Eating back your fitness burned calories: Yes or No?
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I never did and I am healthy.0
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To be quite honest, I did not go by MFP, BMR or TFEE. I set my own calorie goal and it is 1,375. My exercise is limited normally to walking only since I am disabled and not even supposed to do that. I lost 67 lbs. in 84 days doing it my way. Since then, in 5 weeks I have only lost 3 lbs. due to a seemingly never ending foot injury (diabetic sore followed immediately by multiple fractures in the same foot). I am sticking to the diet plan and things are going slow but I will not give up.mmmm the thing is, my BMR is super low (1180 cal) so if I eat those hard gained 300 cal a day I won't lose any weight! I was just wondering if it would be helpful to eat them once in a while, meaning if eating that would increase my metabolism in the long run even if I'm not losing weight eating them
Good Luck
Wow, 1400 calories is really low.
67 pound loss in 84 days. Now you are injury prone and having health issues.
Hm. Wonder what could be causing that?
Hm. Wonder why your bones won't heal?
Hm. Wonder why your weight loss has stopped with 30 to go?
Because you need to freakin EAT!!
The cause........ diabetes WITHOUT high blood sugar (A1C of 4.2)
The cause......... Bilateral Foot Charcot Neuropathy and bilateral Plantar fasciitis causing the bone issue (look it up)
The cause......... Weight loss has slowed because of no ability to even walk for exercise
Pretty simple stuff which could have been formed in an actual question instead of "Self Appointed MFP Doctor - ignorance,0 -
To be quite honest, I did not go by MFP, BMR or TFEE. I set my own calorie goal and it is 1,375. My exercise is limited normally to walking only since I am disabled and not even supposed to do that. I lost 67 lbs. in 84 days doing it my way. Since then, in 5 weeks I have only lost 3 lbs. due to a seemingly never ending foot injury (diabetic sore followed immediately by multiple fractures in the same foot). I am sticking to the diet plan and things are going slow but I will not give up.mmmm the thing is, my BMR is super low (1180 cal) so if I eat those hard gained 300 cal a day I won't lose any weight! I was just wondering if it would be helpful to eat them once in a while, meaning if eating that would increase my metabolism in the long run even if I'm not losing weight eating them
Good Luck
Wow, 1400 calories is really low.
67 pound loss in 84 days. Now you are injury prone and having health issues.
Hm. Wonder what could be causing that?
Hm. Wonder why your bones won't heal?
Hm. Wonder why your weight loss has stopped with 30 to go?
Because you need to freakin EAT!!
The cause........ diabetes WITHOUT high blood sugar (A1C of 4.2)
The cause......... Bilateral Foot Charcot Neuropathy and bilateral Plantar fasciitis causing the bone issue (look it up)
The cause......... Weight loss has slowed because of no ability to even walk for exercise
Pretty simple stuff which could have been formed in an actual question instead of "Self Appointed MFP Doctor - ignorance,
FYI, you could eat 2300 calories a day and still drop weight according to TDEE. Your weight loss is stopping because you don't eat. It has nothing to do with exercise. You were NETTING like 1100 calories a day when you were exercising and not eating them back.0 -
To me it is quite simple if the goal is weight loss like it is for me (92 lbs. to lose when I started.)
Working my butt off to burn calories = I get to eat good stuff I love so I don't have to deprive myself, setting myself up for an unhealthy binge.
Then we agree. My statement is FOR ME and yours is for YOU
Except yours is based on a false premise, that exercise is for weight loss. Exercise is for fitness and cardiovascular health. The calorie goal is supposed to be based on your weight loss goal. The deficit is built in. So if you exercise and create an even bigger deficit, you are NOT hitting your calorie deficit goal. You are way under, which will screw your body up and eventually come back to bite you.
It will work in the short-term but virtually everyone who comes on here talking about how they don't eat exercise calories because the point is to lose weight ends up in one of three categories:
-Disappearing and going back to old ways because it's too hard to keep up with starving yourself
-Complaining about hitting that "mysterious" plateau
-Seeing the light, upping calories, and reaching target weight
FOR YOU exercise is for what you choose for it to be. FOR ME it is for WEIGHT LOSS. It is that simple. I have seen many of your type, the Self Appointed MFP Doctors who try to group everyone and they need to do what you do or they will fail. People are here for different purposes and with different limitations and abilities. I was simply responding to the original post with (and said so) WHAT I DO. I never asked for anyone's approval or opinion. I will stick to the advice from the four doctors I see between VA and private doctors.0 -
Yes, I eat them all back nom, nom, nom 0
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It depends on your settings- if your settings are "active", but your activity is your workouts, then no i wouldn't eat them back.
Mine is set to "sedentary" so that my workouts count as additional burns and I eat them back.
I also manually adjusted my settings to be at TDEE-20% so I wouldnt have to worry about MFP math and could manage on my own.
I'll be honest though, I typically eat back about 60% of my fitness calories but that's parnoia about underlogging food, overlogging fitness0 -
If you're doing the MFP method (NEAT method), then yes, you're supposed to...this is because when you set your activity level, you're NOT supposed to include exercise, just your daily hum drum...then you log your exercise after the fact and eat those calories back (accounting for some estimation error of course). It's really not a controversy when you actually know and understand how this tool works. Saying that it's some kind of controversy is like saying their is same great debate as to whether you're supposed to drive screws with a hammer.
It's really very simple...let me lay out a formula...somewhat oversimplified, but just to get the point across. BMR + NEAT + TEF + EAT = TDEE.
Now, when I use MFP, my activity level only includes my BMR + NEAT + TEF...we'll say...1800 + 550 (NEAT and TEF) = 2350. This is my MFP maintenance number per the NEAT method...so MFP gives me a calorie goal of 1,850 NET calories to lose 1 Lb per week. But you'll notice that nowhere in that formula is my EAT (Exercise Activity Thermogenesis)...it is unaccounted for in MFP's formula...that is because MFP is only going to actually give me credit for my EAT after I've performed the exercise and logged it. Therefore...let's say I burn 350 calories....my 1 Lb weight loss goal would be 2,200 gross calories...my TDEE maintenance would be 2,700 calories (2,350 NEAT maintenance + 350 EAT). So, when I use TDEE I cut 500 calories off my 2700 TDEE number = 2200 calories...boom...same gross calories as MFP. The only difference is that one method accounts for exercise after the fact (MFP) and the other accounts for it as a part of your daily activity (TDEE)...they both get you to the same place.0 -
I eat them back if I am hungry...it's that simple. I choose filling options like cottage cheese or a protein bar and sometimes a cookie and a fudgestick...cause I can and I am hungry.
Don't eat them back just for the sake of doing it...0 -
Go to www.iifym.com0
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I am terrified to eat back my calories. I still havent figured out the best formula though. I am unsure of MFP as when I put in the settings to lose 2 pounds a week and it said to eat 1200 but my BMR is about 1530. I don't have the answer.0
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Pretty simple stuff which could have been formed in an actual question instead of "Self Appointed MFP Doctor - ignorance,
DID phrase them as questions.
You know the "?" signifies a question, right?
Go ahead and be the cranky sick thin guy. Really, I don't care. But don't go preaching your 1300 calories for a man "lost67in84" plan.
You are not helping your diabetic body, nerves, bones etc by undereating as severely as you do. You cannot be getting enough nutrition unless you are on a strictly monitored eating plan.
I'm done. You're not worth fighting for.0 -
If your using the MFP method then yes it is encouraged to eat them back.... Having said that, it is the method I have used since I started, Yes I eat mine back and have lost a couple pounds in the process..... Best of Luck :drinker:
The legend has spoken.0 -
To me it is quite simple if the goal is weight loss like it is for me (150 lbs. to lose when I started).
Eating back exercise calories burned = fueling my workouts so that I can run faster, lift heavier, and achieve awesomeness, not just skinniness!
I'm in this for the long haul, and am using MFP as it was designed. That said, the burns in the database are too high, I cut them in half for the most part. Once my running speed increases, they will probably be more accurate. I also weigh and measure my food so that I know everything is as accurate as possible.
Well FOR YOU that may make sense but FOR ME it doesn't. I am disabled and cannot run at any speed, I cannot lift weights at all, I cannot use any exercise machines and I am not even supposed to be walking for exercise.
That being said, I will repeat myself: To me it is quite simple if the goal is weight loss like it is for me (104 lbs. to lose when I started).
Your stated goal is muscle building along with weight loss so there is no comparison.
So you don't exercise, but you eat back your exercise calories. Hmm...that doesn't really make sense. Seems you should just move on to the next thread then! I think it is pretty clear the OP is clearly asking for advice from those who work out and burn a significant amount of calories from working out.
Apparently you are unfamiliar with the FACT that walking is in fact exercise.
Apparently you are unfamiliar with the fitbit and it being sync'ed with MFP and transferring exercise calories based on overall activity level. My usual exercise calories based on that (with me entering nothing) is easily 800 calories daily and has been up to many thousands.0 -
I do not eat mine back but then I also have my number set up high enough that I am eating my Basal number daily. Basically I aim to eat enough to support my basic life functions, but under the tdee number. So I aim for 1750 MINIMUM but dont really worry until I hit 2000. I dont do lots of fitness so I use them as bonus calories that I apply to my weightloss goals. I am not losing very fast, but then I dont really count pounds as loss unless they are accompanied by a lost inch in my measurements. You can fluctuate 5 pounds in a week and its perfectly normal. Your body is a biological balacing act.0
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I base my calories off a TDEE deficit (15-20%) which has activity level figured into the equation already. Should work out as long as you are consistent with your exercise.0
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To be quite honest, I did not go by MFP, BMR or TFEE. I set my own calorie goal and it is 1,375. My exercise is limited normally to walking only since I am disabled and not even supposed to do that. I lost 67 lbs. in 84 days doing it my way. Since then, in 5
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Have you though of cycling, my wife hurts standing or walking, but she can spin for 15 miles and burn 600 calories.0 -
To me it is quite simple if the goal is weight loss like it is for me (150 lbs. to lose when I started).
Eating back exercise calories burned = fueling my workouts so that I can run faster, lift heavier, and achieve awesomeness, not just skinniness!
I'm in this for the long haul, and am using MFP as it was designed. That said, the burns in the database are too high, I cut them in half for the most part. Once my running speed increases, they will probably be more accurate. I also weigh and measure my food so that I know everything is as accurate as possible.
Well FOR YOU that may make sense but FOR ME it doesn't. I am disabled and cannot run at any speed, I cannot lift weights at all, I cannot use any exercise machines and I am not even supposed to be walking for exercise.
That being said, I will repeat myself: To me it is quite simple if the goal is weight loss like it is for me (104 lbs. to lose when I started).
Your stated goal is muscle building along with weight loss so there is no comparison.
So you don't exercise, but you eat back your exercise calories. Hmm...that doesn't really make sense. Seems you should just move on to the next thread then! I think it is pretty clear the OP is clearly asking for advice from those who work out and burn a significant amount of calories from working out.
Apparently you are unfamiliar with the FACT that walking is in fact exercise.
Apparently you are unfamiliar with the fitbit and it being sync'ed with MFP and transferring exercise calories based on overall activity level. My usual exercise calories based on that (with me entering nothing) is easily 800 calories daily and has been up to many thousands.
You burn 800 calories, to many thousands, walking? How long do you walk for?
If that's true, than if you do eat 1400 calories a day, you're netting 600 calories a day. And wondering why weight loss is stopping?
If you're burning THOUSANDS of calories a day, there isn't a doctor on the planet that will put you in a NEGATIVE net calorie day.0 -
How did this become about someone specifically? Wasn't this a generic question?0
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To me it is quite simple if the goal is weight loss like it is for me (150 lbs. to lose when I started).
Eating back exercise calories burned = fueling my workouts so that I can run faster, lift heavier, and achieve awesomeness, not just skinniness!
I'm in this for the long haul, and am using MFP as it was designed. That said, the burns in the database are too high, I cut them in half for the most part. Once my running speed increases, they will probably be more accurate. I also weigh and measure my food so that I know everything is as accurate as possible.
Well FOR YOU that may make sense but FOR ME it doesn't. I am disabled and cannot run at any speed, I cannot lift weights at all, I cannot use any exercise machines and I am not even supposed to be walking for exercise.
That being said, I will repeat myself: To me it is quite simple if the goal is weight loss like it is for me (104 lbs. to lose when I started).
Your stated goal is muscle building along with weight loss so there is no comparison.
So you don't exercise, but you eat back your exercise calories. Hmm...that doesn't really make sense. Seems you should just move on to the next thread then! I think it is pretty clear the OP is clearly asking for advice from those who work out and burn a significant amount of calories from working out.
Apparently you are unfamiliar with the FACT that walking is in fact exercise.
Apparently you are unfamiliar with the fitbit and it being sync'ed with MFP and transferring exercise calories based on overall activity level. My usual exercise calories based on that (with me entering nothing) is easily 800 calories daily and has been up to many thousands.
I find this sad because you are hurting yourself.0 -
I eat at least half back and usually all of them. I'm happy with 1 lb a week.
The exception is a very exercise heavy day like a ride in the morning, golf in the afternoon and a walk at night. I will spread those extra calories out over a few days if I need to.0 -
I can never eat back all my exercise calories. Some days it isn't possible.
Between my fit bit that tracks all day, and endomundo for tracking my swimming and 15 mile bike ride every other day -- there's no way.
Yesterday I ate full meals, and still had a 3k deficit by 8pm.
It's not possible to just eat that much more food after I am full.
No, I'm not losing weight like I want. I accept that.
But I do see other changes.0 -
To me it is quite simple if the goal is weight loss like it is for me (150 lbs. to lose when I started).
Eating back exercise calories burned = fueling my workouts so that I can run faster, lift heavier, and achieve awesomeness, not just skinniness!
I'm in this for the long haul, and am using MFP as it was designed. That said, the burns in the database are too high, I cut them in half for the most part. Once my running speed increases, they will probably be more accurate. I also weigh and measure my food so that I know everything is as accurate as possible.
Well FOR YOU that may make sense but FOR ME it doesn't. I am disabled and cannot run at any speed, I cannot lift weights at all, I cannot use any exercise machines and I am not even supposed to be walking for exercise.
That being said, I will repeat myself: To me it is quite simple if the goal is weight loss like it is for me (104 lbs. to lose when I started).
Your stated goal is muscle building along with weight loss so there is no comparison.
My bad, I assumed that your goals would be achieving better health, not just unsound, fast weight loss. Carry on, it's your body. :flowerforyou:0 -
Guys please stop fighting we are going out of topic :=) I feel responsible since I started the post. Thanks for all your replies, now some things are clearer in my mind
1 The exercise database gives me more calories than those I actually need, I seriously need to be aware of that.
2 I need to set my activity as sedentary instead of lightly active, I guess some of my problems came from that.
All that being said of course my goal isn't just weight loss but being healthier and fitter. Problem is, I do a very sedentary job and I realized my average exercise burn each day is around 300 cal on a regular day, 500 on a good day. Since my natural metabolism is super low as I told you (1180 cal) I would be crazy not eating my calories back if I would exercise and burn a lot of calories. Unfortunately this is not happening very often. Basically I'm also exercising so that I can eat as a regular person and get at least those 1200 cal a day.
I will give my all to exercise more and more and be able to eat more of these calories back Good luck to each one of you for your healthy journey ^__^ 0 -
I wouldnt eat all of it back. I also dont really follow MFP because it is based on low protein diet. My body absorbs carbs like no other, thus i change my eatting habbits to eat a ration of 3 -1 protein to carbs.
Listen to your body. If you feel you need to eat eat but dont eat all back. Eat protein after workouts as that is what repairs muscls. Someone said if you want to maintain then yes.. And I agree, you have to eat less, and work out more. But you cant starv your body either.0 -
There is a vocal but incorrect crowd who thinks some voodoo magic can make you gain/maintain weight while not eating enough calories. That only happens when you are out of expendable fat, which at 217 lbs you aren't. Under-eating causes one to feel tired, lazy, and hungry, but you will still lose weight. You will also probably lose more lean body mass than you'd like if you were under-eating.Apparently you are unfamiliar with the FACT that walking is in fact exercise.
Apparently you are unfamiliar with the fitbit and it being sync'ed with MFP and transferring exercise calories based on overall activity level. My usual exercise calories based on that (with me entering nothing) is easily 800 calories daily and has been up to many thousands.
But you're not under-eating. You are stalling because you are over-estimating the amount of activity you have in a day. Most of that 800 calories from activity is already included in your sedentary TDEE. Assuming you eat all of that back, and your goal net is 1400, you're actually eating at maintenance of around 2200 cal/day.
I recommend that you stop counting the walking and other random stuff as cardio toward your daily intake and readjust your net intake to 1700-1800 calories.0 -
Guys please stop fighting we are going out of topic :=) I feel responsible since I started the post. Thanks for all your replies, now some things are clearer in my mind
1 The exercise database gives me more calories than those I actually need, I seriously need to be aware of that.
2 I need to set my activity as sedentary instead of lightly active, I guess some of my problems came from that.
All that being said of course my goal isn't just weight loss but being healthier and fitter. Problem is, I do a very sedentary job and I realized my average exercise burn each day is around 300 cal on a regular day, 500 on a good day. Since my natural metabolism is super low as I told you (1180 cal) I would be crazy not eating my calories back if I would exercise and burn a lot of calories. Unfortunately this is not happening very often. Basically I'm also exercising so that I can eat as a regular person and get at least those 1200 cal a day.
I will give my all to exercise more and more and be able to eat more of these calories back Good luck to each one of you for your healthy journey ^__^
While your BMR might be 1180, that's just the amount that you burn at rest. Even with a sedentary job, you aren't at rest all day. Your TDEE is higher than that, even without exercise. My suggestion would be to try to eat as much as you can while still losing. You don't have much to lose, and have other fitness goals, so you should shoot for losing it slowly. We are talking .5-1lb a week.
Try setting your MFP goal for that modest amount and eat back 50-75% of your exercise calories. Give it a good month and see what happens. Make sure your logging is as accurate as possible (weighing and measuring, logging every bite, etc.) so that you know that you are working with accurate data. After a month, adjust as necessary.
As your goals seem to be fitness in general, I'd suggest that you check out this group:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/10067-eat-train-progress-
Sara and SideSteel have helped many not only reach their fitness goals, but also to realize that they can reach higher goals than they ever thought possible. :flowerforyou:0 -
I eat them back if I am hungry...it's that simple. I choose filling options like cottage cheese or a protein bar and sometimes a cookie and a fudgestick...cause I can and I am hungry.
Don't eat them back just for the sake of doing it...
It's NOT hunger! Some people swear they can't eat even 1200 calories because they are "sooooo stuffed!" These people eat high volume/high fiber foods with little nutritional value. Hunger is not an indicator of proper nutrition.
The purpose of eating calories back is to fuel your workouts. MFP gives you a calorie deficit BEFORE exercise. Adding exercise increases the deficit more ..... when the deficit is too large ...... you risk muscle loss.
Are you working out to maintain muscle while dieting ....... or are you working out to lose muscle? Fast weight loss is not healthy weight loss.0 -
I like to eat mine back. Most of the time it's just about half though.0
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I am terrified to eat back my calories. I still havent figured out the best formula though. I am unsure of MFP as when I put in the settings to lose 2 pounds a week and it said to eat 1200 but my BMR is about 1530. I don't have the answer.
If you have more than 75 pounds to lose ..... then 2 pounds a week is a good goal. As you get smaller .... your weekly goal should get smaller too.
MFP gave you 1200 based upon "I want to lose XX pounds per week" .... this does not mean XX is approriate.
This thread is fabulous........tons of info (you may have to read it more than once):
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-20130 -
I eat them back if I am hungry...it's that simple. I choose filling options like cottage cheese or a protein bar and sometimes a cookie and a fudgestick...cause I can and I am hungry.
Don't eat them back just for the sake of doing it...
It's NOT hunger! Some people swear they can't eat even 1200 calories because they are "sooooo stuffed!" These people eat high volume/high fiber foods with little nutritional value. Hunger is not an indicator of proper nutrition.
The purpose of eating calories back is to fuel your workouts. MFP gives you a calorie deficit BEFORE exercise. Adding exercise increases the deficit more ..... when the deficit is too large ...... you risk muscle loss.
Are you working out to maintain muscle while dieting ....... or are you working out to lose muscle? Fast weight loss is not healthy weight loss.
Yes I am well aware of this and eat a net of 1360 calories typically everyday...that means I am eating my exercise calories back (usually between and extra 230 and 500)...but that being said if I burn lets say 1000 calories plus I have 1360 calories to eat and I eat 1960 I am not gonna eat he other 400 just because some random person on the internet said I have to...it's a choice and if I personally am hungry I will (note my choices of food...cottage cheese, protein bar). I am well aware of fueling my exercise and have consitently lost weight while gaining strengh (I know this for a fact as I am increasing my pushups everyday)...as for those you speak of it wouldn't matter what anyone said they will do what they want...
I personally didn't want to confuse the issue with me going TDEE-20% next week due to weight training.
As a note check my food diary you may find it quite the opposite of what you assumed.:flowerforyou:
ETA: I am loosing 1lb a week which is not considered "Fast".0
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