How important is eating back your exercise calories?

0305bp

I have been dieting for about 2 weeks. I am pretty inactive, but do try to get about 120 min of light cardo a week and will be adding more (weight maybe?). I have been eating a high protein/high fat/low carb diet and for the first time in years am sticking to it because I'm not hungry. I dropped sugar, refined carbs, and my Achilles heel - alcohol. But I'm having a hard time eating over 1200 calories a day, and while I know I can force myself too, I am anxious about triggering cravings again.

I am not, and never have been underweight, and have struggled in the past to stick to a low calorie diet, so it is unusual for me to be able to stick with it and not be hungry all the time. But I also don't want to shoot myself in the foot, or slow my metabolism to a crawl (since I already tend to be a pretty "efficient" user of calories - especially carbs.)

So should I force myself to eat my remaining calories in the evening when I find I have a deficit? Do I stop at 1200, or should I really try to eat those extra exercise calories. I can definitely find a treat to scarf, I'm just really enjoying the not being hungry part and not having it be a constant struggle to not overeat, and I feel good.

higgins8283801

If you're only eating 1200 before exercise, you really need to eat back to have a net of 1200.

If you're following tdee, you don't have to eat them back.

tsigala219882

If you're not hungry, don't stress it. Your bodies not yelling at you, let yourself adjust. Now, if you're starting to feel dizzy throughout the day, or if you are snacking and craving, try adding more calories. I think the only thing you should worry about is cutting back when your body IS telling you you need more. Every person is different and has different needs.

ana3067

Chances are you are eating at too large of a deficit, with or without eating back exercise cals. a 2lb/week loss isn't going to be sustainable, is going to make keeping the weight off harder, and will result in much more loss of muscle (so you will be skinny fat).

Eat back 75% of your exercise cals at this point. Or change to 1lb/week and eat back 50% exercise cals.

Also, if you choose to lose weight on a diet, then you need to understand that it's going to be difficult for you to maintain weight once you stop this diet. Instead, try focusing on losing weight by simply eating less of all the foods you love. I still eat a lot of junk food - I had caramel corn today! - and I am losing weight just fine. Fat/weight loss = caloric deficit. Any food you eat should be done as a lifestyle, not as a means to an end.

mz_getskinny

I don't always eat my calories back. I understand why it's important but at the same time it can be hard for me to "cancel out" my exercise by eating more. I would say though since you are only eating 1200 a day I would try to keep your net calories as close to 1200 as you can. By trial and error I have found that I don't lose if I under-eat. Good luck to you!

mz_getskinny

Chances are you are eating at too large of a deficit, with or without eating back exercise cals. a 2lb/week loss isn't going to be sustainable, is going to make keeping the weight off harder, and will result in much more loss of muscle (so you will be skinny fat).

Eat back 75% of your exercise cals at this point. Or change to 1lb/week and eat back 50% exercise cals.

Also, if you choose to lose weight on a diet, then you need to understand that it's going to be difficult for you to maintain weight once you stop this diet. Instead, try focusing on losing weight by simply eating less of all the foods you love. I still eat a lot of junk food - I had caramel corn today! - and I am losing weight just fine. Fat/weight loss = caloric deficit. Any food you eat should be done as a lifestyle, not as a means to an end.

I like this response! I agree 100%

Liftng4Lis

How tall are you and how aggressively do you have your goal set? You don't have too much to lose so 1200 seems kind of low. You want to set yourself up for success and sustainability here.

0305bp

How tall are you and how aggressively do you have your goal set? You don't have too much to lose so 1200 seems kind of low. You want to set yourself up for success and sustainability here.

I'm 5'6, started a 189, and have it set to lose 2 lbs a week. Initial 20 lbs was an interim goal, I would really like to lose 40 total (ie be about 150 lbs)

Mr_Knight

At your activity level, it's not particularly important to eat back your burn.

LAT1963

I tend to eat back about halfto three-quarters of my exercise calories, and that's the point where I feel not-hungry. I won't say "full" because to me "full" implies not able to eat more, where "not-hungry" just means I don't want more though I could eat more if there was social pressure to do so (ie: at a wedding or something where refusing a piece of cake might be seen as a slight).

For comparison: 5'8", baseline target 1540 calories, typical daily exercise 600 calories, typical daily food 1800-200 calories. I have lost ~18 lbs in 60 days doing this.

Liftng4Lis

How tall are you and how aggressively do you have your goal set? You don't have too much to lose so 1200 seems kind of low. You want to set yourself up for success and sustainability here.

I'm 5'6, started a 189, and have it set to lose 2 lbs a week. Initial 20 lbs was an interim goal, I would really like to lose 40 total (ie be about 150 lbs)

Your goal seems a little too aggressive for the amount you have to lose. If you are keeping it as such, then I would definitely eat back half the exercise calories. If you change it to a pound a week, it would give you more calories and then it wouldn't be as necessary.

Camo_xxx

Should you force yourself to eat when you are not hungry ? Probably not.

If you have just started low carbing and calorie counting 2 weeks ago it is more then likely that your body is still adapting to the lack of carbs. as you get a bit further along your appetite will most likely adjust as your body adapts to using ketones for fuel.

Also, as you get better at weighing and tracking your food you may find you are already eating those calories.

if it were me I would stop eating when I feel satisfied. Redouble my efforts at accurate data collection. And see where I was at in 2 more weeks before I made changes.

* but then again I also meet with my doctor and a nutritionist before I started to make sure I was good to go.

LAT1963

Should you force yourself to eat when you are not hungry ? Probably not.

If you have just started low carbing and calorie counting 2 weeks ago it is more then likely that your body is still adapting to the lack of carbs. as you get a bit further along your appetite will most likely adjust as your body adapts to using ketones for fuel.

Also, as you get better at weighing and tracking your food you may find you are already eating those calories.

if it were me I would stop eating when I feel satisfied. Redouble my efforts at accurate data collection. And see where I was at in 2 more weeks before I made changes.

* but then again I also meet with my doctor and a nutritionist before I started to make sure I was good to go.

+1

SLLRunner

Never mind.