I tried eating back my exercise cals and it's bs!
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So for several weeks I tried to switch it up by increasing my cals and eating back my exercise cals. Absolutely DID NOT work! I am no back to sticking at 1200 cals whether I work out or not and almost immediately noticed the scale going down! I knew eating more to lose weight sounded too good to be true. Here's what works: eat less, move more. Period.
it's been the same for me, too.
I could be wrong, but I think the other way, "eat back calories" is maybe more geared for ppl who are lifting weights, body builders, atheletes, etc, who have primary goal of adding muscle, bulking up, gaining strength, etc.
You are, indeed, wrong.
Sorry to sound harsh but this has been explained on the MFP boards a million times. MFP already calulates a deficit into your DIET ALONE. You could lose the weight with no exercise. So if you do exercise, it creates an EVEN BIGGER deficit, which isn't good for your body. Eat those calories back and you still have the original deficit for weight loss, your body is happy, everyone wins.
Numbers example: MFP has you losing 1lb/wk. That's a deficit of 500 calories a day. Let's say you burn 1700 a day just by going about your daily activities. So MFP has you eating 1200 a day. Then you exercise and burn off 400 more. Now you're at 800 for the day. Eat back those 400 and you're at 1200 again; in other words, you're STILL at a 500 calorie deficit and you will STILL lose 1lb/wk.
If it doesn't work for you, you probably calculated your BMR/TDEE wrong, or your metabolism may be slightly odd.0 -
I am assuming you either overestimated your calories burned......underestimated your calories eaten....or both.0
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I'm going to write the best, shortest book on weight loss ever. It's how I'm going to get filthy rich. Here it is, ready? Eat less, move more. When calories out are greater than calories in weight loss occurs. End of book. I'm not a doctor, but I play one on MFP, just like a few thousand others.0
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Good for you for isolating the variable and seeing results! I've found it's not just about how many calories I eat, but the quality of them. I've been eating my exercise back but in grilled chicken breasts and fresh vegetables and haven't seen a problem. Probably if I ate my exercise back in the form of a Big Mac, it'd be a different story. :laugh:0
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I don't know what you mean by "too good to be true" because eating right and exercising regularly, plus, patience in losing weight in what I believe to be a healthy manner, is not easy at all.
I'm sorry whatever you tried didn't work for you but if something doesn't work for you it doesn't mean it's bs. I know too many gals here and guys, that it is working for. You have a right to choose your own way and it isn't anyone else's fault, by the way, what you choose.
Denise0 -
I'm going to write the best, shortest book on weight loss ever. It's how I'm going to get filthy rich. Here it is, ready? Eat less, move more. When calories out are greater than calories in weight loss occurs. End of book. I'm not a doctor, but I play one on MFP, just like a few thousand others.
LOVE IT!!!0 -
Weight is pretty complicated.
There's the normal calorie equations:
BMR+NEAT+EAT+EPOC+DIT=TDEE
TDEE-calories in = caloric balance (surplus or deficit)
The net goal on MFP is supposed to be your BMR+NEAT+DIT
You record exercise calories to cover your EAT+EPOC.
Then, even if you have a real caloric deficit, it doesn't mean you'll lose weight, at least not immediately. Your micronutrient and water intake can significantly affect your weight over the short term.
Also, people seem to think that the BMR calculators give your actual BMR. They don't. They might give you a starting part to work toward finding yours, but individual BMR can vary significantly.
For instance, my net goal is currently set to 2900. I used 6 weeks of fairly decent recording to calculate that goal. I eat all of my calories back from exercise. I haven't been gaining weight.
You should keep track of your intake over at least a month before you decide if it's working, and If you stop losing weight when you eat your calories back from exercise but think you have a caloric deficit, then that means your net goal is inaccurate. If you lose more than you expect over a long enough period of time, you should adjust your goals for that, too. If you're recording a lot of calories for things like cleaning and strength training, you're probably not doing yourself any favors.0 -
I'm going to write the best, shortest book on weight loss ever. It's how I'm going to get filthy rich. Here it is, ready? Eat less, move more. When calories out are greater than calories in weight loss occurs. End of book. I'm not a doctor, but I play one on MFP, just like a few thousand others.
LOVE IT!!!
LOVE IT, TOO !!!!!!!!!!:laugh: BEST POST EVER!!!!!!!!!!0 -
I'm finding I get less hungry when I am eating healthier foods. I am loving it!When I feel hungry, I eat more. It's not going to kill me. Generally, though, I am satisfied. I'll gradually increase once I hit goal until I find maintenance and then keep an eye on it. To be honest, I am hungrier the times when I eat more.0
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I don't exercise, so I don't have to worry about it.0
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Welcome to the evil eating 1200 calorie a day and not (gasp) eating exercise calories back club :-)
I am a member of the other evil club, I eat less than 1200 calories a day club. If I ate more, I would not lose weight and I am never hungry.0 -
When I feel hungry, I eat more. It's not going to kill me. Generally, though, I am satisfied. I'll gradually increase once I hit goal until I find maintenance and then keep an eye on it. To be honest, I am hungrier the times when I eat more.
Am I right in thinking you're really tiny though? Makes all the difference.0 -
The problem with that formula is that most people seem to think the 'eat less' part of that equation means 'eat as little as possible', or eat a bunch of 'diet food'. Calories out great than calories in does work, but there are more variables if you want the weight loss to last and be to fit rather than just skinny.I'm going to write the best, shortest book on weight loss ever. It's how I'm going to get filthy rich. Here it is, ready? Eat less, move more. When calories out are greater than calories in weight loss occurs. End of book. I'm not a doctor, but I play one on MFP, just like a few thousand others.
The simplest formula for me has been to find my BMR and TDEE (as accurately as possible), and eat in between those numbers, making sure to net at or above my BMR. Because really, shouldn't I give my body more fuel than what it can burn I was comatose?
I'm not trying to argue, I'm just agreeing that it is simple, and that eating exercise calories back isn't BS. :bigsmile:
Might as well add my favorite link: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-120 -
When I feel hungry, I eat more. It's not going to kill me. Generally, though, I am satisfied. I'll gradually increase once I hit goal until I find maintenance and then keep an eye on it. To be honest, I am hungrier the times when I eat more.
Am I right in thinking you're really tiny though? Makes all the difference.
Yes, I am short and not overweight. I definitely don't think it's enough for everyone (a lot of people really don't need to eat so little, and I'm danged jealous.) (I didn't quote like I usually do but I was answering the person who wondered about getting hungry.)0 -
People who say "I NEVER add anyone who eats less than 1200 calories" are usually the same ones who would get offended if I said "Don't add me if you can't squat at least your bodyweight for five reps."
Lol0 -
If I am working out hard and consistent, and I eat back my calories, I am happy (not hungry) and I lose weight. If I am not working out consistently or very hard and I eat back my calories, I yoyo. If I randomly workout and eat those calories, I usually gain weight. If I don't work out and stay at around 1500-1700 calories, I will VERY SLOWLY lose. If I don't work out and stay at 1800-2000 calories, I stay them same or gain depending on what I eat. I don't ever go below 1500 calories - not because I will starve or develop an eating disorder or anything like that... I just don't like to be that hungry and I could never sustain that.0
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Eating "back" exercise calories is a phenomenon that only happens on myfitnesspal. If you aren't hungry, why on earth would you eat them back? Assuming you are trying to lose weight, eating back exercise calories doesn't make sense.
Nope. Fitbit's program works the same way, as does Lose It. I'm sure there are more too, but those are the ones I know of anyway.
Weight watchers. Not entirely but you earn exercise points and are encouraged to eat them.
But obviously these don't stack up against the doctor's and fitness trainers who between them have probably spent a day studying nutrition ....0 -
So for several weeks I tried to switch it up by increasing my cals and eating back my exercise cals. Absolutely DID NOT work! I am no back to sticking at 1200 cals whether I work out or not and almost immediately noticed the scale going down! I knew eating more to lose weight sounded too good to be true. Here's what works: eat less, move more. Period.
Unless you have a medical condition that is preventing you from burning calories, then it will work for you. As it's already been said, you were either under estimating intake, over estimating expenditure or both.0 -
May I suggest you educate yourself. Eating 1000 calories and burning 600 during exercise is not going to help you in any way. That's a net of 400 calories. How are you supposed to fuel yourself properly on 400 calories over 24 hrs. You need food to survive. I so sorry to be blunt but I'm worried about your health. Keep this pattern up and I shudder to think of what could happen to you.
DO this.
1.Find your maintenance caloric level.
2. deduct your weekly deficit and divide that by 7 (3500 cal = 1 lb)
3. Exercise and eat that to maintain the weight loss you calculated above or don't eat for additional loss. But
never, go below 50% or your maintenance or 1200 net calories unless you are under a Dr. Supervision.
But math is hard!
Someone was trying to explain a diet to me the other day on the phone and I was like......add this, subtract that, do this do that....
Seemed more complicated than my preferred method of choosing, did it grow or was it created? lol0 -
I eat like boss and train like a beast. Went from 205 to 147. Very happy and not hungry club.
Sass 0 -
I eat 1500 calories and eat back my cals and it's worked great for me.... Good luck to you... just remember to stay healthy above all.0
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Well, I tried the eating more to lose for about a year-ish and maintained or gained(I gained 15 lbs). Before you say I didnt do it right, I had the personal trainer at the gym helping me. Got sick of that yo-yo and started eating 1200-1400 cals a day with not eating back my exercise cals and lo and behold have lost 33 lbs now. It does not work for everyone!
I am glad it works for some, wish I was one. I love food, but that is why I am here
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Maybe not a club but there is a group:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/2584-eating-1200-1300-calories-per-day
Would be great if it were more active
it's not more active because noone has the energy! :laugh:
sorry had too lol0 -
So for several weeks I tried to switch it up by increasing my cals and eating back my exercise cals. Absolutely DID NOT work! I am no back to sticking at 1200 cals whether I work out or not and almost immediately noticed the scale going down! I knew eating more to lose weight sounded too good to be true. Here's what works: eat less, move more. Period.
In theory it should work and it does. You were probably not estimating your calorie intake or outake properly.0 -
Depends on the persons body and how it reacts to different amounts of food and numbers. I need to start eating more and working out a bit harder to build lost muscle by eating as low as you.....0
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1700 calories a day, eat back exercise cals and almost 60lbs gone since March.
Total BS. :huh:0 -
This is why there are overweight people at the gym that workout every day yet still can't seem to lose the weight. Firstly people are not burning as many calories as MFP or those machines in the gym are estimating...those numbers are usually overstated. So if you are depending on those numbers to estimate how many calories you should be eating in many cases you are probably overeating.
MFP is the only place that I see so many people so passionate about eating more. My gut tells me it's because these people just do not want to eat cleaner or reduce their portions. I started my journey under the supervision of a medical doctor who had me eating 1200 - 1300 calories (high protein) per day and not eating back exercise calories and I lost the weight with no problem and did not feel hungry.
Actually when I first started out and heard that my doctor suggested 1200 - 1300 calories per day I thought that I would be starving too. But as my doctor advised and as I later found out, it all comes down to food choices. If you are eating healthy food choices with a good protein and for that matter a moderate fat content you will not be hungry and it is very doable.
I lost my weight and didn't go into "starvation mode" as some claim happens here,,,0 -
This is why there are overweight people at the gym that workout every day yet still can't seem to lose the weight. Firstly people are not burning as many calories as MFP or those machines in the gym are estimating...those numbers are usually overstated. So if you are depending on those numbers to estimate how many calories you should be eating in many cases you are probably overeating.
MFP is the only place that I see so many people so passionate about eating more. My gut tells me it's because these people just do not want to eat cleaner or reduce their portions. I started my journey under the supervision of a medical doctor who had me eating 1200 - 1300 calories (high protein) per day and not eating back exercise calories and I lost the weight with no problem and did not feel hungry.
Actually when I first started out and heard that my doctor suggested 1200 - 1300 calories per day I thought that I would be starving too. But as my doctor advised and as I later found out, it all comes down to food choices. If you are eating healthy food choices with a good protein and for that matter a moderate fat content you will not be hungry and it is very doable.
I lost my weight and didn't go into "starvation mode" as some claim happens here,,,
Look at my diary. I'm hardly starving myself. lol.0 -
This is why there are overweight people at the gym that workout every day yet still can't seem to lose the weight. Firstly people are not burning as many calories as MFP or those machines in the gym are estimating...those numbers are usually overstated. So if you are depending on those numbers to estimate how many calories you should be eating in many cases you are probably overeating.
MFP is the only place that I see so many people so passionate about eating more. My gut tells me it's because these people just do not want to eat cleaner or reduce their portions. I started my journey under the supervision of a medical doctor who had me eating 1200 - 1300 calories (high protein) per day and not eating back exercise calories and I lost the weight with no problem and did not feel hungry.
Actually when I first started out and heard that my doctor suggested 1200 - 1300 calories per day I thought that I would be starving too. But as my doctor advised and as I later found out, it all comes down to food choices. If you are eating healthy food choices with a good protein and for that matter a moderate fat content you will not be hungry and it is very doable.
I lost my weight and didn't go into "starvation mode" as some claim happens here,,,
I seem to be doing ok. You might want to check my diary - it's not exactly dirty.
And again, many weight specialists recommend 'eating back' - e.g. weight watchers.
Also, the op Is calling .bs on something she dIdnt try. She's a chronic under eater.0 -
This is why there are overweight people at the gym that workout every day yet still can't seem to lose the weight. Firstly people are not burning as many calories as MFP or those machines in the gym are estimating...those numbers are usually overstated. So if you are depending on those numbers to estimate how many calories you should be eating in many cases you are probably overeating.
MFP is the only place that I see so many people so passionate about eating more. My gut tells me it's because these people just do not want to eat cleaner or reduce their portions. I started my journey under the supervision of a medical doctor who had me eating 1200 - 1300 calories (high protein) per day and not eating back exercise calories and I lost the weight with no problem and did not feel hungry.
Actually when I first started out and heard that my doctor suggested 1200 - 1300 calories per day I thought that I would be starving too. But as my doctor advised and as I later found out, it all comes down to food choices. If you are eating healthy food choices with a good protein and for that matter a moderate fat content you will not be hungry and it is very doable.
I lost my weight and didn't go into "starvation mode" as some claim happens here,,,
I seem to be doing ok. You might want to check my diary - it's not exactly dirty.
And again, many weight specialists recommend 'eating back' - e.g. weight watchers.
Also, the op Is calling .bs on something she dIdnt try. She's a chronic under eater.
No offense, but it also appears that you had a significant amount of weight to lose. The heavier you are, the more calories it requires to maintain that weight. It appears from your diary that you are eating about 1900 - 2000 calories a day in addition to whatever exercise you are doing which is probably a huge deficit for you. It is not rocket science why you've lost the weight. Nice job by the way.
But someone with less weight to lose is not going to be able to do so at that level as it may be higher than the maintenance level for that person's goal weight.0
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