whats the point of excercise if I eat back the calories?
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I kind of agree that I have to eat back those calories, the question then becomes did I gain anything in regards to loosing weight by running, swimming etc...? should just do weights until I achieve my goal?
Activities like running and swimming are great for you for lots of reasons other then burning calories. I often look at it like I eat the extra calories to fuel my workouts, rather then earning the extra food by exercising...does that make sense?0 -
never "eat back" your exercise calories UNLESS you want to lose weight slower OR if for some reason you are hungier (which happens with increased activity) but my advice is to NOT eat those calories back. If defeats the purpose of exercise.
You should exercise to burn extra fat, calories or lose weight faster.
You shouldn't exercise just so you can eat more
He has an agenda...do NOT listen to him!!
See EdDavenport and Trog...they know what they are doing.0 -
You could lose weight without exercising by eating the same number of calories as MFP already builds in the deficit without factoring in any exercise. Exercise calories add to the total number of calories you're "allowed to eat".
However, exercise brings in loads of other benefits such as improved cardiovascular health, more lean body mass (less body fat = increase in resting metabolism), more regularity (I had to add this because let's face it, it's kind of nice to not be constipated) plus tons of other stuff which I am sure have already been mentioned.
PLUS - bonus, those exercise calories mean you can eat a little bit more. And we all know that can't be a bad thing
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OP... do what you want, but just on the second page of this thread, you have three people that have lost 566 lbs combined.
We're all three telling you to eat them back.
Now, you choose.
We don't have our own websites for weight loss and we're not trying to talk you into doing something crazy, like not eating enough... but hey, to each their own, right?
This.
/endthread0 -
it's no doubt you WILL lose weight eating back your calories but eating back those calories is simply the same thing as you just going on a diet alone and...
NOT eating back those calories is a bonus helping you lose faster but once you hit a platuea which you probably will - you may want to think twice about eating back those calories you burned working out.
I mean, why burn 400 calories on a kick *kitten* workout like insanity and then turn around and eat it all back?0 -
I mean, why burn 400 calories on a kick *kitten* workout like insanity and then turn around and eat it all back?
Because you get hungry?
I can't believe you run a diet website.0 -
He has an agenda...do NOT listen to him!!
See EdDavenport and Trog...they know what they are doing.
an agenda to help you burn fat faster but let me apolgize (I'm not being sarcastic) to those of you who believe in losing 1-2 pounds per week0 -
you are already set to lose weight by virtue of the fact you are already eating at a deficit, eating at a deficit is the thing that will cause you to lose weight, not exercising. so yes, eat back your exercise cals if you want to maintain the deficit that has been set. if you want a bigger deficit than you have set, then by all mean dont eat back your exercise calories, if you want to be hungry and miserable? then go for it!
is it really that difficult for some people to understand??
losing weight and keeping it off is a slow and steady process, trying to lose it as quickly as possible in a blind panic is not really the answer IMO0 -
Faster isn't always better. People who lose more slowly hang on to more muscle, which looks much better once they reach their goal weight. Losing slower is also better in terms of skin elasticity. Plus, If eating a little bit more makes it easier for someone to stick to the plan, that is much better than being stressed and tired because they are hungry and they give up.
the heavier you are = the faster you'll lose weight and the MORE fat you'll lose. muscle loss only begins to occur at the point when your bodyfat % gets EXTREMELY low (like under 5%)
as for skin elasticity (or loose skin) most people mistake loose skin for simply more fat they have to lose. Pinch the skin on the back of your hand which is VERY thin - that's loose skin. pinching skin in other areas that is thicker anywhere else is just more fat you need to lose
No. I have a body fat % of ~23%, and i've lost a lot of muscle..0 -
I mean, why burn 400 calories on a kick *kitten* workout like insanity and then turn around and eat it all back?
Because you get hungry?
I can't believe you run a diet website.
Exercise (usually the more intense it is) blunts your appetite but yes... some people may have an increased appetite hours after a tough workout but here's the point guys...
IF you eat back EVERYTHING YOU BURN OFF then you are simply wasting your time exercising0 -
Why exercise:Bad advice. Fast weight loss isn't good weight loss.
Exercise should not be about calorie burns.
then what about the overeweight person who loses 10 pounds a week until they get within 20-to-50 pounds of their goal?
If exercise shouldn't be abotu calorie burns then why exercise?
For health.
For fitness.
For retention of lean mass while at a caloric deficit.
For learning good and sustainable habits to last a lifetime.
You are giving out the most appalling advice in your efforts to set up a business - please stop as all you are encouraging is unhealthy weight loss and yo-yo dieting.0 -
The purpose of the exercise is not to lose weight, it is to make a person more healthy. The vast majority of overweight people are not just fat, they are unfit. Simply losing the weight will not correct the fitness aspect of their life. They will simply be a smaller version of their unfit self. Exercise deals with that, which is the point of exercising.
As to what to do. Strength training is essential. I am not personally sold on the huge amount of cardio many people here do, but some is good for the heart.0 -
I mean, why burn 400 calories on a kick *kitten* workout like insanity and then turn around and eat it all back?
Because you get hungry?
I can't believe you run a diet website.
Exercise (usually the more intense it is) blunts your appetite but yes... some people may have an increased appetite hours after a tough workout but here's the point guys...
IF you eat back EVERYTHING YOU BURN OFF then you are simply wasting your time exercising
See? There you go again. We do not exercise to eat. We exercise to make our bodies more healthy. I think that is one of your disconnects.0 -
never "eat back" your exercise calories UNLESS you want to lose weight slower OR if for some reason you are hungier (which happens with increased activity) but my advice is to NOT eat those calories back. If defeats the purpose of exercise.
You should exercise to burn extra fat, calories or lose weight faster.
You shouldn't exercise just so you can eat more
Funny....I dropped on average about 1 Lb per week (40 Lbs down total) as per my goals that I input to MFP...I did so using this tool properly and eating back my exercise calories (allowance made for overestimation of burn)...because that is the way this tool is designed. Eating a mere 1300 calories and going to the gym and burning off 600 - 1000 calories is a pretty friggin' horrible idea and extremely unhealthy.
So, if someone lost oh, I dunno, 2 lbs. per week (for the same 40 lb. total) WITHOUT eating back their exercise calories, do they win?
(Without losing all their teeth, or some other horrible side-effects, obviously.)0 -
It is perfectly acceptable to have a large deficit if you have large fat stores or if you are obese. If you have a high initial body fat percentage, then you are going to lose more fat relative to lean, so you may need a larger deficit to lose the same amount of weight as compared to a lean person. For someone with 70 lbs.or more of body fat, a 2100 calorie deficit is okay, as long as calorie intake exceeds about 1600 calories. . For someone with 20-30 lbs of body fat, a 400-600 calorie deficit is appropriate. I am currently on a 1500 calorie deficit (taking in 1600), and I feel better than i have in years. Losing 5 lbs or so weekly, and I am not hungry all the time. Of course, I listen to doctors, and not just internet kooks.0
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it's no doubt you WILL lose weight eating back your calories but eating back those calories is simply the same thing as you just going on a diet alone and...
NOT eating back those calories is a bonus helping you lose faster but once you hit a platuea which you probably will - you may want to think twice about eating back those calories you burned working out.
I mean, why burn 400 calories on a kick *kitten* workout like insanity and then turn around and eat it all back?
Because the purpose of exercise is fitness.
A female doing Insanity is recommended to eat about 1900 calories, I believe, to support the intensity of the workout. Your average female on MFP, if following MFP recommendations, is eating perhaps 1200-1500. Well below what they need to be eating when doing a vigorous workout. This is why you eat back calories, because MFP calculates your calorie needs BEFORE exercise.0 -
exercise is also good for all the benefits many of you have listed but focusing on exercise for weight loss...
WHY even worry about EXERCISE FOR WEIGHT LOSS if you're eating back everything you burn off? that's all im saying0 -
OP... do what you want, but just on the second page of this thread, you have three people that have lost 566 lbs combined.
We're all three telling you to eat them back.
Now, you choose.
We don't have our own websites for weight loss and we're not trying to talk you into doing something crazy, like not eating enough... but hey, to each their own, right?
This.
/endthread
This This!
If all you care about is fat loss and not your overall health then by all means skip the exercise. If you care about overall health then don't skip the exercise and do eat back the calories.0 -
He has an agenda...do NOT listen to him!!
See EdDavenport and Trog...they know what they are doing.
an agenda to help you burn fat faster but let me apolgize (I'm not being sarcastic) to those of you who believe in losing 1-2 pounds per week
well you are assuming the OP wants to lose weight faster and hell yeah 1-2 pounds a week is awesome!! this site is not just about dropping weight as fast as you can and still have unhealthy eating habits. Many of us are here to stop the many years of yo-yoing due to the strategy you are suggesting the OP follow. Crazy calorie burns need fuel and yes, the excess fat stores will be used but that's not going to stop the hunger from eating at 1300 calories day in, day out.0 -
You get to eat more.
If you're happy surviving on 1300 calories, then don't eat them back.
I can eat 1500 calories on just dinner, which makes exercise essential for me.
I'd be miserable as sin if I had to survive on 1300 calories a day. Or anything under 1800 calories for that matter.0 -
Wow dude, you REALLY don't get it. Rapid weight loss is not a good thing, many of your statements are flat out wrong, and your recommendations are dangerous. There aren't enough faces and palms in this world to express the collective sigh of everyone here.
ETA: I've some people on my list have fainting spells from trying to be too aggressive with their weight loss goals. An extreme deficit is a good way to lose weight if you aren't worried about your health I guess...0 -
It makes me sad that you have a fitness and weight loss web site.Exercise (usually the more intense it is) blunts your appetite but yes... some people may have an increased appetite hours after a tough workout but here's the point guys...
IF you eat back EVERYTHING YOU BURN OFF then you are simply wasting your time exercising0 -
exercise is also good for all the benefits many of you have listed but focusing on exercise for weight loss...
WHY even worry about EXERCISE FOR WEIGHT LOSS if you're eating back everything you burn off? that's all im saying
Because MFP CALCULATES YOUR CALORIE NEEDS BASED ON NO EXERCISE.
Duh.0 -
Hero0
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If exercise shouldn't be abotu calorie burns then why exercise?
I'm maintaining right now...have been for about 5 months or so...by this logic, I shouldn't bother with exercise because I'm not trying to lose and don't want to have a calorie deficit anymore.
Personally, I exercise for my fitness and overall health and well being...
Diet for weight control; exercise for fitness....0 -
never "eat back" your exercise calories UNLESS you want to lose weight slower OR if for some reason you are hungier (which happens with increased activity) but my advice is to NOT eat those calories back. If defeats the purpose of exercise.
You should exercise to burn extra fat, calories or lose weight faster.
You shouldn't exercise just so you can eat more
This is terrible advice, I advise no one to follow it. Losing weight as fast as possible to the point of endangering your health is NOT the way to go.
Plus its not sustainable and a great way to gain it all back.0 -
rapid weight loss is not a bad thing. the 1-2 pounds per week recommendation is false DEPENDING On how overweight you are. like i said an extremely overeweight person may lose 5-to-10 pounds their first week and as they get closer to their goals then they may lose 1-2 pounds or even less.0
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Hmm, so why eat food at all then? Just eat nothing until you reach your goal.exercise is also good for all the benefits many of you have listed but focusing on exercise for weight loss...
WHY even worry about EXERCISE FOR WEIGHT LOSS if you're eating back everything you burn off? that's all im saying0 -
... dude... just seriously...rapid weight loss is not a bad thing. the 1-2 pounds per week recommendation is false DEPENDING On how overweight you are. like i said an extremely overeweight person may lose 5-to-10 pounds their first week and as they get closer to their goals then they may lose 1-2 pounds or even less.0 -
I know exercise is healthy but in regards to loosing weight. I find that when I workout I end up eating the calories that I burned. So for example my goal on MFP is about 1300 calories to loose 2lbs per week.
If I don't work out I end up eating those 1300 calories, but if I do work out MFP tells me I can eat those calories back, whats the point then to cardio workouts for loosing weight?
My trainer at gym suggested I don't eat back all calories that I burned but I find that difficult because as it is I am already cutting enough calories to loose those 2lbs per week...
I do enjoy working out, but should I skip cardio until I loose the weight that I want to loose?
Any thoughts?
Diet=Weight loss
Exercise= Health, strength, body comp, enjoyment.
I don't workout for the sake of calorie burn, I do it because I love lifting weights, I love hitting higher numbers, and I love what it's doing for my body. If you enjoy it, why skip it?0
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