Eating back exercise calories?

Crazygurl1211

What exactly does this mean? I was always under the impression that what a woman should do for maximum healthy weight loss was eat 1200 calories per day AND exercise for however long. But people here are saying you should "eat back" your exercise calories - wouldn't that basically nullify the exercise then?

For example, according to my Treadclimber, adjusting for my weight, I am burning about 750-800 calories per day when I work out. So does that mean that I should really be eating a minimum of 2000 calories per day? I want to be losing 4-5 pounds per week - currently I weigh 225.

I mean, if I can actually eat more, it's a win-win as far as I see, but I really want to maximize the rate of weight loss. I know a lot of people will say I shouldn't be concerned about the rate and slower is better, but it's important to me for personal reasons that that I lose it by the time I want to, and nothing anyone says will change that. So it'd be awesome if people would impart their knowledge about the calories without saying my goals are unrealistic or unhealthy, etc. I've heard it all, and obviously I'm not starving myself if I'm eating 2000 calories per day. Thanks!

vismal

First off forget about losing 4-5 lbs a week. It's not a good idea and would require a caloric deficit of 14000-17500. Even if you maintenance calories were 3000 (which would be rather high), you'd only be able to eat 500 calories a day. Try and lose 1-2 lbs a week. That's a much more realistic goal. As far as eating exercise calories back, I do not. I find that machines grossly overestimate calories burned. I simply estimate my TDEE, total daily energy expenditure (total calories burned in a 24 hour period) and subtract 500-1000 from that. Exercise would be included in the estimate of my TDEE. This way I'm eating the same amount of calories every day and if weight loss stalls, I can simply reduce total daily calories.

kgeyser

A healthy weight loss goal is 1-2 lbs per week, and I eat back a portion of my exercise calories because I need that fuel in order to get stronger, faster, more agile, have greater endurance, and increase flexibility. Not to mention that I like to hang on to all the beautiful muscle that I work so hard to strengthen. And I like muscle, because more muscle means I burn more calories.

Your goal of 4-5 lbs per week means that you will lose a lot of lean body mass (muscle and bone) in addition to fat, and you don't get to choose where that comes from. Your heart is a muscle. I can't think of a single personal reason or upcoming event for weight loss that would make damaging my heart an acceptable side effect.

tarak75103

I understand what your saying. I started off eating the 1200 plus all but 200 execised the first week lost 2 lbs. then the 2nd week I just ate the calories that I exercise lost 3lbs. I honesly cant give you a correct answer. Everone says something different. I have been taking lipozene and right size shakes too. I am in the same boat as you. I want to get to 140lbs again. I am currently at 185lbs. 3 weeks ago when i started deiting I weighted 198lbs. My first week I lost a bunch cause i fasted 2 days and then just did the shakes with one meal wihich was lunch lost 8lbs. Then I found this site and started trying it. I figure I will fast 2 days again and then 3 shakes for 5 days again about every six weeks. That is just me though.

mistiblake08

Many people only eat a % of their exercise calories back since MFP overestimates calories burned and even heart rate monitors can be off a bit. Most will say eat back 50-75% of their exercise calories. What I do is I eat when I'm hungry and depending on how many calories I go over what I should bet based on MFP, I exercise most if not all off. Example: MFP wants me eating 1580 daily at my current weight of 165lbs. If I eat 2000 calories, before bed I will work off the excess of 420 calories. Sometimes a little extra because, as I said, calories burned can be overstated. Some days I only eat 1700 so I only burn off 120 +/-.

k8325

Ok. this is how weight loss works it is really simple. Note I say simple, not easy. Calories are a unit of energy. We can manipulate energy to lose and gain weight. 3500 calories of energy (either used or stored) = 1lb. Weight is lost when there is a calorie deficit, which means that you used more energy than your body had stored (calories). Weight is gained if you are storing more energy units than you are using. If you create a calorie deficit by 3500 each week, you will lose 1 lb on average ( this can fluctuate greatly because of how much sodium you have, if you are retaining water, if it's your period, etc etc) How do you reduce those calories and why are you eating 1200 calories you may ask. First, you burn a certain amount of calories just sitting around. So, if you were in a coma, you would still be burning calories. This resting calorie burn (I don't know all the lingo, sorry) varies from person to person, depending on their current weight and their everyday activity level. In order to maintain your weight, you would have to eat all the calories that you are burning at your normal resting weight. For easy understanding let's say that your average resting calorie burn is 2000. 2000 X 7 =14000 so in one week you might burn 14000 calories just by being you. If you want to lose weight, say 1 lb a week, you would need to take 14000-3500=105000. there are two ways you can do that, you can reduce your calorie intake by 500 a day (500x7=3500) or increase your activity to burn 500 cal a day. Lots of people choose a combination of the two to meet their caloric goals (maybe exercising 5 days a week burning 700 cals...and so on). That is the basic theory. So, MFP says eat 1200 cals a day (700 X7= 4900= 1.4 lbs a week) This only takes in account what you are putting into your body. If you exercise, then your body burns more calories and therefore could potentially lose more weight. However, keep in mind that your body NEEDS calories and it NEEDS energy to do normal body functions like digestion and breathing and other little stuff that we never really think of, so maintaining a certain number fo calories is very very good, MFP says, 1200 should be sufficient to maintain your body's functions. So, if you do exercise than it is safe to eat those calories...because MFP assumed only that you want a calorie deficit that will create a weight loss, it does not assume that you will be active.
There is this saying that I really like, "Weight loss occurs in the kitchen, tone and fitness occurs in the gym"
You will discover how best to utilize the calories you have through trial and error and you seem pretty firm in your beliefs and weight loss goal. I can only give you my experience for an idea of what you might exect.
I was 230 lbs (maybe even 240, I was scared to weigh myself) when i joind Weight Watchers which has a similar philosphy on weight lose as MFP and converts the calories to a point system. I ate the alloted points and I walked on the treadmill. I did not lose any weight the first 2 months. Not a drop. But I felt good and I liked what I was doing and I paid for 3 months so I stuck it out. After that it was like the weight started melting off. It would be 1 lb a week here, 1 lb there and then every once in a while, a 4 lb week. Next thing you know, 30 lbs was gone, then 50 (and then I started a c25k program) and then 70! It took about 10 months. I went from a size 18 going on 20 to a size 9 juniors being a little loose. And the size of my body ended up being more important than the weight (I hovered on 163) I gained 35 lbs back and went up to a size 12 and am now working on losing again (through WW and adding strenght training to my cardio) and I am planning on a slow weight lose. (lost 17 lbs since january and hoping to lose 20 more by Oct)
Every body is different, but I would definitely caution to be patient and not to burn yourself out. Small, attainable goals will help you keep on track. it worked for me before and is working again. Good luck on your journey!

Julie2014Fit

Is it bad not to eat any of them back at all?

lemurcat12

What exactly does this mean? I was always under the impression that what a woman should do for maximum healthy weight loss was eat 1200 calories per day AND exercise for however long. But people here are saying you should "eat back" your exercise calories - wouldn't that basically nullify the exercise then?

I've never heard that. The idea I've heard is that you don't want the deficit to be too high, because that will leave you without energy and risk losing muscle mass (but this all depends on how overweight you are to start). Also, for a lot of people, it may well make the diet harder to stick to.

Most diet recommendations I've seen suggest aiming for 1-2 lbs a week, with about half from a cut on the calories and, ideally, the rest from increased activity, if you are willing and able to do that. MFP starts by creating a goal assuming you won't exercise, and then if you exercise you get the calories back to maintain the same basic deficit, just made up by a combination of exercise and calorie cutting, not calorie cutting only.

Personally, I aim for 2 lbs (I still have a lot to lose) and eat back some but not all of my exercise calories, since MFP overstates them and since when I have a big workout day (long run or bike ride--long for me, anyway), I am not usually THAT much more hungry than on other days, although the cushion is nice to have. I eat back some because improving my overall fitness and performance goals (again, such as they are) are important to me, not just getting this weight off. I have a much better attitude when that's my focus.

dkbrummitt

I have noticed that when I don't eat back the calories i end up feeling like crap. Low energy, low motivation, can't work out everyday, and even have a hard time focus at work. Now fast foward to me maintaing a net caloric intake of 1200 and I definitely notice a sustained increase in energy. Before, it was IF i workout, now after the morning workout I usually end up wanting to either take a long walk or hop on the treadmill in the afternoon.

Now whether or not you lose 5/week depends on your BMR (base metabolic rate- number calories burned just living for a day), which will go down as your weight goes down. That's why they say the skinnier you are the harder to lose weight.

Here is the tricky part, now that you are mentally prepared for a slow down in lbs lost/week; many people plateau and stop losing weight during the whole weight loss journey. This is where people quit or cut their calories even more. I would argue both are a bad idea. Cutting calories takes me toward that low energy blah blah blah I mentioned earlier and it kills your metabolism. Instead I either increase my intensity during workouts or i do a 18-24 hour fast, no food just water or unsweetened tea. I have tried both and both have worked for me. I'm not very keen on fasting longer than 24 hours, though some use that as a form of detox. I STRONGLY advise a long round of googling(research) at the very least before you make fasting an option. It has to fit in with your current health.

A quick word on aiming for 1-2lbs/week. I am lazy and not iterested in calculating my BMR every week so I just choose 1200/1500 net calories per day and go from there.

Hope this is helpful.

megsmom2

This is how MFP is designed to work. Your calorie goal is already at a deficit ...if you don't eat back at least some of your burned calories you may be eating at unhealthily low levels. It works. And its perfectly logical.
When people say "well...Ive been on diets before where you didn't do that ".....I have to laugh. Yup..been on diets before, and here you are again losing the same weight again. If you're serious about getting healthy this time...get out of the "diet" mindset and be patient, and make the changes that get you where you want to be. Faster isn't better, or healthier...or likely to be long-term. Goodness knows ive been there. Don't want to go back.

mistiblake08

This is how MFP is designed to work. Your calorie goal is already at a deficit ...if you don't eat back at least some of your burned calories you may be eating at unhealthily low levels. It works. And its perfectly logical.
When people say "well...Ive been on diets before where you didn't do that ".....I have to laugh. Yup..been on diets before, and here you are again losing the same weight again. If you're serious about getting healthy this time...get out of the "diet" mindset and be patient, and make the changes that get you where you want to be. Faster isn't better, or healthier...or likely to be long-term. Goodness knows ive been there. Don't want to go back.

I definitely agree with this! I've tried diets that wouldn't last me more than a couple months then I'd gain extra weight back. MFP definitely makes it so much easier and being out of the diet mindset helps as well. I've lost 21lbs and that's more than I ever did doing diets.

mistiblake08

Is it bad not to eat any of them back at all?

As long as you net the calories MFP gives you then no. If you don't net what MFP tells you or round about that number, then yes.

Crazygurl1211

I appreciate all the advice, but I'm disappointed that some people didn't respect what I said about not commenting on my weight loss goal. I have actually successfully been losing 3 to 4 pounds a week without even pushing myself that hard – just working out six days a week in the in the gym and eating 1800 to 1900 cal a day. I would never even consider a VLCD. Just because you don't think it is possible doesn't mean it is not possible for me.

I have even had doctors tell me that it is acceptable to lose weight at the rate that I want to, as long as I'm not starving myself, which I am not.

As I said, I don't need negativity or people telling me that I can't accomplish my goal or that it is unhealthy. I have been losing, and have lost in the past, weight pretty fast and actually felt better than ever. We are not all identical cardboard cutouts – some of us can lose weight quickly and still be healthy. And I find it very disappointing that on a forum like this, people would tell strangers that their goals are unrealistic without even knowing anything about their metabolism, body type, etc.

Thank you for all of the advice about exercise calories though. It was very helpful! :-)

kgeyser

What you are doing is unhealthy. 3-4 lbs per week is unhealthy. Sorry if it's not what you want to hear, but I'm not going to cheer someone on for putting their health at risk.

Crazygurl1211

What you are doing is unhealthy. 3-4 lbs per week is unhealthy. Sorry if it's not what you want to hear, but I'm not going to cheer someone on for putting their health at risk.

Funny, because my DOCTOR said it was okay. Are you a doctor? And if you are not, are you presuming that you know more than doctors?

And what I am doing is eating healthy, almost a full 2000 calories per day, and working out six days a week. I never go hungry, and sometimes I even have a piece of cheesecake or a bowl of ice cream if I want. Would eating three candy bars a day in addition to what I am eating, just so I don't lose three or more pounds a week, be considered healthy? I feel amazing, I have tons of energy, and I am much stronger than I was months ago. But apparently, the number on the scale means everything to some of you, to the point where you would unequivocally say I am unhealthy just because I'm losing weight faster than YOU think I should be.

I am disappointed with these forums. I thought it would be a great source of motivation and support, but instead it looks like the majority of people on here really know nothing about weight loss, exercise, or fitness, but just parrot old tired advice and generalities. I guess I need to listen to my family members and just stay off the Internet and all the ignorant people on it if I want to accomplish anything. A forum like this should help educate and motivate people, but it seems that a lot of you are just interested in dragging people down based on whatever your personal conceptions about weight-loss are.

RHachicho

Don't listen to these people. As long as you are eating a moderate diet and are feeling good you are probably ok. That said my advice is to up your calories a bit. Simply because you are really burning those gym sessions. And sometimes those can have a cumulative effect after a while if you don't eat enough. honestly I have the same kind of thing. Some weeks I lose 1/2 lb and others I lose 3-4. I don't do anything special to make this happen it just does. I guess every body is different.

And dude come on .. this is the internet. Do you REALLY expect to find a place on the internet without self serving *kitten*. The trick is to be able to tell who is worth listening to.

kgeyser

What you are doing is unhealthy. 3-4 lbs per week is unhealthy. Sorry if it's not what you want to hear, but I'm not going to cheer someone on for putting their health at risk.

Funny, because my DOCTOR said it was okay. Are you a doctor? And if you are not, are you presuming that you know more than doctors?

And what I am doing is eating healthy, almost a full 2000 calories per day, and working out six days a week. I never go hungry, and sometimes I even have a piece of cheesecake or a bowl of ice cream if I want. Would eating three candy bars a day in addition to what I am eating, just so I don't lose three or more pounds a week, be considered healthy? I feel amazing, I have tons of energy, and I am much stronger than I was months ago. But apparently, the number on the scale means everything to some of you, to the point where you would unequivocally say I am unhealthy just because I'm losing weight faster than YOU think I should be.

I am disappointed with these forums. I thought it would be a great source of motivation and support, but instead it looks like the majority of people on here really know nothing about weight loss, exercise, or fitness, but just parrot old tired advice and generalities. I guess I need to listen to my family members and just stay off the Internet and all the ignorant people on it if I want to accomplish anything. A forum like this should help educate and motivate people, but it seems that a lot of you are just interested in dragging people down based on whatever your personal conceptions about weight-loss are.

:yawn:

MelodyandBarbells

Bye, then?

If you've been so successful in the past and have all the answers, why did you even come here to ask questions?

You might have lost at that rate due to just beginning to eat healthier. Sometimes reducing sodium intake, for example, causes you to drop water weight quickly. On a long term basis, 3-4 lbs a week of fat loss does seem rather high, and potentially unsustainable. Wouldn't you rather know what awaits you on the other side of this initial glow?! Well, there it is, regardless!!

RHachicho

Bye, then?

If you've been so successful in the past and have all the answers, why did you even come here to ask questions?

You might have lost at that rate due to just beginning to eat healthier. Sometimes reducing sodium intake, for example, causes you to drop water weight quickly. On a long term basis, 3-4 lbs a week of fat loss does seem rather high, and potentially unsustainable. Wouldn't you rather know what awaits you on the other side of this initial glow?! Well, there it is, regardless!!

Geez didn't you read my post. Sorry but I see where this guy is coming from. Fact is some people CAN absolutely lose weight faster than others. Probably due to different exercise routines better diets or simple genetics. Half of this no you can only lose 2lb a month is people who are jealous of this because they can't trying to convince themselves that someone who happens to be doing better than they are is automatically unhealthy. If he is eating in the region of 2k calories a day and getting all his nutrition and feeling great then he likely has no problem. It 's not as if he posted saying he was on a 400 calorie diet like some people do geez.

Try not to scare people away with your delusion that you are right about everything and about everyone next time guys.

MelodyandBarbells

At least I know that a poster named CrazyGURL is a girl . . .

MelodyandBarbells

And PS: your post started out telling her not to read other people's posts. So no, I didn't read yours the first time around. Strange that you would demand a courtesy you've advised someone not to extend to others!!

psych101

First off forget about losing 4-5 lbs a week. It's not a good idea and would require a caloric deficit of 14000-17500. Even if you maintenance calories were 3000 (which would be rather high), you'd only be able to eat 500 calories a day. Try and lose 1-2 lbs a week. That's a much more realistic goal. As far as eating exercise calories back, I do not. I find that machines grossly overestimate calories burned. I simply estimate my TDEE, total daily energy expenditure (total calories burned in a 24 hour period) and subtract 500-1000 from that. Exercise would be included in the estimate of my TDEE. This way I'm eating the same amount of calories every day and if weight loss stalls, I can simply reduce total daily calories.

^^ This is really great advice

RHachicho

@ Janeir36

Lol ok so I said guy. Also I said don't listen to these people. I didn't say don't read their posts. I can't stop laughing right now. You call me out on a completely irrelevant inaccuracy. And then go ahead and blatantly misquote me. Tell me did you just get angry and put words in my mouth or did you deliberately act this stupid?

PikaKnight

@ Janeir36

Lol ok so I said guy. Also I said don't listen to these people. I didn't say don't read their posts. I can't stop laughing right now. You call me out on a completely irrelevant inaccuracy. And then go ahead and blatantly misquote me. Tell me did you just get angry and put words in my mouth or did you deliberately act this stupid?

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/welcome/guidelines

I highly suggest reading the link. If you are unable to have a discussion/disagreement without insulting people, I think you might need to refrain from using the forums.

MelodyandBarbells

@ Janeir36

Lol ok so I said guy. Also I said don't listen to these people. I didn't say don't read their posts. I can't stop laughing right now. You call me out on a completely irrelevant inaccuracy. And then go ahead and blatantly misquote me. Tell me did you just get angry and put words in my mouth or did you deliberately act this stupid?

What does my voice sound like? Why read a post if you have no intent on "listening" to the content? Isn't not reading it the easiest way to not "listen"?

And I didn't quote you at all, last I checked. I wasn't the one whining about their post not having been read either, then complaining and name calling when the attention I begged for was received

mebepiglet123

I'm confused when i read this first bit you ask should i eat back exercise calories.

in a further post you say you are eating 1900- 2000 and losing. I don't understand? Do what works for you.
Although it will get harder as you get closer to goal so enjoy the big losses, they won't last forever.

well done BTW.

What exactly does this mean? I was always under the impression that what a woman should do for maximum healthy weight loss was eat 1200 calories per day AND exercise for however long. But people here are saying you should "eat back" your exercise calories - wouldn't that basically nullify the exercise then?

RHachicho

Hearing something and listening to it are two completely different things. Listening implies taking it seriously. And you are still misrepresenting my point. I also feel insulted that you seem to think i am begging for attention. But it appears that this doesn't count as name calling for the mods. Guess it doesn't matter if you insult people subtly huh? I am still laughing but I will refrain from name calling since it seems that the forum mods will probably breath down my neck for it. But I won't apologize for it. And I'm done here and leave you to your delusions Have funs.

Edit : I never said Pikaknight was a moderator. Words in my mouth again. I merely realized that throwing actual honest insults was probably a bad idea. Please see a Councillor about your pathological need to misrepresent people to make yourself right.

dkbrummitt

Let the choir say Amen and Amen!

MelodyandBarbells

Let me just leave it here that PikaKnight is just a forum user independently blown away by your choice of words. I suspect you have not been contacted by any moderator. Where's the head shaking smilie when you need it...

Forgive me for using logic. I am independently concluding that not reading a post is the easiest way to not "listen" to it. Happy now? For example, when I get bored with you there's a handy little ignore button I might use

kgeyser

Bye, then?

If you've been so successful in the past and have all the answers, why did you even come here to ask questions?

You might have lost at that rate due to just beginning to eat healthier. Sometimes reducing sodium intake, for example, causes you to drop water weight quickly. On a long term basis, 3-4 lbs a week of fat loss does seem rather high, and potentially unsustainable. Wouldn't you rather know what awaits you on the other side of this initial glow?! Well, there it is, regardless!!

Geez didn't you read my post. Sorry but I see where this guy is coming from. Fact is some people CAN absolutely lose weight faster than others. Probably due to different exercise routines better diets or simple genetics. Half of this no you can only lose 2lb a month is people who are jealous of this because they can't trying to convince themselves that someone who happens to be doing better than they are is automatically unhealthy. If he is eating in the region of 2k calories a day and getting all his nutrition and feeling great then he likely has no problem. It 's not as if he posted saying he was on a 400 calorie diet like some people do geez.

Try not to scare people away with your delusion that you are right about everything and about everyone next time guys.

Please stop. No one is saying this is a bad idea because they are jealous, nor is anyone here unfamiliar with the big losses people see at the beginning due to water weight. There is a difference between having a big loss one week, because weight loss isn't linear, and purposefully trying to lose that amount per week. As other posters have said, it would require a huge deficit and it is not sustainable. If the OP doesn't want to eat more, we can't make her, but we also don't have to tell her it's a good idea. Most of us have been here long enough to see what happens when people try to carry huge deficits, and it usually comes in the form of a "why am I not losing?" post and plea for help.

And I believe the poster you quoted was talking to the OP, not you.

LoupGarouTFTs

Doctors have very little training in nutrition. They are educated in how to fix broken thing and how to keep things from getting broken. They are only taught for perhaps a semester on how to feed those things. If a doctor told the OP that it was okay to lose four to five pounds a week then it was bad advice.