Im not a real happy camper tonight as I read some info

NWCountryGal

about "eating your exercise calories"? I would love to hear from the folks on here that are actually losing 2 lbs a week or more, whether or not they eat "every" exercise calorie that shows up in the food diary? I have been doing that because the info I got here on this site told me to do that. Now I realize it is my fault for believing everything I hear and not looking into it before now. The only "article" I read was by someone named Banks. And to be honest, I have never been able to totally understand it. I just kept hearing "eat your exercise" calories.

I'll wait to comment further until I see if I get any replies here. I do encourage anyone on this site, especially new folks, to research carefully about what is a healthy calorie intake to lose weight and also, research how many calories you, as an individual, should be eating "extra" regarding your exercise regime.

NWCountryGal

about "eating your exercise calories"? I would love to hear from the folks on here that are actually losing 2 lbs a week or more, whether or not they eat "every" exercise calorie that shows up in the food diary? I have been doing that because the info I got here on this site told me to do that. Now I realize it is my fault for believing everything I hear and not looking into it before now. The only "article" I read was by someone named Banks. And to be honest, I have never been able to totally understand it. I just kept hearing "eat your exercise" calories.

I'll wait to comment further until I see if I get any replies here. I do encourage anyone on this site, especially new folks, to research carefully about what is a healthy calorie intake to lose weight and also, research how many calories you, as an individual, should be eating "extra" regarding your exercise regime.

Faithopeloves

Hi there, my weight loss has tapered off since I started eating my exercise calories...everyone said to eat them, I am not sure what to do either...

figueres3

I know everyone says to, but I think it isn't as big as a deal as they say. I seriously doubt (from my own experiece) that by not eating your exercise calories that you will throw your body into starvation mode. I think that only happens when you are used to eating what a normal woman eats and then you start eating like an anorexic teenager that eats 2 eggs whites for breakfast and an apple for dinner. THAT might put you into starvation mode! But not by not eating your exercise calories. That is my opinion.

A couple weeks ago I read a post by someone who said they asked their personal trainer the same question, and his or her answer was that it won't.... pretty much for the reasons I stated above.

meganlkp

Well, I have lost 1 stone since I started my ftness pal in August and I have never eaten all my excercise calories (except on weekends when I went a bit over after a few voddies) and I lost weight really quickly too. I never starved myself at all and I didn't force myself to eat all my calories, I focus mainly on eating my normal 1200 calories per day and if I go a little over on the days I excercise then fine but I wouldn't force myself to eat them all - sometimes i goes up to 1600!!. (I am normally 100 - 200 calories beneath on normal days and 300-400 beneath on excercise days)

I must admit that if you are stuck and your weight isn't budging then try eating 100 cals or so over or under your normal 1200 for a day or 2 and then go back to your normal routine and see how quickly your weight shifts!! Like with everything, you need a little variety so perhaps eat your excercise calories a couple of days a week and the rest of the week eat what you can as long as you eat your 1200.

TamTastic

I eat some of them.

The point of Banks's article is that when you sign onto MFP and enter the information about how much weight you want to lose, MFP put's you at a caloric deficit to meet those goals.

When you add exercise, you create even MORE of a deficit, which can be bad for your body if it brings your caloric intake down into an unsafe level, which is anywhere below 1200. For example. Let's say you have your calories set at 1200, and then burn 300, your body is taking in 900 calories, which isn't good to do on a regular basis.

What I have discovered is that sometimes it's all a trial and error process, especially if you don't use a heart rate monitor and don't know the exact "Real" number of calories burned during working out. You might be overestimating and eating those back and that is why some aren't losing. Or if you are eating enough and not burning enough to bring you down below 1200, then you would be ok too.

I have my calories set at 1400. I can burn anywhere from 800-1100 calories during my gym workout. I try to eat at least half of those back.

Some of the problem can be you going to the 1200 calorie thing which is more a guideline when you sign up. I have never eaten that low yet. MY base calorie range is set at 1400, which I eat on Mon, Wed and Fri. On Tues, Thurs, Sat and Sun, I eat closer to 1800-1900.

And I have had success. So, it all depends on YOUR body and sort of taking the time for a couple of weeks to play around with the calories to see what will work for you.

Hope this has helped!

-Tami

Poison5119

And I HAVE eaten my exercise calories, and lost 23 lbs. I even broke a plateau when I stopped losing after a 13 lb loss - when I deliberately went over my cals for a week, I started losing again.
But the caveat to that is I am only aiming for a 1/2 lb loss per week, so my deficit was only 250 per day.

You must work with your body to see what works for you. Not everyone's chemistry is going to be so precise. If you have a lot of weight to lose, a bigger deficit might be required, and therefore you may NOT want to eat your exercise cals for awhile. But the general consensus is that once you get in the vicinity of your goal weight, you might want to consider eating your exercise cals back, because your body really does need them.

TamTastic

I would like to add, I read an article in either Self or Fitness I think and it was saying how to get a more accurate calorie count when on the machines at the gym or at home if you don't have a heart rate monitor. That is:

When asked to enter your weight, enter in a weight that is 5-10 lbs less than you are and then from the final total burned, deduct about 10-15%. That is what I do! Granted, I don't eat all mine back but I eat enough back and leave enough (Just in case). I don't own a heart rate monitor and this method has worked well for me.

arewethereyet

Here is my simple take on this subject.

When you go to other sites you put in your information:
age, height, weight and exercise plan

So if I submit that I will work out for 60 minutes, 4 times a week, I then received a plan to eat 1500 calories a day to lose 2 pounds a week.

With MFP the system does not assume you will do your promised workout. It gives you the base of 1200 and then adds in the exercise each day, which is on average 300 calories.

This is how I have understood the system.

Because the site is a free service, with no medical professionals giving out advise, we must take it upon ourselves to become educated. Take the time to see what works for you. And use MFP as a tool...which is its intention.

I can tell you that in the past, when I have eaten 1200 calories a day, then burned 250-450 cals w/o eating them back, I have been miserable, tired, grouchy, sleepless, lathargic...and I did not stick with it for long!

Jeannie

kimber607

Hi

I think, once again, everyone is different
I think it depends on your body...how much u want to loose, your metabolism and how hard/how much you are exc
When I started this site I was told to eat roughly 1200+ cals....I immediately bumped it up to 1490..DID NOT work out and lost weight
I'm a SAHM to a 3 1/2 and 5yr old
I lost 27 pounds in 4-5 mnths
Only when I started maintaining because I wanted to bump up my cals, I started working out...
I know TRY to work out at least 1hr 15min per day...sometimes 1hr 30min (combo of the treadmill and yoga)
I've bumped my cals up to 2000

I think you need to find what works for you...my hunch is that some people may over estimate how many cals they burn working out (I know I've heard the machines aren't very accurate)
I think a good place to be would be to try and eat HALF of your exc cals and adjust your cals based on how much/how fast you are loosing

I think if you are eating right and working out and NOT loosing something is working right for you!

Kim

lisabeavers

You should look up all the posts by Banks and TamTastic. They know their stuff!!!! That said, i don't eat all my exercise calories back -- I only do about 70-75% of them, because i am not sure i believe the totals the equipment at my gym gives me. I want to get an HRM; if i had one of those, i would feel more comfortable eating all my exercise calories back; i would trust those numbers more. That said, 2 lbs a week is a LOT of weight to lose. I know it doesn't sound like it, and it doesn't feel like it, but it is. Some people will lose more than that in the beginning, but is mostly water weight coming off. My suggestion is this: work with the 1 lb per week loss for a couple of weeks, eat your exercise calories and see what happens. If you're happy with those results, stay there. If not, or you don't get results, move on to the 1.5 lb per week loss for a couple of weeks, eat your exercise calories and see what happens. Then, depending on how your body reacts, you can move to the 2 lb per week loss setup or not.

Heres what i found personally. For starters:
1) i LIKE to eat, and when i get to feeling like im "depriving" myself, i will binge.
2) at the 1 lb per week loss, i didn't feel like i was getting anywhere. The weight was not coming off fast enough for me to see weekly or bi-weekly results and that was discouraging. Also, it was easier to skip exercising because i had "enough" calories, and i NEED to exercise. Diet alone is NOT the way to lose weight.
3) at the 2 lb per week loss, i was constantly worried about eating more than my allotted calories, and trying to push myself to get a hard workout. My body hated it. I have enough stressors in my life and don't need my diet and exercise program to be an additional negative. So this one was just too hard and too much work for me.
4) the 1.5 lb per week loss seems to work well for me. No matter what i have done or not done, food or exercise wise, i seem to be losing at around 1.5 lb per week on average. After 6 months, this is what seems to work the best and the easiest for me. I don't feel "deprived" of food and i don't feel like i have to kill myself in the gym to get enough to eat. I enjoy my food and my workouts at this level --- and that's what its all about.

Remember, this is a journey, not a destination. If you don't learn new things along the way, if you don't have your eyes opened for you many times over, well, then, you're just not doing it right, lol. The people here are a great group. They will support you, they will hold your hand, and they will tell you the truth. GOOD LUCK!!!!!

jackeh

well i noticed that you only have 23 pounds to lose... generally the 2 pound per week goal is only for the people that are obese, it doesnt come off so fast when you dont have as much to lose. So my suggestion first of all is to set your weekly goal at 1 pound per week.
As for eating exercise calories I have a heart rate monitor and i have always burned way more than the site gives me credit for... so if you can afford a HRM i would suggest getting one. And yes i eat my calories, well as many of them as i can:laugh: i usually eat about 75% of them...
I hope this helps.
jackie

NWCountryGal

Hi darlin, I learn everything the hard way it seems but the only thing I will tell people on here is, do the research, and see what works best for you. I am doing this week without eating the exercise calories, but, if I feel real hungry, I will first drink some of my water and then have a portion of something healthy. It's just sort of trial and error for me from now on. Nothing is free in this life and I thought all I had to do was follow the "numbers" on that food diary. It didn't work for me and there isn't anyone here to blame but myself. Im just gonna get back on the horse and learn from my mistakes:happy: Write me anytime, denise in Sams Valley Oregon

Hi there, my weight loss has tapered off since I started eating my exercise calories...everyone said to eat them, I am not sure what to do either...

NWCountryGal

thank you for your reply, I believe you are correct, I mean "RIGHT ON" LOL:) I am starting to understand more of what I've read here. It's a lot of people's opinions(well meaning people I know), and, what has worked for them. If I am hungry I will first do my water and then a healthy "portioned" meal/snack. After eating like a pig for the last 20 some years, yeah, I might have cried "starvation" but it was only because my body hadn't adjusted to the portions of food I eat now Im learning:) See you round the forums and thank you again:happy:

I know everyone says to, but I think it isn't as big as a deal as they say. I seriously doubt (from my own experiece) that by not eating your exercise calories that you will throw your body into starvation mode. I think that only happens when you are used to eating what a normal woman eats and then you start eating like an anorexic teenager that eats 2 eggs whites for breakfast and an apple for dinner. THAT might put you into starvation mode! But not by not eating your exercise calories. That is my opinion.

A couple weeks ago I read a post by someone who said they asked their personal trainer the same question, and his or her answer was that it won't.... pretty much for the reasons I stated above.

NWCountryGal

thank you megan, yep, I am convinced I've been eating too much. Just being way to anal about following the food diary calculations. Today is my birthday and I am going to celebrate by knowing I have learned a huge lesson:) and carry on with a totally new approach. Im going to stick to my 1200 and if hungry, just eat a snack of something healthy. More water too:laugh: :drinker:

denise in Sams Valley:bigsmile:

Well, I have lost 1 stone since I started my ftness pal in August and I have never eaten all my excercise calories (except on weekends when I went a bit over after a few voddies) and I lost weight really quickly too. I never starved myself at all and I didn't force myself to eat all my calories, I focus mainly on eating my normal 1200 calories per day and if I go a little over on the days I excercise then fine but I wouldn't force myself to eat them all - sometimes i goes up to 1600!!. (I am normally 100 - 200 calories beneath on normal days and 300-400 beneath on excercise days)

I must admit that if you are stuck and your weight isn't budging then try eating 100 cals or so over or under your normal 1200 for a day or 2 and then go back to your normal routine and see how quickly your weight shifts!! Like with everything, you need a little variety so perhaps eat your excercise calories a couple of days a week and the rest of the week eat what you can as long as you eat your 1200.

NWCountryGal

HI tami, yes it helped darlin, thank you. I do know what doesn't work and that is eating 1500 to 1600 calories a day because of exercise calories being added in. So I will cut those calories out, and eat something healthy(after having some water)and in small portions to test it out. I admit I did not fully understand everything I've read here. I am just learning the hard way:laugh: Today is my birthday and I am starting anew!!!!!!!!! God bless and thank you so much:) denise

I eat some of them.

The point of Banks's article is that when you sign onto MFP and enter the information about how much weight you want to lose, MFP put's you at a caloric deficit to meet those goals.

When you add exercise, you create even MORE of a deficit, which can be bad for your body if it brings your caloric intake down into an unsafe level, which is anywhere below 1200. For example. Let's say you have your calories set at 1200, and then burn 300, your body is taking in 900 calories, which isn't good to do on a regular basis.

What I have discovered is that sometimes it's all a trial and error process, especially if you don't use a heart rate monitor and don't know the exact "Real" number of calories burned during working out. You might be overestimating and eating those back and that is why some aren't losing. Or if you are eating enough and not burning enough to bring you down below 1200, then you would be ok too.

I have my calories set at 1400. I can burn anywhere from 800-1100 calories during my gym workout. I try to eat at least half of those back.

Some of the problem can be you going to the 1200 calorie thing which is more a guideline when you sign up. I have never eaten that low yet. MY base calorie range is set at 1400, which I eat on Mon, Wed and Fri. On Tues, Thurs, Sat and Sun, I eat closer to 1800-1900.

And I have had success. So, it all depends on YOUR body and sort of taking the time for a couple of weeks to play around with the calories to see what will work for you.

Hope this has helped!

-Tami

NWCountryGal

And that is what works for you as you say. That is what I wasn't "getting". I admit to being rather nieve about a lot of things and following the "numbers". I am learning what is right for me now. I was just so disappointed because I am quite serious when I say it's the first time in my life I ever really stuck to something. Im still stickin, just a few adjustments:laugh: Thank you much, denise

And I HAVE eaten my exercise calories, and lost 23 lbs. I even broke a plateau when I stopped losing after a 13 lb loss - when I deliberately went over my cals for a week, I started losing again.
But the caveat to that is I am only aiming for a 1/2 lb loss per week, so my deficit was only 250 per day.

You must work with your body to see what works for you. Not everyone's chemistry is going to be so precise. If you have a lot of weight to lose, a bigger deficit might be required, and therefore you may NOT want to eat your exercise cals for awhile. But the general consensus is that once you get in the vicinity of your goal weight, you might want to consider eating your exercise cals back, because your body really does need them.

Nonibug

Happy Birthday Denise!!:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :drinker:

NWCountryGal

Hi Tam, do you mean on "check in"? Put 10 lbs less weight than I am, and then at then when I enter my exercise cal. burned, eat 10% of those?? Thank you tam, denise

I would like to add, I read an article in either Self or Fitness I think and it was saying how to get a more accurate calorie count when on the machines at the gym or at home if you don't have a heart rate monitor. That is:

When asked to enter your weight, enter in a weight that is 5-10 lbs less than you are and then from the final total burned, deduct about 10-15%. That is what I do! Granted, I don't eat all mine back but I eat enough back and leave enough (Just in case). I don't own a heart rate monitor and this method has worked well for me.

NWCountryGal

thank you Noni:):drinker: :bigsmile:

Happy Birthday Denise!!:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :drinker:

NWCountryGal

I understand, and doing the research is essential sis, I am in total agreement. That is what I will preach here from now on. I've been eating way too much, forcing myself to eat every calorie. The calculations are only that, calculated. They aren't written in stone for my body. :drinker: I will just try something different from now on and see what happens:)

God bless, denise:)

Here is my simple take on this subject.

When you go to other sites you put in your information:
age, height, weight and exercise plan

So if I submit that I will work out for 60 minutes, 4 times a week, I then received a plan to eat 1500 calories a day to lose 2 pounds a week.

With MFP the system does not assume you will do your promised workout. It gives you the base of 1200 and then adds in the exercise each day, which is on average 300 calories.

This is how I have understood the system.

Because the site is a free service, with no medical professionals giving out advise, we must take it upon ourselves to become educated. Take the time to see what works for you. And use MFP as a tool...which is its intention.

I can tell you that in the past, when I have eaten 1200 calories a day, then burned 250-450 cals w/o eating them back, I have been miserable, tired, grouchy, sleepless, lathargic...and I did not stick with it for long!

Jeannie