Anyone else annoyed?

PJS323

Do posts about eating your exercise calories back annoy you? This probably sounds b*tchy, but I don't eat mine back, and yet I still am healthy, and have been able to not only lose weight, but keep it off. I think it's a little much when others "claim" to know what is best for everyone.

Personally if you want to do that, go for it. Weight loss is a very PERSONAL journey, and I think it should be left up to the individual. I disagree with some postings on here that if you don't eat them you are asking for trouble, or it's unhealthy.

That's just my thoughts on this. Enough of the ranting.........

CasperO

We all have to find what works for us. In my case, I didn't eat mine. I was on 1000 cal a day deficit and didn't eat my exercise at all. It worked super - I dropped tons and felt Ok, no problems. I went from 270 pounds an 35% bodyfat to 220 pounds and 20% in no time. But then something funny happened,,, I quit making progress, and I started feeling really tired and run down.

I had to adjust my program, cut my deficit back to 500 a day and start eating some of my ex calories. Once I did that I started making progress again.

That's what some of the folks talking about eating Ex cal's are talking about. Maybe not eating them works for you, at least for the time being, but some of us have to do it.

jkestens63

I don't find the discussion annoying- I find when people get an attitude about it or get arguementative annoying. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and we should respect that. All of us must then personally determine what works best for us.

Qarol

What annoys me more are when people try to insist that their way is correct. And have all this evidence to back it up. Honestly, if you look hard enough on the internet, you'll find something to back up whatever theory you got. Just tell us what you do, why it works for you, and be done.

PJS323

I agree. One thing I have learned for myself, is if I am hungry, eat. Usually after a huge, extended workout, the next day I am hungry. So I eat, just healthy choices. We all will figure out what works best for us, after all we are the only person that will really hold us accountable.

Thank you!

LorinaLynn

I'm all for eating as much as I possibly can while still getting the results I want. :happy:

If you're happy with what you're doing and it's working for you, that's great. Really, genuinely, great!

If you're like I used to be when I thought it was just a matter of calories in vs calories out, and was dissatisfied with both my progress and how little I ate, and thought the only way to lose more would be to eat even less, then it's good to know that for a lot of people, eating more seems to be the key. That was my missing link in prior weight loss efforts.

Everyone should find what works best for them. And that takes some trial and error. No one should be too afraid of the error part to do the trial part.

Michelle_M2002

I have a Bodybugg. I know what I burn daily. I know to loose 2pounds of fat a week I need to eat 1,000 calories less than I eat each day.

I don't pay attention to "eating back" my exercise calories. I just look at what I've burned all day to maintain a 1,000 calorie deficit. It works for me.

Keep in mind, I don't get all my calories from junk food. My calories are healthy and well rounded, my meals are pretty specific in protein to carb to fat ratio.

God bless!

rml_16

I agree with you. I eat mine if I'm hungry. If I'm not hungry, I don't.

I'm losing and I'm healthy. I have energy for long, tough workouts, so clearly I'm fueling my body enough.

I'm with you: if it works FOR YOU and you want to do it, then do it. But don't insist everyone else do it, too. And that goes for everything, not just eating calories back.

PJS323

I'm with you! Thanks everyone for your comments!

imjustlisa

I read messages about this so much and I have started looking at their profiles and checking their weights. I have found that heavier people don't have to eat back their ex calories, but those smaller do because they would be going below 1200 calories. i am not saying this is 100 % accurate but if you look into you may find this to be a trend. I know mfp has me set at 1200 net calories. If i put in a good workout I am way below that so I do try to eat them back. I only do so because I see so many post from what seem to be experienced dieters or fitness experts stating you should never go below 1200 calories. I am wondering if those that are smaller have the same opinion?

rml_16

I've never read anything that said you must eat 1,200 NET calories, just 1,200 calories minimum without any qualifiers.

If I eat back my calories -- meaning, if I eat 1,200 net calories per day -- I do not lose weight. I've tried it. It didn't work.

I eat some back usually because I'm hungry and it's nearly impossible for me to not eat some back unless I eat nothing but fat free, sugar free diet junk and I prefer a little extar calories for whole, real food. But I don't eat if I'm not hungry just to get those calories in. That just doesn't make sense to me to do that. Hunger is your body's signal that it needs food. If your body isn't signaling that it needs food, why feed it?

Ms_Natalie

In all honesty, you may have joined a few months ago and know the answers to the questions. I think patience is a virtue...why not allow individuals to ask what's going on? I would suggest sending them to the "general forum" and looking at the sticky posts, rather than berating them in a thread..we were all newbies at one point.

Welcome them... :flowerforyou:

inlander

I tend to skip reading those ones since I do what I want anyway. I eat my exercise calories back because I'm extra hungry on work-out days. I'm sure there'll be a day where I need to adjust what I'm doing.

Rworthy

Do posts about eating your exercise calories back annoy you? This probably sounds b*tchy, but I don't eat mine back, and yet I still am healthy, and have been able to not only lose weight, but keep it off. I think it's a little much when others "claim" to know what is best for everyone.

Personally if you want to do that, go for it. Weight loss is a very PERSONAL journey, and I think it should be left up to the individual. I disagree with some postings on here that if you don't eat them you are asking for trouble, or it's unhealthy.

That's just my thoughts on this. Enough of the ranting.........

yes AND YES! You're not supposed to! That's what everyone says including my personal trainer and cousin who is a nutritionist. People who say I'm working out X amount so I can eat Y are lame!!! You don't exercise to eat you eat to exercise.

dmpizza

How refreshing your comment is.
It is an extremely common question.
I guess people have a lot of anxiety about it.

lipglossjunky73

I wouldn't say it annoys mme, but I have to say, if people are eating back their calories and noticing they still aren't losing weight, then somehting has to change.

I feel people still look for excuses to eat. Until it becomes a permanent part of your lifestyle that you will always eat a little less than you want, and will always feel a little hungry in order to keep weight off, nothing will ever change....

Andie3683

I would be one who just posted a topic about it. Sorry if you find if annoying but I am new at this whole dieting thing and watching my calories so I need help with it. I thought that's why we were all here..to help each other.

beccau_20

Do posts about eating your exercise calories back annoy you? This probably sounds b*tchy, but I don't eat mine back, and yet I still am healthy, and have been able to not only lose weight, but keep it off. I think it's a little much when others "claim" to know what is best for everyone.

Personally if you want to do that, go for it. Weight loss is a very PERSONAL journey, and I think it should be left up to the individual. I disagree with some postings on here that if you don't eat them you are asking for trouble, or it's unhealthy.

That's just my thoughts on this. Enough of the ranting.........

yes AND YES! You're not supposed to! That's what everyone says including my personal trainer and cousin who is a nutritionist. People who say I'm working out X amount so I can eat Y are lame!!! You don't exercise to eat you eat to exercise.

I have been told this too and it doesn't make sense to me why you would work so hard to burn those calories, just to eat them back. But, this is my choice and I know at some point I will have to eat more. I have enough weight to lose right now that I don't eat them back and lose conistently... every single week. I don't feel tired, although I will admit that at times I do feel hungry, when I haven't had enough protein.

I always think about this in terms of The Biggest Loser (and yeah, I know it's a show and they are under medical supervision) but those people cannot possibly be consuming what they are burning or they would not lose weight so quickly.

But to OP, I agree. I don't need proselytizing about consuming my exercise calories. Just give me what works for you and why.

beccau_20

I would be one who just posted a topic about it. Sorry if you find if annoying but I am new at this whole dieting thing and watching my calories so I need help with it. I thought that's why we were all here..to help each other.

I don't think that's the point. I think it's about people who tell you you MUST eat them back (or conversely, must not). Nothing wrong with asking... you're good )

torregro

yes AND YES! You're not supposed to! That's what everyone says including my personal trainer and cousin who is a nutritionist. People who say I'm working out X amount so I can eat Y are lame!!! You don't exercise to eat you eat to exercise.

MFP has ALREADY given you a calorie deficit for weight loss when you signed up and entered your information and your weight loss goals. It has ALREADY taken calories away so that you can lose weight.............even if your lifestyle is completely sedentary. So...............enjoy your exercise calories............as long as they are calculated ACCURATELY! ;-)

stevwil41

What annoys me more are when people try to insist that their way is correct. And have all this evidence to back it up. Honestly, if you look hard enough on the internet, you'll find something to back up whatever theory you got. Just tell us what you do, why it works for you, and be done.

You read my mind. Different things work for different people and that's okay but my problem is when people insist their way is the only way.

KimmyEB

I was just discussing this subject at dinner tonight. To me, the idea of eating back exercise calories is insane. The only time I've really felt it was okay to do, was on my birthday (sorry, I LOVE Cheesecake Factory...not gonna give up my 1 slice of chocolate raspberry cheesecake a year ). Or, if your body is genuinely hungry, then I'd say listen to it, and eat something. And by genuinely hungry, I don't mean "I walked past the bakery section at the grocery store, saw the cake, and just had to have it." That's how I used to be. I've learned to determine when I'm really hungry, and when it's just seeing sweets and craving them.

It never annoys me when people ask about them, because honestly, up until tonight, I was very confused about the subject, too. But yeah, it definitely annoys me when I see people saying "YOU MUST EAT THEM BACK! YOUR BODY WILL STARVE!" Forcing yourself to eat something when you're not hungry just seems stupid to me.

kylee_marie

if people post a question on here, i am assuming it is to get a response... however someone chooses to answer that question is up to them. if you don;t want opinions, don't ask the question. every person is different and you have to play around with what works for you. me personally, if i am hungry, i eat them back, if not, i dont... i just listen to my body.

PJS323

I'm not annoyed that people ask. I get that a lot of people on here are looking for help or suggestions. My issue is with those that tell others that if they DON'T, then they are asking for trouble, or they will not end up being successful. I have asked questions myself, I would never fault anyone for that. I've read numerous threads where members have made it a point to say that it's dangerous & wrong to not eat them back. That is what I find annoying.

jg627

It seems a little backwards to me to 'eat back' your calories after exercise. If you're going to use calories as energy in the gym, then what are they doing still sitting in the fridge next to the milk? I go to the gym in the evenings. On my strength training days I do eat more calories than my off days, but I do it in the morning so the stuff I eat has time to find it's way through my digestive track and into my bloodstream so that I have the energy to push weight when I hit the gym.

millerll

Here's my take on this, for what it's worth.

When you're very obese, you can afford to carry a much larger calorie deficit. Hence, the success on the Biggest Loser, etc. However, as you get leaner and closer to an optimum body fat percentage, you should increase your caloric intake by eating most of your exercise calories.

If you don't eat them, will you still lose weight? Probably. But you will most likely be losing muscle mass and not fat, which is not what most people want. And some people do stop losing altogether. Also, if you're exercising, it's hard to get enough nutrients (not the same thing as calories) when you're in a large deficit.

I highly recommend folks search the forums for posts concerning guides to calorie deficits. There are many written by very knowledgable people who actually have university degrees in nutrition, sports medicine, etc., and they explain it better than I can. Whatever you decide is best for you, at least make it an informed decision. Good luck!

CaptainMFP

As one of those people who advocate this (I am a biology professor; I teach cell biology and physiology, so my knowledge is based on professional experience), I'm targeting comments to people who are on plateaus and who have relatively little weight to lose. The people I find most worried about whether or not to eat exercise calories are people are either (1) on a plateau or (2) trying to lose relatively small amounts of weight while doing extreme amounts of exercise. In both of these cases, people would be well-advised to eat more to fuel their metabolism. As a couple folks above have rightly pointed out, people with bigger weight loss needs (i.e. legitimately need to lose 50+ lbs.) can definitely get away with bigger calorie deficits, but once metabolism stabilizes, you need MORE of something to jump start it. Based on information many folks provide, they are pushing the limits of cardio and strength training; they cannot do more safely so their best option is increasing calories. (And I don't mean gratuitously. Nutritious calories!) Running a big enough calorie deficit long term CAN genuinely be dangerous depending on your percent body fat and overall physical activity, and people should have this knowledge in making a decision about what is best for them. While each weight loss journey is unique, the basic function of cells and the basic rules of metabolism really don't vary that much from person to person. There is a lot of bad information on the internet (more bad than good where science is concerned) and not all opinions are created equal. Can many people lose safely without increasing caloric intake? Sure, and if you're one of them, more power to you. But the majority of people who struggle with weight loss do so because either they are not watching what they are eating carefully enough or they are simply not eating enough. My two cents.

JennsLosing

i think different things work for different people. Myself, i eat them when im hungry, i dont eat them when im not hungry. Simple as that.