Exercise more, eat more..???

tmauck4472

I don't eat my exercise calories back unless I'm hungry. Hasn't hindered my weight loss one bit.

cwolfman13

Everyone says you're supposed to eat them back but if you don't, then you'll lose almost an extra pound of muscle per week. I usually don't eat them back unless I'm hungry. If you do eat them back, you'll still lose but way less.

Fixed it for ya....

Nope, you broke it. The body can lose up to 2 pounds a week of fat without losing muscle. It's like nobody on this site actually wants to lose weight.

depends on your fat stores...by the by I've been very successful at losing weight..If I were to lose at a rate of 2 Lbs per week right now, it would largely be muscle...I don't have the fat stores...you comment was a very blanket one...the leaner you are, the slower you have to go...if you don't have the fat stores, what exactly do you think your body burns for energy?

I'm doing just fine, as it would appear you are...but you obviously don't have a clue as to what happens when you lean out...good luck with all that. Personally, I'm partial to maximizing fat loss and preserving lean mass...I really don't care about the Lbs on the scale...I care about losing fat and retaining my muscle mass.

tmauck4472

if you go below 1200 with exercise you NEED to eat them back, unless you want to loose hair nails bones muscle tissue and some actual fat on the side.

Not exactly true for everyone. For some yes for some no. Depends on the person.

kayveebee7

When I started my cal intake set by MFP was 1440, I was STARVING! I would eat about half of my exercise cals and noticed my weightloss was really slow. I have a lot to lose, so I didn't expect such an early plateau. I upped my cal intake to 1700 per day and I do not log my exercise at all (well I do, but I only enter 1 cal per exercise.) When I workout I burn about 500-600 cals per day, I workout 5 times a week. My weight is coming off at a consistent rate now, anywhere from 1lb to 2.5lbs per week, within the last three weeks. When I was eating 1440 and eating only half of my exercise cals on the day I worked out, I didn't lose a thing! I eat 1700 everyday, even on the days I don't workout, but considering I stick to my 5 times a week routine.

TAsunder

Hi. I need some help. I tried to open up my own post but I must be blind because I can't find the "new post" tab.

Anyways, I am 5'6' 144 lbs 24 yr old female who is currently unhappy with physical appearance of body and I want to get down to 120 lbs.

I am currently eating 1200 calories and working out 6 days a week burning 400 calories per exercise (i do treadmill -walk very briskly/jog/run). I also eat back 3/4 to all of my calories that I burn during exercise.

Can someone tell me how long it will take me to get to my goal? Or if I am on the right track? I still eat one cheat food a day like a twinkie or a cookie? or a cup of coffee with 1 sugar 1 cream in it. I drink like 10-12 glasses of water daily as well.

Your TDEE before exercise is probably somewhere around 1600-1800 so that means if you just eat 1200 calories a day and did no exercise, you'd be losing somewhere around 1lb per week. This is assuming you have a desk job. By exercising 400 calories and eating back 300, it will be more like 1.2 lbs.

HOWEVER, your number of 400 calories might be off. How are you calculating that? How long are you walking/jogging and what pace?

scottYBRIDGEWATER

Everyone says you're supposed to eat them back but if you don't, then you'll lose almost an extra pound of muscle per week. I usually don't eat them back unless I'm hungry. If you do eat them back, you'll still lose but way less.

Fixed it for ya....

Nope, you broke it. The body can lose up to 2 pounds a week of fat without losing muscle. It's like nobody on this site actually wants to lose weight.

Holy Moly! There is actually someone else who thinks this way!!! You made my day.

mreeves261

Thank you everyone! I'm very grateful - and need to speak to my other friend who is in the wrong!

Thanks guys.
xxx

This friend may not be wrong. There is more than one method to losing weight. Friend B might be going with TDEE minus a % for weight loss. In which case they are correct in saying you don't eat those calories back.

Find what works for you and stick to it. If your friends offer advice use what you can and ignore the rest.

RGv2

Everyone says you're supposed to eat them back but if you don't, then you'll lose almost an extra pound of muscle per week. I usually don't eat them back unless I'm hungry. If you do eat them back, you'll still lose but way less.

Fixed it for ya....

Nope, you broke it. The body can lose up to 2 pounds a week of fat without losing muscle. It's like nobody on this site actually wants to lose weight.

Lulz.....

deksgrl

Everyone says you're supposed to eat them back but if you don't, then you'll lose almost an extra pound of fat per week. I usually don't eat them back unless I'm hungry. If you do eat them back, you'll still lose but way less.

If you are very fat, you might lose an extra pound of fat per week. This is not the case for everyone. You need to be careful giving blanket advice because it can be damaging to people for whom it doesn't apply.

Sjenny5891

It depends on what your Activity level is set at and how much you have to lose.

If you told MFP you are "Active" or "Very Active" MFP figures you will burn 400 Calories a day or more. ( Then do not eat the Calories back)

If you said "sedentary" MFP thinks you sit on your tush all day and doesn't even factor in cooking or cleaning. ( Then you need to eat back the calories)

tmauck4472

When I was sick this year there were weeks I could barely consume 800 cals a day

the hair started falling out pretty quickly......it wasnt pretty

Everyone must be different but 1200 isn't some magical number that your body just knows to automatically start panicking if you eat below that. Some people can actually get by on 1100 and still be good.

PinkyFett

I agree with A to an extent, but when I was exercising burning a lot, I couldn't keep up with how much I was "supposed" to eat. It was too much for me. Do what feels right for you. Just stay healthy doing so.