Still confused about eating back cals!!
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Always eat ALL your calories back. MFP is set up to keep your calories at a deficit level which is optimal for your weight loss...if you burn some working out you need to eat back those calories to get back to the optimal deficit level. If you don't you may eventually plateau and stop losing. I have always eaten back every single workout calorie and I have lost 32lbs!0
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TOTALLY FALSE! Please do not listen to this advice! Any health professional would advice this poster to play in traffic!Definitely don't eat your calories back!!!!!! the point is to burn them off so if you eat them back on then that's defeating the purpose!!!! keep going-you can do it!0 -
I don't, I never have. I work out 5-6 days a week, cardio and weights. I never trust what the machine tell me anyways, and have never tracked my exercise burn on MFP. I stay around 1200-1500 cals a day, with one cheat meal a week (1800-2200). I handle it just fine not eating my calories back, and I have only plateaued once. I lost 100 pounds in a yr and have maintained that for over a yr. I bugs me when people on MFP tell you that you have to eat them back, and than break out articles to prove their point. But you could ask 500 trainer and nutritionist the same question and get about 250 different answers. My trainer and I have talked about this many times, and He (in his opinion) says no you don't have to, if you do that is fine also, but you wont see the weight loss coming as fast if you do. It is all about calories in vs. calories out.
So my suggestion is don't, if you can keep up your energy and feel good without eating them back, than don't. If you have to eat them back only try 100 cals and see if that does not work for you.
Just my opinion. Good luck with your journey. You can do it
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I only found any weight loss by eating 1200 calories TOTAL a day!! a majority of my days I NEVER eat back my exercise calories. The biggest thing is being SURE about the calories you are REALLY burning and being SUPER careful about what you log, do not forget anything and if anything OVER ESTIMATE your calorie intake...double check the things you pick and the calories listed on the package compared to what MFP has listed for it, check the number of servings listed on the package AND on mfp! sometimes someone may add a product and put in only .5 of a serving and you think you have added a whole serving! Be very specific to follow your nutrients and do not go over on your carbs and sodium. MFP seems to give too little for PROTEIN intake, it should be at least 1/3 higher, so don't be afraid to go over on protien.
You will get used to eating 1200 calories, once you find foods that fill you up but contain less calories! add tons of veggies to everything you will be surprised at how much flavor and crunch value you get with veggies!
Everyone has their own "way" this is what started working for me after 6 weeks of working out with no weight loss, finally I ate as you can see on my diary and the weight came off. All the above recommendations were from my dietitian for me.0 -
most people on mfp seem to say to eat them back. Personally, if I'm hungry (which I usually am anyway after working out), I'll eat them back, but if I'm not, I don't stress about it. I listen to my body instead of to people freaking out about "starvation mode" I have to say I don't believe in the "starvation mode" thing bc if that was true, how would anorexic people lose weight? And I doubt a few days here and there of being under will hurt you. Just stay smart about what you eat, and if you're hungry, eat! 0
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Starvation mode is before your body hits an anorexic state. Yes is you starve yourself long enough then you will lose weight. Obviously not healthy.most people on mfp seem to say to eat them back. Personally, if I'm hungry (which I usually am anyway after working out), I'll eat them back, but if I'm not, I don't stress about it. I listen to my body instead of to people freaking out about "starvation mode" I have to say I don't believe in the "starvation mode" thing bc if that was true, how would anorexic people lose weight? And I doubt a few days here and there of being under will hurt you. Just stay smart about what you eat, and if you're hungry, eat! 0 -
I say no. No, you should not eat back your calories unless you are on maintenance or trying to increase muscle mass. My reasoning is this. Have you ever previously been on a diet that gave you a restrictive calorie intake and then turned around and told you that it was flexible? My guess is that you have not. Nor do you need to be on 1200cal/day.
Think about what is reasonable for you. I have mine set at 1600. Educate yourself and make choices as to how much protein/fiber/etc etc you believe you need. My goal is 100g protein and a minimum of 25g fiber daily. protein and fiber keep you fuller longer. This is a fact, not my 2 cents.
Think about it. If you are eating back the calories you are burning, how in the world are you going to lose weight? Unless you are trying to gain weight or build muscle, that is the wrong way to do it. It's just common sense really.
BTW, I'm losing on avg 2#/week0 -
you lose because you are already set up at a deficit to begin with!!! working out brings you further below your deficit and you eat back to refuel the body!!!
Think about it. If you are eating back the calories you are burning, how in the world are you going to lose weight? Unless you are trying to gain weight or build muscle, that is the wrong way to do it. It's just common sense really.0 -
Definitely don't eat your calories back!!!!!! the point is to burn them off so if you eat them back on then that's defeating the purpose!!!! keep going-you can do it!
Is this what people call a "troll"? LOL
But yes, MFP already works in a deficit for you. Personally, I agree that you should eat some of them back, not necessarily all of them. If you are still hungry and are going to faint, heck yeah, eat them! But you shouldn't force yourself to eat all of them.
Despite all this, a deficit that comes from both eating less and exercise is nothing new. And exercise isn't just for burning calories. Think of all the health benefits you'll get from it! :-)0 -
I am no doctor or anything. But, I will tell you what worked for me. I usually do eat most of my calories back that I burn. There have been a couple of times I also didn't eat 1200 calories in a day. But, I have always stayed under my calorie allowance. If I am hungry I eat, if I am not I don't. I do exercise a lot most days. I have averaged 2.3 pounds per week since January 4.
Which when I entered my goals, it set as I was lightly active and wanted to lose about 1.5 pounds per week.0 -
Starvation mode is before your body hits an anorexic state. Yes is you starve yourself long enough then you will lose weight. Obviously not healthy.most people on mfp seem to say to eat them back. Personally, if I'm hungry (which I usually am anyway after working out), I'll eat them back, but if I'm not, I don't stress about it. I listen to my body instead of to people freaking out about "starvation mode" I have to say I don't believe in the "starvation mode" thing bc if that was true, how would anorexic people lose weight? And I doubt a few days here and there of being under will hurt you. Just stay smart about what you eat, and if you're hungry, eat!
I don't know I just remember in high school and college when my friends and I would be stupid and try to lose weight, of course all we did was just try to not eat. And it worked. And I think it works for most people. Of course that's not a good solution, I'm not advocating for people to do it, but that's my experience with it. I don't personally try to go under on calories now, I rarely go under the arbitrary 1200. When I have plateaued since I've been on mfp (2 big ones, one lasted 3 months), it has definitely not been because I wasn't eating enough calories. I think that starvation mode is probably what happens when someone is ACTUALLY, LITERALLY starving, and when their body has literally no more fat, it has to turn to muscle for fuel. I don't think it is anything most people on mfp have to worry about, or we probably wouldn't be here 0 -
Eat your base caloric intake. The other is a bonus.. If you abstain from the extra calories given to you from working out you end up losing more belly fat. That's what I've learned.
Unless your base caloric intake is 1200...
You need to at least NET 1200 not total 1200...0 -
Starvation mode is before your body hits an anorexic state. Yes is you starve yourself long enough then you will lose weight. Obviously not healthy.most people on mfp seem to say to eat them back. Personally, if I'm hungry (which I usually am anyway after working out), I'll eat them back, but if I'm not, I don't stress about it. I listen to my body instead of to people freaking out about "starvation mode" I have to say I don't believe in the "starvation mode" thing bc if that was true, how would anorexic people lose weight? And I doubt a few days here and there of being under will hurt you. Just stay smart about what you eat, and if you're hungry, eat!
I don't know I just remember in high school and college when my friends and I would be stupid and try to lose weight, of course all we did was just try to not eat. And it worked. And I think it works for most people. Of course that's not a good solution, I'm not advocating for people to do it, but that's my experience with it. I don't personally try to go under on calories now, I rarely go under the arbitrary 1200. When I have plateaued since I've been on mfp (2 big ones, one lasted 3 months), it has definitely not been because I wasn't eating enough calories. I think that starvation mode is probably what happens when someone is ACTUALLY, LITERALLY starving, and when their body has literally no more fat, it has to turn to muscle for fuel. I don't think it is anything most people on mfp have to worry about, or we probably wouldn't be here
I was (unknowingly) eating 800-900 calories a day for about 6 months after losing quite a bit of weight, and I didn't lose a pound, not a single pound. Call it what you like, but it's like that article "700 calories and not losing" or whatever it is that sleepytexan posts often in these types of threads.0 -
Congratulations on your weight loss since you started! I'm sure that your exercise plan is helping a lot!
My advice is to try to plan ahead for the calories you should get in a day, and then after a workout, if you're hungry and want to add something extra into your day, go ahead, you've earned it!
But that doesn't necessarily mean that you need to eat ALL of your calories back, especially if you want to keep losing a lot of weight. Drinking lots of water will help you feel satiated if you want to have a small snack after a workout so that you can eat some calories back without overdoing it.
But if you're going to eat some calories back, make sure they're healthy choices because while you may have calories to spare, you don't want to go overboard with saturated fats and sugars and sodium - or trans fats for that matter, which are nearly impossible to burn off.0 -
I say no. No, you should not eat back your calories unless you are on maintenance or trying to increase muscle mass. My reasoning is this. Have you ever previously been on a diet that gave you a restrictive calorie intake and then turned around and told you that it was flexible? My guess is that you have not. Nor do you need to be on 1200cal/day.
Think about what is reasonable for you. I have mine set at 1600. Educate yourself and make choices as to how much protein/fiber/etc etc you believe you need. My goal is 100g protein and a minimum of 25g fiber daily. protein and fiber keep you fuller longer. This is a fact, not my 2 cents.
Think about it. If you are eating back the calories you are burning, how in the world are you going to lose weight? Unless you are trying to gain weight or build muscle, that is the wrong way to do it. It's just common sense really.
BTW, I'm losing on avg 2#/week
You unknowingly pointed out how MFP is different. The typical weight loss plan is: you're going to exercise x days per week for x amount of time and the rest of the time you are x active - so eat this amount everyday. If you ate that amount and didn't exercise to meet your set goal, you wouldn't lose weight, or not quickly anyway.
On MFP, your calorie goal is set up to fuel your body while losing weight without any exercise at all (though you can customize). So while on the old plan you might be eating 1600 or 1800 a day and exercising to help create a deficit, here you may be eating 1200 or 1400 (or higher - lots of ladies here eat LOADS and look great), then you add exercise in and suddenly your deficit is bigger, possibly too big for healthy weight loss. So you eat some back, and you end up back at the 1800 or whatever of other plans.
The very point is that MFP doesn't work like the typical weight loss/fitness program. Eating your exercise calories does not get rid of your deficit, it maintains the one you asked MFP to set you up for.0 -
I could tell you what to do and contradict half the people who've replied so far...
OR
you could try one for 8 weeks and if it doesn't work try the other.
What do you think?0 -
bump to read later0
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I eat them back and I'm still losing weight, so I guess it's fine. If I didn't eat them back I would end up dying of starvation.0
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It's funny how this concept both confuses people and brings out those in favor of and against it. My personal philosophy is this:
I know I need about 2600 calories a day to maintain my weight. I indicated I wanted to lose a half a pound per week. MFP took this 2600 calories a day, and subtracted 250 calories (250 * 7 = 1750: half of the 3500 calories in 1 pound). So my daily caloric intake was 2350. Now, if I burned 500 calories EXTRA during my workout, and didn't eat them back, my deficit would be 750 calories per day, which is 1.5 pounds weight loss per week.
If I don't eat back my calories I have a 750 calorie deficit.
If I do eat back my calories I have a 250 calorie deficit.
Now you have some decisions. If you find yourself hungry all the time and your not eating back your calories, you can safely eat some or all of them back and STILL BE UNDER YOUR DAILY CALORIC GOAL. If you find you are not hungry, don't eat them back.
NOTE: I have seen people break a plateau simply by starting to eat back their calories. Apparently their body had entered starvation mode and wasn't allowing them to lose weight. And these people were not skinny, nor thin.
In the end, you gotta do what's right for you. If you're losing weight, continue to do what you are currently doing.
Good luck!!!0 -
if you only eat 1200 calories per day - and say you exercise for 300 ...that's a NET of 900...
WAY too low.
Honestly - those who say "well I ate less than that and lost weight"..are they losing fat or muscle?
If you do not fuel your body enough, your metabolism WILL slow. That is basic biology.
MFP is designed to have a built in deficit...regardless of whether you ever exercise or not.0
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