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

betsygw

*This is in reply to Mattwild post.* Sorry, but you have no idea what you are talking about. Research eating disorders and potassium levels. Reasearch aneroxia and electorlytes . Your advice is not only inaccurate, but could be deadly to others.



Hypokalemia can be caused by overuse of laxatives; by eating disorders such as bulimia, which involves self-induced vomiting; and by prolonged fasting and starvation. This can cause weakness and irregular heart rhythms, fatigue, anorexia and decreased bowel motility. The normal potassium level is 3.5-5.0 mEq/L (this is a measure used to evaluate the level). Low potassium is defined as a potassium level below 3.5 mEq/L.

Increasing potassium in your diet and using potassium supplements are both forms of treatment. Sometimes, hospitalization may be required to add potassium. If you cannot move your arms and legs or you feel as though your heart has an irregular heartbeat, then call a medical provider immediately"

I am a nurse practitioner and my husband is a physician. My sister is a nutritionist, and we ARE EDUCATED in this manner. Please be careful people, and listen to the drs.

mangozulu

Is there any real scientific evidence that suggest that your weight loss will slow or stop if your deficit is too large?

Your metabolism will slow a bit, about 5-10% or so. Not enough to keep you from continuing to lose as long as you are in a deficit. Eating back your exercise calories is primarily a method of managing hunger and providing additional incentive to exercise.

sarah307

www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com

lots of links attached above that explains how MFP works ^^^^^^^^^

marycmeadows

Also (Didn't read the whole thread so someone may have said this already) but you have to fuel your body properly or you won't lose weight. Just like trying to drive a car without gas, simply doesn't work.

I've plateaued a few times over the past year, each time what broke my plateau was increasing my calories. I typically don't eat back all of my exercise calories but I normally eat back a good portion of them.

SW 303.4 (1/1/11)
CW 199
29y/o female, 5'6''

time2bhealthy

Can you explain to me what fast carbs are? I have always wondered about eating my exercise calories back. It seems like I am just maintaining and not losing. Maybe this is why.

Most people on here aren't bodybuilders, they are just regular people trying to lose weight.

If you told someone on 1200 calories NOT To eat back the 500 calories thay had just burned, leaving them a net 700, surely that's worse than them eating some sensible calories to get back to their goal calories.

Nobody is suggesting that people go out and eat McDonalds burgers to make up their exercise calories.

Sigh.

I have the same digestive etc systems as you. I higher muscle mass which ultimately enable one to burn more calories and retain less fat as your metabolism is increased. I'm not remotely different to you, just I have a different shape and eat as my body actually needs.

As for calories, it shouldn't be just 'calories'. Your body doesn't need 'calories' it needs protein and fast carbs to repair. Which is where the eating back falls over.

As for me being a body builder so its not the same, tell this to my misses who recently lost 3 stone following my advice on IF



She's no body builder and did zumba for her resistance, cardio and ab work. We all work in a very similar way.

amymeenieminymo

For crying outloud, why is this a hard concept to understand? This thread alone has four pages of explanations, along with the million other posts about it. You're already eating less to lose weight....you're not working out to lose weight, you're working out to tone and strenghten your body and cardiovasvular system. If you don't eat the calories back, you won't be eating enough. What about that is confusing?

If you don't agree with it, DON'T DO IT. If you don't like the system MFP set up, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. It's one thing to ask a question for clarity, but if you are so sure you're doing it the right way then why bother with this question?????

missfelicia6

I struggle with the same question!! I don't understand it!

So I started logging into MFP and I also write everything in a food journal.

If I start the day off in the morning and I have 1400 calories to eat that day, I exercise before eating ANYTHING...MFP says I have 1700 calories now!

That doesn't make sense to me....so I look at the written journal. I continue to take in 1400 calories and whatever is burned...stays burned. I don't eat it back!!

So at the end of the day MFP tells me I have 400 calories left to eat, but I don't pay attention to that because I know that was the calories burned.

I think you would eat those calories back if you wanted to MAINTAIN your weight...but not if you're trying to LOSE weight.

Kirsty_UK

I struggle with the same question!! I don't understand it!

So I started logging into MFP and I also write everything in a food journal.

If I start the day off in the morning and I have 1400 calories to eat that day, I exercise before eating ANYTHING...MFP says I have 1700 calories now!

That doesn't make sense to me....so I look at the written journal. I continue to take in 1400 calories and whatever is burned...stays burned. I don't eat it back!!

So at the end of the day MFP tells me I have 400 calories left to eat, but I don't pay attention to that because I know that was the calories burned.

I think you would eat those calories back if you wanted to MAINTAIN your weight...but not if you're trying to LOSE weight.

Have you read all the posts above? If you have set up MFP to lose weight, it ALREADY has a calorie minus/deficit counted in your 1400 cals a day.

TamImbrogno

I DO NOT EAT MY EXCERCISE CALORIES BACK! I stick to a 1200 calorie diet and I excercise!! If I sit there and eat back my calories for 1 I am going to get sick from eatting too much and 2 IMO it seems kinda pointless to do a bunch of work and then eat it all back lol! I've lost 32lbs in past doing it like this and I am up to 22lbs now..I will stick with whats working for me!!

Meggles63

For crying outloud, why is this a hard concept to understand? This thread alone has four pages of explanations, along with the million other posts about it. You're already eating less to lose weight....you're not working out to lose weight, you're working out to tone and strenghten your body and cardiovasvular system. If you don't eat the calories back, you won't be eating enough. What about that is confusing?

If you don't agree with it, DON'T DO IT. If you don't like the system MFP set up, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. It's one thing to ask a question for clarity, but if you are so sure you're doing it the right way then why bother with this question?????

^^Thank you!!!

maysflower

I eat back my calories because it works for me. If I don't eat them I find my weight loss slows down, but when I do eat them I am losing pounds on a constant basis. What works for some does not work for others.

I always suggest giving it a try for a couple of weeks to see if it works for you. The worst thing that happens is you maintain, but the best thing that could happen is you could see a more constant weight loss....you may even lose more than you were before.

ingfit

I think this is more a question of how heavy you are to begin with. If you are a woman and have a high BMI or over 200 lbs to begin with, then following the MFP guidlines to lose 2lbs a week is fine, with or without eating back calories - your choice.

BUT ..... once your weight gets closer to your goal, or within 20 lbs of goal, and you exercise you will find that your weight will slow down signifigantly or stall out completely. At this point most people will take on even more exercise to compensate as there is no room to lower calories. This sets you up for serious failure. Overtraining and undereating can actually make you stall or gain water weight through inflamation, and you will feel chronically tired and hungry. Especially if you decide to weight train, you must fuel your body properly with enough protein and fats, and moderate carbs.

I am 20 lbs away from goal and eat 1800 cals per day, exercise hard 4 times a week and am losing consistantly 1 lb a week. When you get close to your goal weight you may have to re-evaluate your goals. Hope this helps.

gooteek

If you do not eat back the calories to assure you only have a deficit between 3-400 calories a day, then you will put your body into starvation mode and it will hold on to as much fat as possible until your body feels it is safe to release it...many plateau when they workout like crazy people without eating back the calories from their workouts to stay just under their daily caloric levels. Too much deficit = plateau due to starvation mode (body preserving itself), a 3-400 calorie deficit is the most extreme you should go. Get the caloric numbers MFP tells you and you will be golden.

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?

ItsMeRebekah

Most people on here aren't bodybuilders, they are just regular people trying to lose weight.

If you told someone on 1200 calories NOT To eat back the 500 calories thay had just burned, leaving them a net 700, surely that's worse than them eating some sensible calories to get back to their goal calories.

Nobody is suggesting that people go out and eat McDonalds burgers to make up their exercise calories.

Sigh.

I have the same digestive etc systems as you. I higher muscle mass which ultimately enable one to burn more calories and retain less fat as your metabolism is increased. I'm not remotely different to you, just I have a different shape and eat as my body actually needs.

As for calories, it shouldn't be just 'calories'. Your body doesn't need 'calories' it needs protein and fast carbs to repair. Which is where the eating back falls over.

As for me being a body builder so its not the same, tell this to my misses who recently lost 3 stone following my advice on IF



She's no body builder and did zumba for her resistance, cardio and ab work. We all work in a very similar way.

yep im with you.. dont eat them back and im not starving and my body looks fine. oh and i have muscle which seems to be the big trigger point around here.

Reckabek

I think this is more a question of how heavy you are to begin with. If you are a woman and have a high BMI or over 200 lbs to begin with, then following the MFP guidlines to lose 2lbs a week is fine, with or without eating back calories - your choice.

BUT ..... once your weight gets closer to your goal, or within 20 lbs of goal, and you exercise you will find that your weight will slow down signifigantly or stall out completely. At this point most people will take on even more exercise to compensate as there is no room to lower calories. This sets you up for serious failure. Overtraining and undereating can actually make you stall or gain water weight through inflamation, and you will feel chronically tired and hungry. Especially if you decide to weight train, you must fuel your body properly with enough protein and fats, and moderate carbs.

I am 20 lbs away from goal and eat 1800 cals per day, exercise hard 4 times a week and am losing consistantly 1 lb a week. When you get close to your goal weight you may have to re-evaluate your goals. Hope this helps.

I may say i have to agree with this, possibly...i lost 95 lbs on my own hardly any excersise. I joined MFP a few months ago and started becoming aware of needing to work out. So started working out. I do not eat back my excersise calories and i have not lost weight if not gained in the last 2 months. I am starting to realize what i am doing is not working. I keep saying im gaining muscle, which is more then fat, but am starting to doubt that to be all i need to do. I am trying to up my calories when i work out, but its so hard cause im not used to that many calories. Its been two days now, and i couldnt do it yesterday. Imma try again today! I realize i need to reevaluate my goals. I would like to loose 10 more at least understaniding i have at least 10 lbs in extra skin i will never get rid of, im 156ish....its so frustrating

Matt_Wild

*This is in reply to Mattwild post.* Sorry, but you have no idea what you are talking about. Research eating disorders and potassium levels. Reasearch aneroxia and electorlytes . Your advice is not only inaccurate, but could be deadly to others.

Are you stating that 1200 calories is an ED?

Hypokalemia can be caused by overuse of laxatives; by eating disorders such as bulimia, which involves self-induced vomiting; and by prolonged fasting and starvation. This can cause weakness and irregular heart rhythms, fatigue, anorexia and decreased bowel motility. The normal potassium level is 3.5-5.0 mEq/L (this is a measure used to evaluate the level). Low potassium is defined as a potassium level below 3.5 mEq/L.

We are aren't discussing eating disorders. 1200 calories is not starvation, nor is it fasting.

You should also stop copying and pasting information from other websites and claiming it as your own without marking it as a quote - http://www.eatingdisordersonline.com/medical/potassium.php

Increasing potassium in your diet and using potassium supplements are both forms of treatment. Sometimes, hospitalization may be required to add potassium. If you cannot move your arms and legs or you feel as though your heart has an irregular heartbeat, then call a medical provider immediately

Would not debate this, never in question.

I am a nurse practitioner and my husband is a physician. My sister is a nutritionist, and we ARE EDUCATED in this manner. Please be careful people, and listen to the drs.

Sorry, all I can see above is information that has no relevance to what is being discussed. We are aren't discussing bulimia not anorexia or similar. You have even confirmed treatment is supplementation which is exactly what I said.

You haven't actually posted there ANYTHING that is different what I have said.

curvatrino

http://www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

This is exactly what I wanted it to be

^^^^ This

LOL

LorinaLynn

All this talk about "losing weight faster" makes me laugh. Dropping a lot of POUNDS isn't all that impressive. I'd rather lose as few pounds as possible, but change my body as much as possible.

After all... this is how I looked five years ago at 130# after eating at less than 1000 calories a day for months and months on end. And how I look NOW at a little over 130# eating around 2000 calories a day.



These are the jeans I wore five years ago at 130# and the jeans I'm wearing now.



And THIS is just 8 pounds difference from last March to last week. When I was 130# five years ago, I was about the size I was at 140# last year, but with more muffin top, cellulite and back fat.



So... go ahead. Eat as little as you can get away with to drop as many pounds as you can.

No one can see how much you weigh. They can see the size of your *kitten*. I'll continue eating like a hungry man because I'd rather weigh more and look smaller than weigh less and look bigger.

amymeenieminymo

I struggle with the same question!! I don't understand it!

So I started logging into MFP and I also write everything in a food journal.

If I start the day off in the morning and I have 1400 calories to eat that day, I exercise before eating ANYTHING...MFP says I have 1700 calories now!

That doesn't make sense to me....so I look at the written journal. I continue to take in 1400 calories and whatever is burned...stays burned. I don't eat it back!!

So at the end of the day MFP tells me I have 400 calories left to eat, but I don't pay attention to that because I know that was the calories burned.

I think you would eat those calories back if you wanted to MAINTAIN your weight...but not if you're trying to LOSE weight.

There are some people on MFP trying to maintain their weight (or even gain) but the vast majority come to MFP to lose weight, so why on earth would the maker of this website automatically set you up to maintaine weight????

There are two ways to lose weight:

1. Eat the SAME way you have been all along, and exercise. The calories you burn from exercise is what will help you to lose weight.

2. Eat LESS than what you were eating before (thus the calorie deficit MFP builds into your daily calories for you). This alone will make you lose a pound a week (if this is what you set it up to lose). But if you don't exercise along with eating less, you'll become "skinny fat" looking lean but have no real muslce mass and not be "heart healthy". So you work out.....but since you're already eating less to begin with, you need to eat back those exercise calories so that you're calorie deficit is not too large.

All snarkiness aside, please tell me, what about that above explanation does not make sense to you? How do you figure that would maintaine your weight when you're already eating less than you would in order to lose that pound a week?

ladyraven68

Simple answer - if you want to keep exactly the SAME defict that MFP set, based on what you input, then yes eat them - that's what they are there for, to mainatin the deficit you chose.

If you don't want to keep the SAME deficit, dont.

Your choice.