Eating cheat calories and still losing weight

gashinshotan

So I've been reading the debate threads about this since day 1 of MFP and always leaned towards the not-eating them or not eating all of them crowd... well I ended up almost eating them every run day because I felt like my body was breaking down after my runs and I still lost 11 lbs in 2.5 weeks and that was with 3 bad cheat days! So eat em up cuz your body really needs them to recover and won't store them as fat!

Huffdogg

wtg!!

stephabef

I guess this depends on your body. I can't really eat mine and still see change at this point. :frown:

kimad

When you say cheat calories, do you mean the calories you earned back from exercise?

I have always said that your body needs to be shocked, and having a meal here or there that isn't the best for you can help! of course in moderation....
GOOD WORK!!!

trelm249

cheat calories?

Pebble321

Not sure what you mean by cheat calories... if you're referring to exercise calories I certainly wouldn't call them cheating, I call it sensible to give my body extra fuel when I am expending extra energy.

Weight loss is alll about creating a calorie deficit - which MFP calculates for you.
Even leaving exercise calories out of the discussion, if you are eating more than your recommended daily allowance but less than your maintenance calories, you should still lose weight.
Once you exercise, you have burnt up a whole lot of calories so you can eat even more and still be under your maintenance calorie level.

Everybody is different and our bodies all react in different ways - so if you have found the right amount to eat to give you energy and lose weight - fantastic, go for it!

gashinshotan

Thanks for the encouragement and yeah I think those shock meals over really help... when I say cheat I meant exercise calories as.a lot of people, including myself seem to view them as a way to eat more than our health diet allows.... which is true in a sense haha.

kimad

I don't eat back my exercise calories persay, but I use them as a safety net if I go over my daily target or if I want a splurge snack, etc.

mistresseeyore

My hubby uses his, but I try not to. I have so much to lose, if I'm not hungry, I'm not using the calories that I gained back. I say that as long as you don't go over your calorie goal, it is fine.

gashinshotan

The way I see it is that if you're goal is to only lose weight maybe you shouldn't eat the exercise calories... but if you're also trying to reach a fitness goal, you should, especially if it's something like running a race.

CMmrsfloyd

The way MFP is set up, if you tell the site you want to lose weight, you can eat the amount it tells you to eat and you will lose weight even without exercise. If you do exercise, you have worked hard and earned the right (some say the need) to consume more calories, as even if you eat them all, you will still be at the weightless deficit that you asked MFP to set for you.

Exercise calories are the most delicious ones. I work my butt off for them. Literally.

Raf702

Regardless if your calories are from cheat or healthy meals. It all registers into calories, so as long as you're under or on a calorie deficit you will lose weight. Keep up the good work and progress!

Azdak

You can't "cheat" your body. You either sustain a deficit or you don't. You can "eat back" exercise calories and maintain a deficit or you can not eat them back, portion the calories differently and maintain a deficit.

chrisdavey

You can't "cheat" your body. You either sustain a deficit or you don't. You can "eat back" exercise calories and maintain a deficit or you can not eat them back, portion the calories differently and maintain a deficit.

Agree with this.

I eat exercise calories and then an extra 500. (well try to) All part of the plan.