Why I'm Not Eating All of My Exercise Calories

thejarviclan

I keep reading on the boards that MFP automatically puts you in a 500 calories-per-day deficit but this isn't always true. If you're female, small of stature and have "sedentary" marked, the deficit is less than 500 calories to keep you at the 1200 calories/day mark.

For instance my Goals page reads like this:
Your Diet Profile Target
Calories Burned From Normal Daily Activity: 1,480 calories/day
Net Calories Consumed* :
Your Daily Goal 1,200 calories/day
Daily Calorie Deficit 280 calories
Projected Weight Loss 0.6 lbs/week

I have tried to change my weight loss goal to 2 pounds per week but it won't adjust because I can't "afford" that many calories.

So eating all of my exercise calories would only leave me a 280 calorie deficit each day. I still want that 500 calorie-a-day deficit so I'm not going to eat all those exercise calories back.

And there are probably plenty of other people at MFP for whom this is true.

ETA~ I should add that a few years ago I lost over 100 pounds on 1200-1400 calories/day (not net calories) and have lost 13 pounds since January 9th doing the same thing. I hit plateaus here and there along the way but increasing my exercise always got me past them.

thejarviclan

I keep reading on the boards that MFP automatically puts you in a 500 calories-per-day deficit but this isn't always true. If you're female, small of stature and have "sedentary" marked, the deficit is less than 500 calories to keep you at the 1200 calories/day mark.

For instance my Goals page reads like this:
Your Diet Profile Target
Calories Burned From Normal Daily Activity: 1,480 calories/day
Net Calories Consumed* :
Your Daily Goal 1,200 calories/day
Daily Calorie Deficit 280 calories
Projected Weight Loss 0.6 lbs/week

I have tried to change my weight loss goal to 2 pounds per week but it won't adjust because I can't "afford" that many calories.

So eating all of my exercise calories would only leave me a 280 calorie deficit each day. I still want that 500 calorie-a-day deficit so I'm not going to eat all those exercise calories back.

And there are probably plenty of other people at MFP for whom this is true.

ETA~ I should add that a few years ago I lost over 100 pounds on 1200-1400 calories/day (not net calories) and have lost 13 pounds since January 9th doing the same thing. I hit plateaus here and there along the way but increasing my exercise always got me past them.

MyaPapaya75

I dont eat them either ..Im definately not starving and all my bloodwork comes back 100% no issues.:drinker: excercise works wonders for plateaus

aprilvet

IMHO, you probably DON'T lead a sedentary life; therefore, if you put your activity at lightly active, which is where I have mine, you will be at that 500 cal daily deficit, thus allowing you to eat those exercise cals!!! You have so little left to lose that 0.5 pounds a week is probably more realistic.

For me, the concept of eating back my exercise calories accomplishes 2 things: first, it is major motivation to get my rear in gear daily:laugh: ; second, eating only 1200 cals a day is not sustainable for me, but 1500-1700 (dependingh on how much I've burned) is very feasible!

Good luck! But I am a firm believer in the eat-back-you-exercise-calories theory!!:bigsmile:

thejarviclan

IMHO, you probably DON'T lead a sedentary life;

I'm behind a desk from 8am 'til 5 pm all week, plus an hour in the car driving each day. I come home and sit all evening helping kids with homework and watching tv. Other than folding laundry, going out to dinner or a weekly shopping trip, the only time I'm on my feet is in the gym.

I'm definitely sedentary! :embarassed:

sapphire092170

If I eat my exercise calories I gain weight! Everyone is different and we all have to find what works for us. I too eat about 12-1500 calories a day and am doing really well with my weight loss. I too lost 157 pounds before doing this and of course exercising as well and it worked wonders for me.

The only reason I put the weight back on is because I went back to being a piggy! Honestly...one can not live on pizza, chips, ice cream and pop and expect to be thin!

Good luck!

Sexy_N_Red

I don't eat my extra calories either. I figure I want to lose weight which is why I am working out. If I exercise then eat my calories back I'm not going to loose anything.
Do what feels right for you.

kerrilucko

I don't always see an issue with people not eating the extra calories, particularly if the individual has a significant of weight to lose, even more specifically if they are under a doctor's supervision. But in this case... to make your deficit larger, when you are already placed at 1200 cals... I gotta say, you're on dangerous ground. Eating so few calories for an extended period of time can be very dangerous, you should probably consult a doctor.

wilted6orchid

IMHO, you probably DON'T lead a sedentary life;

I'm behind a desk from 8am 'til 5 pm all week, plus an hour in the car driving each day. I come home and sit all evening helping kids with homework and watching tv. Other than folding laundry, going out to dinner or a weekly shopping trip, the only time I'm on my feet is in the gym.

I'm definitely sedentary! :embarassed:

Wow! You've got me thinking. I put sendentary, cause I honestly thought that I was, but I don't sit near that much. I'm a homemaker, so I doing household stuff for maybe an hour a day. But I'm cooking for over an hour a day...and then the kiddos...

Maybe I should set mine at light activity?!:huh:

MyaPapaya75

IMHO, you probably DON'T lead a sedentary life;

I'm behind a desk from 8am 'til 5 pm all week, plus an hour in the car driving each day. I come home and sit all evening helping kids with homework and watching tv. Other than folding laundry, going out to dinner or a weekly shopping trip, the only time I'm on my feet is in the gym.

I'm definitely sedentary! :embarassed:

Wow! You've got me thinking. I put sendentary, cause I honestly thought that I was, but I don't sit near that much. I'm a homemaker, so I doing household stuff for maybe an hour a day. But I'm cooking for over an hour a day...and then the kiddos...

Maybe I should set mine at light activity?!:huh:

I think your sedentary ..the levels vary but lightly active would probably be more active something like a school teacher ..

staceyw37

melinda-mine's set at lightly active. i'm on my feet--dusting, laundry, picking up toys, washing dishes, giving baths, etc. as a sahm with 3 you are very likely "lightly active." hth

jenken99

:grumble: :grumble: :grumble: i get from the girls at work that you should eat them calories cause other wise you are not eating enough,, i do sometimes im trying it this time if it doesnt work after a couple of weeks i will quit eating my workout calories , right now i find myself going to exercise just to eat is this bad?:bigsmile:

ivykivy

No its not bad. . You're working off what you eat. When you go to maintenance, to stay at your goal weight you're going to work off what you eat.

:grumble: :grumble: :grumble: i get from the girls at work that you should eat them calories cause other wise you are not eating enough,, i do sometimes im trying it this time if it doesnt work after a couple of weeks i will quit eating my workout calories , right now i find myself going to exercise just to eat is this bad?:bigsmile:

kevmandfl

Just bumping for later.

cmriverside

I keep reading on the boards that MFP automatically puts you in a 500 calories-per-day deficit but this isn't always true. If you're female, small of stature and have "sedentary" marked, the deficit is less than 500 calories to keep you at the 1200 calories/day mark.

For instance my Goals page reads like this:
Your Diet Profile Target
Calories Burned From Normal Daily Activity: 1,480 calories/day
Net Calories Consumed* :
Your Daily Goal 1,200 calories/day
Daily Calorie Deficit 280 calories
Projected Weight Loss 0.6 lbs/week

I have tried to change my weight loss goal to 2 pounds per week but it won't adjust because I can't "afford" that many calories.

So eating all of my exercise calories would only leave me a 280 calorie deficit each day. I still want that 500 calorie-a-day deficit so I'm not going to eat all those exercise calories back.

And there are probably plenty of other people at MFP for whom this is true.

ETA~ I should add that a few years ago I lost over 100 pounds on 1200-1400 calories/day (not net calories) and have lost 13 pounds since January 9th doing the same thing. I hit plateaus here and there along the way but increasing my exercise always got me past them.

I always ate my exercise calories. Always. Especially when I got close to goal. You only have, what 8 pounds to lose? You should be eating almost maintenance calories!! Why make it tougher?

Heavier people can go on a larger deficit, they have "back-up" calories i.e. fat to burn for energy. IMHO you are flirting with fatigue and irritability at best and health issues at worst. You need the nutrition, if not the calories. The weight should come off very slowly when you are this close to your ideal weight.

_____
edit to add: I started at 205, it took 7-8 months total to lose 45 lbs. Eating-all-the-way what MFP suggested. The last 10 pounds was tough. It is supposed to be tough.

Those of you with lots to lose can probably leave 100-200 calories uneaten - but no more than that. Please believe the long-time users who have seen nutritionists and pay attention to their weight loss stories and their tickers. Educate yourself from many sources, not just anecdotal guesses.

Knowledge is power.
______________________________________________________________

SandraD1064

IMHO, you probably DON'T lead a sedentary life; therefore, if you put your activity at lightly active, which is where I have mine, you will be at that 500 cal daily deficit, thus allowing you to eat those exercise cals!!! You have so little left to lose that 0.5 pounds a week is probably more realistic.

For me, the concept of eating back my exercise calories accomplishes 2 things: first, it is major motivation to get my rear in gear daily:laugh: ; second, eating only 1200 cals a day is not sustainable for me, but 1500-1700 (dependingh on how much I've burned) is very feasible!

Good luck! But I am a firm believer in the eat-back-you-exercise-calories theory!!:bigsmile:

Eating back @ least some of my calories burned ~ definitely helps get my *kitten* goin too :blushing:

aprilvet

cmriverside--

I bow to your wisdom!!:blushing: I have finally put aside my impatience to fix 20 years of bad habits and poor choices. I feel great with the wisdom of mfp! If it takes me 6 months to lose my last 14 pounds, that's ok. My body is changing, I don't feel deprived, depressed, or remorseful. There's a reason I was never able to stick with any plan before- I either cut back my calories too far or exercised in excess of my eating, creating unhealthy and draining results.:grumble: :sick:

I am a believer!!!:drinker:

kerrilucko

I keep reading on the boards that MFP automatically puts you in a 500 calories-per-day deficit but this isn't always true. If you're female, small of stature and have "sedentary" marked, the deficit is less than 500 calories to keep you at the 1200 calories/day mark.

For instance my Goals page reads like this:
Your Diet Profile Target
Calories Burned From Normal Daily Activity: 1,480 calories/day
Net Calories Consumed* :
Your Daily Goal 1,200 calories/day
Daily Calorie Deficit 280 calories
Projected Weight Loss 0.6 lbs/week

I have tried to change my weight loss goal to 2 pounds per week but it won't adjust because I can't "afford" that many calories.

So eating all of my exercise calories would only leave me a 280 calorie deficit each day. I still want that 500 calorie-a-day deficit so I'm not going to eat all those exercise calories back.

And there are probably plenty of other people at MFP for whom this is true.

ETA~ I should add that a few years ago I lost over 100 pounds on 1200-1400 calories/day (not net calories) and have lost 13 pounds since January 9th doing the same thing. I hit plateaus here and there along the way but increasing my exercise always got me past them.

I always ate my exercise calories. Always. Especially when I got close to goal. You only have, what 8 pounds to lose? You should be eating almost maintenance calories!! Why make it tougher?

Heavier people can go on a larger deficit, they have "back-up" calories i.e. fat to burn for energy. IMHO you are flirting with fatigue and irritability at best and health issues at worst. You need the nutrition, if not the calories. The weight should come off very slowly when you are this close to your ideal weight.

_____
edit to add: I started at 205, it took 7-8 months total to lose 45 lbs. Eating-all-the-way what MFP suggested. The last 10 pounds was tough. It is supposed to be tough.

Those of you with lots to lose can probably leave 100-200 calories uneaten - but no more than that. Please believe the long-time users who have seen nutritionists and pay attention to their weight loss stories and their tickers. Educate yourself from many sources, not just anecdotal guesses.

Knowledge is power.
______________________________________________________________

amen! :drinker:

songbyrdsweet

You really need to be at a smaller deficit, at least most of the time. Alternately, eat maintenance more often, or take more frequent exercise/deficit breaks. The less you have to lose, the more careful you need to be. It takes a lot of hard work to increase your basal energy output, and in order to perform that hard work (exercise), you need to fuel yourself. Exercise more, eat more. I just came off a month of eating maintenance calories. My weigh went up a couple pounds, then stabilized. I worked out like a MONSTER. People told me I was in the best shape of my life, and I was. I dropped my base calories down by about 200 calories for two weeks, and just spent a week at basal calories of 1200 (while eating all the exercise calories). I am really sore and feel like crap because I worked really hard. :laugh: Tomorrow I'm going up by 100 calories again, and this pyramid routine will continue until I get where I want to be. I don't zig-zag daily because it takes much longer than that for your hormone levels to change in response to your diet.