything and most importantly, you won't feel like you're failing at anything. This is what I found works for me and it's pretty much still a learning process.

So to the original poster, if you've found that this is the way that works for you and you are able to work it into your lifestyle without wreacking havoc, than this is your way and that's AWESOME! But remember your way may not necessarily be everyone else's way. We are all here for support and to learn and being that all our goals here is to lose weight, are somewhat more vulnerable so we should all be careful in what we advise people or encourage others to do in our subjects and posts.

To everyone else, HOLY MOLY sorry this got so long!

AnnieeR

FWIW, I did this sort of restricted calorie diet and didn't eat my (high number of) exercise calories twice in my 25 year dieting career (which, thanks to MFP and a bit of therapy I've officially quit). Two things happened. The first time I became so obsessed with staying below what I allowed myself I wouldn't go out, I wouldn't socialise, and I spent all my spare time working out - and routinely felt like I'd pass out whenever I stood up. The second time I ended up in therapy for an eating disorder.

It doesn't work for everyone and I think you need to be very, very careful before you go down that road.

My only other thought is that a lot of "medical weight loss centres" make an awful lot of money flogging their diets and their products (pills, pre-made meals, shakes, etc.) It is in their best business interest to make sure you drop a lot of weight fast and if you gain it all back when you go back to eating normally? Even better - pay them again! A woman I work with has lost 3 stone on one of these very expensive plans on a very restricted calorie intake. Every day I see her in the office kitchen stirring up her sad little cup of soup while I get out my egg, ryvita and fresh tomatoes. We've been doing it the same amount of time and I've lost nearly 2 stone - so yes, slower, but also, IMHO, healthier. And I'd put money on who puts it back on.... :-/

kwardklinck

My only other thought is that a lot of "medical weight loss centres" make an awful lot of money flogging their diets and their products (pills, pre-made meals, shakes, etc.) It is in their best business interest to make sure you drop a lot of weight fast and if you gain it all back when you go back to eating normally? Even better - pay them again! A woman I work with has lost 3 stone on one of these very expensive plans on a very restricted calorie intake. Every day I see her in the office kitchen stirring up her sad little cup of soup while I get out my egg, ryvita and fresh tomatoes. We've been doing it the same amount of time and I've lost nearly 2 stone - so yes, slower, but also, IMHO, healthier. And I'd put money on who puts it back on.... :-/

Exactly! I've worked for docs who had "weight loss plans" and I know how it works. I am lucky to have the doc I do now. She doesn't recommend any sort of "quick fix". She's all about healthy eating and getting fit the right way. I told her about MFP and she thought it was great. She wanted the site name for some of her other patients.

DianneMoreno

can you tell us WHY your doctor suggested this? what is her scientific approach to this? we all know MFPs approach, and why it works for the masses. i would just like to hear supporting information for your doctors recomendation

BeeZoe

In my opinion.....and it's all about opinions really. Doctors aren't always right, they are also taught to do things in a certain way or are used to doing them that way, they aren't very open to change, listen to what your Doctor suggests, then listen to another Doctors ideas and then do it one more time with another Doctor. Do what's right for you not for them. Big question - is your Doctor slim and healthy themselves?

Myself.... I eat almost 2300 calories a day, not all of my exercise calories but almost. I'm not willing to start losing my precious muscle, be tired, be a crankyass, have my skin and hair dry out etc. and I've lost 8 pds in two weeks. I'm happy eating

sheyna1983

My doctor charges extra to talk about weight loss and nutrition :grumble:

kwardklinck

I would seriously avoid "weight loss clinics" or any doctor that specializes in weight loss. They're about the money. They honestly don't care if you keep the weight off or not. A good GP will steer you in the right direction toward healthy and permanent weight loss and won't charge extra for it. I worked in the medical field for 12 years before becoming a teacher and I've seen all kinds of docs.

bazuukajoe

Lol. Is there a doctor in this thread?

First of all, I find the idea of eating back exercise calories ludicrous. It makes no sense unless you are weight training, and by "weight training" I don't mean working your arms one day per week, I mean rigorously training to obtain an athletic build. It amazes me to see the amount of women in this community (and life in general) who complain that they can't lose weight because they find any excuse to eat a little extra. "Oh, I can have that cookie because I went for a walk today... And I cleaned a lot so that's exercise, right?" No, honey, it's not.

1000 calories does seem a little to low, but if a woman is eating between 1200 and 1500 calories a day I see no problem with not eating back your calories.Starvation mode is a real thing, but don't mindlessly believe what you read on an internet website. While doing P90X my calorie intake was about 1900 a day, and I probably burned off around 800 calories a day and still lost about 2 pounds a week, You guys kill me, just because MFP says it's right/wrong doesn't make it right for YOU. Case in point, "cooking" is listed in the exercise database... that doesn't make it exercise. MFP is not the last word in fitness...

Just sayin'.

kwardklinck

So true. I push a wheelchair in my job but I don't count it as exercise. If I'm not sweating and my heart rate doesn't go up, it's not exercise to me. This, like everything else, is subjective. Some people eat fast food every day and stay in their calories but they don't lose. I suggest getting a healthy diet from a doc or dietician and getting moderate exercise at least 3 times a week.

SillySkittles

It amazes me to see the amount of women in this community (and life in general) who complain that they can't lose weight because they find any excuse to eat a little extra. "Oh, I can have that cookie because I went for a walk today... And I cleaned a lot so that's exercise, right?" No, honey, it's not.

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Maybe I`m being a little oversensitive here, because I did agree with your point about how something that`s right for someone else doesn`t mean it`s right for others, but to specifically target women in your comment, here and in life in general as people who find excuses...hmm.

Generalizing a statement like that seems pretty contrary to the point that you were trying to get across about everyone being different. I`m not saying that there aren`t those out there who try to make little excuses to get that bad little treat once in a while (heck, me included), but what makes you think that a person with NO regular physical activity who does vigorous cleaning isn`t exercising?

The whole point of MFP is that it calculates what you would normally burn at rest ie. doing absolutely NOTHING (which is the same amount of caloric intake that you would need to stay at the same weight) and it gives you a new caloric intake per day that is LESS than that. Therefore, merely following that plan alone (without exercise) already gives you a calorie deficit. So if you are eating LESS calories than you would to stay the SAME weight, logically, you would lose weight (albeit over time). Now. If you are exercising and maintaining the daily caloric intake set out for you by MFP, even if you DID eat back ALL your exercise calories, you would STILL be at a calorie deficit because you`re still maintaining the same deficit of calories. So in the end, you`d still be ahead of the game. That`s pretty much what I got out of the whole program and it seems to me by the amount of members on here and the number of increasing (or in some cases decreasing) weight-loss tickers, it seems to be working.

Am I saying eat ALL your calories? I don`t because I give a little room for even MFP to be wrong, or for some calories to be under estimated, but I do eat some of them back and I have been losing at a slow and steady pace. But if I see something that I want I will take a look at my food/exercise outputs and if the numbers look right for me, you best believe that I will be giving myself that treat and I`ll still feel darn good about it too!

I really think that the bottom line to all of this is everyone is different and everyone finds something different that works for them. Period.

P.S. Congrats on your P90X success!

bazuukajoe

It amazes me to see the amount of women in this community (and life in general) who complain that they can't lose weight because they find any excuse to eat a little extra. "Oh, I can have that cookie because I went for a walk today... And I cleaned a lot so that's exercise, right?" No, honey, it's not.

`

Maybe I`m being a little oversensitive here, because I did agree with your point about how something that`s right for someone else doesn`t mean it`s right for others, but to specifically target women in your comment, here and in life in general as people who find excuses...hmm.

Honestly, it's just something I've noticed. First of all, MFP has a pretty heavy female user base, and the majority of weight loss ads/gimmicks are targeted to women. There's a reason for this. Women do have a harder time losing weight than men, but the difference isn't strictly biological. Men and women approach weight loss differently in general. The "eating exercise calories" debate is a prime example. I know plenty of men who are dieting or maintain a high level of fitness who don't eat back their calories because it helps them lose faster, and they really don't need that extra doughnut at the end of the day. Most women I met are the exact opposite. If they have extra calories at the end, by God they are going to use them! And thus, they lose weight much, much slower. Again, I'm being vague and generalizing, but this is from years of experience lurking these forums. If someone is losing a half pound per week that makes them less likely to stay on the bandwagon than someone losing 2 pounds per week and seeing better results. This is why some women fail.

Women are much more likely to try and add something like "cleaning" to their exercise log, and not because men don't clean. Ask any man if cleaning is an exercise, or if he would ever even consider cleaning as an exercise and he will most likely say "no." So, I don't think it's a coincidence that women have a harder time losing weight than men.

MacMadame

I've worked in Healthcare for years and can tell you from experience: some professionals are truly great, some just talk garbage. Md's are like any other profession.

True. Plus, they aren’t taught very much about nutrition in medical school and a lot of what they are taught about both nutrition and obesity is pure and utter BS.

Being completely new to claorie counting, I've gone with the 1200 since I joined; but from this thread I calculated my BMR at 1556 which means 1000 cals to lose lbs. (sedentary)

If you’ve “calculated” your BMR by using the calculator in this (or any other) website, I’d be really careful about taking it too seriously. These calculators make assumptions that you are average in every way, so their numbers are only estimates.

There are a couple of ways to get your metabolism tested that are more accurate, but for most of us, just watching the numbers gets us in the ballpark. For example, when I started, these sites all told me I should be losing weight 2x as fast as I was because they over-estimated my BMR. Now they tell me I need about 400 calories a day less than I need just to maintain. I just go with reality and not what BMR they calculate for me. :laugh:

I am also interested in the statement that you need to vary your calories day to day so you're body doesn't know what to expect.

The theory behind that is that your body adapts to what you are doing and makes assumptions about the future based on the past. So, for example, when you first start dieting, your body assumes it’s a temporary condition and grabs most of the energy you need from readily available stores such as depleting the glycogen in your muscles. But, as the calorie deficit continues, your body realizes it’s in a long-term situation and food is going to be scarce for a while. So then it starts burning more fat and it puts the glycogen back. But it also lowers your metabolism.

Therefore, the theory is that you should switch up your calories periodically so your body doesn’t think it’s in a long-term famine situation and doesn’t depress your metabolism.

But it’s just a theory. It sounds reasonable but it assumes our bodies aren’t that smart and I suspect our bodies are smarter than that. :happy:

OTOH, if you are eating a wide variety of food and living a regular life, your calories tend to go up and down without having to work that hard at it. You may splurge one day and another day you’ll be too busy to eat. That’s what happened to me so I didn’t worry about trying to calorie cycle.

Honestly, it's just something I've noticed.{/quote]
You notice it because it jives with your beliefs. This is why anecdotal evidence and personal observation are unreliable and not part of the scientific method.

What I’ve noticed is that some people seem to have “fat brain”. These are the ones who put in walking up the stairs for 5 min. as exercise and religiously eat back every calorie they’ve “earned” through exercise while at the same time listing their activity level as “lightly active” when they have a desk job because they also do chores around the house. They definitely seize every opportunity to eat more.

But I’ve seen men with fat brain and not just women. Do more women have this approach than men? I don’t see how either of us could tell that just from hanging out on weight loss forums. For one thing, our sample is self-selected – it’s only people who come to MFP and only those who post and only those whose posts we see (I don’t read every post – do you?).

For another, we’d have to know how many people are on MFP, how many are men and how many are women and then keep track of how many of the men say things that demonstrate “fat brain” vs. how many of the women so we could come up with a percentage.

But there are lots of physiological differences between men and women that would explain slower/less weight loss in women -- such as having slower metabolisms and higher body fat percentages. I think those scientifically observed differences are more likely to account for the difference than your unscientific (and misogynic) observations.

merebear

when did I ever "suggest" anyone "starve".....isn't this just a place for us to share ideas or new discoveries? Thanks for your input though

merebear

first off, thatnks for actually asking for more info instead of just bashing me I originally went to her with my sister to look into getting the Zerona Laser Lipo done and started this all. I had lost 50 lbs using MFP, eating 1200 plus exercise calories, but hit a plateau. I was interested in losing the "jiggly" belly fat and then we talked about how to get past this plateau. I couldn't keep this extreme diet up forever, but I will give it a shot. I am getting B12+ injections and have a prescription for an appetite suppresant if I CHOOSE to use that to help me (I don't want to get anyone started on how terrible diet pills are because I don't like them myself). She also gave me Curava which is a niacin complex to help the laser release fat and flush it out of my body. So this is just trying to change things up a bit. I make sure my food calories are the best ones for my body and most days I go over a little bit. In the beginning I thought 1200 was a HUGE decrease and thought it would be impossible, but it worked and now I need to try something new.

.....didn't mean to get everyone so worked up though, yikes!:ohwell:

SillySkittles

You notice it because it jives with your beliefs. This is why anecdotal evidence and personal observation are unreliable and not part of the scientific method.

What I’ve noticed is that some people seem to have “fat brain”. These are the ones who put in walking up the stairs for 5 min. as exercise and religiously eat back every calorie they’ve “earned” through exercise while at the same time listing their activity level as “lightly active” when they have a desk job because they also do chores around the house. They definitely seize every opportunity to eat more.

But I’ve seen men with fat brain and not just women. Do more women have this approach than men? I don’t see how either of us could tell that just from hanging out on weight loss forums. For one thing, our sample is self-selected – it’s only people who come to MFP and only those who post and only those whose posts we see (I don’t read every post – do you?).

For another, we’d have to know how many people are on MFP, how many are men and how many are women and then keep track of how many of the men say things that demonstrate “fat brain” vs. how many of the women so we could come up with a percentage.

But there are lots of physiological differences between men and women that would explain slower/less weight loss in women -- such as having slower metabolisms and higher body fat percentages. I think those scientifically observed differences are more likely to account for the difference than your unscientific (and misogynic) observations.

Agreed and very well put.

imagymrat

I know it sounds crazy ad against what MFP and most users believe, but please just read on........Just this week I went to a medical weight loss center to sign up and the physician there said to go down to a 1000 calorie diet - as opposed to the 1200 the MFP gave me - and she said that no matter how much I work out, I should still only take in the 1000 calories a day....this confused me because MFP says that "if you keep your calories this low your body will go into starvation mode" - the important thing she said also is to slightly vary how many calories you take in each day - 950, 1050, 1000, etc - to keep your body guessing. Wow! Now I know why I have hit a plateau......I thought if I burned an extra 400 calories then it meant I could have a little extra that day or a treat :sad: Yikes!! But I am going to follow my doctor's advice since I am under her care specifically for this medical weight loss program.

I've always been a big pusher of zigzagging your calories, however I would never tell someone to go that low and exercise, unless like yourself, you are under the supervision of a doctor. zigzag is the way to go!

recipe4success

Just a point I thought of:

For those who believe it is 'wrong' and 'overeating' to consume exercise calories, you must also believe that one should not put their base activity level at anything but 'sedentary', regardless of the amount of work you do in the day.

This is because the idea with putting your base activity level below sedentary is that you burn more calories during the day as you are moving more, and thus you can eat more while still losing.

However, many of you state that you cannot eat back exercise calories. So i have to conclude you all have your base activity set at sedentary and that you frown on those who put it at anything else.

MacMadame

So i have to conclude you all have your base activity set at sedentary and that you frown on those who put it at anything else.

I have to conclude you are a big fan of the strawman argument.

DJackson230

How about just eating some of your exercise calories, Thats what I do...
In 150 days I have been over maybe 4 times and lost 57lbs... I eat what I want in moderation and when i'm hungry.
Yes, i find that I need some of my exercise calories, but not all...
I love to exercise, so i would be really stuffed if i tried to eat them all...

Thats my 1/2 a cent...

I guess... Different strokes for different folks

lee112780

wow...this is messy lol. My 2 cents...
your caloric needs depenjd on your weight, obvious. I found it extrememly hard to stick to 1200 calories. However, I haven't lost any, so take that as you will. ; )
I think the biggest problem with restriction is how long can you keep it up?
You have to restrict yourself a little to lose weight...obviously, but at the same time, it has to work over a lifetime. If 1200 cal is something you can do for a long period of time, go for it!

beck8800

definitely agree with Barney!! It depends on the exercise you are taking part in. Even you do not eat enough balance of cal. carbs and protein before certain workouts you will instantly be fatigued and not get the most out of your workout. I'm a kickboxer and if I do not not have a certain amount of calories before my training I'm useless. I also have a close friend that was told she wasn't eating enough carbs to sustain her training...

recipe4success

So i have to conclude you all have your base activity set at sedentary and that you frown on those who put it at anything else.

I have to conclude you are a big fan of the strawman argument.

Nope, it is exactly the same thing. In both cases, you are burning more calories. Therefore, if people think that when exercising you are not allowed to eat more calories, then they must also think that if you are more active during the day, you are not allowed to eat any more calories.

If not, they are hypocrites.

sbear867

This is the best discussion thread I have read yet! Thank you for starting it. WHen it comes down to it, its only what works for your health issues, body type, age and lifestyle. Having a medical provider monitor and guide will only give you more support in your journey, just be weary that even mds have bad days and give bad adcvice. If its not a plan you can really stick to for life and its just to loose the weight then modify to find a healthy balance.

Good Luck in Lewisville...I'm just up the road. If you are an LA Fitness Member check out the Latin Heat class at the gym by Vista Ridge, it a blast and shakes up the workout. Plus much cheaper than Zumba

Nich0le

Ugh, here we go.

I was thinking the same thing when I started to read the post. There have been some great sucess stories on MFP, tamtastic to name just one incredible one. Someone said "listen to your body" and that is true. The best weight loss will come when you find what works best for you, some will eat all exercise calories, some none, some eat half the point is MFP is a tool to help you start the whole process of getting healthier and it is up to you as an individual to use the tools, tweak the tools to your personal needs and hopefully in the end you will reach your goals and then learn to maintain them long term.