"Eating back" Exercise Calories - Simple breakdown

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  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
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    hopefully lots of people read this and 'get it'..... thanks for taking the time to break it down for all those out there that don't 'get it' :)
  • Petefry1
    Petefry1 Posts: 29 Member
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    Done!
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,287 Member
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    HOnestly..all the confusion over this is what keeps me from exercising yet. I know exercise makes me fit and toned..but I think it interferes with weight loss. Losing weight and getting strong and in shape are two different things. All this arguing back and forth..and all the posts of people working out like mad and not losing just confirms my theory.

    People see it two ways: Why exercise and eat back the calories if the goal is to lose weight? Or, the goal to try to lose weight and be able to eat more so it is not so miserable.
  • Katahna
    Katahna Posts: 326 Member
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    Ensure there is a deficit, and you are safe.
  • marc8686
    marc8686 Posts: 199 Member
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    thanks guys, glad its helping. I dont really take much credit, its mostly common sense, its just putting it in logical easy-to-understand terms.
  • marc8686
    marc8686 Posts: 199 Member
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    HOnestly..all the confusion over this is what keeps me from exercising yet. I know exercise makes me fit and toned..but I think it interferes with weight loss. Losing weight and getting strong and in shape are two different things. All this arguing back and forth..and all the posts of people working out like mad and not losing just confirms my theory.

    People see it two ways: Why exercise and eat back the calories if the goal is to lose weight? Or, the goal to try to lose weight and be able to eat more so it is not so miserable.

    losing weight isnt the only goal for me, its fitness also. nutrition AND exercise play into fitness. exercise will make your body stronger, your endurance better, etc. obviously if your exercise regimen focuses on bulking up and putting on muscle its not the best exercise for weight loss.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    HOnestly..all the confusion over this is what keeps me from exercising yet. I know exercise makes me fit and toned..but I think it interferes with weight loss. Losing weight and getting strong and in shape are two different things. All this arguing back and forth..and all the posts of people working out like mad and not losing just confirms my theory.

    People see it two ways: Why exercise and eat back the calories if the goal is to lose weight? Or, the goal to try to lose weight and be able to eat more so it is not so miserable.

    If you use this site the way it is designed to work, it calculates for you to lose weight WITHOUT any additional exercise. And then when you exercise, you need extra fuel. Some people don't use this site as it was designed, they set their own somewhat higher calorie goal and then eat that amount and don't count their exercise.
  • marc8686
    marc8686 Posts: 199 Member
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    Ensure there is a deficit, and you are safe.
    There is a safe range of deficits, highest recommended deficit is 1,000 calories per day for a weight loss of 2lbs/week.
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
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    there are way too many numbers in this thread. My head hurts.
  • marc8686
    marc8686 Posts: 199 Member
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    there are way too many numbers in this thread. My head hurts.

    understanding it is an important part of making it a part of your life.
  • Yasmine91
    Yasmine91 Posts: 599 Member
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    I think really does depend on what your body will respond to. I have tried eating back calories and I lost nothing..absolutely nothing. I have to excersise and eat 1200 - 1370 calories to lose weight. No more no less than these two numbers otherwise I'll get nowhere :P
  • magj0y
    magj0y Posts: 1,911 Member
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    Okay, I have tried reading this four times to understand, and I have been interrupted by kids over and over and can't grasp it. I am trying to lose 2 lbs a week and have plateaued. I am given 1490 calories a day. Today I burned 478 doing cardio so I have a total of 1968 calories today. You're recommending I take the total to 0 to get back to losing? I have been trying not to eat 'earned' calories thinking that would be better. It's not?? I have been averaging about 1000 calories burned in cardio 3x a week and haven't been losing and I am getting frustrated.

    For several days a week, eat enough calories to -maintain- your weight. meaning you can't have a calorie deficit. For many people, they're not on their current caloric needs and it may need to be re-evaluated even daily. having a snack later in the evening can help you make up the difference. Just try to stay away from the carbs. This should help you get past your plateu.

    In my opinion, to make up any difference, eat foods that are lean/vegan proteins with a small bit of carbs. iron/ Vitamin D & C are also important. I try and get in 2-3 servings of wild alaskan salmon for D/protein, usually canned, a monster salad for other stuff along with C & A, good fibers, and lean beef for protein and iron. Calcium with your D is beneficial. Watching a show I love helps relieve the boring pain of plain salmon, but natural D is super important, most especially if you're a woman over 35. This will promote muscle growth/repair as well as keeping vital parts of your body healthier. While you should try and get everything you need daily, protein and Vit. D is a pita!
  • KrazyAsianNic
    KrazyAsianNic Posts: 1,227 Member
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    I'm not a newbie, but I have always been confused about this. I am also in love with Math and Money, so your example was simple and clear. Thank you so much!
  • marc8686
    marc8686 Posts: 199 Member
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    I think really does depend on what your body will respond to. I have tried eating back calories and I lost nothing..absolutely nothing. I have to excersise and eat 1200 - 1370 calories to lose weight. No more no less than these two numbers otherwise I'll get nowhere :P

    i wonder if your bmr and/or daily burn calculation is off or something then. if you are eating 1250 calories and getting a 500 calorie exercise your body is only getting 750 calories for the day. i did the math and even a 4 foot 4inch 90lb 12 year old with a sedentary lifestyle has a daily burn calculation of like 1200 calories.
  • jms3533
    jms3533 Posts: 316 Member
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    Thanks for the clarification. I try to eat most of my exercise calories, and it seems to be working for me. :)
  • ciobair
    ciobair Posts: 69
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    thanks marc, it's been refreshing to read your thread and have it explained quite so clearly and simply.

    I like your analogies, and for reinforcing the fact that if my BMR is 2400 without exercise, eating 1500 consistently is not actually going to benefit me or my weight loss hopes in the long run.

    This is only my 3rd week on MFP and I have to say, I'm finding getting close to my 2400 without eating lots of carbs quite difficult.
  • Yasmine91
    Yasmine91 Posts: 599 Member
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    I think really does depend on what your body will respond to. I have tried eating back calories and I lost nothing..absolutely nothing. I have to excersise and eat 1200 - 1370 calories to lose weight. No more no less than these two numbers otherwise I'll get nowhere :P

    i wonder if your bmr and/or daily burn calculation is off or something then. if you are eating 1250 calories and getting a 500 calorie exercise your body is only getting 750 calories for the day. i did the math and even a 4 foot 4inch 90lb 12 year old with a sedentary lifestyle has a daily burn calculation of like 1200 calories.

    I guess it's got something to do with my hormonal imbalance. A lot of things that I look up that are suppose to apply and work for me never do lol XD so I just do what does work. Cardio, lifting weights, eat less and BOOM weight loss X3
  • marc8686
    marc8686 Posts: 199 Member
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    thanks marc, it's been refreshing to read your thread and have it explained quite so clearly and simply.

    I like your analogies, and for reinforcing the fact that if my BMR is 2400 without exercise, eating 1500 consistently is not actually going to benefit me or my weight loss hopes in the long run.

    This is only my 3rd week on MFP and I have to say, I'm finding getting close to my 2400 without eating lots of carbs quite difficult.

    agreed. eating 2300-2400 calories of HEALTHY food can be challenging and takes some discipline. i try to plan in advance and have a whole bag of chicken cooked up so all i have to to is heat it up. if i buy fruit try to have it chopped up and ready to eat in containers, etc.

    and just to clarify your BMR is your basal metabolic rate, the calories you'd burn doing absolutely NOTHING all day just laying in bed. your daily burn is your BMR multiplied by the activity value (sedentary, lightly active, moderately active, etc) personally my BMR is 2750, my lifestyle is sedentary which is a 1.2 value, so 2750x1.2= my daily burn of 3300 ish. thats where my 2300 daily goal comes from.
  • marc8686
    marc8686 Posts: 199 Member
    Options
    I think really does depend on what your body will respond to. I have tried eating back calories and I lost nothing..absolutely nothing. I have to excersise and eat 1200 - 1370 calories to lose weight. No more no less than these two numbers otherwise I'll get nowhere :P

    i wonder if your bmr and/or daily burn calculation is off or something then. if you are eating 1250 calories and getting a 500 calorie exercise your body is only getting 750 calories for the day. i did the math and even a 4 foot 4inch 90lb 12 year old with a sedentary lifestyle has a daily burn calculation of like 1200 calories.

    I guess it's got something to do with my hormonal imbalance. A lot of things that I look up that are suppose to apply and work for me never do lol XD so I just do what does work. Cardio, lifting weights, eat less and BOOM weight loss X3

    i might recommend finding a good multivitamin/multimineral, supplement, etc then. i take them daily. i take a multivitamin, multimineral, phytonutrient, glucose, and 2 weight loss supplements one for body fat and one for retaining muscle.
  • Yasmine91
    Yasmine91 Posts: 599 Member
    Options
    I think really does depend on what your body will respond to. I have tried eating back calories and I lost nothing..absolutely nothing. I have to excersise and eat 1200 - 1370 calories to lose weight. No more no less than these two numbers otherwise I'll get nowhere :P

    i wonder if your bmr and/or daily burn calculation is off or something then. if you are eating 1250 calories and getting a 500 calorie exercise your body is only getting 750 calories for the day. i did the math and even a 4 foot 4inch 90lb 12 year old with a sedentary lifestyle has a daily burn calculation of like 1200 calories.

    Holy! that's a lot of supplements...I wonder if I can even get those things here in London without a prescription :P

    I guess it's got something to do with my hormonal imbalance. A lot of things that I look up that are suppose to apply and work for me never do lol XD so I just do what does work. Cardio, lifting weights, eat less and BOOM weight loss X3

    i might recommend finding a good multivitamin/multimineral, supplement, etc then. i take them daily. i take a multivitamin, multimineral, phytonutrient, glucose, and 2 weight loss supplements one for body fat and one for retaining muscle.

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