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MyFitnessPal Community

Confused about burning calories and eating them back?

eggmoni

*Before people get angry and say I should just google it or look at MFP's info or whatever, please give me the benefit of the doubt because I have looked up some stuff on google but I just want to hear personal tips and advice*

Anyways, I am aware that I should be eating enough calories in a day to have energy, but I am a little confused on Net calories and eating back my calories that I burn.

So MFP says I should eat 1,600 calories but I typically only eat 1,400 and I burn around 500 calories daily as well. Does this mean I should be eating 1,900 calories to be eating back the calories that I burn? Would this help me lose weight or is this keeping me in the same place? I am a little confused on this.

Before when I dieted and exercised (this was about 3 years ago) I never logged my calories nor did I keep track of anything that I did. I just tried to eat healthier and I jogged for 15 minutes daily around my neighborhood and I lost about 30 pounds within the span of a year. I ended up gaining back this weight in the past year since I am newly married and my husband and I went out ALL THE TIME and were always eating haha. Now I'm trying to lose weight a bit quicker than before (I hope to lose 30 pounds within 6 months or so). So I've been logging my calories and using MFP.

So can anyone give me some guidance and understanding on what I should be focusing on if it's not just exercising and dieting? I didn't realize how many numbers I needed to keep track of.

Replies

Forty6and2

MFP already factors in the fact that you're trying to lose weight and puts you at a deficit. Any calories you burn extra make the deficit bigger and you do not want to have too big of a deficit. Your body needs a proper amount of calories to keep up with it's functions, especially when you work out.

How many calories you eat back depends on how you track your burns. If you use MFP, you should not eat ALL of your calories back because MFP tends to overestimate. However, a heart rate monitor is much, much more accurate and you can safely eat back most of the calories you burn per HRM.

lindsaymarcin

MFP puts you at a deficit to lose weight based on whether you put in to lose at 1/2lb a week or 2lbs a week. If you exercise and burn off the calories you are allotted to eat than you can eat those back if you choose to. Some people do, some don't, some eat back half. It's your choice! Do what works for you

Forty6and2

Also, 30 lbs within 6 months might be a tad too aggressive. What is your current weight, goal weight, and height?

beccadaniixox

The 1,600 calories you are eating are already set to make you lose weight. If you go to the "Goals" tab on your home page it'll say on the chart your "Projected Weight Loss". This tells you your projected weight for the week eating 1,600 calories a day.
By working out, you are burning more calories so that would put you at a bigger deficit. While it can seem like "Oh cool! I'll lose faster then!" That isn't the case. Some people can have such large deficits that they'll plateau and not lose any weight because their body wants to hold on to every little thing that is put in it.

You don't have to eat back ALL the calories. Maybe about half. Or you can look at it like a bank and save it up for the weekend to eat a little less strict.

To focus on: Macros. Get a good balance of protein, fats, and carbs. Since your body needs all of those to function properly.
Many people just follow that food fits the macros, others believe that a calorie is a calorie.
It's important to remember to eat food that will nourish your body.

If you have trouble getting to your calorie goals maybe add in some calorie dense food. Nuts, avocados, peanut butter, etc.

I hope that helped a little!

eggmoni

Also, 30 lbs within 6 months might be a tad too aggressive. What is your current weight, goal weight, and height?

LOL Yeah! It might be a bit much, I am actually very okay with losing 30 pounds in the span of 6-9 months, but I just want to lose this weight before a year passes. ;A; And right now I am at 160 and am 5'6". Surprisingly, my body doesn't look my weight, but underneath my clothes, I can see all my rolls that are hidden under my clothing! haha I want them to disappear!

ChristineMiller2

I don't get caught up in the "eating back" calories. Stay within a deficeit and exercise as you will.

I also am not sold on the "starvation mode" theory, try selling that story to people on survivor lol

Bottom line, burn more calories than you eat....you will lose weight.

Forty6and2

Also, 30 lbs within 6 months might be a tad too aggressive. What is your current weight, goal weight, and height?

LOL Yeah! It might be a bit much, I am actually very okay with losing 30 pounds in the span of 6-9 months, but I just want to lose this weight before a year passes. ;A; And right now I am at 160 and am 5'6". Surprisingly, my body doesn't look my weight, but underneath my clothes, I can see all my rolls that are hidden under my clothing! haha I want them to disappear!

I would suggest slower loss. It tends to be more sustainable and quite a bit healthier. Also, don't get hung up on a number. If you get to 20 lbs down and you like how you look, stop there!

Forty6and2

I don't get caught up in the "eating back" calories. Stay within a deficeit and exercise as you will.

I also am not sold on the "starvation mode" theory, try selling that story to people on survivor lol

Bottom line, burn more calories than you eat....you will lose weight.

I'm not saying anything about "starvation mode," I'm saying that your body needs calories to perform everyday functions. Eating too few calories or losing too quickly is not good for your body.

dlionsmane

1600 is the deficit that MFP calculated from the information you put in. Your activity level, current weight, sex, age and rate of loss. If you only eat 1400 AND you burn 500 that means you are NETTING 900, which is too low.

Now of course that would only be if you are really burning 500 calories. If you are using MFP calorie burns they are notoriously overestimates. So you should use an HRM (which is more accurate but still not exact)

Rule of thumb - NET as close to the number (in your case 1600) as possible.

So in your example you would eat more like 2100 to NET 1600 (but if you are using MFP calorie estimates I would only eat 50/75% back)

Edited - because math.... :grumble:

snazzyjazzy21

I don't get caught up in the "eating back" calories. Stay within a deficeit and exercise as you will.

I also am not sold on the "starvation mode" theory, try selling that story to people on survivor lol

Bottom line, burn more calories than you eat....you will lose weight.

Creating a deficit too large is detrimental to your health. Eating 1400 calories and burning 500 nets only 900, which isn't enough.

eggmoni

I don't get caught up in the "eating back" calories. Stay within a deficeit and exercise as you will.

I also am not sold on the "starvation mode" theory, try selling that story to people on survivor lol

Bottom line, burn more calories than you eat....you will lose weight.

Creating a deficit too large is detrimental to your health. Eating 1400 calories and burning 500 nets only 900, which isn't enough.

Okay I see! I will start adding more into my diet. I used to ALWAYS think that I needed to eat less and exercise more, but I've been training myself that I need more calories to have more energy to lose weight! It's actually quite nice having that room to eat more. But definitely not going overboard!

Forty6and2

I don't get caught up in the "eating back" calories. Stay within a deficeit and exercise as you will.

I also am not sold on the "starvation mode" theory, try selling that story to people on survivor lol

Bottom line, burn more calories than you eat....you will lose weight.

Creating a deficit too large is detrimental to your health. Eating 1400 calories and burning 500 nets only 900, which isn't enough.

Okay I see! I will start adding more into my diet. I used to ALWAYS think that I needed to eat less and exercise more, but I've been training myself that I need more calories to have more energy to lose weight! It's actually quite nice having that room to eat more. But definitely not going overboard!

Check out the group Eat, Train, Progress. It's an awesome group to go to for advice on calorie goals and exercising!

eggmoni

I don't get caught up in the "eating back" calories. Stay within a deficeit and exercise as you will.

I also am not sold on the "starvation mode" theory, try selling that story to people on survivor lol

Bottom line, burn more calories than you eat....you will lose weight.

Creating a deficit too large is detrimental to your health. Eating 1400 calories and burning 500 nets only 900, which isn't enough.

Okay I see! I will start adding more into my diet. I used to ALWAYS think that I needed to eat less and exercise more, but I've been training myself that I need more calories to have more energy to lose weight! It's actually quite nice having that room to eat more. But definitely not going overboard!

Check out the group Eat, Train, Progress. It's an awesome group to go to for advice on calorie goals and exercising!

Thanks! I just joined now!

ChristineMiller2

I don't get caught up in the "eating back" calories. Stay within a deficeit and exercise as you will.

I also am not sold on the "starvation mode" theory, try selling that story to people on survivor lol

Bottom line, burn more calories than you eat....you will lose weight.

I'm not saying anything about "starvation mode," I'm saying that your body needs calories to perform everyday functions. Eating too few calories or losing too quickly is not good for your body.

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I was not quoting or referring to your post...never even read it...it's my opinion and experience personally