Saving exercise calories (challenge)

catcrazy

I heard it's bad not to eat your exercise cals as it could cause your body to go into starvation mode and make it harder to lose weight.

Have you seen my photo? I'm far from starving! I don't think one week is really going to be damaging to my metabolism. In fact, it might give it the jump start that it needs. When I burn mega calories, I do try to eat some of them. But I don't want to have the mentality like oh, I have 400 extra calories that I burned, so its okay to eat 200 of them on ______ (fill in the blank with something thats not the most healthy to eat on a regular basis).

I appreciate everyone who commented regardless if you agree or disagree. I'm okay to agree to disagree. As I mentioned in my first post, this is something that I plan to do for myself and if a few others want to join in, great. If you have something that's already working for you, then that's great too. If you want to be a spectator and see how it plays out, than that's fine too.

The forums are open to anyone and everyone has an opinion and can express it. I would just appreciate you keeping "the not so positive" comments to yourself.

Thanks in advance.
Good luck everyone.

Good on you, you won't end the debate, no one will ever manage that one but it might end it for you. Everyone of us is travelling a slightly different journey and how we get there is going to differ too. I look forward to seeing how you get on but please do let up on the exercise just a little if you find yourself getting too fatigued.

TeamLeela

But when I see posts that sing the praises of an unhealthy method of any kind, I speak up and point out that MFP is 100% safe, effective and WORKS! A balanced diet and a moderate level of exercise are GOOD advice for every human.

How is not eating your exercise calories for one week considered "an unhealthy method"?? I have been on MFP for 175 consecutive days. Trust me, if I didn't think it would work, I wouldn't still be here!

Dreaaa

I love this Idea. I'm trying to do this but it's awesome that we all help motivate and empower everybody else.

I joined JAN 2009 and didn't take advantage of this wonderful site. Until this year did I actually actively start taking care of myself. I found myself slipping into bad patterns again.. and this site helps me control those urges.

TheNewJessieMae

Yes, of course I meant not.
It's not a fad diet. It's changing up a routine. If you'd like to be so closed minded to think MFP is the bible to dieting then there is no since in arguing with a wall. I'd rather look through a window.

LuckyLeprechaun

But when I see posts that sing the praises of an unhealthy method of any kind, I speak up and point out that MFP is 100% safe, effective and WORKS! A balanced diet and a moderate level of exercise are GOOD advice for every human.

How is not eating your exercise calories for one week considered "an unhealthy method"?? I have been on MFP for 175 consecutive days. Trust me, if I didn't think it would work, I wouldn't still be here!

IMO refusing to fuel your body isn't wise. If you drove your car across country, you'd use up a lot more gas than if it sat in the garage all day...this makes perfect sense, right? Your body is the same. By exercising you are demanding and using up a lot more fuel, and if you don't replace it by eating your exercise calories, you are requiring your body to run on depleted fuel (nutrition) supplies. This isn't a good idea, I M H O

TheNewJessieMae

I mean IHHO Leela!! My goodness!!!!
(sarcasm sensed?)
Ugh

Cytherea

Well Debbie downer!!! It's self motivation and gratification and something she and apparently a lot of other people are willing to try for themselves. Not some scientific experiment as to where she will publish a book on the matter. Do you find pleasure in crushing peoples goals? If so, just don't comment and get out of here.

Wow, way to totally misunderstand what I said there. If the point of the experiment is to end the debate on eating/not-eating exercise cals, as the OP explicitly stated as one of the goals, it will not do that. Different things work for different people, so what works for some won't work for all. Plus, doing something for a week is not enough time. Maybe not eating the exercise cals back WILL help you to lose more, for that one week, but maybe if you did over the course of a few months your body would react negatively because you are putting it into starvation mode. You'll lose weight if you don't eat anything for a week, either, but that doesn't mean it is healthy for you to do that or the right way to lose weight! If you continued to do that, you would GAIN weight not lose it.

My point was that if someone WANTED to draw conclusions and set up an experiment to do so, which definitely seemed to be part of the OP's intent, this would not give reliable results, and it would not be something that you could then advise others on what they should and should not do because of it. It is dangerous to think that way and could be very harmful.

I also do not see where I was crushing people's goals. I did not say that people should not do this, I said that the experiment cannot adequately meet one of the goals that was set out. I wanted people to realize that a one week long experiment with a handful of volunteers cannot *prove* anything. The probability that the results will be accurate is very low because there are no controls in place. Maybe you'll work out harder than you did last week without realizing it. Maybe you'll eat less or eat better because you are more aware of it since you've joined this experiment. Maybe last week you were on your period so the extra weight you seem to have lost this week isn't actually this week's loss, but last week's, and it was covered by the weight gain that happens to most women during their period. Maybe you didn't get a chance to exercise as much last week but this week you have more free time. Maybe you have to park further away from work some days and end up walking farther than normal. Maybe the elevator is broken so you have to take the stairs. Do I need to continue? I think I've made my point- wayyyyyyyyy to many variables.

Now, obviously, there are benefits to doing this- one is the fact that she listed logging every single calorie that you eat. That alone will be extremely instrumental in weight loss, especially if you hadn't been doing that before, because that is what this whole site is founded on! And that alone might be the reason that you see a different in weight loss; just another variable that will affect the results!

i thnk she was commenting on the wisdom of the goal.

MFP is a safe and guaranteed to work way to lose weight steadily and keep it off.

Why would you want to fight the system? Especially when the system works so well?

Pretty much hit it right on the head there.

To the OP, I hope you know that I was not attacking you or your plan in any way.

TeamLeela

Yes, of course I meant not.
It's not a fad diet. It's changing up a routine. If you'd like to be so closed minded to think MFP is the bible to dieting then there is no since in arguing with a wall. I'd rather look through a window.

I agree, I'm not going to continue to argue. No one can change my opinion and I don't expect to change anyone else's. But 6 months on mfp should atleast show my level of commitment to myself and to this program. I'm not trying to take a short cut and find the easiest way to lose weight, just so I can gain it back.

So I'll be the bigger person (no pun intended) and comment again on Monday at the start of the challenge. I'll welcome all the newcomers and check back in as I can with the number of calories that I've eaten for the day. I now have more determination to see this through. Thanks for the "fuel", I'll certainly use it as motivation as to what I eat and to know that there are more people who want to see me fail, than succeed on site designed to help people lose weight/get fit/get healthy/maintain, etc.

Cytherea, you kept using the word experiment. I never called it an experiment. Furthermore, did you see reasons a and b? you are dwelling on the last reason. I hope you're done here and you find another board to harrass.

Thanks!
Leela.

LuckyLeprechaun

I don't want to see you fail. I'm only speaking up in defense of the well researched plan that MFP has created for us. It works.

I wish you success. I just don't want to see questionable advice get endorsed and passed along without an opposing viewpoint.

Good luck on your experiment.

Cytherea

Thanks for the "fuel", I'll certainly use it as motivation as to what I eat and to know that there are more people who want to see me fail, than succeed on site designed to help people lose weight/get fit/get healthy/maintain, etc.

Cytherea, you kept using the word experiment. I never called it an experiment. Furthermore, did you see reasons a and b? you are dwelling on the last reason. I hope you're done here and you find another board to harrass.

Yes, I kept using the word experiment because what else would you call it? You are trying something to new to see what kind of results you can get and see if the new method works. That's an experiment, no? I did see the other reasons, and even mentioned that in my last post. I am only "dwelling" on the last reason because that is the reason why I responded in the first place. You logging everything you eat is a GOOD thing and I said that! I am not trying to attack you, I was just trying to point out that this won't end the debate.

I really don't see how I've harassed anyone. I have not said anything mean or inflammatory, I have not insulted anyone or said that they should not do this. I merely pointed out that there are flaws in doing this for a week and then generalizing the results.

I also don't understand where you see people wanting you to fail. NOBODY said that they wanted people, you or others, to fail to lose weight. All I've said is that it may not be healthy to do this over a longer period of time, and that you cannot take the results you come up with and apply them in a general manner. Nothing more.

I wish you success. I just don't want to see questionable advice get endorsed and passed along without an opposing viewpoint.

Exactly.

elainegsd

I heard it's bad not to eat your exercise cals as it could cause your body to go into starvation mode and make it harder to lose weight.

When I asked my nutritionist, she said not to eat my exercise calories. I was surprised, so checked with my doctor who agreed. I am eating 1200 calories per day based on the guidelines provided by my team of health professionals. I don't think "starvation mode" is as black and white as people think.

elainegsd

C) to try to end the debate of whether to eat or not to eat your exercise calories.

I doubt this little experiment of yours is going to end the debate. It isn't scientific, there are no controls, and way too many factors that could affect the weight loss. Plus, one week and handful of volunteers is in no way determinative as to what all people trying to lose weight should do.

Could be that Leela is trying to end her own internal debate about this. I don't think she is necessarily trying to end the debate for everybody here, she seems MUCH too sensible for that!

Ckonner

I am in too!

vickiele1

I heard it's bad not to eat your exercise cals as it could cause your body to go into starvation mode and make it harder to lose weight.

When I asked my nutritionist, she said not to eat my exercise calories. I was surprised, so checked with my doctor who agreed. I am eating 1200 calories per day based on the guidelines provided by my team of health professionals. I don't think "starvation mode" is as black and white as people think.

Agreed - and what I have been saying all along. Do the research, talk to the "MEDICAL" professionals, nutritionists, etc. There are so many others out there that indicate that this the starvation mode theory is simply not true for everyone. It is ONE method that has worked for many - but doesn't mean that it WILL WORK FOR EVERYONE. I know it doesn't work for me, and what I am doing obviously does. I am certainly healthy as is indicated by my MEDICAL professionals opinions. So, I will keep doing what I do and I will continue to encourage others to think for themselves and do what works best for them as long as they maintain a "HEALTHY" relationship with food and exercise.

Vickie

LotusF1ower

At this precise moment I have 3lbs to go, I'm in, starting from Monday.

Gonna shift this last 3lbs, gonna gonna gonna!!

TheNewJessieMae

I heard it's bad not to eat your exercise cals as it could cause your body to go into starvation mode and make it harder to lose weight.

When I asked my nutritionist, she said not to eat my exercise calories. I was surprised, so checked with my doctor who agreed. I am eating 1200 calories per day based on the guidelines provided by my team of health professionals. I don't think "starvation mode" is as black and white as people think.

Agreed - and what I have been saying all along. Do the research, talk to the "MEDICAL" professionals, nutritionists, etc. There are so many others out there that indicate that this the starvation mode theory is simply not true for everyone. It is ONE method that has worked for many - but doesn't mean that it WILL WORK FOR EVERYONE. I know it doesn't work for me, and what I am doing obviously does. I am certainly healthy as is indicated by my MEDICAL professionals opinions. So, I will keep doing what I do and I will continue to encourage others to think for themselves and do what works best for them as long as they maintain a "HEALTHY" relationship with food and exercise.

Vickie

Amen, my nutritionist even recommends intermittent fasting. Something that most people would kill over with a heartattach when mentioned. BUT what I do is working and I think we should not condem others for the way they believe.

Just as some loved the "fuel" comment, I am pretty partial to my religion comment. And in religion as well as here, we should "judge not, lest ye be judged." I don't care what you do to lose weight as long as you aren't anorexic, Binge/purge, or doing meth or speed-I will applaude you for your efforts. I myself would NEVER do the HCG diet, but I would never speak ill of someone that does, or come across in a manner that is demeaning and discouraging (and call it educational).

I don't understand why some even bother to comment. Let people be.

TheNewJessieMae

Sorry, double post.

TheNewJessieMae

C) to try to end the debate of whether to eat or not to eat your exercise calories.

I doubt this little experiment of yours is going to end the debate. It isn't scientific, there are no controls, and way too many factors that could affect the weight loss. Plus, one week and handful of volunteers is in no way determinative as to what all people trying to lose weight should do.

Could be that Leela is trying to end her own internal debate about this. I don't think she is necessarily trying to end the debate for everybody here, she seems MUCH too sensible for that!

That would have been the logical conclusion to come to, instead of comparing it to a science project! Common sense is hard to find nowdays.

TheNewJessieMae

Thanks for the "fuel", I'll certainly use it as motivation as to what I eat and to know that there are more people who want to see me fail, than succeed on site designed to help people lose weight/get fit/get healthy/maintain, etc.

Cytherea, you kept using the word experiment. I never called it an experiment. Furthermore, did you see reasons a and b? you are dwelling on the last reason. I hope you're done here and you find another board to harrass.

Yes, I kept using the word experiment because what else would you call it? You are trying something to new to see what kind of results you can get and see if the new method works. That's an experiment, no? I did see the other reasons, and even mentioned that in my last post. I am only "dwelling" on the last reason because that is the reason why I responded in the first place. You logging everything you eat is a GOOD thing and I said that! I am not trying to attack you, I was just trying to point out that this won't end the debate.

I really don't see how I've harassed anyone. I have not said anything mean or inflammatory, I have not insulted anyone or said that they should not do this. I merely pointed out that there are flaws in doing this for a week and then generalizing the results.

I also don't understand where you see people wanting you to fail. NOBODY said that they wanted people, you or others, to fail to lose weight. All I've said is that it may not be healthy to do this over a longer period of time, and that you cannot take the results you come up with and apply them in a general manner. Nothing more.

I wish you success. I just don't want to see questionable advice get endorsed and passed along without an opposing viewpoint.

Exactly.

To contradict ones goals, is a negative communication.

Leela did not offer any "questionable advice" she simply stated her goals, and others followed suite.

kgs0201

wow why is everyone getting so worked up over this? i guess I don't really understand because my exercise consists of a 40 minute walk and 20 minute work out video a day... i don't think my body's going to die if I don't refuel after that for a WEEK.. and I have also seen tons of people who say that their doctor or nutritionist has told them not to eat their exercise calories...

you would think we all just joined a group to only drink water for a week! sheesh!