Where's the calorie deficit in exercise?

PetiteMinina

Hello, I've been using this MFP calourie app for almost a month for checking how much I eat. I'm limiting my calorie intake to 1200 as the app says.

At first when using the app I ate 1200 and burned 600 doing cardio. I barely ate the calories back unless I was very hungry...but, a few days ago, looking to understand the "starvation mode" thing, I ended reading lots of posts in this forum saying you must eat all what you burn back (ex: if I ate 1200 and burn 600 my body is only living with 600 cals wich is crazy in a bad way, thinking that 1200 cals is the lowest a 'normal' woman's body can live with without getting any health problems). Now I understand why the app adds me more calories the days I workout...

I've been trying to eat them all back but I guess I got used to this 1200 cal diet because sometimes I'm not hungry like eating 600cals more back, and trying to do so makes me feel stuffed (for eating more than I feel like it) or obese (for eating high-in-calories stuff like burgers or muffins to get the calories my body needs back easily (which it's not a problem of course because I love junkie food lol but not daily! I'm looking to eat healthy at least 6 days of the week, I want to have a life-long, healthy lifestyle)).

So now I'm confused... What's the point of exercise if I must eat all what I burn back? I know it's better for your body, but what's the point of working out when you want to lose weight, if you must eat all what you burned?

Knowing this kinda turned me down about exercising...

So if there's someone out there who could explain me the benefits of working out for your body and for your weight loss,where's the calorie deficit in doing so, or if there's none but lots of benefits for your body, etc. anything... you'd help me so much!


Thank you and have a good day!

ps: Should I work out less? (I was thinking of doing only 30mins of crazy-hamster-treadmill running cardio (instead of the 60 minutes I used to do) and starting to do weightlifting stuff for arms and legs and abdominals?

sensitivefool

Eat when you are hungry. Make sure you're getting your vitamins and minerals.
If you feel like you need to eat more, then eat more.
Figure out what works best for you/how you like to treat your body.
Don't get wrapped up in the science.
If you feel damn good then you're doing it right!

VelveteenArabian

You're overthinking it.

Eating 1200 calories IS existing at a caloric deficit. When you skip eating back those exercise calories, you're increasing your deficit and at such a level that you're really depriving your body of what it needs to function. It's a NET total, not an absolute total.

So, let's say you can eat 2000 calories per day and maintain weight. If you drop down to 1200, you're already at an 800 calorie per day deficit. If you exercise and burn 300, that drops you down from 1200, to 900 net for the day, which is too low*. If you eat back those 300 calories, you're at a NET 1200, even though you ate a total of 1500, you burnt off that extra 300 with exercise.


* Though many would argue that 1200 is also too low.

Kalikel

If you eat all the calories back, there is no weight loss benefit. It is still good for you, though!

If the estimate of calories burned is too high, you may actually overeat, though at 1200 it is unlikely.

Not everyone eats the calories back. Of those who do, a lot only eat half back. It's a decision everyone has to make for themselves.

I only eat what I'm hungry for.

lemonsnowdrop

It's different for people who want to eat more than 1200 calories. Say MFP sets you up at 1200 but you're hungrier than that. In order to lose that amount of weight, you eat 1800 calories but burn 600 to reach your 1200.

Also, calorie deficit for weight loss, exercise for health.

ninerbuff

Exercise is for health and fitness. While it helps with calorie expenditure, calorie deficit is a direct result of how much you're consuming vs how much you're burning. You DON'T need to exercise to lose weight.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

kbeloved

What everyone's said already is true, you don't need to exercise to lose weight and many people don't. I personally exercise because I like the dopamine it gives me and it helps stave off my depression. I've recently started weight training and I really enjoy it, it gives me goals and I'm more focused on being "fit" as opposed to being "skinny".

It's really up to you though if you want to exercise or not, I definitely have a hard time losing weight if I don't. I've seen a lot of people on here say that you should eat back at least 50% of your exercise calories if that helps. Some days i am hungrier then others, and some days I'm not. I try to focus on keeping a weekly calorie deficient so I can feed my body when I really feel it needs it, and cut back when I'm not so hungry. "weight loss" is definitely a "journey" and trial and error. Good luck :]

Kalikel

I'd have a tough row to how if I didn't exercise, weight-loss wise.

ryanwood935

In addition to the awesome cardiovascular benefits you should be getting as a healthy human being, you also get to eat an extra 600 calories a day when you work out that much! Remember, we are recommended to exercise 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week. Hopefully it stays with you long after you reach your goal weight!

To address your question about working out less, if you are enjoying what you are doing don't cut back! I strongly support beginning a strength training program. A good program for a beginner will be focused on some core compounds lifts such as squats and bench press. Starting Strength is very popular, as is New Rules of Lifting For Women if you would like to learn more.

Cortneyrenee04

Also, if you chose to eat back your exercise calories, you don't have to eat burgers and muffins to get to to your goal. (I'm wondering how many you think you would need to use up 600 calories?) Just make sure you're actually burning that much before you decide how to use those extra calories.

PetiteMinina

Eat when you are hungry. Make sure you're getting your vitamins and minerals.
If you feel like you need to eat more, then eat more.
Figure out what works best for you/how you like to treat your body.
Don't get wrapped up in the science.
If you feel damn good then you're doing it right!

Thank you, I'll have that in mind! do you think I should take vitamin/mineral pills? in case this low calorie diet doesn't give me the quantity I need?

Mr_Knight

At first when using the app I ate 1200 and burned 600 doing cardio.

It's virtually impossible to maintain meaningful exercise intensity under those conditions. If you are maintaining your intensity, then you are likely either eating more than you think or burning quite a bit less than you think.

PetiteMinina

You're overthinking it.

Eating 1200 calories IS existing at a caloric deficit. When you skip eating back those exercise calories, you're increasing your deficit and at such a level that you're really depriving your body of what it needs to function. It's a NET total, not an absolute total.

So, let's say you can eat 2000 calories per day and maintain weight. If you drop down to 1200, you're already at an 800 calorie per day deficit. If you exercise and burn 300, that drops you down from 1200, to 900 net for the day, which is too low*. If you eat back those 300 calories, you're at a NET 1200, even though you ate a total of 1500, you burnt off that extra 300 with exercise.


* Though many would argue that 1200 is also too low.

I've read in various health sites (nih, nhs, etc) 1200 is the lowest a person should go, if you go lower than that it's very dangerous, unless you medically need to go low, but that's for extreme cases of obesity, and yet you'd have to be very carefull.

I thought what you said, but then I wasn't sure what was the point of exercising then, talking about calories, I guess I got too worried about losing weight, I forgot it's important and healthy for the body to just move!

I guess you can lose weight with the excersise you do it you don't reduce your calorie diet (you wouldn't have to worry about eating those cals back)

I'll stop overthinking lol! Thank you!

PetiteMinina

If you eat all the calories back, there is no weight loss benefit. It is still good for you, though!

If the estimate of calories burned is too high, you may actually overeat, though at 1200 it is unlikely.

Not everyone eats the calories back. Of those who do, a lot only eat half back. It's a decision everyone has to make for themselves.

I only eat what I'm hungry for.

I'll do that, if I don't feel hungry I won't force myself to eat all the calories I burned. Thanks!

PetiteMinina

It's different for people who want to eat more than 1200 calories. Say MFP sets you up at 1200 but you're hungrier than that. In order to lose that amount of weight, you eat 1800 calories but burn 600 to reach your 1200.

Also, calorie deficit for weight loss, exercise for health.

"calorie deficit for weight loss, exercise for health. calorie deficit for weight loss, exercise for health."

I was so focused about weight loss, I forgot exercise is also good for my health and body!
I need to keep those words in mind!

Thanks for your comment!

PetiteMinina

Exercise is for health and fitness. While it helps with calorie expenditure, calorie deficit is a direct result of how much you're consuming vs how much you're burning. You DON'T need to exercise to lose weight.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

What's calorie expenditure exactly?

PetiteMinina

What everyone's said already is true, you don't need to exercise to lose weight and many people don't. I personally exercise because I like the dopamine it gives me and it helps stave off my depression. I've recently started weight training and I really enjoy it, it gives me goals and I'm more focused on being "fit" as opposed to being "skinny".

It's really up to you though if you want to exercise or not, I definitely have a hard time losing weight if I don't. I've seen a lot of people on here say that you should eat back at least 50% of your exercise calories if that helps. Some days i am hungrier then others, and some days I'm not. I try to focus on keeping a weekly calorie deficient so I can feed my body when I really feel it needs it, and cut back when I'm not so hungry. "weight loss" is definitely a "journey" and trial and error. Good luck :]

I won't stop exercising, I don't want to, but I think I'll reduce the time I do cardio and add some weight training. Also with this I won't be in "danger" for burning 600cals having a diet of 1200cals and not eating them all back.

I also exercise because doctors tell me it'll help me with my depression/anxiety, and I want to make it a lifestyle thing. I have to keep in mind that it's more important to be healthy and fit than just skinny... though I do have to drop some pounds in order to get healthy!

I'm new in this and sure's been a journey! And I've learned a lot about how to care of my body, too.

Thank you for your comment! And good luck to you too! (with the weight loss and with the depression stuff).

mike_ny

If you do serious workouts, you can burn off another 500-600 calories or so, but you'll find that exercise in general doesn't burn as many calories as most people think or that some exercise machines claim. And if you're working hard in your workouts, your body will need and crave the extra nutrition, so most people eat back those calories. Also, don't freak out if you see some overnight weight gain after a particularly hard workout. Muscle repair can add water weight for a day or so.

Exercise is great for your body and mind in so many ways, but exercise alone isn't that successful for most people for weight loss. Cutting calories is just so much easier and more direct. Cut calories first to create a deficit, then allow yourself to eat back up to any burned exercise calories over that. Just be careful that your exercise numbers are realistic. People have a natural tendency to under count calories eaten and over count exercise calories.

PetiteMinina

In addition to the awesome cardiovascular benefits you should be getting as a healthy human being, you also get to eat an extra 600 calories a day when you work out that much! Remember, we are recommended to exercise 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week. Hopefully it stays with you long after you reach your goal weight!

To address your question about working out less, if you are enjoying what you are doing don't cut back! I strongly support beginning a strength training program. A good program for a beginner will be focused on some core compounds lifts such as squats and bench press. Starting Strength is very popular, as is New Rules of Lifting For Women if you would like to learn more.

Is 30min of daily exercise with cardio only or does that include weight training? But adding weight training should be good too...

I feel bad if I don't workout at least one hour, but eating those burned cals back is a lot for me, I'm sure I'll get benefits for my body if I add some weight training. I have to remember that being healthy is not just about lossing weight.

and I'll burn that much of calories the days I know I'll misbehave with food lol!

I'll google about those Starting Strength and New Rules of Lifting For Women things you say. Thanks a lot for your comment!

Serah87

I eat to fuel my body, not whether I am hungry or not!! Eating so little hurts your body in the long run and your more likely to binge also.

missomgitsica

The calorie goal that MFP gives you already HAS a deficit. So if you ate 1200 calories every day, you'd still lose whatever your loss goal was when you set up MFP. The idea is to NET that goa.