Exercise calories controversy ???

morawjo

I listen to my body...if after my workout I'm hungry...and have exercise calories available, then I will eat. Simple as that. Listen to what your body is telling you. I tried not eating the exercise calories and found I was miserable and wasn't losing weight. Now I'm eating my exercise calories when my body tells me I'm hungry, and I'm losing weight.

FearAnLoathing

I only eat if im hungry,so im never hungry enough to eat my calories back.I feel great I always have tons of energy.Its when I eat when im not hungry that I feel icky.I think it just depeneds on the individual

benitocereno

Listen to Eric, eat your calories back. How do you know his advice is right? Look at the man's profile picture! As has been said, MFP doesn't count on you exercising to lose your weight (we all miss days, right?). So, if you exercise, you need to log it and eat those calories back to keep pace with your reductions. There is no "controversy" about this, do it or start a different program.

If losing weight isn't fast enough for you (generic you, not just OP) you're not doing it right. It took everyone here months / years to put on the weight, don't expect to lose it quickly. If you diet as a sprint you're not going to keep it off, I promise. I eat (or drink!) back all of my exercise calories and I've lost 17lbs in 2 months, and gained significant muscle. I don't see why you'd want to lose more muscle than you need to... you'll lose the weight and end up looking like a lose bag of skin...

Those of you saying you are eating 1200 calories a day, losing weight + not muscle, and exercising an additional 400-500 calories and not eating it back... sorry, don't buy it. You're either not recording your food correctly, losing a ton of muscle that is accounting for "weight loss," or not burning as many calories as you think. This isn't some magic thing that works different for everyone, it's a pretty straight-forward topic. Also, I imagine you'd feel pretty anemic and terrible. Don't destroy your health to "get healthy."

Sweet13_Princess

I agree that this is a raging debate. I think you have to determine what is best for you. I mean, if you've plateaued, then try NOT eating them. However, if you're losing weight and eating the calories, then why not continue to do so.. everyone likes food, after all!*LOL* I think it boils down to doing what works best for your own body.

Shannon

stormieweather

Listen to Eric, eat your calories back. How do you know his advice is right? Look at the man's profile picture! As has been said, MFP doesn't count on you exercising to lose your weight (we all miss days, right?). So, if you exercise, you need to log it and eat those calories back to keep pace with your reductions. There is no "controversy" about this, do it or start a different program.

If losing weight isn't fast enough for you (generic you, not just OP) you're not doing it right. It took everyone here months / years to put on the weight, don't expect to lose it quickly. If you diet as a sprint you're not going to keep it off, I promise. I eat (or drink!) back all of my exercise calories and I've lost 17lbs in 2 months, and gained significant muscle. I don't see why you'd want to lose more muscle than you need to... you'll lose the weight and end up looking like a lose bag of skin...

Those of you saying you are eating 1200 calories a day, losing weight + not muscle, and exercising an additional 400-500 calories and not eating it back... sorry, don't buy it. You're either not recording your food correctly, losing a ton of muscle that is accounting for "weight loss," or not burning as many calories as you think. This isn't some magic thing that works different for everyone, it's a pretty straight-forward topic. Also, I imagine you'd feel pretty anemic and terrible. Don't destroy your health to "get healthy."

Agreed 100%

omgitsgarry

I use to think it was okay not to eat them too, but after I started losing weight way to fast (a pound a day) and I started throwing some serious fits, I decided I was going to eat them back and try to hit my goal calorie intake a day. Think of exercise as an eraser. When you exercise, you are taking away what you work off. Well, your body needs those calories to work properly. Calories are the bodies food, if you don't prove them for your body, it doesn't work properly. So that's why if you don't eat a certain amount of your exercise calories back, your body decides it's going to get calories from it's self. Then your body starts shutting down systems to fuel things like your heart and other vital organs. One of those things is your metabolism, so it doesn't break down food and you don't lose any weight. If you still do lose weight, once you start eating normally again, you gain it back. Believe me, it happened to me. I lost 30 pounds over a summer when I was 16 (I'm 23 now) and when I went back to school and stopped working out as much, I gained a ton and then some back. Easy does it may not always win the race, but in the long run, you'll keep it off better.

tlcoke

Here is a formula that I was given that gives you a reference to your daily needs for calories if you want to lose 1 lb per week.

your Weight x 12 = Calories (men put 14 in place of the 12)
Calories - 500 = Your daily intake (this is your total calories taking in account your exercise to lose 1 lb a week)

carolinegeorgia

I have never eaten my exercise calories and lost weight every week, I know if I need to I can but it doesn't work for me to eat them, think you have to do what's best for you ;-)

Losing muscle is not good for anyone. If you goal is set for 0.5 lb/week lose then it would be okay not to eat them as you caloric deficit would only be 250 cals, but for those that are set at 1.5 to 2 lbs/week should eat most of them to avoid burning muscle as fuel, instead of fat, which is really what you want to lose.

Totally agree, I don't get why it has to be the same for Everyone, we're all different in every way ;-)

I lost 40 pounds last year not eating my calories back and on a plan JUST like this one only a diffrent site.I didnt lose muscle,my trainer at the time and the doctor I was seeing said I was fine.In september when I moved and things got crazy for a little while I stoped working out for3 or 4 months and never gained a pound back. Just saying whats good for some isnt for everyone.I think everyone needs to find out what works for them,and not what other people say they should be doing.

CARNAT22

Here is a formula that I was given that gives you a reference to your daily needs for calories if you want to lose 1 lb per week.

your Weight x 12 = Calories (men put 14 in place of the 12)
Calories - 500 = Your daily intake (this is your total calories taking in account your exercise to lose 1 lb a week)

Interesting.

That calculation puts me at 1108cals per day... So I am guessing this means I would need to take my 1200cals per day from food, burn off almost 100cals to loste1lb per week? (or take 1300cals per day and burn off almost 200cals etc..)

Is that how it works?

scagneti

I don't understand how people can think that you can fuel your body the exact same way whether you work out or not. Do you think that someone running a marathon eats the same things on days that he's competing as a rest day? Of course not. How long do you think that you can survive giving your body (in some cases) under 800 calories per day (after factoring exercise) knowing that JUST to lay in bed all day, your body would require nearly double that?

prisikrisi

Other than the health benefits from exercising, what's the point in burning extra calories if you just eat them??? If that made sense, then couldn't you not exercise and not eat extra food and have the same general effect? I try to burn as many calories as I can when I exercise every day. I NEVER eat my burned calories, and rarely (unless it's my cheat day) do I meet my 1200 calorie daily limit. They say you need to eat your calorie limit, but I just can't, let alone another 600 calories!

scagneti

And when you gain back whatever you lose this time around from going back to eating normally (unless you think that your body getting under 600 calories a day is normal), remember that this is the reason why. It'll save you a lot of questions in the long run.

(and people exercise because it creates long, beautiful muscles and gets the heart pumping and makes us ready to face the day. You'll recognize people who lose weight without exercising -- they have saggy skin, shallow faces and zero tone over their bodies.)

pyro13g

It's because people use the numbers spit out by calorie calculators in the WRONG way. A medical professional/nutritionist won't understand "eating them back" because normal daily activity calorie expenditure and the exercise calorie expenditure is already accounted for in the daily calorie intake they give you. You have to have enough calories left after all activity to meet your Basal Metabolic Rate. Being below BMR can be dangerous.

"eating them back" is nonsense because they should be in your daily calorie intake to begin with.

People start with BMR or Sedentary activity levels and then pile on exercise without accounting for calories(fuel) used during exercise. That's wrong!

BMR + Normal Activity + Exercise = Daily Caloric Intake to maintain weight. Subtract 500 to lose 1lb per week.. It's that simple!

I really don't under stand the confusion. The guided goals of MFP let's you enter your exercise goals for the week to be used in calculating calories. It's their for a reason. It's important and relevant to the calculation.

If you used the BMR calculator or left your exercise out of the guided goals than you MUST eat your exercise calories back. You can look up the hazards of being below BMR and malnutrition on your own. Yes, you drop below BMR to drop weight, but you must exercise with intensity and you want to be below BMR for as short a time as possible.

benitocereno

Other than the health benefits from exercising, what's the point in burning extra calories if you just eat them??? If that made sense, then couldn't you not exercise and not eat extra food and have the same general effect? I try to burn as many calories as I can when I exercise every day. I NEVER eat my burned calories, and rarely (unless it's my cheat day) do I meet my 1200 calorie daily limit. They say you need to eat your calorie limit, but I just can't, let alone another 600 calories!

Exactly, if you don't exercise you don't get to eat as much. The benefit to exercising is being able to eat more, which helps control your appetite and urges. You also get to indulge a little bit more (have a drink?), which leads to you STICKING with your plan because you're not suffering and driving yourself crazy on a minimalist diet. This leads to weight-loss and a SUSTAINABLE lifestyle, which is the point!

Eat your calories, it's not that hard, just deal with it and do it. You're not being healthy right now, plain and simple. I don't see how "oh I just CANT eat another 600!! calories!!!" is even realistic, you're kidding yourself, not to mention starving yourself. This iron-man attitude of "I'm not even hungry and I eat EVEN LESS than they tell me to!" doesn't impress anyone here, and the only one suffering is yourself and your health.

I'm going to be blunt with this one and hope it sticks for some people- STOP BEING STUPID. Google "nutrition" and "daily calorie needs" and take advice from experts instead of know-it-alls who think "everyone is a unique diet snowflake." No, you can't eat 800 calories a day and be healthy, you're not special, sorry. Try using this tool:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/calorie-calculator/NU00598

That's your required calories to maintain weight. A 18-year old 4'2" 100lb female requires 1500 calories a day to maintain weight. So no, you're not doing it right and you're probably malnourished.

givprayz

One other consideration that i havent seen mentioned thus far in this thread is how many calories (without exercise) your initial goal was.... If your initial goal was 1600 calories, you have much more wiggle-room to eat or not eat back exercise calories without falling below the 1200 NET minimum. The closer your initial goal is to 1200, the more important it is to eat back those exercise calories because you dont want to end under 1200 NET (routinely) and slip into a famine response which is your body preserving its fat stores, breaking down/burning muscle and lowering your metabolism rate.

Yes, you will continue to lose weight when your body is in famine response, but you will be losing about 50% of it in muscle and 50% in fat. Not what you're aiming for, i bet! On top of that, since metabolism lowers, when/if you fall off the wagon weight regain occurs much more quickly. Exercise preserves and builds muscle, raises metabolism, improves mood and energy levels and makes for a much healthier body in the long-run. Its incredibly beneficial to add regular exercise into your life!

Some people will swear by not eating back their calories and that may work in the short-term but an engine needs fuel to run. If you are only adding enough fuel for regular daily activities, how long do you expect to be able to have the energy to be athletic without giving your body a bit of extra fuel?

Again, if you have a base goal of 1600 cals and you burn 300 through exercise, this may never become a major concern for you (as your NET calories always end up over 1200 anyways) but if your base goal is lower and/or you have higher burns, you really DO need to consider what are your objectives? Just to lose weight regardless of its fat/muslce composition? If you want to lose weight over the long-term AND have a healthy and strong body, you need to fuel your body like an athlete and that means taking post-workout refueling into consideration.

I dont ALWAYS eat ALL of my exercise calories back, but when i end up with a NET under 1200 several times a week for a few weeks in a row, i notice a lack of energy which keeps me from optimal performance and a plateau of my weight. Speaking personally, i dont do all this exercise to burn off my muscle for energy! I want the fat gone, not the muscle! :drinker:

This lady says it all! Keep your net calories above 1200 most days and you will maintain lean body mass better than a lower calorie intake. I stopped losing weight because I wasn't paying attention to the net calories, but once I did, I started losing again. I would actually suggest that 1200 is a minimum for women under 5'10", and for men under 5'5", and even a little higher for those taller, and certainly for the body-builder types. You need nutrients, not just calories, to live and thrive. If you severely restrict calories, or burn through nutrients, you won't have the nutrients you need to rebuild and remain healthy. So yes, you can lose more weight by not eating a net of 1200 calories, but if the extra weight-loss is from muscle and bone mass, is that really what you want?

erickirb

It's because people use the numbers spit out by calorie calculators in the WRONG way. A medical professional/nutritionist won't understand "eating them back" because normal daily activity calorie expenditure and the exercise calorie expenditure is already accounted for in the daily calorie intake they give you. You have to have enough calories left after all activity to meet your Basal Metabolic Rate. Being below BMR can be dangerous.

"eating them back" is nonsense because they should be in your daily calorie intake to begin with.

People start with BMR or Sedentary activity levels and then pile on exercise without accounting for calories(fuel) used during exercise. That's wrong!

BMR + Normal Activity + Exercise = Daily Caloric Intake to maintain weight. Subtract 500 to lose 1lb per week.. It's that simple!

I really don't under stand the confusion. The guided goals of MFP let's you enter your exercise goals for the week to be used in calculating calories. It's their for a reason. It's important and relevant to the calculation.

If you used the BMR calculator or left your exercise out of the guided goals than you MUST eat your exercise calories back. You can look up the hazards of being below BMR and malnutrition on your own. Yes, you drop below BMR to drop weight, but you must exercise with intensity and you want to be below BMR for as short a time as possible.

MFP ignores your exercise goals when you sign up. It gives you your calorie goal assuming you to no working out, this is why it ads it back when you enter it.

stormieweather

To respond to the people who say...why would I work my butt of burning all those calories just to eat them back, that defeats the purpose....here's why:

1) Exercising releases endorphins which make you feel good.
2) The term for losing weight without keeping the muscle tone underneath is "skinny-fat", and it is just like a fat person, but with the stuffing removed. Exercising keeps the muscles toned.
3) Exercising increases ones metabolism and keeps it elevated for long periods after one has worked out (I think it's 3 hours?). So your body is burning more calories for hours after you are done exercising.
4) Exercising has health benefits beyond weight loss - blood circulation, cholesterol levels/reduction, keeps the heart muscle fit, helps you sleep better...and it's fun! Make it a habit now and you will help prevent a reoccurance of weight gain later.

scagneti

To respond to the people who say...why would I work my butt of burning all those calories just to eat them back, that defeats the purpose....here's why:

1) Exercising releases endorphins which make you feel good.
2) The term for losing weight without keeping the muscle tone underneath is "skinny-fat", and it is just like a fat person, but with the stuffing removed. Exercising keeps the muscles toned.
3) Exercising increases ones metabolism and keeps it elevated for long periods after one has worked out (I think it's 3 hours?). So your body is burning more calories for hours after you are done exercising.
4) Exercising has health benefits beyond weight loss - blood circulation, cholesterol levels/reduction, keeps the heart muscle fit, helps you sleep better...and it's fun! Make it a habit now and you will help prevent a reoccurance of weight gain later.

It makes me sad when people ask that. You can tell that they haven't learned a thing. I can't believe how amazing I feel after working out. Even after my last 10 lbs is gone, I'll still be up and working out regularly. It might not be hours on a treadmill, but there are so many ways to have fun while working out now, I can't understand why people talk about it like they're not getting anything out of it (other than burning a few calories).

TiffanyW1014

Other than the health benefits from exercising, what's the point in burning extra calories if you just eat them??? If that made sense, then couldn't you not exercise and not eat extra food and have the same general effect? I try to burn as many calories as I can when I exercise every day. I NEVER eat my burned calories, and rarely (unless it's my cheat day) do I meet my 1200 calorie daily limit. They say you need to eat your calorie limit, but I just can't, let alone another 600 calories!

Exactly, if you don't exercise you don't get to eat as much. The benefit to exercising is being able to eat more, which helps control your appetite and urges. You also get to indulge a little bit more (have a drink?), which leads to you STICKING with your plan because you're not suffering and driving yourself crazy on a minimalist diet. This leads to weight-loss and a SUSTAINABLE lifestyle, which is the point!

Eat your calories, it's not that hard, just deal with it and do it. You're not being healthy right now, plain and simple. I don't see how "oh I just CANT eat another 600!! calories!!!" is even realistic, you're kidding yourself, not to mention starving yourself. This iron-man attitude of "I'm not even hungry and I eat EVEN LESS than they tell me to!" doesn't impress anyone here, and the only one suffering is yourself and your health.

I'm going to be blunt with this one and hope it sticks for some people- STOP BEING STUPID. Google "nutrition" and "daily calorie needs" and take advice from experts instead of know-it-alls who think "everyone is a unique diet snowflake." No, you can't eat 800 calories a day and be healthy, you're not special, sorry. Try using this tool:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/calorie-calculator/NU00598

That's your required calories to maintain weight. A 18-year old 4'2" 100lb female requires 1500 calories a day to maintain weight. So no, you're not doing it right and you're probably malnourished.

This is great!! I am down 60+ lbs since June 2010 and I feel great. I also allow myself to enjoy life. I have a drink or two every now and then and I also eat out with my family. I may eat my full exercise calories and go over on other days but it is all part of this crazy thing called life. Good luck to everyone. Do what works best for you, but I am in this for the life long change but I'm not going to avoid life!!

Dobsaya

This is a lost cause topic. It pops up several times a day and there is never a general consensus. Do what you think is best for you. If you think that operating on 400 calories a day because of the calories burned in exercise is enough, then do it. If you think your body needs a minumum of 1200 calories to properly function, then eat the exercise calories. This is not only about weight loss but about overall good health.

humpalc

I don't think MFP does ignore your workout goals - if you say you will be exercising 30 minutes a day, it figures that in - I went back and changed my plan from 30 minues a day to 0 minutes a day, and my calorie goal decreased -

I don't eat back ALL of my exercise calories as a RULE, but I try to make sure I'm not consistently too far under my calorie intake goal - for example - if I'm not hungry and don't eat all of my calories for a couple of days, I'm more diligent the next day or two, just to be sure my metabolism doesn't slow down it's burn in response to the calorie deficit.

SKismet

Other than the health benefits from exercising, what's the point in burning extra calories if you just eat them??? If that made sense, then couldn't you not exercise and not eat extra food and have the same general effect? I try to burn as many calories as I can when I exercise every day. I NEVER eat my burned calories, and rarely (unless it's my cheat day) do I meet my 1200 calorie daily limit. They say you need to eat your calorie limit, but I just can't, let alone another 600 calories!

1. Considering that this is a FITNESS website, not technically just a WEIGHT LOSS website, what reason OTHER than the "health benefits" do you need?
2. Yes, as a matter of fact you CAN have the same general effect (as far as weight loss is concerned) by not exercising and not eating extra food. I have seen this in my family a couple of times, but that doesn't mean it's a good technique for getting healthier.

benitocereno

This is a lost cause topic. It pops up several times a day and there is never a general consensus. Do what you think is best for you. If you think that operating on 400 calories a day because of the calories burned in exercise is enough, then do it. If you think your body needs a minumum of 1200 calories to properly function, then eat the exercise calories. This is not only about weight loss but about overall good health.

The cause isn't a lost topic; it's a topic regurgitated time and time again by people who fail to accept the answer that is put in front of them.

Don't do what you think is best for you if it's living on 400 calories a day. It's not okay, and is in fact, quite dangerous. Eat a minimum of 1200 calories a day, whether you think it's too high or whatever else you believe. I'm sure there's some medical journal exception out there that says it's okay for some people to go under 1200 (Hint: It's not you!!!).

This "do whatever you think is dandy!" thing should be a ban-able offense. It's dangerous and only reinforces bad habits and attitudes that people come here to get rid of. I don't care if you tell someone to not eat their workout calories if they're staying above ~1200, but don't tell people it's fine to go under it because their body is somehow magically different from the rest of humanity.

steveohypertension

I ingore them, I aim to hit my target calories, sat fat and sodium goals ... if I workout more than normal I'll add something to my menu ... but no I don't eat the calories ... its what work best for the individual ... good luck

Dobsaya

Bump

FearAnLoathing

my health is just fine,and as long as my doctor is cool im cool.ive been doing this for a year I know how to track my food and I know how many calories I burn.If im not hungry I dont eat them back.simple as that.I am perfectly healthy energetic and not at all anemic.Im not telling anyone to do what I do.Im just saying they should do whatever works for them.It dosent matter to me if you "buy it" or not

shannonshock13

Other than the health benefits from exercising, what's the point in burning extra calories if you just eat them??? If that made sense, then couldn't you not exercise and not eat extra food and have the same general effect? I try to burn as many calories as I can when I exercise every day. I NEVER eat my burned calories, and rarely (unless it's my cheat day) do I meet my 1200 calorie daily limit. They say you need to eat your calorie limit, but I just can't, let alone another 600 calories!

Exactly, if you don't exercise you don't get to eat as much. The benefit to exercising is being able to eat more, which helps control your appetite and urges. You also get to indulge a little bit more (have a drink?), which leads to you STICKING with your plan because you're not suffering and driving yourself crazy on a minimalist diet. This leads to weight-loss and a SUSTAINABLE lifestyle, which is the point!

Eat your calories, it's not that hard, just deal with it and do it. You're not being healthy right now, plain and simple. I don't see how "oh I just CANT eat another 600!! calories!!!" is even realistic, you're kidding yourself, not to mention starving yourself. This iron-man attitude of "I'm not even hungry and I eat EVEN LESS than they tell me to!" doesn't impress anyone here, and the only one suffering is yourself and your health.

I'm going to be blunt with this one and hope it sticks for some people- STOP BEING STUPID. Google "nutrition" and "daily calorie needs" and take advice from experts instead of know-it-alls who think "everyone is a unique diet snowflake." No, you can't eat 800 calories a day and be healthy, you're not special, sorry. Try using this tool:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/calorie-calculator/NU00598

That's your required calories to maintain weight. A 18-year old 4'2" 100lb female requires 1500 calories a day to maintain weight. So no, you're not doing it right and you're probably malnourished.

This is great!! I am down 60+ lbs since June 2010 and I feel great. I also allow myself to enjoy life. I have a drink or two every now and then and I also eat out with my family. I may eat my full exercise calories and go over on other days but it is all part of this crazy thing called life. Good luck to everyone. Do what works best for you, but I am in this for the life long change but I'm not going to avoid life!!

I kind of have to agree with this one. For the past couple weeks i have been eating around 1200-1400 cals but only netting around 800-1000 and i seem to have a slight cold that i can not shake. I think it's due to me being slightly malnourished.

erickirb

I don't think MFP does ignore your workout goals - if you say you will be exercising 30 minutes a day, it figures that in - I went back and changed my plan from 30 minues a day to 0 minutes a day, and my calorie goal decreased -

I don't eat back ALL of my exercise calories as a RULE, but I try to make sure I'm not consistently too far under my calorie intake goal - for example - if I'm not hungry and don't eat all of my calories for a couple of days, I'm more diligent the next day or two, just to be sure my metabolism doesn't slow down it's burn in response to the calorie deficit.

Try again, it doesn't count it until you enter it in to the exercise tab after you actually perform the exercise. The change in cals may have been from entering in your new lower weight at the same time.

erickirb

This is a lost cause topic. It pops up several times a day and there is never a general consensus. Do what you think is best for you. If you think that operating on 400 calories a day because of the calories burned in exercise is enough, then do it. If you think your body needs a minumum of 1200 calories to properly function, then eat the exercise calories. This is not only about weight loss but about overall good health.

The cause isn't a lost topic; it's a topic regurgitated time and time again by people who fail to accept the answer that is put in front of them.

Don't do what you think is best for you if it's living on 400 calories a day. It's not okay, and is in fact, quite dangerous. Eat a minimum of 1200 calories a day, whether you think it's too high or whatever else you believe. I'm sure there's some medical journal exception out there that says it's okay for some people to go under 1200 (Hint: It's not you!!!).

This "do whatever you think is dandy!" thing should be a ban-able offense. It's dangerous and only reinforces bad habits and attitudes that people come here to get rid of. I don't care if you tell someone to not eat their workout calories if they're staying above ~1200, but don't tell people it's fine to go under it because their body is somehow magically different from the rest of humanity.

agreed but the 1200 should be 1200 net (1200 plus exercise cals) eating 1200 and burning 800 from exercise is not okay.

superstarcassie

Come on people! We need to FUEL our bodies! If I only ate 1200 calories per day and didn't back any of my exercise calories I would have given up because I would ALWAYS be hungry. No offense- not eating some of those calories will work for a while....but I guarantee you will stall on your weight loss as time goes on. I'm not saying you have to eat your calories (you can only make that decision), but you need to fuel your body. Too big of a caloric deficit will cause you to burn through your muscle instead of the fat that most of us want to get rid of. Be smart- eat healthy and ENOUGH- exercise!