PLEASE READ: New insight on eating back your exercise calori

ugogirl1234

You're already eating at a deficit...exercising is going to put you into an even bigger (possibly unhealthy) deficit if you're not eating any of your exercise calories at all. Sure, not eating any may help you lose right now, but in the long run, it won't work, you'll plateau & be stuck. I could starve myself & eat 300 calories a day. Would I lose weight? Absolutely! But it wouldn't last. Search the boards for the "700 calories a day & not losing weight" or a title similar. It's an interesting read & a different way to look at your situation.

Yes. You are right. I have since learned that MFP is already giving me my deficit.

Lanfear

Yup, thats day to day lifestyle exercise is what you then add in your daily diary and I find it a really good way of sticking to a healthier lyfestyle and weight loss program as it motivates me to exersize so I CAN eat the calories back...I really struggle on 1200 lol... and im seeing gradual weight loss results and definite toning results. GOOD LUCK
Ps. be aware that some exercises in the database may overestimate the calories burnt. x

I am sooooo glad that I am not the only one who looks forward to exercising so I can have extra calories LOL!!!!! About the only way I managed to stick to 1200 was missing lunch one day, and I would not recmmend that under any circumstances. Luckily I cycle to work most days so at least I earn some through that!

ugogirl1234

Sounds to me like you are counting your exercise calories twice--once when you entered them under your basic 'activity level', which MFP uses to calculate your daily calories overall, then again when you exercise, which you enter daily. You only get to count them once...

I agree with this. Seems like you are putting in Active as your lifestyle because you exercise on a regular basis. You should only enter active lifestyle if you are on your feet walking around all day as your job. By choosing active lifestyle, MFP is already creating the deficit you are entering again by adding your exercise. What is it you do for an occupation?

It took a few days for what you and mostly everyone is saying. But I get it now:) MFP was already giving me my deficit. I sit all day so I can lose weight at 1200 calories without exercising. Since realizing this, I have been eating back my calories.

girlruns

Just to clarify a tad more on the numbers you put into MFP when you start:

In addition to height, weight, age, sex, rate of loss, MFP asks your daily activity level. I sit at a desk all day, and even with cleaning and such in the evening, I classified myself as "sedentary". MFP then ALSO asks what you plan to do for exercise. I put in 5 workouts a week of 45 minutes each. However, this input has nothing to do with your calories they give you. It is almost in there as just a way to state a goal. "I want to workout for 45 minutes 5 days a week". If I do or don't doesn't change anything in the settings, it is just out there.

I wanted to let people know this because I think some (including the OP?) think that by putting in that exercise goal, it affects the numbers. It does not. You are given a calorie goal based on everything else, and then each day you enter your exercise individually. Whether you choose to eat back the calories or not is hotly debated, but I will say I ate most, and clearly it worked for me.

ugogirl1234

Just to clarify a tad more on the numbers you put into MFP when you start:

In addition to height, weight, age, sex, rate of loss, MFP asks your daily activity level. I sit at a desk all day, and even with cleaning and such in the evening, I classified myself as "sedentary". MFP then ALSO asks what you plan to do for exercise. I put in 5 workouts a week of 45 minutes each. However, this input has nothing to do with your calories they give you. It is almost in there as just a way to state a goal. "I want to workout for 45 minutes 5 days a week". If I do or don't doesn't change anything in the settings, it is just out there.

I wanted to let people know this because I think some (including the OP?) think that by putting in that exercise goal, it affects the numbers. It does not. You are given a calorie goal based on everything else, and then each day you enter your exercise individually. Whether you choose to eat back the calories or not is hotly debated, but I will say I ate most, and clearly it worked for me.

I think you should post this as a new topic. it will really help newbies such as myself when they first come here. Great Reply and thanks!

rockabyesarojane

Well I guess my metabolism is just faster than most. Because I have not eaten any of my exercise calories since joining and I have lost over 8lbs and have gone down from a size 6 to a size 4. So I am not missing the point. But thanks, just the same.

a word of caution; i'm not trying to tell you what to do, but i do think it's only fair to warn you that your initial weight loss from not eating quite enough could be lean mass and not necessarily fat.

Obviously i hope that is not the case and wish you the best but just give it a thought. and if are concerned about having to eat a bunch of calories late at night upon returning from the gym just keep in mind during the day you could be eating slightly higher calorie versions of foods you're already consuming so that you've eaten high calorie items earlier in the day and fueled yourself for a great workout that night. then just have a small serving of yogurt during the golden hour (up to 45mins post workout) when your body absorbs nutrients and proteins much better. voila!

p.s. in case you didnt realize you were coming off this way, you seem to be flip flopping on weather or not you value the opinions that you asked for and weather or not you now think that eating the calories back is a good idea. (just an fyi)

GOOD LUCK!

amandakay23

All calorie recommended sites are going to show different. I tried not eating back my excersise calories and it did not work for me, my net was consistantly under 1200 and my body didn't like that. I eat them back now and watch my sodium and have been able to start losing again. Everyone is different, and needs to do what works for them IMO. Its a matter of trial and error. :flowerforyou:

charityateet

My goal to lose 1.5lb wk (199lb 5'6") slightly active lifestyle - 1490. I need to eat around 2000 calories a day to MAINTAIN my weight. MFP gave me a defecit when it suggested that I eat 1490 calories a day. I personally look forward to working out so I can eat a little more, or have a couple weekend beers!

3-400 cals bfast
2-300 cals snack (usually miss this one though, too busy!)
3-400 cals lunch
2-300 cals snack
5-600 cals dinner

= 1500 - 2000 calories per day - and I burn 3-500 cals in a workout.

You can see, on the days I do little or no workouts (usually doesn't happen) I am on the low end (1500 cals) but when I work out more - I can eat a little more and still have a "defecit".

Just what's working for me......I've lost 10 lbs since I joined in January. I anticipate losing 5-8 lbs a month doing this.

ugogirl1234

Well I guess my metabolism is just faster than most. Because I have not eaten any of my exercise calories since joining and I have lost over 8lbs and have gone down from a size 6 to a size 4. So I am not missing the point. But thanks, just the same.

a word of caution; i'm not trying to tell you what to do, but i do think it's only fair to warn you that your initial weight loss from not eating quite enough could be lean mass and not necessarily fat.

Obviously i hope that is not the case and wish you the best but just give it a thought. and if are concerned about having to eat a bunch of calories late at night upon returning from the gym just keep in mind during the day you could be eating slightly higher calorie versions of foods you're already consuming so that you've eaten high calorie items earlier in the day and fueled yourself for a great workout that night. then just have a small serving of yogurt during the golden hour (up to 45mins post workout) when your body absorbs nutrients and proteins much better. voila!

p.s. in case you didnt realize you were coming off this way, you seem to be flip flopping on weather or not you value the opinions that you asked for and weather or not you now think that eating the calories back is a good idea. (just an fyi)

GOOD LUCK!

I know. I have been trying to correct my initial understanding of eating back my calories. I thought MFP was giving me 1200 calories based on my exercising, but I now know that they were not. Amen.

sweetheart03622

I read the article and its exactly what I could not explain. This 1200 calories I plug in ALREADY includes my exercise. So yes I now realized that MFP does not know this about the number I plug in, which is why I wrote the post. Sorry everyone seems to think I am confused, but I am not.

Your problem is that you're not supposed to plug in a number that includes your exercise. Your exercise should be above and beyond your "daily activity level". For example, I walk every day from the train station to my office and back. This is 30 minutes each way. I then have two options. Place myself as "moderately active" and multiply my BMR by 1.55, then subtract out the defecit calories (I believe you said 600) and DO NOT log the walk, OR place myself as "sedentary" and multiply my BMR by 1.2, then subtract out the defecit and ADD the walk.

I'm sorry to be short, but the way you presented it was all wrong. There are several ways to go about this. You simply cannot post a thread and claim to have unlocked the holy grail. Obviously the formula on the site works (when used properly) otherwise the site would not be so popular and succesful. I, myself, have lost 10 pounds in 3 weeks by eating back every last calorie that I've ever exercised off.

charityateet

I, myself, have lost 10 pounds in 3 weeks by eating back every last calorie that I've ever exercised off.

AMEN. :drinker: oh and Cheers. LOL

ugogirl1234

I read the article and its exactly what I could not explain. This 1200 calories I plug in ALREADY includes my exercise. So yes I now realized that MFP does not know this about the number I plug in, which is why I wrote the post. Sorry everyone seems to think I am confused, but I am not.

Your problem is that you're not supposed to plug in a number that includes your exercise. Your exercise should be above and beyond your "daily activity level". For example, I walk every day from the train station to my office and back. This is 30 minutes each way. I then have two options. Place myself as "moderately active" and multiply my BMR by 1.55, then subtract out the defecit calories (I believe you said 600) and DO NOT log the walk, OR place myself as "sedentary" and multiply my BMR by 1.2, then subtract out the defecit and ADD the walk.

I'm sorry to be short, but the way you presented it was all wrong. There are several ways to go about this. You simply cannot post a thread and claim to have unlocked the holy grail. Obviously the formula on the site works (when used properly) otherwise the site would not be so popular and succesful. I, myself, have lost 10 pounds in 3 weeks by eating back every last calorie that I've ever exercised off.

When I first started using calculators other than MFP I was always given the option to put in the amount of days I exercise. After entering in all my stats, it would say you need 1600 to maintain your weight. It would then say to subtract at least 500 from that number, to create a calorie deficit.

So enter MFP. They don't ask how many times I exercise a day. They simply ask my lifestyle which for me is sitting at a desk all day. They also don't display how many calories I need to maintain my weight. I think if they did this and then gave me my calories goal I would have never pretended to be the guru of all things as you and one other member has accused me of. I was only trying to shed some light and I apologize if you felt I was tyring to educate you on something you already know.

spiritgirl

I find this topic a very good read with lot's to think about on this weight loss journey. Thanks for posting this,

Fat2FitChick

Well I guess my metabolism is just faster than most. Because I have not eaten any of my exercise calories since joining and I have lost over 8lbs and have gone down from a size 6 to a size 4. So I am not missing the point. But thanks, just the same.

I just want to tell you that when I started I was not eating any of my exercise calories, for the entire first month, and I lost 12 lbs in that one month, but then things changed. I hadn't lost fat, I lost lean muscle which was not what I was going for at all. Then my body stopped burning and I lost no wait.

I then realized that I was hurting my body because I exercise 6 days a week with intense workouts. So I decided to start eating back my calories and by day 3 my body was burning fat like crazy. I am now burning 1-2 lbs a week steadily.

You may have lost 8lbs in the beginning but eventually your body may need more calories from you to keep losing. please just be careful and pay attention to your body because you could be doing more harm than good.

marianne_s

I've read quite a few MFP posts on this topic, and I don't understand why people are eating back their exercise calorie.

I don't eat any of my exercise calories... I can't see the point of doing that!
Why even exercise at all? Isn't the point of exercising to burn calories - to create a calorie deficit?

But after looking at some food diaries, I now realise there are quite a few people that are only on 1200 calories a day...!

I'm currently following the Rosemary Conley diet (UK), where in the allowance is 1200 calories in the 1st 2 weeks, 1400 in the 3rd & 4th. From the 5th weeks onwards each individual's calorie allowance is calculated based on gender, weight & age.

In the 3rd week, I mistakenly stayed on 1200 calories after losing 9 lbs in 2 weeks - well, that I lost nothing and was told by my advisor that if I didn't up my calories I would slow my metabolism and that 1200 calories was not a healthy allowance long term.

My current allowance is 1723, which will allow me to lse 1 lb a week without any exercise. Obviously, if I exercise then I will lose more - so the incentive is to exercise and stil have a good diet.

So, looking at the above you can see why it wouldn't make sense for me to eat back exercise calories - because I will then end up eating 2000+ calories for the day after exercising.

Which isn't a bad thing, if I didn't have weight to lose - as the recommended gda (guideline daily amount) for women in the Uk is 2000 calories, and for men 2500 (I know this amount will be different for each person).

The difference between me and those that have a low calorie allowance, is that I will have given my body the fuel it needs by eating a higher amount of calories each day before I even exercise, and I then have the option to create a calorie deficit if I choose to.

Barelmy

You must be very small already to have a BMR of 1300.