Eating back your calories rant.
Replies
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There's a lot of factors involved in whether or not you eat back your calories.
1) How heavy are you? Heavier people can more safely eat less than people closer to their goals.
2) What are your fitness goals? People training for events like Tough Mudders, triathlons, half or full marathons, etc should usually eat most of their exercise calories back, so their body can fuel itself. They need to understand that they may not lose weight as quickly, but their primary goal is whatever they're training for.
3) What are your MFP goals set for? If you're already at a very large deficit (you've set it up to lose two pounds a week), it's less safe to increase your deficit still further. If you're set to more sane levels, (1/2-1 pound a week loss), you can get away with skipping exercise calories more often.
4) How intense is your exercise? When I run 8 or 9 miles, I need to eat some of that back. I've created a huge additional deficit for that day. If I run three miles, I can probably worry about it less.
5) How accurate do you feel your calorie measurements are? wiggle room is nice if you're less confident about them.
For most people, most of the time, eating back calories is a personal choice that probably won't make much difference other than slightly slower/faster weight loss, but there are many situations where it's better to eat them.
Edit to add:
That is NOT healthy. You're starving yourself.I do NOT eat mine back. I will burn on some days over 1000 (according to MFP) and I only eat around 800 or 900 a day. Phoooy on eating them back. I'm here to lose not exercise so I can eat more. I do want to get a HRM and may just get it for Christmas. But if I'm hungry I'm going to eat no matter where I'm at with my calorie count.
No I'm not. I'm really comfortable there. And I get the good things in every day.0 -
Thank you so much for posting your experience on here and what you found out from your trainer. Blanket statements on here about whether or not you should eat back calories are very confusing and potentially harmful to our weightloss efforts.
A 25 yr old bodybuilder/triathlete/etc that is near goal weight should definitely not have a severe calorie deficit, as it can cause them to lose muscle mass since they have very little fat reserves.
HOWEVER, most of the dieters on this site do not fall into that category.
A 300 pound, 50 yr old man or 200 pound woman who exercises at a light to moderate level, can safely lose 2 pounds or more a week. In order to lose 2 pounds, they must have a calorie deficit of 1000 cals per day. MFP factors in 500 calorie deficit in the calorie goal, therefore the other 500 calories must come from activity. If they eat back all of their exercise calories, and perhaps the exercise charts are wrong, and the portions are off slightly, etc, it is quite possible to gain weight Then after 2 months of not losing, they end up quitting and declaring that it is impossible to lose weight. And end up gaining more.
It is quite possible for SOME people to eat 900-1200 per day without lowering your metabolism, and without starving, if you eat adequate amounts of protein, and good fats, while limiting sugar and simple carbs and getting a moderate amount of activity. I have had MANY doctors tell me this, as well as nutritionists and trainers. Dont automatically tell someone that they are starving themselves and are not healthy if they are getting good results on this regimen. Just because it may not be right for you, doesn't make it wrong for someone else.
Find what works for you, and ignore any rude, pig-headed people that say you are wrong and they are right.
And to fellow posters- PLEASE quit assuming that you know what is best for someone else, when you have no idea what their situation is!0 -
I have increased my cal intake from 1200 -1450 and as a result will try to only eat back approx 200-250cals0
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I generally eat most of mine back. However, I KNOW that MFP overestimates the workout calories burned, so that's why I hold back a bit.
I've read several places that it is a great idea to use a HRM so that you KNOW what the calories out are - wow, that's quite a difference on yours!!
gratz on your progress - keep it up!0 -
I work for UPMC and one of our employee perks are health coaches for various issues, quitting smoking, losing weight, stress mgmt....you get the idea. Well, last fall, I got myself a health coach for weight loss. Our health coaches are also employed by UPMC and are certified nutritionalists (or whatever you call it). Anywho, she based my caloric intake on 1200-1400 calories and when I asked her about eating back exercise calories she said "we don't support that here and I would advise you not to" That was all I needed to hear. :happy:
So, on a heavy day when I do say, an 8 mile run, and burn 900 calories, the 500 max that are then left for the day are to fuel me??? That doesnt make a ton of sense. Speaking as someone whose career field requires certification, there can be a wide range of what people call certified and who is issuing them. One of our CDC guys got fired. He was "certified" in Jamaica by paying $599 and taking a test. :huh:0 -
Thank you so much for posting your experience on here and what you found out from your trainer. Blanket statements on here about whether or not you should eat back calories are very confusing and potentially harmful to our weightloss efforts.
A 25 yr old bodybuilder/triathlete/etc that is near goal weight should definitely not have a severe calorie deficit, as it can cause them to lose muscle mass since they have very little fat reserves.
HOWEVER, most of the dieters on this site do not fall into that category.
A 300 pound, 50 yr old man or 200 pound woman who exercises at a light to moderate level, can safely lose 2 pounds or more a week. In order to lose 2 pounds, they must have a calorie deficit of 1000 cals per day. MFP factors in 500 calorie deficit in the calorie goal, therefore the other 500 calories must come from activity. If they eat back all of their exercise calories, and perhaps the exercise charts are wrong, and the portions are off slightly, etc, it is quite possible to gain weight Then after 2 months of not losing, they end up quitting and declaring that it is impossible to lose weight. And end up gaining more.
It is quite possible for SOME people to eat 900-1200 per day without lowering your metabolism, and without starving, if you eat adequate amounts of protein, and good fats, while limiting sugar and simple carbs and getting a moderate amount of activity. I have had MANY doctors tell me this, as well as nutritionists and trainers. Dont automatically tell someone that they are starving themselves and are not healthy if they are getting good results on this regimen. Just because it may not be right for you, doesn't make it wrong for someone else.
Find what works for you, and ignore any rude, pig-headed people that say you are wrong and they are right.
And to fellow posters- PLEASE quit assuming that you know what is best for someone else, when you have no idea what their situation is!
well they will "get results" but I guarantee they will lower their metabolic rate if they do it for any considerable amount of time.0 -
I eat my exercise calories back - (example) If you eat 1400 calories and then burn 500 through exercise your NET for the day is only 900. (1400-500=900). Logic, Science and my own body's intuition tell me this is too low. That's why I subscribe to the idea that you need to eat above your BMR and below your TDEE. I have in the past eaten below BMR and wound up hitting a long long plateau. Once I upped my calories I saw the type of results I'm looking for. This is just what works for me and my goals.
I will put a word of caution out there for those of you eating below BMR - sometimes it works great for awhile but eventually you may hit the mother of all plateau's (lol I know I've been there). Too few calories can cause the body's metabolism to slow way down to accommodate the constant shortage. Instead of losing fat you start to lose lean muscle mass, result soft and doughy. And the kicker is you don't feel hungry either.
For me it was definitely worth upping the calories! To each is own:flowerforyou:0 -
MFP overestimates the burn from exercise.
LOL. I love this untrue generalization. For me, MFP is so right on that it's scary. Please don't talk in absolutes because it simply is not true.0 -
MFP overestimates the burn from exercise.
LOL. I love this untrue generalization. For me, MFP is so right on that it's scary. Please don't talk in absolutes because it simply is not true.
A lot of people seem to miss the fact that the OP is a female over 300lbs. Yes, she's going to burn more calories than a lot of people. Overestimation of calories burned is probably not the problem.0 -
goes back to the norm of eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full... ;D0
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I completely did not understand your post. What was the point about "seeing how much you would have burned?" I think I missed that.
Did you actually read the post or just skimmed over to what you want to read? I suggest you read it completely and you may find your answer0 -
That's why my HRM is my best friend
I do eat back my exercise calories depending on how much I burn. Yesterday I burned a lot so I didn't eat them all but tried to net at least 1200. There are lots of people who do eat back their exercise calories (even morbidly obese ones) who still continue to lose weight. You can't say it's completely wrong to do so if it works for some people (just might not be right for you at this time). If you are having difficulty losing weight even though you are working out a lot and eating healthy, I would also suggest seeing a doctor to rule out thyroid issues. That's been a culprit for a lot of people who have trouble getting the weight off even though they're busting their butt (which is sounds like you are!). 0 -
There's a lot of factors involved in whether or not you eat back your calories.
1) How heavy are you? Heavier people can more safely eat less than people closer to their goals.
Answer - I am over 300lbs
2) What are your fitness goals? People training for events like Tough Mudders, triathlons, half or full marathons, etc should usually eat most of their exercise calories back, so their body can fuel itself. They need to understand that they may not lose weight as quickly, but their primary goal is whatever they're training for.
Answer - The reason for losing weight is to be able to have a baby in the future
3) What are your MFP goals set for? If you're already at a very large deficit (you've set it up to lose two pounds a week), it's less safe to increase your deficit still further. If you're set to more sane levels, (1/2-1 pound a week loss), you can get away with skipping exercise calories more often.
Answer - Its set at 2lbs a week and I eat 1550 a day before exercise.
4) How intense is your exercise? When I run 8 or 9 miles, I need to eat some of that back. I've created a huge additional deficit for that day. If I run three miles, I can probably worry about it less.
Answer - I usually workout two days a week for 2hrs and 3 days for an hour due to other commitments.
5) How accurate do you feel your calorie measurements are? wiggle room is nice if you're less confident about them.
Answer - Before now they were totally out now that I have a HRM they should be spot on.
For most people, most of the time, eating back calories is a personal choice that probably won't make much difference other than slightly slower/faster weight loss, but there are many situations where it's better to eat them.
With regards to eating calories back, I really don't think my body will miss 500calories that I burn as stated I weigh over 300lbs. I don't want to be eating calories that I don't need which got me to this position in the first place. Thanks for your questions0 -
I was always told to eat back half of what I burned. This ensures you're not starving yourself and gives some leeway for overestimation of calories. However, you have to learn what works best for your body.0
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My personal trainer says I need to eat around 1500 calories a day, which is also what MFP tells me. I work out 4 or 5 times a week, twice with my PT, i run round after 2 small kids, and I work part time as a teacher, so am on my feet all day. I've got about 20lbs to lose until I weigh what I'd like to weigh.
My PT has never mentioned eating any extra calories.
I've lost 42lbs so far, and have lost lots of inches - 10" off my waist and 10" off my hips and thighs - so I am obviously doing something right.0 -
MFP overestimates the burn from exercise.
LOL. I love this untrue generalization. For me, MFP is so right on that it's scary. Please don't talk in absolutes because it simply is not true.
A lot of people seem to miss the fact that the OP is a female over 300lbs. Yes, she's going to burn more calories than a lot of people. Overestimation of calories burned is probably not the problem.
Overestimation of calories burned was the problem as some days I would burn 1500 (Naturally I am going to burn more because I weigh more than the average person) calories from doing 90mins of tae bo and then listening to the advice on here I was eating my normal calories of 1550 a day and then another 1500 calories on top of that because I had exercised = 3050 calories a day. It doesn't make any sense whatsoever does it? No wonder I haven't been losing any weight, I guess I should be thankful that I haven't gained! The only thing that I learnt from doing that was to not listen to people who seemed to know allot of things when actually they know nothing at all. Naturally I won't be going below 1200 calories a day and I will stick to the advice from my doctor and my personal trainer. I am sure they have both my best interests at heart!0 -
We all need to do what works for us personally and the rest be damned!
This.
Personally I don't eat (all of) mine back--I use them as a buffer between overestimation of calories burned and underestimation of calories eaten (not intentional, but it happens).
It seems to be working just fine for ME.
Good luck in the coming weeks!
This redux.
I wasn't losing weight for about 2 months and I was eating back all my calories from exercise. I decided to try not eating them back and using them as the previous poster said as a "buffer" to account for underestimation of food and overestimation of calories burned. It worked like a charm. I'm now losing about 2 lbs per week and feeling great! Also to note, when I was on Weight Watchers PointsPlus program, you were "allowed" to eat your exercise points back, but it was not required or even recommended.0 -
I've had a heart rate monitor almost since the start of exercising, just because I don't trust mfp numbers. I started at 237lbs and never used to eat back exercise calories unless I was really hungry. I plateaued at about 204lbs for MONTHS and then started to consume all my exercise cals back and now the scale is moving again...
The most important thing is to have an accurate view of what you're burning, maybe invest in a heart rate monitor?0 -
Eating back your calories doesn't mean go eat a big mac after you burn your 800 calories at the gym people. It means incorporate some extra calories THROUGHOUT your day to ensure that your body is not starving, you are not depriving yourself, and you have enough fuel for your workout. If someone is only going to the gym and getting on the treadmill for 15 minutes and they think they should eat those back, that's a different story altogether. If you're an avid gym goer or live an active lifestyle, and you already have a deficit logged into MFP, you need to have more of a balance between calories burned and calories consumed. stop already with the starvation technique. It's a short term solution!0
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I eat at least half of my calories back and have noticed since starting that, my weight loss is greater than those weeks I don't eat them back.
Figure out what works for you. This isn't an exact science.0 -
I almost always eat the majority of my exercise calories back, my way of thinking is that this is my lifestyle now and I don't want to live feeling deprived. Eating back my exercise calories allows me to feel comfortably satisfied and not deprived. My focus now is still on losing, but not the urgency to lose as fast as possible like it used to be. I started off weighing 260 pounds and have lost 115, so my focus has changed some over that time. I say, do what works for you and what is something you can maintain and live with as a lifestyle. I find that if I "deprive" myself I end up with a major binge-fest eventually. So eating back my calories on a day to day basis works for me and keeps me from binging. To each his own.
Oh my goodness, You're awesome!0 -
Totally feel you! Some people are so rude
This website and forums are supposed to be designed for support and for user to help and encourage each other!
Personally, I don't eat all of my fitness calories back, but it really depends on how hungry I am.
I choose not to deprive myself; but many people would disagree.
Kudos for finally something that's worked for you, and good luck on the rest of your journey!0 -
MFPs recommendations are just estimates. I've found that I can eat exercise calories plus some and still lose weight, but obviously that doesn't apply to everyone. Ultimately, you have to go with what works for you. Sometimes it does take a considerable amount of patience and adjustment. Best of luck to you :flowerforyou:0
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I completely did not understand your post. What was the point about "seeing how much you would have burned?" I think I missed that.
Did you actually read the post or just skimmed over to what you want to read? I suggest you read it completely and you may find your answer
yes i read it. it made no sense to me. maybe there's greater clarity in the numerous posts since the original one.0 -
Eating back your calories doesn't mean go eat a big mac after you burn your 800 calories at the gym people. It means incorporate some extra calories THROUGHOUT your day to ensure that your body is not starving, you are not depriving yourself, and you have enough fuel for your workout. If someone is only going to the gym and getting on the treadmill for 15 minutes and they think they should eat those back, that's a different story altogether. If you're an avid gym goer or live an active lifestyle, and you already have a deficit logged into MFP, you need to have more of a balance between calories burned and calories consumed. stop already with the starvation technique. It's a short term solution!
Who mentioned eating a Big Mac? Seriously! Ive just read through the whole comments and no-one mentioned eating a Big Mac only you, I guess your feeling hungry or something.
Please don't assume that because I was eating all of my calories back I was stuffing my face with McDonalds, far from it. My body has never been starving thanks very much, in fact the past two months its been in overdrive due to miss-informed information given. I really don't think a bit of starvation will do me in any harm anyways considering how much I have to lose. Until you walk a day in someone' shoes don't judge them0 -
I work for UPMC and one of our employee perks are health coaches for various issues, quitting smoking, losing weight, stress mgmt....you get the idea. Well, last fall, I got myself a health coach for weight loss. Our health coaches are also employed by UPMC and are certified nutritionalists (or whatever you call it). Anywho, she based my caloric intake on 1200-1400 calories and when I asked her about eating back exercise calories she said "we don't support that here and I would advise you not to" That was all I needed to hear. :happy:
So, on a heavy day when I do say, an 8 mile run, and burn 900 calories, the 500 max that are then left for the day are to fuel me??? That doesnt make a ton of sense. Speaking as someone whose career field requires certification, there can be a wide range of what people call certified and who is issuing them. One of our CDC guys got fired. He was "certified" in Jamaica by paying $599 and taking a test. :huh:
Listen, all I'm saying is I was advised not to eat back exercise calories. If your hungry after you run, eat. I personally don't care what other ppl do. And I personally don't care about your guy who got fired. Don't give a crap! I 100% agree with OP. For some ppl it works against us! Period.0 -
Not all calories are created equal. 500 calories of veggies and fruits vs. 500 calories of McNuggets, for example. I realize that's a really obvious difference... some aren't so obvious. I've only been here a month but I've seen a number of diaries that were below the calorie line but I wouldn't have spent my calories on those things if I were serious about weight loss. If you're eating below your allotment and still not losing, it's time to re-evaluate what you're choosing.
All that being said, I'm not here to judge anyone else's journey. I'm here to support people, and hopefully get support in return, and so far that has worked wonders. I like to hear what my MFP friends have to say, but none of them are doctors and none of them (that I know of) are professional personal trainers. You can ask for people's advice, but you have to realize they are just speaking from personal experience, not as professionals, and what works for one person might not work for you. I'm glad you took action and got yourself a trainer, and I hope you get great results.0 -
Im not sure how many calories i burn at work but i work in a nursing home doing 12 hour shifts and am walking and standing nearly all day, i always put in 2 hours of moderate walking which gives me an extra 600 calories. i eat about half of them back during the day so im burning them off. Also im not eating all the chocolate i was eating before!! Ive lost 11 pounds in just under 4 weeks, so this seems to be working for me, but everyone is different xxx I want one of those fit bits so i know exactly how much exercise im doing at work!!0
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I completely did not understand your post. What was the point about "seeing how much you would have burned?" I think I missed that.
Did you actually read the post or just skimmed over to what you want to read? I suggest you read it completely and you may find your answer
yes i read it. it made no sense to me. maybe there's greater clarity in the numerous posts since the original one.
Sorry can't do anything about your ignorance then! You may be able to get professional help for that.0 -
It's quite possible that your stall was as much due to inaccurate tracking of calories in as much as calories burned. It's been shown that most people tend to under estimate intake by 20% if they're not weighing their food.
I was anal and weighed everything I ate as well as used a HRM. I still lost an average of 1-2 pounds per week eating my exercise calories back.0
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