Do you eat all of your exercise calories back?

Happymelz

I have been doing fairly well for the past 4 weeks (translated, better than I usually do.)
Been sticking to my calories and eating exercise calories back (MFP set to sedentary so I track any activity)
But for the last 2 weeks I've shown .1 lb loss each week.
I am trying to not get discouraged, but I don't know what i'm doing wrong.

So, I'm wondering if I shouldn't be eating all/most of my exercise calories back. I know I shouldn't go below 1200 on any give day..but I spent a lot of time trying to recover from starvation mode and not being able to lose, period. So I am apprehensive about NOT eating all my calories back.

My diary is public.
I spent the weekend eating at maintenance levels, hoping to trick my body.
Any thoughts?

(And I KNOW that I don't always eat perfectly healthy food. but I have to live in the real world.)

Happymelz

And no, I'm not trolling here. I really want to hear from others who have tried both ways, or one or the other.

Pearsquared

I can't say for all, but I've had success with eating my exercise calories back. I exercise more because I can "reward" myself with more food, and because I'm eating more, I don't feel as deprived and I'm more likely to not go over my calorie goal.

Phoenix_Warrior

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think?hl=You're+probably+eating+more+than+you+think

sunsetzen

Just looked into your diary, back two weeks, and I notice that you eat out pretty much every day. And you put in stuff from British stores and American. I assume you're American (krispy kreme mmm), so are you just putting in stuff that you've eaten but not necessarily from the same place? If so, your calories might be off from that. Also, do you weigh everything you eat? How accurate are your calories/weights? I think your lack of loss has more to do with eating more than you think rather than eating back your exercise calories (which I only do if I'm hungry, and I've only had one weight stall for one extra week).

Also, considering the amount of processed foods you eat, I think you're going way over in sodium, fat and sugar.

BostonBill99

I never eat mine back. It seems you are defeating the purpose of dieting. The goal is to create as big a deficit from your BMR to your caloric intake. So if my BMR is 3800 calories and my actual intake is 2000. I have a deficit of 1800. If I also have exercise of 400 calories burned, my deficit is now 2200 calories. If I eat those calories back, I am back to the initial 1800.

MrsBingley

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think?hl=You're+probably+eating+more+than+you+think

This ^^ Personally, I KNOW that my calories are only an estimate as I don't have a food scale. I measure with cups, but that is fraught with problems. I have my profile set to sedentary and 1 lb loss per week. I offset any mistakes by always rounding up food if I am unsure and doing at least a small amount of exercise that I don't report. Also, if my allowance is 1600 for the day because of workouts, but I get to 1200 and don't feel hungry, I stop eating anyway. I do generally end up with one high intake day per week where I come in just below maintenance level. That seems to keep my metabolism in order and gives me extra energy to hit the weights hard. I know I don't have a lot of history here, but I am actually down 14 from my top weight with a steady loss of 1-2 lbs per week.

Happymelz

I eat out a lot because my life doesn't get me home for dinner more than 2 or 3 nights per week, which I realize makes it harder to lose.

AND I understand that I am probably not 100% accurate, but usually I over estimate if I am not 100% sure.

I know that inaccuracy can add up. BUT if the math says 3500 deficite = 1 lb loss I would have to be inaccurate by 3150 calories per week for the results I've had...and that doesn't seem right.

My questions is...do you eat all of your exercise calories back or not? looking for advise on this specific question.

(it isn't that I don't appreciate the food input. but unless you have to eat out a lot and have had success, how can you accurately give me advise?)

Happymelz

Thank you!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think?hl=You're+probably+eating+more+than+you+think

This ^^ Personally, I KNOW that my calories are only an estimate as I don't have a food scale. I measure with cups, but that is fraught with problems. I have my profile set to sedentary and 1 lb loss per week. I offset any mistakes by always rounding up food if I am unsure and doing at least a small amount of exercise that I don't report. Also, if my allowance is 1600 for the day because of workouts, but I get to 1200 and don't feel hungry, I stop eating anyway. I do generally end up with one high intake day per week where I come in just below maintenance level. That seems to keep my metabolism in order and gives me extra energy to hit the weights hard. I know I don't have a lot of history here, but I am actually down 14 from my top weight with a steady loss of 1-2 lbs per week.

mich19025

I never eat mine back. It seems you are defeating the purpose of dieting. The goal is to create as big a deficit from your BMR to your caloric intake. So if my BMR is 3800 calories and my actual intake is 2000. I have a deficit of 1800. If I also have exercise of 400 calories burned, my deficit is now 2200 calories. If I eat those calories back, I am back to the initial 1800.

Hi

I think you mean you create a defecit from your tdee? Your bmr is the minimum calories your body should be taking in just to function without any activity level added.

Happymelz

I never eat mine back. It seems you are defeating the purpose of dieting. The goal is to create as big a deficit from your BMR to your caloric intake. So if my BMR is 3800 calories and my actual intake is 2000. I have a deficit of 1800. If I also have exercise of 400 calories burned, my deficit is now 2200 calories. If I eat those calories back, I am back to the initial 1800.

My caloric allowance is 1350...so if I burn OVER 150 calories I am under the recommended calorie in take for a woman...so I HAVE to eat some back. Because I've already spent too many years eating under what I need. Not going back there.

joannadalina

Hi --

I have done a lot of research about this. Some people do, some people don't. I have decided that I will. Of all the reading that I've done, this is my basic understanding of how eating back exercise calories work:

The amount of calories (roughly) you should eat a day is your weight multiplied by 10.
I weigh 218 lbs, so 218 x 10 = 2,180 calories a day (just to function).

One pound is 3,500 calories. So in order to lose one pound a week you should burn / have a deficit of 500 calories a day. MFP takes that deficit into account already by subtracting 500 calories a day.
So 2,180 - 500 = 1,680.

So, supposedly, if I eat my 1,680 / day then I should lose 1lb / week. Thus far, I have.

When I exercise, for example, if I burn 300 calories that day exercising, then I've earned extra calories to eat, 300 calories worth. So if I don't eat those 300 calories back, then I would be eating 1,380 calories (1680 - 300 = 1380).
I've read a lot that if you don't eat enough calories than your body may go into starvation mode which may slow down your overall weight loss b/c your body is basically holding your fat hostage in a sense, LOL.

I am already eating 500 calories less than my body needs a day so I decided to eat back my exercise calories to keep an even 1680 / day.

I've also read a lot that MFP tends to over estimate calories burned, etc. So I tend to leave some calories left over, 100-200 / day, just in case, but if I am hungry, then I eat.

It really depends on you. I've read a lot of different perspectives on it. But I figured since I am already eating 500 calories less, then for the most part I eat back my exercise calories.

A healthy weight loss is 1-2lbs / week. There was one week where I tried to test this theory and NOT eat back my exercise calories, and I actually gained a 1lb that week. When I started eating them back I continued to lose a 1 pound / week.

Best of luck
Joanna

conniehv40

I have been asking my mfp friends that same exact question, so bumping to read all the responses!

agggie550

I have to eat them back, If i didn't I would only get like 700-1000 Calories a day, I mean right now I eat between 2500-3000+ a day so that I can net around 1400. I have chosen to live that life though, I enjoy being in the gym 6 days a week, working hard and getting results, so spending all day Sunday preparing and portioning out food doesn't bother me. And if you look at my diary I eat the same stuff a lot, but again i'm okay with that, because where i am with my Fitness level is exactly were I wanna be, and I just keep improving on it.

brucekatestorm

That is a tough one. I have plateaued, I have been for some time....not sure why. I mess up every once in awhile, but always get back on track. I try to eat right and always watch the amount I eat. I think I am pretty accurate on my amounts. And I'm just about ALWAYS under my calorie intake amount. I have been playing around but haven't found the right combination yet. When I first started I lost weight at a safe and healthy pace, but now. have leveled out for the last 2 months. I'm not sure what I am doing wrong. Except one thing, and I have been working on that issue. But I haven't given up. And I think that is the key. I really don't have any good advice, except....... don't give up. Keep trying. Keep trying different things till you find what works for you again. Wish you the best of luck.

jchite84

I eat some of my calories back, but I could not possibly eat them all back. I run, and sometimes I'll burn 1300 - 1500 calories in a day, I think I would throw up if I tried to do that! Generally, I try to eat back at least 25% of what I burn exercising. So - my base calorie level is 1800, say I burn 300 on a 3 mile run that puts me at 2100 for the day - I try to actually eat around 1900.

MFP had me at 1400 per day, and it slowed my metabolism down so much I wasn't losing anything (6 week plateau - kind of frustrating). I upped my calories, and I am losing again. But, it is important to get enough calories to support your weight loss goals!

Happymelz

Hi --

I have done a lot of research about this. Some people do, some people don't. I have decided that I will. Of all the reading that I've done, this is my basic understanding of how eating back exercise calories work:

The amount of calories (roughly) you should eat a day is your weight multiplied by 10.
I weigh 218 lbs, so 218 x 10 = 2,180 calories a day (just to function).

One pound is 3,500 calories. So in order to lose one pound a week you should burn / have a deficit of 500 calories a day. MFP takes that deficit into account already by subtracting 500 calories a day.
So 2,180 - 500 = 1,680.

So, supposedly, if I eat my 1,680 / day then I should lose 1lb / week. Thus far, I have.

When I exercise, for example, if I burn 300 calories that day exercising, then I've earned extra calories to eat, 300 calories worth. So if I don't eat those 300 calories back, then I would be eating 1,380 calories (1680 - 300 = 1380).
I've read a lot that if you don't eat enough calories than your body may go into starvation mode which may slow down your overall weight loss b/c your body is basically holding your fat hostage in a sense, LOL.

I am already eating 500 calories less than my body needs a day so I decided to eat back my exercise calories to keep an even 1680 / day.

I've also read a lot that MFP tends to over estimate calories burned, etc. So I tend to leave some calories left over, 100-200 / day, just in case, but if I am hungry, then I eat.

It really depends on you. I've read a lot of different perspectives on it. But I figured since I am already eating 500 calories less, then for the most part I eat back my exercise calories.

A healthy weight loss is 1-2lbs / week. There was one week where I tried to test this theory and NOT eat back my exercise calories, and I actually gained a 1lb that week. When I started eating them back I continued to lose a 1 pound / week.

Best of luck
Joanna

THIS is the reason I eat mine back. Because if I didn't some days I would net under 1200...which isn't good at all.

I just can't figure out if I should only eat enough back to net 1200...and see what happens this week.

I just don't want to slip back into starvation mode again. It isn't fun.

Jim_1960

After a "chat" with a few friends I revised how I go about this.
Rather than use the MFP method and eat back exercise, I decided to calculate TDEE and use the -15% - 20% rule.
I adjusted my daily allowance eon MFP and only log a calorie exercise as a placeholder to myself showing I did exercise.
Really focus on the food and water intake now.

markiend

I'd look at the estimates for calorie burning activities and perhaps round the intensity down. If you think you are doing moderate..then make that into slow.. but keep the minutes done

if you are walking a lot... reduce the pace that you log

The danger a lot of us face..is underestimating what we eat and over estimating what we burn

but 1lb a week is good enough for most.. over a period of time that would be fine for most

edited for clarity

sunsetzen

We dont have to eat the same food. 1500 calories is 1500 calories whether you eat homemade or fast food. What I was trying to say is that your calorie count is more than likely not accurate. So before you worry about eating back exercise calories, you should try to get a more accurate count of what you are eating.

Btw, mfp deficits are designed to eat back the calories you exercise off. I eat mine back and have lost 30 lbs in 1.5 months.

jchite84

That is a tough one. I have plateaued, I have been for some time....not sure why. I mess up every once in awhile, but always get back on track. I try to eat right and always watch the amount I eat. I think I am pretty accurate on my amounts. And I'm just about ALWAYS under my calorie intake amount. I have been playing around but haven't found the right combination yet. When I first started I lost weight at a safe and healthy pace, but now. have leveled out for the last 2 months. I'm not sure what I am doing wrong. Except one thing, and I have been working on that issue. But I haven't given up. And I think that is the key. I really don't have any good advice, except....... don't give up. Keep trying. Keep trying different things till you find what works for you again. Wish you the best of luck.

I hit a plateau at about the same place on my weight loss goal. I changed my goal from 2 lb a week to 1 lb a week and MFP gave me about 400 extra calories per day. My metabolism was definitely suffering, it took another 2 weeks of eating more to get straightened around again, but I'm back on track and losing again. You might readjust your goals and see if that helps.