Ate exercise cal's back....and gained....am NOT sold!

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  • ChristineS_51
    ChristineS_51 Posts: 872 Member
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    Just read through the replies - some in favour of eating back calories, others not.

    I firmly believe you need to eat at least 1200 net a day, or near that.

    The suggestion to get a HRM or even a pedometer to check your activity during the day is a good idea - being a nurse you are probably more active than you think, if you are working on wards?

    One thing that has not been suggested (that I could see anyway) is are you ensuring your portion size and calories ingested correct? Get some scales, measure your food, double check the nutrition count before you add it (a lot are WAY wrong).

    Eat fresh unprocessed food more often than processed packaged food. Eat more fruit n veg. Watch your sodium.

    Good luck!
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
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    I believe in eating at least 1200 calories for nutrients sake, but I don't worry about netting less than that. Many diet plans have recommended 1200 calorie intake for women and don't qualify that as a net 1200.
  • jms3533
    jms3533 Posts: 316 Member
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    I eat back most of my exercise calories and that is working for me. I do use an HRM for my cardio, and am very active. Also weigh and measure all my intake, and record everything that goes in my mouth.
  • Petefry1
    Petefry1 Posts: 29 Member
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    I don't believe in eating back ex. If I did I know I'd gain. Ex cals to me are a bonus and I try not to go over my normal cals. However of I've had a good day or even week, I'm not fussed about going over occasionally.
  • EQHanks
    EQHanks Posts: 170 Member
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    I have a heart rate monitor and I think its very accurate for calories burned. With that, I will eat my usual amount and then if I'm hungry eat more.
  • AllDIVA
    AllDIVA Posts: 45 Member
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    Hi there. My personal trainer told me ABSOLUTELY NOT. Calories in vs calories out. This is the only site I have seen that does that also. He watches my food log like a hawk. Why add the calories back in? There are people that are not going to agree with me or my trainer. What I do know is this. When I stay with in my calorie allowance or at least very close to it, and work out... I do very well. On July 15 I weighed in at 234.4 for a weight lost contest at my gym. I weighed in Tuesday July 24 at 229.4. I did not intentional add any calories back. I have only been able to work out 1 day this week and I weighed in at my doctors office today at 227. Try it without adding the calories back. Try not to go over much if you do. See how it works for you. Good Luck!
  • fairc3jam
    fairc3jam Posts: 136 Member
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    Sooooo....I kept reading you should "eat your exercise calories back....which I had never heard of until this site....so the past 2 weeks, I tried it . Week # 1, lost 0.8 (much less than previous)...week #2, gained back the 0.8.....ugh!....and I worked out EVERYDAY!

    Soooo.....am rethinking that advice. I think I wil eat only 1/2 of my exercise calories back in the next 2 weeks and see what happens.....what are your thoughts on that?

    My goal is to have calories left between food and exercise. No real number goal, just as long as I'm not in the red! Didn't track cals during 1st month of P90x and lost nothing. Now 3/4 thru month 2 and lost 2lbs already. Nt much for some but enough for me.
  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
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    If you actually have MFP set to lose 2lb/week that means you already have a 7,000 calorie weekly deficit before exercise. In order to gain "weight" (not water weight) you would have had to eat (7,000 calories + the workout calories that made a bigger deficit + extra to gain .8lb (so whatever .8 of 3,500 calories is)). I mean, that's simplifying it, but you get the idea. So - did you eat that much?

    If my numbers are wrong, please someone correct them but I'm pretty sure that's right. Eating back 50-75% should be a safe buffer for inaccuracies.
  • amanda_ataraxia
    amanda_ataraxia Posts: 400 Member
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    I think MFP really overestimates the amount of calories, as do most exercise machines. That's why I'm wary of eating back exercise calories!

    I agree with this!

    Most of the time, I do not eat any of the calories back. I also do not log,"accidental," exercise. I only eat calories back when I know I would still be safe with the overestimation.
  • wild_wild_life
    wild_wild_life Posts: 1,334 Member
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    To those who say they do not "believe in" eating exercise calories -- do you know what your deficit is? Do you understand how MFP came up with your calorie goal? MFP comes up with your calorie goal based on a certain deficit BEFORE EXERCISE. In other words, if you dont exercise, you should lose X amt per week (whatever you set it to). This defcicit is safe and healthy. If you then burn more calories and don't eat more, your deficit is larger. This may be fine, or it may make your deficit too large. Eat them or don't eat them, but a deficit of over 1000 per day is considered too aggressive for sustainable, healthy weight loss. Just be smart about it.
  • MindyG150
    MindyG150 Posts: 1,296 Member
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    Never aim to eat back...just saying.
  • davisrl0
    davisrl0 Posts: 93 Member
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    I allow myself to eat a little more when I exercise hard, but I never eat back all the calories. It seems completely counterproductive to me.
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,280 Member
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    One way or another, 2 weeks is NOT enough time by far to see any sort of "real" difference. Give it a month at a minimum. That is simply no where near enough data to see what it does.

    And I always eat them back and lose just fine. If you use MFP correctly, you should be eating them back.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
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    To those who say they do not "believe in" eating exercise calories -- do you know what your deficit is? Do you understand how MFP came up with your calorie goal? MFP comes up with your calorie goal based on a certain deficit BEFORE EXERCISE. In other words, if you dont exercise, you should lose X amt per week (whatever you set it to). This defcicit is safe and healthy. If you then burn more calories and don't eat more, your deficit is larger. This may be fine, or it may make your deficit too large. Eat them or don't eat them, but a deficit of over 1000 per day is considered too aggressive for sustainable, healthy weight loss. Just be smart about it.

    Yes, one reason I am flexible with it is because MFP estimates my deficit to only be about 200 calories on 1200 calories.
  • tlnurse
    tlnurse Posts: 229 Member
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    Thanks everyone for your input. I think I will go ahead and try to only eat 1/2 as recommended by several people......and check into a HRM for more accurate calorie burn estimates!

    I really appreciate all of your help!:drinker:
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    To those who say they do not "believe in" eating exercise calories -- do you know what your deficit is? Do you understand how MFP came up with your calorie goal? MFP comes up with your calorie goal based on a certain deficit BEFORE EXERCISE. In other words, if you dont exercise, you should lose X amt per week (whatever you set it to). This defcicit is safe and healthy. If you then burn more calories and don't eat more, your deficit is larger. This may be fine, or it may make your deficit too large. Eat them or don't eat them, but a deficit of over 1000 per day is considered too aggressive for sustainable, healthy weight loss. Just be smart about it.

    Yes, one reason I am flexible with it is because MFP estimates my deficit to only be about 200 calories on 1200 calories.

    Flaxmilk, I know you're already quite svelte and petite, but have you checked that in other calculators? It sounds very restrictive.
  • Blayzn10Tiffers
    Blayzn10Tiffers Posts: 181
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    This is something I will never understand. People stress so much about calories but dont really eat the right things anyway. Eat when you are hungry and not just to eat your calories. Eat healthy foods like fruits and veggies and lean meats and you wont have to worry about gaining weight. Dont snack on sugars and carbs and only eat what your body truly NEEDS, not what you WANT. At that point, you wont have to worry about what your caloric intake is... sound about right???? :wink:
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,280 Member
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    This is something I will never understand. People stress so much about calories but dont really eat the right things anyway. Eat when you are hungry and not just to eat your calories. Eat healthy foods like fruits and veggies and lean meats and you wont have to worry about gaining weight. Dont snack on sugars and carbs and only eat what your body truly NEEDS, not what you WANT. At that point, you wont have to worry about what your caloric intake is... sound about right???? :wink:

    No. You can get fat if you eat too much fruit, vegetables, and lean meats. You can also not get enough nutrients if you under eat your calories even if you are eating those foods. Plus, sugar and carbs are not the devil.
  • newmooon56
    newmooon56 Posts: 347 Member
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    I have never been a fan of eating back all of your exercise calories back. I see exercise calories as being more of a buffer which allows you to go over your daily goal by a few calories. But if you are eating back all of your exercise calories I think you are on a slippery slope unless you have a lot of weight to lose and your caloric target is high to start off with.

    This ^^^ I love when Im reading boards and someone just comes up with the perfect most exact answer.
  • manderson27
    manderson27 Posts: 3,510 Member
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    Sometimes I eat them all sometimes I don't eat any, just depends on how hungry I am. Still losing weight though so don't think it is affecting that.:smile:

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