Why do people eat their exercise calories?

seasonalvoodoo

I you!

Dahlface13

Seriously people no need to get bent about other people's choices. The basic idea seems to be that you should net fewer than 1200 calories a day. If you do you get that annoying little message from MFP that you are eating too few calories and your body will think it's starving. Also, sometimes people use their exercise calories to treat themselves for special situations.

Here is the fact: they earned those calories, let them use them how they want, it has NOTHING to do with your weight loss success.

And just as a side note, some people with the "I'm not eating those calories back!" mentality will hit a plateau, then start eating some or all of their exercise calories, and begin to lose weight again. So sometimes eating those cheating calories is actually the best thing to do.

Bottom line: we are all on the same journey to be healthy. If that means not touching the exercise calories, fine. If it means you want to use what you have earned, fine. But whatever you decide, let's all be supportive instead of critical on here, ok?

taso42_DELETED

:sad:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/264361-can-someone-check-my-math-please

it's not "science". it's science.

seasonalvoodoo

:sad:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/264361-can-someone-check-my-math-please

When someone attempts to create a new thread with the words "eat exercise calories" the site should not allow it and instead point people in the direction of an existing thread!

innerfashionista

I you!

OMG me too. My coworkers now think I'm crazy for giggling hysterically at my desk after seeing this

123456654321

"There really is no "science" behind it. The only true science in weight loss is calories in vs. calories out."

......these two statements contradict each other.

atomiclauren

Others have have mentioned it but it's worth repeating - it all depends on where your MFP "standards" are set. If you choose sedentary then the calorie deficit calculated does not include many (or any?) calories burned as a baseline (other than BMR), therefore if you want to hit your daily goal you need to eat back what you burned to make it even.

On that note, I can see how it's confusing if you're using several calculators or programs that calculate differently.

...and fwiw I always eat them back, more because of the fact that I just want to eat more :blushing:

Schwiggity

I vote for consolidating all the mindless bull**** on this topic into one thread.

PlanetVelma

:sad:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/264361-can-someone-check-my-math-please

When someone attempts to create a new thread with the words "eat exercise calories" the site should not allow it and instead point people in the direction of an existing thread!

EXACTLY!!!!!!

dragonflydi

I really don't understand why. There really is no "science" behind it. The only true science in weight loss is calories in vs. calories out. I feel like eating your exercise calories is an excuse to eat more. You already ate 1300 calories... why would you eat 500 more? Excuses to eat more is how we all got ourselves into this place! I bet that if people didn't eat their exercise calories, they would lose weight a lot quicker! I am sorry to sound rude, but why cheat? You are only cheating yourself!

I never used excuses to eat more (I didn't need excuses, I just ate what I wanted, portion size was an issue, as was the amount of fat in just about everything I put in my mouth, so saying "I did XXX so I can eat that ice cream" are not how I gained my weight ... and I am certainly no expert by any sense of the imagination, but what I've learned from my own personal experience is this: If your calorie goal is 1,300 for the day and you eat that, but burn 500 of those calories exercising, your body is then trying to function on only 800 calories, which, for most people, is not healthy. Doing this over an extended period of time will adjust your metabolism, which will become slower and slower. As it slows down, if you want the weight loss to continue the only way to do that is to continue to decrease your calories even more. Already at 800 ... going lower is extremely dangerous unless you are under the watchful eye of a physician. You are also more apt to lose muscle rather than fat while exercising, which is the total opposite of my own personal goals.

Even if you lose weight initially by not eating back exercise calories, it is going to be a short term "victory" for what I presume is supposed to be a long term goal.

I've lost 108 lbs over the last year and a half and I have tried various things - eating my calories back, not eating them, eating breakfast, not eating breakfast. The one thing I (personally) learned was that I have to eat (and eat sensibly) to lose. If I don't eat breakfast and I don't eat back my exercise calories, it affects my metabolism which in turn effects my weight loss results and not in a good way.

taso42_DELETED

Calories in vs calories out. That's simple addition and subtraction right?

Which is correct?

2000 - 500 - 300 + 300 = 1500

OR

2000 - 500 - 300 = 1500

annacataldo

My average for the last 100days is 0.4lbs a day... Thats 2.8lbs a week averaged... If I were to loose more, it wouldnt be safe. Im losing a pound more a week than I am suppose to; by eating back all of my calories (almost all days).

When you excercise; you burn fuel. Your food is your fuel. You may feel full and satisfied off 1300 calories, but if you burn those calories off, your taking away your fuel..just like in your car...your car cant keep going when its tank is empty... Your body is a bit different; it can keep going; except to get its nutrition it sits there and eats away your muscles. You might loose alot of weight at first by doing this; but eventually youll not beable to loose; or loose so little its not worth it...

I lost 30pounds in 2 weeks at one point by doing this; with the mind that I could eat and just burn it off.. 30pounds in 2weeks. Thats over 2pounds a day; 15pounds a week. I felt great and full and satisfied and never better; but suddenly i stopped losing... i messed up my metabolism for a number of years by doing this.. I couldnt loose weight no matter what i did... and just gained weight if i ate a normal amount of calories... gained and gained and gained and went up 35pounds i had never had before WITHOUT OVEREATING OR EATING BAD THINGS.

Im doing it the right way this time and ive lost more weight, I havent stopped... and as long you dont give yourself the excuse "its ok to eat this double cheeseburger and fries from mcdonalds because i have the calories for it" you are fine.... When I gain extra calories, it means I can eat some extra fruit that day; maybe have a larger portion of rice with dinner, or have some nuts as a snack instead of celery.

Its not about eating MORE, its about eating higher calorie healthy foods to take up more of your calories... nuts, rice, beans, potatoes, banana, raisins, prunes, avacodo, peanut butter are all higher calorie items, that are all natural from the earth.

ilsie99

:sad:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/264361-can-someone-check-my-math-please

it's not "science". it's science.

lol

PlanetVelma

Seriously people no need to get bent about other people's choices. The basic idea seems to be that you should net fewer than 1200 calories a day. If you do you get that annoying little message from MFP that you are eating too few calories and your body will think it's starving. Also, sometimes people use their exercise calories to treat themselves for special situations.

Here is the fact: they earned those calories, let them use them how they want, it has NOTHING to do with your weight loss success.

And just as a side note, some people with the "I'm not eating those calories back!" mentality will hit a plateau, then start eating some or all of their exercise calories, and begin to lose weight again. So sometimes eating those cheating calories is actually the best thing to do.

Bottom line: we are all on the same journey to be healthy. If that means not touching the exercise calories, fine. If it means you want to use what you have earned, fine. But whatever you decide, let's all be supportive instead of critical on here, ok?

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL Good grief!!!

dragonflydi

My average for the last 100days is 0.4lbs a day... Thats 2.8lbs a week averaged... If I were to loose more, it wouldnt be safe.

I also read a few studies that showed the slower it comes off, the more apt it is to stay off. That is HUGE in my book. It's taken a year and a half, and that is just fine with me ... because with the exception of a slight bobble last October (which has since been re-lost) when my body had to relearn how to process food w/out my messed up gall bladder that was removed, it has stayed off. That is a victory

PlanetVelma

I vote for consolidating all the mindless bull**** on this topic into one thread.

Amen to that!

lclarkjr

Look at it this way, if you take your car out on a roadtrip with a full tank of gas and then make it all the way back home with the gas gauge on E, you can't expect to get very far the next day if you never put more fuel in the tank. Your body is a machine and to keep it running at a high level, you need to put the proper amount and kinds of fuel in it. You body burns a certain number of calories just to keep you alive. If you only eat that basic amount and then go and burn another 500 calories through exercise and don't refill, then your body starts to break down. You body keeps your fat and starts burning muscle mass. You may lose weight, but eventually your body gets used to the low calories and your metabolism slows. If the only reason you are doing this is to make the number on the scale go down, then by all means don't eat your exercise calories. If you want to also get healthier and more fit, as well as making the number on the scale go down, then you should be eating back your exercise calories. It is not an excuse to eat more. It is the only sustainable way to keep your body performing at a high level while still losing weight.

Schwiggity

Calories in vs calories out. That's simple addition and subtraction right?

Which is correct?

2000 - 500 - 300 + 300 = 1500

OR

2000 - 500 - 300 = 1500

Angel1066

Eating back some of my calories hasn't done me any harm so far.

ruststar

Why? Because I don't want to have to keep losing the same pounds (plus some extra) that come roaring back when I stop eating like a prison inmate. Aiming for slow and steady loss at reasonable rates I can live with for LIFE (not to squeeze into a bikini for a trip to Cabo), is the strategy I would rather use. If I starve myself for a couple of months and lose 20 in two months, I will eventually quit eating that way, and gain back 30. At the end of a year losing one pound a week I will be down 50 pounds. I'd rather be -50 than +10 next year, thank you very much. You are free to do whatever you like.