Eating Back Calories....I JUST DON'T GET IT.

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  • Aprillsmith
    Aprillsmith Posts: 81
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    Ok sorry for the late reply I was.at work and it got hectic. I burn workout everyday and burn a minimum of 600 cal a day. Sometimes I workout twice a day and burn up to 1500 cal. In a nutshell I burn A LOT of calories a day and I just don't see having to eat back all those calories. I've lost a total of 47 lbs in 3.5 months and haven't ever really eaten all those calories back I burn it just boggles me as to why I would be told to. I pay less attention to net cal and feel that I'm ok as long as I at least eat my daily caloric requirement. But eating 2000 cal a day and losing weight...I don't see it
  • FitMama2013
    FitMama2013 Posts: 919 Member
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    You will understand when you hit a plateau. I didn't understand until my weight loss stalled for 4 months...now I get it.

    Editied to add: I used to eat 1,500 calories per day and burn 800-1,300 and lost about 35lbs in 4 months. Then I plateaued for 4 months. Now that I've added strength training, upped my calories to 2,100, and eat back my exercise calories, I feel a million times better and the scale is moving again.
  • Aprillsmith
    Aprillsmith Posts: 81
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    Oh and I'd really like to thank everyone who replied. Haven't had the opportunity to read them all but just the fact that you took out time to help me out is appreciated :)
  • kriggs1976
    kriggs1976 Posts: 117
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    http://www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

    Love this site, you should check it out
  • MrsSWW
    MrsSWW Posts: 1,590 Member
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    If you purely want to lose pounds stick with your 1200 a day or whatever you've been set.

    If you want to get fit and healthy (rather than just skinny) then exercise, but acknowledge the fact that your body will need extra fuel for that.

    It's really quite simple.
  • Aprillsmith
    Aprillsmith Posts: 81
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    You will understand when you hit a plateau. I didn't understand until my weight loss stalled for 4 months...now I get it.

    Editied to add: I used to eat 1,500 calories per day and burn 800-1,300 and lost about 35lbs in 4 months. Then I plateaued for 4 months. Now that I've added strength training, upped my calories to 2,100, and eat back my exercise calories, I feel a million times better and the scale is moving again.

    I just can't see how to consume so many calories and not go over on areas such as sodium and sugar and protein. Its a complete learning process for me because what I thought would be the easy part (the nutrition) is the hardest part. So you your.calories to 2100 plus you eat back the cal burned?! I just got on an eating schedule where I can eat every 4 hours, sleep 7 hours and still workout. Being on the night shift its tough but I'm going to make it work. The hardest part is getting those extra cal in the correct way
  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,720 Member
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    You will understand when you hit a plateau. I didn't understand until my weight loss stalled for 4 months...now I get it.

    I just can't see how to consume so many calories and not go over on areas such as sodium and sugar and protein. Its a complete learning process for me because what I thought would be the easy part (the nutrition) is the hardest part. So you your.calories to 2100 plus you eat back the cal burned?! I just got on an eating schedule where I can eat every 4 hours, sleep 7 hours and still workout. Being on the night shift its tough but I'm going to make it work. The hardest part is getting those extra cal in the correct way

    You'll figure it out so it works for you. You don't have to eat back all your exercise calories if you're using MFP setting for cals burned, because they are pretty generous. So just eat back at least 1/2 what they're saying you're burning. That's a pretty safe guideline.

    If you go over on sodium it's not the end of the world, just drink lots of water. Really a lot. It's annoying but important. And you don't have to eat every 4 hours if that's not what you'd normally do. Eat when you want.

    I've worked the night shift. I know how hard that is on the body. Figure out what works, keep at it and you'll do great.
  • dreamchaser12
    dreamchaser12 Posts: 223 Member
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    This has been explained a million times already, but I'll try one last time.

    When you sign up to MFP you select how quickly you want to lose weight...0.5lb a week/1lb a week/1/5lb a week...
    MFP then tells you how many calories to eat to achieve this...the deficit needed is already there.
    If you then exercise your deficit becomes even bigger and therefore you need to eat back the exercise calories to go cancel out the extra calories you've burnt ON TOP of the deficit.

    For example (using a hypothetical person):

    Maintainence Cals 2000
    MFP goal lose 1lb/week
    Daily deficit required to achieve this = 500cal a day
    (this is worked out because 3500cals = 1lb and 500 x 7 = 3500)
    Therefore MFP says eat a net of 1500 a day
    You eat 1500 cals of food and all is great
    But then you do a 300cal workout
    Therefore you've eaten 1500 - 300 = 1200
    To get back to the 1500 net cals you need to eat 300cals back.

    Does this make sense?


    Makes sense :smile:
  • Aprillsmith
    Aprillsmith Posts: 81
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    Heres a 14 year old car with 1/8th tank of gas and a dime of oil in it.

    Drive it 200 miles to the next gas station!

    Good luck!



    I can make this less complicated!

    If you are 5'2" and up eat at least 1600 daily
    5'5" and up eat at least 1800-2k daily
    5'7" and above eat 2k-2200 daily

    Then work out to create a deficit.


    That way if you miss a workout because of real life you still have the proper nutrition.


    Got it! Im going to try to east at least 2000 cal a day. now the only thing is correctly eating those calories. Im learning new things everyday!
  • millionsofpeaches
    millionsofpeaches Posts: 372
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    Do what works for you.
  • meldaniel
    meldaniel Posts: 111
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    I would never eat back all my exercise cals regularly...I have tried it and it usually has me eating when I am not hungry at all, which seems illogical...dieting or not. I don't lose when I do it. I usually burn around 400-600 in the gym and I stick with 1200 a day or a little more depending on how hungry I am. I make sure to get more protein than I need and eat very healthy foods in those calories. Bottom line is, if you aren't hungry-don't eat. If you are hungry (truely hungry...not just bored) then have something healthy. I think people worry way too much about "the rules" and overlook the simple notion of just listening to your own body and watching your own progress. What works for one may not work for another...this site is helpful for keeping track of calories in and out, but it is not the "perfect" recipe for everyone. I would think most people should use this plan as a base and then make adjustments as they go to fit their own lifestyle.
  • hubkal
    hubkal Posts: 125 Member
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    I have been struggling with this question too. I went to a dietitian and she said no matter what not to fall under 1200 calories a day. It was hard to eat 1200 calories a day when I had trained myself to eat less, I was maybe making 900 a day or so. BUT< Bingo!! when I ate close to 1200 calories a day I finally dropped 1.5 pounds in 2 days~! It works.
  • mixedfeelings
    mixedfeelings Posts: 904 Member
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    I know what you mean, I didn't understand and I still fully don't.

    I wasn't eating back my calories and would have a net of around 500 - 700. I wasn't losing weight, I've started eating a bit more, "healthy" calories and I've started losing weight again, plus I'm eating more than I have done in years.
  • happystars82
    happystars82 Posts: 225 Member
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    bump
  • FitMama2013
    FitMama2013 Posts: 919 Member
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    April - I sent you a PM with more info to answer your questions :)
  • CallmeSbo
    CallmeSbo Posts: 611 Member
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    This also does not make sense to me especially for people that log cleaning the house as a form of exercise. For bodybuilders and other people that do strenuous exercise.
  • ChristineW82
    ChristineW82 Posts: 116 Member
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    MFP sets your calorie intake low enough to lose weight without exercise.

    So when you do exercise, you are adding to the calories they already subtracted making your calorie intake so low your body can go into starvation mode. When you body is in starvation mode it hordes any calories you do intake.

    You can not lose healthy weight while starving yourself.
  • HauteP1nk
    HauteP1nk Posts: 2,139 Member
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    If your calories are already being restricted for the day you need to ensure that you are eating back your calories.

    If MFP set your calories for 1200 per day and you burn 400 working out that means you only consumed 800 calories for the day. This is WAY too low.
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
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    Is there any real scientific evidence that suggest that your weight loss will slow or stop if your deficit is too large?
    Yes, and I'm also proof. I was eating a small amount and working out a ton. Huge deficits. Worked when I had a lot to lose, but as I started getting closer to my goal I stopped. Huge deficits. No weight loss. Started losing again when I ate a bit more.
  • nursenessa1
    nursenessa1 Posts: 182 Member
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    This has been explained a million times already, but I'll try one last time.

    When you sign up to MFP you select how quickly you want to lose weight...0.5lb a week/1lb a week/1/5lb a week...
    MFP then tells you how many calories to eat to achieve this...the deficit needed is already there.
    If you then exercise your deficit becomes even bigger and therefore you need to eat back the exercise calories to go cancel out the extra calories you've burnt ON TOP of the deficit.

    For example (using a hypothetical person):

    Maintainence Cals 2000
    MFP goal lose 1lb/week
    Daily deficit required to achieve this = 500cal a day
    (this is worked out because 3500cals = 1lb and 500 x 7 = 3500)
    Therefore MFP says eat a net of 1500 a day
    You eat 1500 cals of food and all is great
    But then you do a 300cal workout
    Therefore you've eaten 1500 - 300 = 1200
    To get back to the 1500 net cals you need to eat 300cals back.

    Does this make sense?

    Bingo.

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