Not eating exercise Calories

Tonnina

I lost weight for my wedding not eating over 1,300 calories a day and I walked at least a mile every other day. I've been trying this again and not eating my exercise calories. I've been doing this since I started on MFP something like 25 days ago. So far the 10lbs don't lie :-P Just curious what other's thoughts on this are...

curlykoki

I also lost weight walking. I walked about 4 miles 3-5 days a wek for 3 weeks and lost 10 lbs. I didn't really stick to any particular calorie limit. I just made sure I didn't over eat. I am starting back up on my weight loss and will have a 1200 calorie limit. I am aiming to lose 10 more lbs for this month.

leslturn8

i was told to eat my exercise calories and my new program i am starting says not to eat them and eating them didnt work for me anyways so im all for not eating them.

killagb

It's really not rocket science that you lose weight by not eating your exercise calories. The point of eating them is to nourish your body and let it properly recover from exercise and also to maintain a sustainable level of eating. Sure you can skip eating them now...but is this how you plan to live forever?

eta: I've always eaten mine back and the 15lbs I've dropped since 7/5/11 don't lie either.

pander101

I don't eat them, It was more negative on my weight loss when I tried eating them back. I either gained or stayed the same. I eat them back if I absolutely have to. Otherwise I don't.

oh_mg

I didn't start eating my exercise calories until I started working out very intensely - when I was walking/doing Wii Fit, I kept calories low. Now that I run/bike a lot, I need to eat more. But with low intensity workouts, I don't think eating exercise calories is as crucial.

healthyJenn0915

I try not to eat mine back, or if I do I eat very little of them, and it seems to be working so far for me! I don't really see the point of eating them back. Isn't that the point of exercising so you are burning calories?! I have been told the key to weight loss is calories in vs calories out!

aprilyankee

I'm new to the program. I've been cutting the calories for years and exercising and its not gotten me anywhere. The idea of eating back the spent calories seem ludicrous to me, but I'm willing to try anyway. I workout ALOT, I was eating 1200 calories and burning 300-600 calories per day. Now I am eating more and exercising less. Sounds so bizarre even to me but my weight loss is obsessive at this point and after losing 20, plateauing for 6 months and gaining 10, I've got to find a new strategy. So I have lost a few pounds after 2 weeks but not posting it yet. Want to see where I go first.

Another intersting thing for me is that I have been trying hard for 3 years, truly dedicated to it. No desert, etc. Exercise 3-6 times per week. I'm in good shape, just can't get rid of these pounds and will lose my job in 6 months if I can't drop 30.

killagb

I try not to eat mine back, or if I do I eat very little of them, and it seems to be working so far for me! I don't really see the point of eating them back. Isn't that the point of exercising so you are burning calories?! I have been told the key to weight loss is calories in vs calories out!

Yes, but the thing is, MFP has a calorie deficit built in to it's calculations, so by exercising you are increasing the deficit more(not to mention your body is burning calories all day long, regardless of exercising..). If more was better....why not just starve yourself? The whole point is creating something you can maintain. I will say though, that the more overweight you are, the larger the deficit your body can deal with.

rudegyal_b

i eat some back and stop around 1400 or 1500...i try not to eat them all back and that works for me

como5324

I eat about 1,200 calories a day except for twice a week because of school, on those days I'm lucky if I eat 1,000 calories because I'm busy and I get home late. On school days, instead of eating 3 meals a day I eat 2 plus a snack, it's usually a late breakfast, a late lunch, and a nutrition bar for dinner when I get home, though everyday varies depending on how I'm feeling that morning. I excerise about 5 days a week alternating from working out at the gym for almost 2 hours, walking lake murray, and hiking Cowles mountain. I don't eat my excerise calories because I simply can't eat that much. I know it's probably not that good for me, but it's the only thing that works for me and my crazy schedule. One thing that I try to do to keep me full longer is to eat things with protein and high fiber, that way it keeps me going when I get tried from work and school escpecially in the same day.

killagb

I eat about 1,200 calories a day except for twice a week because of school, on those days I'm lucky if I eat 1,000 calories because I'm busy and I get home late. On school days, instead of eating 3 meals a day I eat 2 plus a snack, it's usually a late breakfast, a late lunch, and a nutrition bar for dinner when I get home, though everyday varies depending on how I'm feeling that morning. I excerise about 5 days a week alternating from working out at the gym for almost 2 hours, walking lake murray, and hiking Cowles mountain. I don't eat my excerise calories because I simply can't eat that much. I know it's probably not that good for me, but it's the only thing that works for me and my crazy schedule. One thing that I try to do to keep me full longer is to eat things with protein and high fiber, that way it keeps me going when I get tried from work and school escpecially in the same day.

The answer to your problems is ....pre-plan your days. If you lay out what you need to eat to meet your goals and use more calorie-rich healthy foods so you don't have to eat "so much", then you won't find yourself in these situations. Healthy calorie rich foods would be things like...nuts, nut butters, avocados, olive oil...

hazelnut861

I don't eat all of mine back either. If I'm hungry I will. I usually eat more on weight training days but I zig zag my calories around my workout routine.

HappyLuna

I eat my back. I am starving if I don't. ::ohwell: And I find if I'm not well fuelled I can't exercise well and improve. Eating exercise calories just makes sense to me. Loads of peole don't, and I have no idea how they manage it because I would binge if I didn't. If you looking at improving your fitness and are working towards fitness goals then I would. Peronally I would always have a net of at least 1200 (I am on 1300 at the moment). However, I don't count walking calories or yoga or strength training....? I know its exercise for some people (And another debate ) so some might say I don't eat all my exercise calories? But I have my activity down as light active as I work with 3-5yr olds...total grey area. Just my opnion on what I do. I am losing about 1lb a week. Somtimes more, sometimes less. I am averaging at about 4lbs per month.

Hope my opinion is useful :bigsmile:

HappyLuna

It's really not rocket science that you lose weight by not eating your exercise calories. The point of eating them is to nourish your body and let it properly recover from exercise and also to maintain a sustainable level of eating. Sure you can skip eating them now...but is this how you plan to live forever?

eta: I've always eaten mine back and the 15lbs I've dropped since 7/5/11 don't lie either.

This is what my opinion too. Put much better and more direct

HappyLuna

I didn't start eating my exercise calories until I started working out very intensely - when I was walking/doing Wii Fit, I kept calories low. Now that I run/bike a lot, I need to eat more. But with low intensity workouts, I don't think eating exercise calories is as crucial.

I run too and I have to eat them! I am so tired and can't concentrate if I don't xxx

nsblue

It will be 2 years the end of this month that I started my journey to healthiness. I have NEVER eaten my exercise calories and have 239.2 lbs off to prove it works for me.

RickinNH

Here's a thought: Eat them back if you are hungry. If you are not hungry, then your body is not saying, "FEED ME" and it is probably not going to hurt you not to eat them. On the other hand if your body IS telling you it needs foods (needs, not wants) then you should probably eat at least some of them back.

The most remarkable thing I have learned in the past couple months of changed food intake is that I can basically eat fruit and vegetables all day long, not feel hungry, and still be well under my calorie goals. (I still eat meat, but in much reduced portions and frequency).

I burn 1000+ calories riding my bike most days, but eating the foods I am now eating, I would feel stuffed and bloated if I ate that much back every day.

Afrikangirl

I agree with rjl7943....I eat some of the extra calories when I am hungry...If I am not hungry.....I don't eat them. The best thing MFP has helped me do is stop mindless eating. I am a PhD student and I would always have snacks out while writing my papers....I spend most of my life writing papers...ergo I was eating many extra calories. Now I am more conscientious with my eating,...and having MFP as an app on my phone is super because the calorie counter is always easy to update.

Amy_B

Here's a thought: Eat them back if you are hungry. If you are not hungry, then your body is not saying, "FEED ME" and it is probably not going to hurt you not to eat them. On the other hand if your body IS telling you it needs foods (needs, not wants) then you should probably eat at least some of them back.

This is what I was going to say. Listen to your body. If you are doing intense exercise and are still hungry...eat. If you aren't hungry, don't force yourself to eat them.

indpls2002

I had lost almost 7 pounds in a month and a half not eating my calories back. All this past week I started eating them back and I have gained all the weight back that I lost. I'm going to stop doing that as of today. I will just make sure I don't go under 1300 calories AFTER working out!

AimingHighWeighingLow

I don't eat mine back intentionally, I may occasionally have a few of them. I just see in my head weight loss if I have a bigger deficit of caloroes, but if this stops working then I will reassess.

I have lost 15LB since the 27th July, I last weighed myself on the 31st August.

What works for one person may not work for another other though!

joeygirl84

I don't eat mine back. I just make sure I have my 1300 a day eaten...
I always gain and find it hard to lose when I eat them back... no matter how people preach, it never makes sense to me to eat them anyway as long as you feel good.

Justjoshin

I eat back what I feel I need.

To those of you who say you are just making sure you eat your 1300, or 1400 calories each day... on days that you burn 1000+ calories at the gym, do you still only eat 1300 calories? (Or.. do you never have days that you burn that much?)

I would find it hard to survive if I ate 1300 calories a day, and burned 1100.

Rae6503

I eat all of mine back. I eat between 1800 and 2500 calories a day. I've lost 12lbs (of 16 from my goal) since May.

looking4au

Here we go Again.............

rileysowner

I lost weight for my wedding not eating over 1,300 calories a day and I walked at least a mile every other day. I've been trying this again and not eating my exercise calories. I've been doing this since I started on MFP something like 25 days ago. So far the 10lbs don't lie :-P Just curious what other's thoughts on this are...

By your ticker you have 90 pounds to lose. If that is the case your body will handle a large calorie deficit. I expect in time as you lose weight and have less to lose you will find you plateau because your body will not handle that large deficit any longer, and when you do I suggest eating your exercise calories.

watchmeshrink16

I don't eat my exercise calories because I either gain or stay the same when I do.

Dtho5159

Ive always eaten back at least some of my calories and Ive lost 52lb so far doing so. To each their own..

MrsJax11

I eat all of mine back. I eat between 1800 and 2500 calories a day. I've lost 12lbs (of 16 from my goal) since May.

I am usually in that range, too. My maintenance calories when I reach my goal weight is 1900 cals/day, so I try to stay withing 200 +/- that amount, depending on my workout. No work out -- around 1700, and depending on the workout up to 2200...binge days (although rare, I had one last night) I hit 2500. Some days I eat less, but those are rest days where I am not working out. Now that I am back at work and on my feet all day I haven't been working out as much, and still needing to eat all of my calories. Some days I even go over, but the lbs are still dropping. Perhaps I am more active than 'lightly active' and that is why.
I also only eat when I am still hungry. My biggest issue is eating a bedtime snack...I would love to cut it out, but think it is actually hunger. When I want a night time snack I drink water and wait 20 minutes...If I am still motivated to make the snack and hungry, I make it.
To end my ramble -- don't starve yourself, make sure you get all of your nutrients and nourish your body, and develop a reasonable eating pattern/habits that you will be able to maintain when you reach your goal.

chevy88grl

MFP is designed to get your calorie goal for the day as close to zero as possible. It has already created a deficit for you (to lose weight in a healthy, safe way), so having 200, 300 or more calories leftover at the end of the day is really defeating the purpose of this website.

That being said, we are all different. We have different lifestyles, activity levels, metabolisms, etc. Our bodies just run a bit differently.

I eat my exercise calories. When I don't get enough calories I slowly begin to GAIN weight. I have learned that eating my calories is critical to me maintaining my weight. It works for ME. I know that what works for me may not work for someone else, but honestly... I am focusing on understanding MY body's needs and wants. If you choose to not eat them - that's fine. Don't. It is your choice.

I will continue to eat mine. I will continue to NET 2200-2500 calories a day. I will continue to maintain my weight (143-145lbs).