Should I Eat Back The Calories?

chsa22

I'm not especially prolific on the boards and I don't broadcast my opinion much. I'm no expert, and I'm obese, what do I know. The OPs original question is perfectly valid and there's a shed load of solid advice within the first three pages.

However. The constant repetition of unsustainable eating strategies, the poor understanding of the MFP (and TDEE) "methods", and the stubborn refusal to self-educate and UPDATE knowledge - to base comprehension on contemporary and scientifically supported research - by otherwise intelligent human beings who frequent this site for months at a time, frustrates the *kitten* out of me. Sometimes it makes me doubt what I'm doing.

To those MFP veterans - and all the other contributors - who have the wisdom and patience to continue to argue for reason and common sense, we are genuinely lucky to have you.

PS to OP - eat them back if you're using MFP settings. And make sure you deduct your BMR cals from your HRM readings, that the settings are accurate and the batteries are good!! You'll be grand, keep reading, keep an open mind, and remember that a moderate deficit and eating the things you like in moderation, is better than being deprived - you'll sustain it longer.

Great post, much needed!

ChrisM8971

Having read through all the posts there is some good advice and bad here. However I think a lot of people misunderstand how to make the best use of MFP.

In regards to eating back your calories, it is both yes and no. It very much depends on how you have MFP set up.

If you have it set up so that you are counted as 'sedentary' then yes, you are going to want to eat back some of your calories burned from exercise.If you have MFP set as sedentary then it will provide you with your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). Your BMR is the amount of calories your body burns at rest. That's not moving, not exercising, just simply existing So you'll want to eat back SOME of the calories you've burned, so you're at around a 500 calorie deficit for the day. This will result in a loss of around 1 pound per week. Please note as you lose more weight you will get metabolic adaptation and thus require either more exercise, to cut calories further or a combination of both. It'll also change your BMR and maintenance calories. That's for another time though.

However, if you have set MFP as that you workout a certain amount per week, it will work out your maintenance calories for you. From here you can either choose to lose weight or gain weight. The maintenance presented to you, include the fact that you exercise x amount of times per week. Say for instance, such as myself, have a maintenance of 2650 calories per day. By selecting weight loss, it provides me with a calorific goal of 2150. If I choose to gain weight then my calorific goal for the day is 3150. In this case, one would eat to these calories AND NOT eat back their calories from exercise - don't even include exercise on here.

Below is a link that is would be extremely useful to just about everyone on here to use and will settle the matter for good:

http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

Follow the steps and if you know your BF% it'll only make it more accurate. This will provide you with your calories and your macros for the day, that you eat to and stay at (DO NOT EAT BACK CALORIES BURNED). For those unaware of how to change your calorie and macro goals for yourself do as follows:

Home > Goals > Change Goals > Custom

You will need to fiddle with the macro % in order to get it close to what the above link provides you with.

Once again to reiterate: If you have your MFP set at sedentary then YES, you need to eag back SOME of your calories (so that you are at a 500 calorie deficit). If you have MFP set to include that you work out, or have used the above link to work out your calories and macors, then NO, you do not eat any of them back.

If anyone wants to discuss anything else, then please just message me or feel free to add me.

Jonathan.

I am pretty sure that if you read through the stickies that no matter what you set your activity level to MFP still expects you to eat your exercise calories back. That is why if you put the same activity level into MFP and a TDEE calculating site MFP will still give you a lower calorie goal

Simple answer is, if you don't want to eat back any of your exercise calories then calculate your TDEE and manually set your calorie goal at TDEE - 15 or 20% rather than using the MFP estimation

ETA I see exercise calories as those deliberately burnt doing exercise, additional walking, cardio machines, weights etc. Burning calories cooking, cleaning etc are what should be included in your activity level and not logged and eaten back separately

JKent2244

Having read through all the posts there is some good advice and bad here. However I think a lot of people misunderstand how to make the best use of MFP.

In regards to eating back your calories, it is both yes and no. It very much depends on how you have MFP set up.

If you have it set up so that you are counted as 'sedentary' then yes, you are going to want to eat back some of your calories burned from exercise.If you have MFP set as sedentary then it will provide you with your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). Your BMR is the amount of calories your body burns at rest. That's not moving, not exercising, just simply existing So you'll want to eat back SOME of the calories you've burned, so you're at around a 500 calorie deficit for the day. This will result in a loss of around 1 pound per week. Please note as you lose more weight you will get metabolic adaptation and thus require either more exercise, to cut calories further or a combination of both. It'll also change your BMR and maintenance calories. That's for another time though.

However, if you have set MFP as that you workout a certain amount per week, it will work out your maintenance calories for you. From here you can either choose to lose weight or gain weight. The maintenance presented to you, include the fact that you exercise x amount of times per week. Say for instance, such as myself, have a maintenance of 2650 calories per day. By selecting weight loss, it provides me with a calorific goal of 2150. If I choose to gain weight then my calorific goal for the day is 3150. In this case, one would eat to these calories AND NOT eat back their calories from exercise - don't even include exercise on here.

Below is a link that is would be extremely useful to just about everyone on here to use and will settle the matter for good:

http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

Follow the steps and if you know your BF% it'll only make it more accurate. This will provide you with your calories and your macros for the day, that you eat to and stay at (DO NOT EAT BACK CALORIES BURNED). For those unaware of how to change your calorie and macro goals for yourself do as follows:

Home > Goals > Change Goals > Custom

You will need to fiddle with the macro % in order to get it close to what the above link provides you with.

Once again to reiterate: If you have your MFP set at sedentary then YES, you need to eag back SOME of your calories (so that you are at a 500 calorie deficit). If you have MFP set to include that you work out, or have used the above link to work out your calories and macors, then NO, you do not eat any of them back.

If anyone wants to discuss anything else, then please just message me or feel free to add me.

Jonathan.

I am pretty sure that if you read through the stickies that no matter what you set your activity level to MFP still expects you to eat your exercise calories back. That is why if you put the same activity level into MFP and a TDEE calculating site MFP will still give you a lower calorie goal

Simple answer is, if you don't want to eat back any of your exercise calories then calculate your TDEE and manually set your calorie goal at TDEE - 15 or 20% rather than using the MFP estimation

I have read the stickies and have seen that they expect you to eat back some of your calories but I believe this to be wrong which is why I don't simply rely on the MFP calculations.

I personally follow IIFYM and thus set my macros myself. I no longer even focus on calories and no do I eat back calories. The link I provided is very very accurate, especially if you put in your body fat percentage. It requires you to put in your height, weight, body fat % and how many times your exercise a day. It provides you with your BMR and your maintenance (TDEE). It even gives you options to then for losing weight and gaining it. If following that method, there really is no need at all to eat back any calories, just to hit your caloric allowance, or in my case, hit my macros. In this instance, MFP is a brilliant tool. Saves all the worry about whether you should or shouldn't eat any calories back or not.

ChrisM8971

I have read the stickies and have seen that they expect you to eat back some of your calories but I believe this to be wrong which is why I don't simply rely on the MFP calculations.

I personally follow IIFYM and thus set my macros myself. I no longer even focus on calories and no do I eat back calories. The link I provided is very very accurate, especially if you put in your body fat percentage. It requires you to put in your height, weight, body fat % and how many times your exercise a day. It provides you with your BMR and your maintenance (TDEE). It even gives you options to then for losing weight and gaining it. If following that method, there really is no need at all to eat back any calories, just to hit your caloric allowance, or in my case, hit my macros. In this instance, MFP is a brilliant tool. Saves all the worry about whether you should or shouldn't eat any calories back or not.

Agreed that the TDEE method is a great way to go but you also really need to stick to a workout routine and not do it one week and not for the next couple then start again etc.

So while not eating back works for you when using the TDEE method it does not mean that those using the MFP method should not eat back either.

But at least we agree that MFP expects you to eat them back so all of those people you suggested didn't know how the site works might actually know something after all

ETA Grammar

Annie_01

I could be wrong...I have been before...but...

My understanding of MFP is that when you select your activity level MFP will adjust to account for your daily activity...not your exercise calories.

Sedentary would be for those who mainly just sit all day...does very little else. Light activity are for those who are moving around such as doing normal housework...cooking...laundry...but nothing strenuous. It goes up from there depending on the type of work you do...such as are you a delivery person that is in and out of a truck all day...delivery heavy packages...taking the steps up to peoples apartments...things such as that.

If I select sedentary I get 1200 cals...if I select light I get 1500 at my weight.

ChrisM8971

I could be wrong...I have been before...but...

My understanding of MFP is that when you select your activity level MFP will adjust to account for your daily activity...not your exercise calories.

Sedentary would be for those who mainly just sit all day...does very little else. Light activity are for those who are moving around such as doing normal housework...cooking...laundry...but nothing strenuous. It goes up from there depending on the type of work you do...such as are you a delivery person that is in and out of a truck all day...delivery heavy packages...taking the steps up to peoples apartments...things such as that.

If I select sedentary I get 1200 cals...if I select light I get 1500 at my weight.

Sounds like we agree on that one :drinker:

LittleMissFit83

Depends on if you have yourself set to sedentary or not. I personally have myself set to sedentary (even though I'm a preschool teacher's aide) and I always eat back all my exercise calories - which leaves me netting at least 1295 calories a day (goal being 1300).

Apple31415

I'm trying to lose. I'm fairly new to MFP (1 month) and have my goal set to include that i workout 5 days per week. It's actually more like 6. Anyway, the approach i'm taking is to stick very close to the 2090 calorie goal consumed (+/-100 calories most days) (I was 265 4 weeks ago and had the goal of 240 in 3 months) I'm 254 now. -11lbs in 4 weeks. I use my exercise calories burn as a credit to tell myself that i'm running an average of 800-1000 deficit. I'm 6'5", 254 and my elliptical AND MFP agree that i'm burning 1039 calories in a 60 minutes fairly intense cardio session. I'm not ravenous and still manage to run that 800-1000 calorie deficit each day. Am i missing something and totally out of whack or am i as on-track as i think (and feel)? There are some seriously knowledgable folks on this thread so i thought i'd ask the group. I must add that i've been doing cardio this way for about a year and since using MFP, I blasted through a weightloss plateau of -55lbs that i had been stuck on for months prior. I'm know down a total of 66lbs in a little over a year. is this a healthy pace?

JKent2244

I could be wrong...I have been before...but...

My understanding of MFP is that when you select your activity level MFP will adjust to account for your daily activity...not your exercise calories.

Sedentary would be for those who mainly just sit all day...does very little else. Light activity are for those who are moving around such as doing normal housework...cooking...laundry...but nothing strenuous. It goes up from there depending on the type of work you do...such as are you a delivery person that is in and out of a truck all day...delivery heavy packages...taking the steps up to peoples apartments...things such as that.

If I select sedentary I get 1200 cals...if I select light I get 1500 at my weight.

I originally judged what level of activity I was at to include my daily activity level and the amount I work out. Having selected 'active' (I'm a student but work out intensely 4 times a week) that by and large corresponded to the data provided by using the link I posted above. I honestly think to make the best use of MFP, just use a website like www.iifym.com and then custom set your goals. That way you don't have to worry about eating back calories. Much easier to see "Oh I have x amount of calories left for the day" than have to add in what exercise you've done, guess whether it's accurate or not and then eat back. I genuinely think it is easier to have a constant calorie/macro amount to hit each day.

otterchica

I'm not especially prolific on the boards and I don't broadcast my opinion much. I'm no expert, and I'm obese, what do I know. The OPs original question is perfectly valid and there's a shed load of solid advice within the first three pages.

However. The constant repetition of unsustainable eating strategies, the poor understanding of the MFP (and TDEE) "methods", and the stubborn refusal to self-educate and UPDATE knowledge - to base comprehension on contemporary and scientifically supported research - by otherwise intelligent human beings who frequent this site for months at a time, frustrates the *kitten* out of me. Sometimes it makes me doubt what I'm doing.

To those MFP veterans - and all the other contributors - who have the wisdom and patience to continue to argue for reason and common sense, we are genuinely lucky to have you.

PS to OP - eat them back if you're using MFP settings. And make sure you deduct your BMR cals from your HRM readings, that the settings are accurate and the batteries are good!! You'll be grand, keep reading, keep an open mind, and remember that a moderate deficit and eating the things you like in moderation, is better than being deprived - you'll sustain it longer.

YES! and yes to GuitarJerry.
I am new, but I read. The OP is new, its important to reinforce what was said at the very beginning: follow the plan/formula. The helpful correction, I think, was in being careful on the calories in and calories out calculations. It sounds crazy, but there are days when we cheat ourselves underestimating calories in and overestimating calories out. Human error that will lead to slower or no weight loss.

Chelsilu

http://thecaloriemythbook.com/home/



http://www.bulletproofexec.com/66-the-calorie-myth-with-jonathan-bailor-podcast/

Annie_01

I could be wrong...I have been before...but...

My understanding of MFP is that when you select your activity level MFP will adjust to account for your daily activity...not your exercise calories.

Sedentary would be for those who mainly just sit all day...does very little else. Light activity are for those who are moving around such as doing normal housework...cooking...laundry...but nothing strenuous. It goes up from there depending on the type of work you do...such as are you a delivery person that is in and out of a truck all day...delivery heavy packages...taking the steps up to peoples apartments...things such as that.

If I select sedentary I get 1200 cals...if I select light I get 1500 at my weight.

I originally judged what level of activity I was at to include my daily activity level and the amount I work out. Having selected 'active' (I'm a student but work out intensely 4 times a week) that by and large corresponded to the data provided by using the link I posted above. I honestly think to make the best use of MFP, just use a website like www.iifym.com and then custom set your goals. That way you don't have to worry about eating back calories. Much easier to see "Oh I have x amount of calories left for the day" than have to add in what exercise you've done, guess whether it's accurate or not and then eat back. I genuinely think it is easier to have a constant calorie/macro amount to hit each day.

I use TDEE and used that site as a guide. I did however also take my own personal data and figured out what my TDEE is. Surprisingly it came out within a few calories of what IIFYM gave me. The calorie level that I am at now allows me to lose approximately 1lb a week...as I get closer to my goal my loss will gradually decrease which is what I want it to do.

I used the "3x a week" figures to compare to. I usually do some type of activity 5 or 6 times a week but the intensity varies on some days.

I got tired of trying to figure out how many calories that I actually burned in order to figure how many I could eat.

RGv2

I'm trying to lose. I'm fairly new to MFP (1 month) and have my goal set to include that i workout 5 days per week. It's actually more like 6. Anyway, the approach i'm taking is to stick very close to the 2090 calorie goal consumed (+/-100 calories most days) (I was 265 4 weeks ago and had the goal of 240 in 3 months) I'm 254 now. -11lbs in 4 weeks. I use my exercise calories burn as a credit to tell myself that i'm running an average of 800-1000 deficit. I'm 6'5", 254 and my elliptical AND MFP agree that i'm burning 1039 calories in a 60 minutes fairly intense cardio session. I'm not ravenous and still manage to run that 800-1000 calorie deficit each day. Am i missing something and totally out of whack or am i as on-track as i think (and feel)? There are some seriously knowledgable folks on this thread so i thought i'd ask the group. I must add that i've been doing cardio this way for about a year and since using MFP, I blasted through a weightloss plateau of -55lbs that i had been stuck on for months prior. I'm know down a total of 66lbs in a little over a year. is this a healthy pace?

So, you're trying to eat 2100 calories and net between 800 and 1000, am I reading that right? Also, MFP and the elliptical may agree, but both are known for being notoriously high for calorie burns. Eitherway, you're eating a really low amount of calories.

If your workout 5-6 times per week really is strenuous.

A guy your ht, wt, and age:

BMR = 2346 (what would keep you going in a coma)

TDEE = 4047 (what would maintain your weight with your exercise)

TDEE -20% = 3238 ( what you could/should eat to properly fuel yourself while safely losing at a sustainable rate)

nomad1000

I follow the MFP plan and have been eating 50-75% of my exercise cals back (OK, TBH, lots of days I eat them all so I can have my chocolate). I have been losing and am happy with my progress so far.

When I started, and I have a large amount of weight to lose, I followed the plan to a T, weighing and measuring and meeting the daily goals that MFP set up when I started (1.5 lbs/wk, sedentary activity level). And just a point for those who are skeptical about burning 1000 cals in a workout, I know that I could burn 1000 cals during an hour+ long cardio workout mainly because it takes quite a bit of energy to move my bulk around. I am actually looking forward to the day when this isn't so true.

Now that I am 3 months in, have been tracking everything I eat and drink, I am just now to the point where I am feeling comfortable tweaking things to better meet my needs and goals (since how I was eating before wasn't working and I ended up as heavy as I am). I have upped my protein, lowered my carbs and am now tracking my sodium since it make such a big difference in my water retention/bloat. At some point, when I get into a regular exercise routine I may switch to TDEE but right now my exercise is all over the place and I fit it in when I can so that plan isn't right for me at this time.

So to the OP, at the start, follow the MFP plan (with eating back exercise cals). Once you get in the swing of things (tracking, measuring, weighing, exercising, etc) then start to take a deeper look and see if TDEE may work better for you (where you don't eat back the exercise cals).