Eat my exercise calories? Really??

lorihalsted

Since you aren't losing any weight... just give it a try for a few weeks and see if it works for you.

GOod luck.

Exactly! Mix it up a bit. Find what is right for you. For about a year I kept myself on 800-1000 calories a day after I had lap band surgery. I didn initially lose about 85 lbs but then I started gaining on so few calories a day. I gave up and then found MFP. I have mine set to lose 2 lbs a week so my calories are only 1220. I eat back MOST of my exercise calories but don't stress either way.

gigiwaterloo

Here's an interesting case study about how to stay fat while consuming only 700 calories a day. Take a moment, you'll be glad you did:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

blessings.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! This was a huge help to me b/c I have had the same question and concerns... NOT RIGHT NOW understand b/c I still LOVE eating and have NO problem meeting my calories as well as my exercise ones, but thanks for this information it was a HUGE help!!!

TheFitHooker

I guess everyone is different, my doctor told me not to eat back my workout calories.

MFP works in reverse of what most other plans (including dr's) work. Those plans give you a *maximum* calorie limit and then tell you to workout to bring your 'net' (total consumption - exercise) lower. MFP gives you a goal that does NOT include exercise until you actually do it - once you log your exercise, MFP bumps up your calorie goal for the day, probably closer to what the dr. or other plans would have recommended in the first place. The 2 plans theoretically work out the same in the end, they just use a different approach. The difference is that MFP does not assume you're going to exercise, it makes you prove it first.

Maybe? My doc has me on a 1200 calorie diet, after working out I'm usually up to about 1600 calories, but I do not eat them back. Until I stop losing, I will keep going with it.

Bentley2718

MFP gives you a calorie goal designed to make you lose weight even if you don't do any additional exercise. Even if you put in your profile that you plan to workout 5 times a week, it does not factor in that exercise when determining your calorie goal. Basically you say 'hey I'm going to workout!' and MFP says 'yeah right, I'll believe it when I see it'. Whatever MFP tells you to eat, it's telling you to eat that amount to lose weight b/c it does not believe you when you say you're going to workout. So then when you DO workout and log that activity, MFP is like 'Dang, for real? I SO did not believe you were going to workout, good for you, now you've earned a snack for all your hard work'. MFP gave you a lazy calorie goal, then you got off your butt and earned the right to eat a little more. ;-)

This is a great description of the process. And by great, I mean f-ing hilarious. However, personally, I don't think of eating (most of) my exercise calories back as calories I've "earned." That is, I don't think of the food as reward for working out, I think of it as giving my body the extra energy it needs to make necessary repairs (especially after any type of strength training) and be ready to do it all again the next day. The reward for working out is being fitter, stronger, healthier, less *****y, etc., not just something I do so I can eat more. You can think of it however you like, but for me, this feels like a more reasonable relationship with food and my body.

CMmrsfloyd

I guess everyone is different, my doctor told me not to eat back my workout calories.

MFP works in reverse of what most other plans (including dr's) work. Those plans give you a *maximum* calorie limit and then tell you to workout to bring your 'net' (total consumption - exercise) lower. MFP gives you a goal that does NOT include exercise until you actually do it - once you log your exercise, MFP bumps up your calorie goal for the day, probably closer to what the dr. or other plans would have recommended in the first place. The 2 plans theoretically work out the same in the end, they just use a different approach. The difference is that MFP does not assume you're going to exercise, it makes you prove it first.

Maybe? My doc has me on a 1200 calorie diet, after working out I'm usually up to about 1600 calories, but I do not eat them back. Until I stop losing, I will keep going with it.

A lot of people find that not eating them back works really well if you have a lot of weight to lose, so if it's working well for you and your dr supports your efforts and is monitoring your progress, go for it. :-)

As you get down closer to your goal, you may find that you feel better and have more energy if you start eating some of it back. Congrats on your progress so far, it's really impressive! Just keep in tune with your body and how you feel as you get down closer to your goal. :-)

CMmrsfloyd

MFP gives you a calorie goal designed to make you lose weight even if you don't do any additional exercise. Even if you put in your profile that you plan to workout 5 times a week, it does not factor in that exercise when determining your calorie goal. Basically you say 'hey I'm going to workout!' and MFP says 'yeah right, I'll believe it when I see it'. Whatever MFP tells you to eat, it's telling you to eat that amount to lose weight b/c it does not believe you when you say you're going to workout. So then when you DO workout and log that activity, MFP is like 'Dang, for real? I SO did not believe you were going to workout, good for you, now you've earned a snack for all your hard work'. MFP gave you a lazy calorie goal, then you got off your butt and earned the right to eat a little more. ;-)

This is a great description of the process. And by great, I mean f-ing hilarious. However, personally, I don't think of eating (most of) my exercise calories back as calories I've "earned." That is, I don't think of the food as reward for working out, I think of it as giving my body the extra energy it needs to make necessary repairs (especially after any type of strength training) and be ready to do it all again the next day. The reward for working out is being fitter, stronger, healthier, less *****y, etc., not just something I do so I can eat more. You can think of it however you like, but for me, this feels like a more reasonable relationship with food and my body.

That's true, it may be counter productive to think of it as a 'reward' - I do think of it as me 'earning' something that I worked for, but I also keep in mind that while I 'earned' the calories, I actually 'need' the added nutrition to fuel my body. I don't workout strictly for the calories, they are just an added bonus. :-)

Cin184

This is great information, thanks.

TheFitHooker

I guess everyone is different, my doctor told me not to eat back my workout calories.

MFP works in reverse of what most other plans (including dr's) work. Those plans give you a *maximum* calorie limit and then tell you to workout to bring your 'net' (total consumption - exercise) lower. MFP gives you a goal that does NOT include exercise until you actually do it - once you log your exercise, MFP bumps up your calorie goal for the day, probably closer to what the dr. or other plans would have recommended in the first place. The 2 plans theoretically work out the same in the end, they just use a different approach. The difference is that MFP does not assume you're going to exercise, it makes you prove it first.

Maybe? My doc has me on a 1200 calorie diet, after working out I'm usually up to about 1600 calories, but I do not eat them back. Until I stop losing, I will keep going with it.

A lot of people find that not eating them back works really well if you have a lot of weight to lose, so if it's working well for you and your dr supports your efforts and is monitoring your progress, go for it. :-)

As you get down closer to your goal, you may find that you feel better and have more energy if you start eating some of it back. Congrats on your progress so far, it's really impressive! Just keep in tune with your body and how you feel as you get down closer to your goal. :-)

Thanks, yes I still have close to 50 more to go. I'm trying to watch it and when things start to slow down I will reevaluate and talk to my doctor on what to do.

katcod1522

If I burn more than 200 cals doing a run..yes...I eat them. If I do a 20 min 2 mile run and burn 160 cals..no I wont.

kimber89

I'm still trying to wrap my brain around this--it's so different from what I always thought. I'm worried about gaining more weight at the beginning, even just a few pounds. I would be so encouraged if I could lose just one pound after so many months of losing nothing.Thank you for all the information. Should I be limiting carbs? This is all new to me!

CMmrsfloyd

I'm still trying to wrap my brain around this--it's so different from what I always thought. I'm worried about gaining more weight at the beginning, even just a few pounds. I would be so encouraged if I could lose just one pound after so many months of losing nothing.Thank you for all the information. Should I be limiting carbs? This is all new to me!

Some people find that they have to limit carbs to lose weight, especially women with PCOS, but a lot of people lose weight just fine simply limiting calories and trying to get in a basic balance of all the nutrients, not so much worrying about staying under on anything, just making sure they're not neglecting any particular area. It's very individual. Different people find that different styles work for them.