Eat back calories????????

Eoxenrider

Hi All!!!

I need help!!! I would like to lose 20 lbs in the next 3-5 months for my destination wedding. I am exercising and have been using MFP to count my caloies. I have my goal set at 1000 calories. I do cheat on weekends. LOL.. Should I be eating my workout calories or not? I"ve been reading so many mixed reviews!!!!

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:explode:

Sleekit

I have the same question lol. I try to just eat when I am hungry. And sometimes when I think I am hungry I have green tea or a big glass of water because that feeling of hunger is quite often thirst (especially if you are working out a lot) Drinking often curbs that hunger. There are days when I eat them back and others when I don't. I always feel better when I don't; like I am accomplishing more. lol

BreakingOath

I believe you should be eating your exercise calories back! To clarify, is the 1000 calories the amount you are cutting from you're daily intake?

nnylee

1200 calories is usually the minimum people should eat. You might lose some weight at 1000 calories, but you will probably get stuck at some point because your body needs to eat more.

NewFitKeri

You should be eating a minimum of 1200 calories to begin and then also your exercise cals so that you are NETTING 1200 cals..otherwise your body will think it is starving and will actually have the opposite effect you are going for..your body will STORE calories and fat. I understand it is very scary to eat your exercise calories back but it is absolutely necessary!

Best of luck!:flowerforyou:

TeaBea

The closer you are to goal .... the more important eating back your exercise calories will be.

I NEVER NET below 1200 calories. I'm average height .... so 1200 is the bare minimum for basic bodily functions. Read posts re: hair loss..... scary. Very petite ladies may be able to make 1000 NET work.

The reason I eat my calories back

1. I have 15 pounds to lose not 50.
2. I want to keep ALL my existing muscle mass. This is very important for me (50+ years old). Besides, if I am going to workout .... I want to SEE some results. I don't want to eat way too few calories & have existing muscle being used as fuel. Skinny-fat .... no thanks.

TheLukePhone

I'm with Sleekit on this one, drink water before you eat, and it'll reduce your hunger for sure.

I have been eating back my workouts too, but I'm finding that my progress is slowing down. As a result I'm dropping my intake to 1500/day, and trying to not eat back my workouts.

It's tough to stick to the calorie intake, particularly if you are having really calorie dense foods. Once i started really breaking down my calorie intake, I found it much easier to stick to my numbers.

For example, a Junior Chicken sandwich from McDonalds = 380 cal. Something so small, but so high in calories.. crazy. 3 of those and you are over your 1000cal goal. And there's no way you could live on 3 of those in a day and nothing else.

Substitute as much fresh fruit and veggies as you can into your diet, and before you eat anything, add the calories to your MFP. You will definitely rethink some of your food choices when you see the numbers before you eat.

If you need to cheat on weekends (I do), then go for one cheat meal (not a whole weekend!), and still keep track of your numbers. I think it'll discourage your cheating a bit, and help you to cheat a little less.

karendsmith

I don't know a whole lot but from what I understand, if you eat too few calories, it will put your body in starvation mode and store the fat. What I have been told is to make healthier choices when you do eat and to eat something every cpl of hours to keep your metabolism working. I am confused about the eating exercise calories back too, some days I do and some I don't. My guess is your body needs more fuel when you exercise. Hopefully someone can explain.

erickirb

With less than 30 lbs to go your weekly weight loss goal should be set at 1 lb/week at the most, on top of that you should eat back the cals you burn from exercise to ensure you keep your deficit in the proper range to lose 1 lb/week. Losing too fast when you don't have a lot to lose will lead to the loss of a large % of lean muscle, not just the fat you are looking at losing.

ironanimal

At 33 your BMR is going to be a damn sight higher than 1000 or even 1200 calories, let alone your TDEE. This is a marathon and not a sprint - if you want your weightloss to be sustainable take it more slowly as erickirb suggested.

autumnk921

If you are only eating 1000 cal/day you should definitely eat your exercise calories back....1200 is the minimum cals/day to stay at least alive....So, definitely eat back your calories b/c once you workout you may be only giving your body 500cals/day which is way way too low....


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

jabba11

Yes eat your calories back..1000 calories is NOT enough..also eat healthy, thi srelaly shouldnt be about losing x amount of weight it should be about being healthy. A healthy weight is the result of good eating and excercise habits, not a pill, NOT a surgery etc.If your only goal is to lose ten pounds you will accomplish that here if once youve lost it you go back to your old ways youll gain it back plus ten..

Manabug01

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/539912-why-eating-exercise-calories-is-so-important?error_user_id=16331858&error_username=Manabug01&hl=Why+eating+exercise+calories+is+so+important


Someone should make this a sticky.

hyde1977

I would think you are not eatting enough and therefore should eat your calories back.

I know you are trying to look wonderful (which you already do) for your wedding and you will probably lose the weight but as soon as you get back, unless you keep eatting so little you are just going to gain all the weight back and probably more! If you want to be heathly in your new upcoming life, I would make sure you are NETTING 1200 each day. Fill it with fruits, veggies and protein.
Not only will you look great on your wedding day in terms of your body but you beautiful on the inside and out!

Go to the serach function and read all the comments....everyone is different on here and 95% are not experts...only offering advice on what we have bought into! I don't always eat all my exercise calories back...but I do make sure that I am always netting 1200 calories.......

Best of luck and congratulations on your upcoming big day!!!!

i_miss_donuts

This is one of the most common questions on here and there are permanent threads where this and other questions you may have about BMR, TDEE, what activity level you really are, etc., have been asked and answered that may be helpful. This is one of them.....

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

LordBezoar

You should be eating a minimum of 1200 calories to begin and then also your exercise cals so that you are NETTING 1200 cals..otherwise your body will think it is starving and will actually have the opposite effect you are going for..your body will STORE calories and fat. I understand it is very scary to eat your exercise calories back but it is absolutely necessary!

Best of luck!:flowerforyou:

^^ This. Also, welcome to what feels like the most asked question on MFP. The answer does not change. (^.^)



To be fair, though, I wondered about this at first as well. Trust me (And most everyone else in this thread) If you aren't eating enough, you will not lose. Best of luck on both your weight loss and the wedding!

karendsmith

I love the beating a dead horse pic! LOL

Eoxenrider

Ok so i should up my calorie intake to 1200 and count my calories burned?? I usually burn 400-700, 3-4 days a week doing cario, zumba, etc.??? Sound about right? I drink alot of water and we make most of our meals form the Skinny taste website. LOVE IT!!!!!

jabba11

yes....

tropaze

yes, sounds about right.

LordBezoar

Excellent plan, and again, Good luck!