Adding the calories you burn to your total calorie intake

Sanslosingit · January 2013

I love Jillian she's great but I think what you have to remember is that this site is only designed to have you lose 2 pounds a week at the most. If you want to lose more than no you wouldn't eat all your workout calories back but at the same time you have to make sure that the food you are eating is going to fuel your body in the best way possible. When the site sees that you've eaten less than what it says is healthy it'll warn you that you may be sending your body into starvation mode and then it's up to you to do what you want about that. Plus if you're going to try to build muscle at the same time your losing weight that's a whole nother ball game. Do what you feel is right for you as long as you're being healthy about it. If it says you should eat 2000 calories a day don't eat 2000 burn 1500 not add any back and think that's healthy. Remember that your body does need a certain amount of calories just to keep you going. Congrats on your weight loss and I wish you the best for the future!

beachlover317 · January 2013

Your profile says you have been here since July 2011. I'm sorry you have not lost what you expected following the MFP guidelines. If your way is working - go for it. I don't think you were here to get an answer to a question but to spark a lot of nonsense. Please let us know when you have lost all your weight.

Me? I'll be here following the guidelines of MFP, losing weight, and getting healthy without attacking people just trying to help.

Sarauk2sf · January 2013

I think ^^this guy knows a thing or two about losing weight. People should pay more attention.

bcattoes · January 2013

The site is setup to assume that you didn't include workouts when you set your activity level. So, it sets your calorie goal to lose at the rate you set for the activity level you set. When you workout you burn more than your "daily activity level" so you need to eat more calories to fuel that workout.

This is important because it helps keep you from being so hungry you binge or give up and it keeps the amount of calories you burn at rest (RMR) higher because your body will naturally lower your RMR if not properly fueled.

If you are not completely sure of your calorie burns you may want to start by only eating 1/2 to 3/4 of them back and adjust as needed.

EatClean_WashUrNuts · January 2013

Calorie in, Calorie Out. If you burn too many without replenishing, you may as well eat 800 calories and drink dehydrated pee.

CherokeeBabe · January 2013

Okie Dokie. Don't know why you asked then. o.0 Go enjoy your knowledge and good luck.

Yanicka1 · January 2013

This. good luck

KenosFeoh · January 2013

MFP is set up so that you will lose weight on the calorie count they give you without lifting a finger. If you exercise, you need more fuel, so it gives you extra calories. If you don't go over the amount they set for you, you will still lose weight.

However, all the numbers that MFP gives you are estimates and averages. Any individual may need more or less calories than given to reach their goals. So feel free to experiment a bit, but don't starve your body. If you don't get enough nutrition, the body will burn muscle and other soft tissues to get the energy that it needs for survival. You don't want that!

ZoeLifts · January 2013

MacMadame · January 2013

I think whether or not you eat back your exercise calories depends on many things.

The more accurate you are about recording your eating and your exercise and the more accurate MFP was in coming up with your calorie goals, the more you can eat your exercise calories. But most of us aren't that accurate. We tend to forget to log everything or we don't measure everything so we're eating more than we log. And a lot of times we use numbers that are way too high for what we burned in exercise. On top of that, MFP tells a lot of long-term dieters that their BMR is higher than it really is too and thus recommends too may calories to start with.

That's why a lot of people don't eat back their exercise calories or maybe only eat back a portion of them. It's a little insurance against these inaccuracies.

I know that when I use my BodyMedia FIT to calculate my calorie burn (which I've found to be very accurate) and I'm religious about recording my food intake and measure everything, I still need a 50 calorie deficit on paper in order to maintain. When I'm less religious about recording everything, I need a 100 calorie deficit on paper to maintain!

Another way to look at it is that, if you are off by how much you eat and burn so that you are eating 50 calories more every day than you need to in order to maintain, you will gain about 5 pounds a year. 10 pounds if you are off by 100 calories. 50 calories a day is a couple of crackers or a small piece of fruit. It's extremely easy to be off by that much!

This is why I think it makes sense not to eat back all your exercise calories until you have a better idea how accurate MFP in it's recommendations for calories and how accurate you are in your tracking. A lot of people eat back only half that and works well for them.

purplegoboom · January 2013

Then why are you here yelling at us? Go off and do your own thing if it's working for you. People have answered your question about why they eat back exercise calories (people who have lost A LOT of weight), you don't have to take their advice.

chocl8girl · January 2013

LMAO. Damn, how defensive are you? If you already think you are doing it right, why did you even come in here and ask a question, then turn around and insult those people who took time out of their day to try and explain to you how THIS WEBSITE works, which is NOT THE SAME as what Jillian uses for her own program?

PetulantOne · January 2013

The point of exercise for me has nothing to do with calories burned. I want to be able to lift more, run faster, and longer, and just be stronger in general. I guess I'm doing it wrong.

PetulantOne · January 2013

And if you already had your mind made up, why did you ask the question?

purplegoboom · January 2013

BTW, since when is Jillian Michaels the only fitness expert out there?

waylandcool · January 2013

Seeing your progress on MFP, I'll side with you instead of the know it all

VelociMama · January 2013

Are you 12?

vjohn04 · January 2013

:drinker:

andersonjo0306 · January 2013

When asking for input you should not get defensive. People are trying to explain to you the concept behind the deficit of calories. I use Jillian Michaels DVDs and I know what she says. She is basing your deficit on what you are currently eating. If I was eating a 2000 calorie a day diet, then going to 1500 calories a day gives me a deficit of 500. MFP has already set me to 1270 which I follow so it is even better than a deficit I would have set using Jillian Michaels way of doing things

PikaKnight · January 2013

lmao...

Seriously OP - you need to relax and not ask questions you don't want the answers to.
And I wonder if you are a troll or maybe a bit angry/bitter if you are new to the forums and saying that no one here on MFP that doesn't listen to Jillian Michaels "ISN'T" losing weight.

I think you should spend time looking at the success board and getting to know people because there are so many people here that have lost up to 300lbs! Real people...real results...sharing their success and tips. There are even doctors, scientists, nutritionists, and trainers that use this app and interact with the community.

(of course, not everyone is here to lose weight which makes this an even better community because you get lots of well rounded advice)

Adding the calories you burn to your total calorie intake

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