Eat back all of your exercise calories or you WILL DIE.

half_moon

What is this business about starvation mode? I find myself wrapped up in these "debates" with people telling me that eating 1200 and not eating back my calories from exercise will make me starve. Not everybody eats their calories back, and they are fine. Is this just another example of people thinking they know everything and they know it best, or is this a legitimate concern?

TheFitHooker

Pretty much! Everyone has an opinion, I get that but some people make it seem like it's their way or it can't work. I have lost 110lbs and only eat 1200 calories even still. I don't eat back my calories. It works for me. I have tried to eat them back, don't work for me I gain weight doing that. Everyone's body works differently.

dosmundos

Now if one eats all their exercise calories back than how is someone loosing weight?
I am doing Jamie Easons lifefit plan and I sure a daisy don't eat all my exercise calories.
Lost 9 pounds so far, and with her eating plan, even with less calories your body does not have time to get starving.

half_moon

Now if one eats all their exercise calories back than how is someone loosing weight?
I am doing Jamie Easons lifefit plan and I sure a daisy don't eat all my exercise calories.
Lost 9 pounds so far, and with her eating plan, even with less calories your body does not have time to get starving.

Haha that's what I was thinking!! Just seems like an excuse to eat more and not gain weight-- which would happen, but I want to lose!! I eat every two hours a day. I just get some "tiffs" sometimes. HATAS GON HATE.

sweebum

I found eating that low works for about 12 weeks before a plateau. But protein is a HUGE consideration if you're lifting and eating at such an extreme deficit.

chattipatty2

What is this business about starvation mode? I find myself wrapped up in these "debates" with people telling me that eating 1200 and not eating back my calories from exercise will make me starve. Not everybody eats their calories back, and they are fine. Is this just another example of people thinking they know everything and they know it best, or is this a legitimate concern?

It's just how MFP is set up. Do what works for you, but if you start forums like this, be prepared for people who are hard core MFP that say, you joined, now follow the rules for best results.

theartichoke

You don't have to eat them back if you don't want to.

Let me explain where the thinking comes from though....

If your TDEE is 2300 and you want to lose 2lbs a week your deficit is 1000 calories.
MFP sets you at 1300.
You're already in a deficit so eating exercise cals back keeps you at that 1000 calorie deficit.

That's all it is.

chattipatty2

Now if one eats all their exercise calories back than how is someone loosing weight?
I am doing Jamie Easons lifefit plan and I sure a daisy don't eat all my exercise calories.
Lost 9 pounds so far, and with her eating plan, even with less calories your body does not have time to get starving.

Not to be rude, but if you are following another plan, why are you here? This is a plan. It's called MFP and is designed differently from other plans. I try to stick to it like the bible. Just like someone would treat Weight Watchers. Do what works for you! But don't bash what works for others.

michellekicks

Huh. Well I eat 1640 daily plus all my exercise calories (~3500/week) and I lose about 1.5 lbs/week doing that. So I'll keep doing it so that I can eat a burger and a couple of beers at a summer BBQ.

Those of us who advocate eating more are trying to help those of you who advocate fairly significant restriction (given the amount of exercise most are achieving) to see that you can enjoy more food and still lose... if you want to.

But if you don't mind eating so little... keep it up!

leojsivad

Everyone is different. Everyone's metabolism is different.

It is a proven fact that eating too little can affect your metabolic rate, but that being said, you should do what works for you.

meshashesha2012

You don't have to eat them back if you don't want to.

Let me explain where the thinking comes from though....

If your TDEE is 2300 and you want to lose 2lbs a week your deficit is 1000 calories.
MFP sets you at 1300.
You're already in a deficit so eating exercise cals back keeps you at that 1000 calorie deficit.

That's all it is.

this.

i dont eat my exercise calories back either, but i also dont follow MFP's calorie guidelines either. I've been eating around the maintenance level of my goal weight because i dont want to have to deal with figuring out maintenance stuff once i reach goal weight.

KBGirts

If i'm hungry I eat them back. If I'm not hungry I don't. Listen to your body.

HauteHauteMami

It also depends on your current size... I'm 5'3 and trying to lose about ten lbs... My caloric intake would be different that a women who 5'8 and trying to lose 40 lbs... I eat back about 25% of the calories I burn exercising... If I burn 600 calories... I get 150 in addition to my 1250... I have lost about a half lb a week... But the inches are really dropping...

taso42

you're gonna die either way. no one gets out alive.

in other news, TDEE, BMR, and "calorie deficit". look up these terms and it will all make sense.

dosmundos

Now if one eats all their exercise calories back than how is someone loosing weight?
I am doing Jamie Easons lifefit plan and I sure a daisy don't eat all my exercise calories.
Lost 9 pounds so far, and with her eating plan, even with less calories your body does not have time to get starving.

Not to be rude, but if you are following another plan, why are you here? This is a plan. It's called MFP and is designed differently from other plans. I try to stick to it like the bible. Just like someone would treat Weight Watchers. Do what works for you! But don't bash what works for others.

Now where in the world do you read me bashing anything????
I just do something for a while that has worked for some people I know.
I did not know it was forbidden to talk about another weight loss approach.

michellekicks

If i'm hungry I eat them back. If I'm not hungry I don't. Listen to your body.

How dare you go and be all reasonable and stuff...

WestCoastPhoenix

If i'm hungry I eat them back. If I'm not hungry I don't. Listen to your body.

How dare you go and be all reasonable and stuff...

Because of course most people here have no problems just "listening" to their bodies...am I right? :indifferent:

cmeade20

These links will answer your questions

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again

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

I eat mine back. I've lost over 20 pounds. But I really dont care if others eat them back or not.

kolkol

I ate perfect 6 days out of the week, eating 1200 calories and did not eat back (on rare occasion Id eat exercise calories earned) exercise calories. I averaged a 500-800 burn 4-5 days a week for 12 weeks and lost 30 lbs. on the one day out of 7 I ate up to 2000 calories. I didnt die hehe.
I ate healthy foods too, so I was not even hungry most of the time. I did not starve at all!!!

half_moon

Now if one eats all their exercise calories back than how is someone loosing weight?
I am doing Jamie Easons lifefit plan and I sure a daisy don't eat all my exercise calories.
Lost 9 pounds so far, and with her eating plan, even with less calories your body does not have time to get starving.

Not to be rude, but if you are following another plan, why are you here? This is a plan. It's called MFP and is designed differently from other plans. I try to stick to it like the bible. Just like someone would treat Weight Watchers. Do what works for you! But don't bash what works for others.

You've got to be a troll, right? Troll, yeah, I'm going with that. Trolololol. Good one! Aha!

hothodgie

I eat back enough to get me to 1200 calories or really close usually, and that works for me. I continue to lose at a steady pace. Some days I do go under after exercise and some days I go over so I think it balances it out.

jfan175

What is this business about starvation mode? I find myself wrapped up in these "debates" with people telling me that eating 1200 and not eating back my calories from exercise will make me starve. Not everybody eats their calories back, and they are fine. Is this just another example of people thinking they know everything and they know it best, or is this a legitimate concern?

It seems pretty arrogant and self-centered of you to come to this website and rag on the plan.....which has helped an awful lot of people safely achieve their goals. The testimonies and pictures don't lie. Why are you so wrapped up in "these debates" when you know the type of diet and calorie monitoring that this site supports? If you don't like it, start your own website and plan. Do other methods work? Sure they do, for some people. So does binging and purging. But there are many other people that follow a "net less than your BMR" plan and run into trouble. That's why a lot of people come here. The methods on this site prevent that from happening.

michellekicks

If i'm hungry I eat them back. If I'm not hungry I don't. Listen to your body.

How dare you go and be all reasonable and stuff...

Because of course most people here have no problems just "listening" to their bodies...am I right? :indifferent:

But the point is they're "allowable" calories. Eating them is not "cheating"... so if you're hungry, eat them. If you want them all, EAT THEM. If you're saying to yourself, "Wow I'm still hungry after eating 3500 calories today... I think I'll have a snack," you either ran a marathon or you need to stop listening to your body. But if those are exercise calories you burned legitimately, eat them if you want.

Personally, I want to eat as much food as I can and still lose weight at a healthy rate. This keeps my metabolism fast and keeps my mouth happy. But that's me...

chattipatty2

Now if one eats all their exercise calories back than how is someone loosing weight?
I am doing Jamie Easons lifefit plan and I sure a daisy don't eat all my exercise calories.
Lost 9 pounds so far, and with her eating plan, even with less calories your body does not have time to get starving.

Not to be rude, but if you are following another plan, why are you here? This is a plan. It's called MFP and is designed differently from other plans. I try to stick to it like the bible. Just like someone would treat Weight Watchers. Do what works for you! But don't bash what works for others.

Now where in the world do you read me bashing anything????
I just do something for a while that has worked for some people I know.
I did not know it was forbidden to talk about another weight loss approach.

Ok, well the first 3 posters talking about how they don't follow MFP the way it is designed. Which is fine, but you're on MFP. That would be like going to a weight watchers meeting and arguing that MFP does it better.
You are already in a deficit when you start MFP. So if you eat those cals back, or at least most of them, then you will still lose weight. If not, then either something wrong, or plan not for you, which is fine. But, If you believe in MFP, then you follow it, right?. If not, then, you either 1.don't understand it, or 2. you do, but disagree with it.

contingencyplan

The main thing is that eating back exercise calories preserves lean muscle. If you don't you'll still lose weight but a portion of it will be lean muscle. Not everyone cares about having lean muscle, sure, a lot only care about fitting into the next dress size down or the number on the scale. But for those of us who are concerned with lean muscle, yes, it's necessary.

lengirl75

If i'm hungry I eat them back. If I'm not hungry I don't. Listen to your body.

This...

chattipatty2

What is this business about starvation mode? I find myself wrapped up in these "debates" with people telling me that eating 1200 and not eating back my calories from exercise will make me starve. Not everybody eats their calories back, and they are fine. Is this just another example of people thinking they know everything and they know it best, or is this a legitimate concern?

It seems pretty arrogant and self-centered of you to come to this website and rag on the plan.....which has helped an awful lot of people safely achieve their goals. The testimonies and pictures don't lie. Why are you so wrapped up in "these debates" when you know the type of diet and calorie monitoring that this site supports? If you don't like it, start your own website and plan. Do other methods work? Sure they do, for some people. So does binging and purging. But there are many other people that follow a "net less than your BMR" plan and run into trouble. That's why a lot of people come here. The methods on this site prevent that from happening.

This is what I was referring to, not so much the other commenters, but this!!

DakotaKeogh

Yep. Lots of opinions. Few qualified. I rarely eat back my exercise calories and I'm alive and kickin'.

michellekicks

I eat back enough to get me to 1200 calories or really close usually, and that works for me. I continue to lose at a steady pace. Some days I do go under after exercise and some days I go over so I think it balances it out.

So when you get to your goal weight you're going to keep eating 1200 calories/day for the rest of your life? Or do you want to train your body now to burn more so that you can maintain eventually without even thinking about what you eat? It looks like the low calories does work for you, but you said in your profile you put on a good chunk of the weight you lost last year by stopping the diet, no? Set yourself up for success and eat more now... then, you won't have as hard a time maintaining. Unless, of course, you're perfectly happy eating 1200 calories/day for life.

minkakross

MFP is just a tool, there are lots of members that only use it for the food/exercise journal or heck some even use it primarily for the specialized support groups. I don't eat my exercise calories back and I've found that when I do I stall or gain, so I don't and in the end we all have to make the choice to do what works for us.

PurpleAmharicCoffee

I eat back some to most of my exercise calories, but not all, just in case my calculations are not entirely correct.