Eating exercise calories back

MelissaAnn1983

Last week I started eating my exercise calories back to see if the weight actually does drop off. What I have found is I have gained 5 lbs. Does this normal happen? I can tell with the way my clothes fit that I actually gained it back. Inches are bigger and so it the fat. Will I start seeing it melt off from now on?

ElizabethRoad

Looking back to the beginning of last week, you've been over on pretty much every day you've logged. And there are several days you didn't log at all. I don't think you can say a method doesn't work if you haven't tried it.

UponThisRock

It becomes problematic if your calorie burn estimations are off.

Jorra

Looking back to the beginning of last week, you've been over on pretty much every day you've logged. And there are several days you didn't log at all. I don't think you can say a method doesn't work if you haven't tried it.

This. The purpose of the program is that you get as close to your daily goal as possible. You either haven't done it or have no idea if you've done it.

In addition, when people typically start eating their exercise calories back, they gain a little weight as their body gets used to being adequately fed. When you do the program correctly and your metabolism stabilizes, the weight will start coming off again.

lizard053

You have to find the balance that works for you. And you have to give it more than just a week. It does take your body time to adjust to any changes you make to fueling it. The weight will come off if you continue to net what MFP tells you to. However, you do have to make sure to over-estimate your calories in, and under-estimate your calories burned. Otherwise you do end up gaining!

Charliesuccess

However, you do have to make sure to over-estimate your calories in, and under-estimate your calories burned. Otherwise you do end up gaining!

ugh? Im confused.

kblue2007

You gained 5lbs in a week???? If the scale reflects it, its water...virtually impossible to gain 5lbs of fat in 1 week!

taso42

Are you sure you're counting/calculating right? Can you confidently tell me you've had a 500 calorie deficit every day for X number of days?

Jorra

However, you do have to make sure to over-estimate your calories in, and under-estimate your calories burned. Otherwise you do end up gaining!

ugh? Im confused.

You don't have to over or underestimate anything. You estimate as accurately as possible. Purposely over or underestimating can create a calorie deficit that's too large without you realizing it.

TSTagain

However, you do have to make sure to over-estimate your calories in, and under-estimate your calories burned. Otherwise you do end up gaining!

ugh? Im confused.

I think what the poster meant is: unless you weigh and measure everything it is pretty easy to underestimate calories consumed i.e. you eat more than is actually in your diary - one way to get around this is to assume you eat more calories than it is showing. - studies that even when actively logging people eat as much as 200 more calories than they logged. The other issue is, if you use MFP's estimates for calories burned (which is sometimes too high) then you might be eating back too many calories, a way to get around that is to eat back only a portion of your exercise calories.

MelissaGraham7

[/quote]

I think what the poster meant is: unless you weigh and measure everything it is pretty easy to underestimate calories consumed i.e. you eat more than is actually in your diary - one way to get around this is to assume you eat more calories than it is showing. - studies that even when actively logging people eat as much as 200 more calories than they logged. The other issue is, if you use MFP's estimates for calories burned (which is sometimes too high) then you might be eating back too many calories, a way to get around that is to eat back only a portion of your exercise calories.
[/quote]

Absolutely this!

pastryari

Looking back to the beginning of last week, you've been over on pretty much every day you've logged. And there are several days you didn't log at all. I don't think you can say a method doesn't work if you haven't tried it.

This. Unless you exercised on those days you were over & just didn't log it so it only looks like you were over? I'm not sure but you might want to look into MFP FAQ or Help section to see how to use the site correctly.

JesterMFP

Looking back to the beginning of last week, you've been over on pretty much every day you've logged. And there are several days you didn't log at all. I don't think you can say a method doesn't work if you haven't tried it.

^This

And also, you posted elsewhere that you over-indulged all weekend, and yet you didn't log any of it, so you may have gone way over your goal regardless of exercise calories. You also seem to have consumed quite a lot of sodium, so you may be retaining water. I'd say give it another couple of weeks, try to log more consistently and see how it goes.

MelissaAnn1983

Sometimes I don't log because I have a job. A job where I can not even have a phone on me. A job that goes from slow to busy in 5 minutes. Just because I am not logging everyday does not mean that I am not sticking with this. No I am not a religious logger. I admit that and I know that. My pals on here know this. I was just wanting to know if typically gain any weight when you first start eating the calories back. Kind of like a poll? Doing research on what OTHERS go through. And just so you know. That 5lbs is gone now. All I wanted to know is if other people have gained any weight.

MelissaAnn1983

When did I say it doesn't work? I was asking if it was normal to gain when you start out.