Ok I am officially confused (eat cals back or not?!?!)

LovelyVegetarian

I have been trying to get some loss for some time. I was on WW and it worked well but have officially plateaued. I can't seem to lose any more weight. I'm doing the 30 day shred and have already lost inches but so far, have lost less than one lb in terms of weight. Don't get me wrong, I'm liking the way my body is responding to the 30 day shred (as is my husband hahaha!) but what about the scale? Also I did lose one size in pants which is awesome but again, that darn scale?!?

I'm set to eat 1200 cals as per MFP. I usually burn 200-300 cals a day except for my rest day (in between levels, so every 10 days). Should I be eating those extra cals? I'm in the 170s and I'd like to lose 15 lbs.

I know everyone has their own take - what is everyone's personal view on this?

kathyms13

NO. THATS MY TAKE ON IT.

n_unocero

yes and no...

i would not eat back ALL of my cals because, for example, if you get on the treadmill for an hour and you burn 500 cals it's not like you wouldn't have burned cals in that hour at all...so i would say eat SOME of those 500 back because MFP already accounts for your normal burn in that hour.

here's what i do...i set my cals at maintenance, eat that, workout, but don't eat back cals. that way if i stay at maintenance AND workout i know i'm at a deficit. the only time i will eat back is if i have a ridiculous burn that day (600+) so that i at least stay over 1200 cals for the day.

lizziebeth1028

If you are losing pant sizes and inches AND looking better who cares what the scale says! Don't let the scale dictate how you feel about yourself and don't fixate on one specific number!

As for eating back your exercise calories - you are going to get a ton of answers on this pros and cons. Personally I eat my exercise calories back. Here's a response that I recently posted on a similar thread - 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

lewcompton

NO! NO!! NO!!! Do NOT eat back your calories! Anyone who says otherwise is nuts... How do you think Biggest Loser competitors are doing it? 65 pounds in 70 days without working to hard at it. I do not eat back calories. The only reason you have to eat some calories every day is because the brain needs glucose for energy... Good complex carbs (fruit, veggies, and whole grains) are best... The body doesn't need more... Avoid eating back your calories... That only gives you an option to eat more and still lose some weight... Most people don't want to lose some weight they want to lose all that they need to... 3500 calorie deficit equals one pound of weight loss...

k8blujay2

Per the Suggested calorie page after you put in your goals and weight/height and such

*Net calories consumed = total calories consumed - exercise calories burned. So the more you exercise, the more you can eat!

So yes, you can eat back your calories.... but there is no one telling you what you should and should not do... if after you work out, you feel hungrier than usual, than by all means, eat a bit more.... and if you don't, then don't.

jenneal89

I have been trying to get some loss for some time. I was on WW and it worked well but have officially plateaued. I can't seem to lose any more weight. I'm doing the 30 day shred and have already lost inches but so far, have lost less than one lb in terms of weight. Don't get me wrong, I'm liking the way my body is responding to the 30 day shred (as is my husband hahaha!) but what about the scale? Also I did lose one size in pants which is awesome but again, that darn scale?!?

I'm set to eat 1200 cals as per MFP. I usually burn 200-300 cals a day except for my rest day (in between levels, so every 10 days). Should I be eating those extra cals? I'm in the 170s and I'd like to lose 15 lbs.

I know everyone has their own take - what is everyone's personal view on this?

I eat some of them if I'm hungry but I don't ever force myself to eat if I don't need it. On a side note, inches are more important and accurate than the numbers in the scale IMO. I didn't lose much weight with the shred (15lbs) but lost several inches and got more toned. It's a great starting exercise but I wouldn't stop there

Edit: I did the shred for 2.5 months and during that time I lost 15lbs. It wasn't all in the first month but then it got really easy ( I could do the hard version on all levels without breaking a sweat) so I stopped and moved on.

lizziebeth1028

LOL yep....lot's of conflicting info OP. Since you don't have a lot to lose..I would pick a healthy number (NET @1500) and give it a try for awhile. Adjust from there:flowerforyou:

jennyvondoom

MFP calculates my daily allowed calories to be much lower than my TDEE to start with so yes I usually eat some, if not all, of my calories back. I have also actually noticed myself doing better on the scale if I eat at the higher end of my allotted range than if I eat way under, I remember trying WW as a teenager (didn't have the discipline to stick with it then) and they even told us to eat at the high end of our points range even back then and it always worked better. Maybe try to start eating back a few of your calories but in the form of protein after our work out if you're worried about carbs and fat? You could also figure out what your actual TDEE is and try eating a few hundred calories below that for awhile and see how things go.

I would also suggest investing in a scale that reads body fat percentage as well. If you're starting a new exercise program it is a real sanity saver because it gives you something to work for besides a weight goal. I have only lost a few actual pounds since I started running but my body fat percentage has dropped dramatically and when I measure myself I can tell that the inches are flying off as well. I watched my mother yo-yo diet for my entire life and base her entire sense of physical pride on what a scale said and how little she could restrict herself to eat... which always ended in her falling off the wagon and gaining everything back and more. So ultra extreme calorie restriction with the expectation of long term results is something that I find almost a little bit silly.

Serafimangel

I eat back some not all. Sometimes I seem to be burning about 1000 extra or more and I just can't make myself eat that much more. That is perhaps why I havent been losing lately. But I started losing a few years ago by going from 1400 to 1650-1750. I am round about that now but burning a lot more. It is a mental block I think, trying to lose, especially if you have already lost some, you mey feel like you are compromising yourself by eating more, but why not try it for a few weeks, measure youself and check you may find that you have more energy/feel better, so your body may be needing it.

Naija82

I think you should if you are exercising a lot and burning a high number of calories. My net calorie goal is 1200kcals but if I go for an 8 mile run and burn around 800kcal, I need to eat as 400 net calories is too low plus I'm always starving after a longer run!!!!!. I personally probably won't eat back my calories if I'm burning 200-300kcals unless I'm really hungry.

To the person that said your nuts for eating back your calories.. why? Try burning over 1K in a day and tell me if you won't be eating back some of those calories.

Serafimangel

I think you should if you are exercising a lot and burning a high number of calories. My net calorie goal is 1200kcals but if I go for an 8 mile run and burn around 800kcal, I need to eat as 400 net calories is too low plus I'm always starving after a longer run!!!!!. I personally probably won't eat back my calories if I'm burning 200-300kcals unless I'm really hungry.

To the person that said your nuts for eating back your calories.. why? Try burning over 1K in a day and tell me if you won't be eating back some of those calories.

This^ I'm reluctant to do it if I've only burned 300 or something, but after a half marathon or something, I am quite willing to tackle and eat an entire cow.

gingerjen7

I have been trying to get some loss for some time. I was on WW and it worked well but have officially plateaued. I can't seem to lose any more weight. I'm doing the 30 day shred and have already lost inches but so far, have lost less than one lb in terms of weight. Don't get me wrong, I'm liking the way my body is responding to the 30 day shred (as is my husband hahaha!) but what about the scale? Also I did lose one size in pants which is awesome but again, that darn scale?!?

I'm set to eat 1200 cals as per MFP. I usually burn 200-300 cals a day except for my rest day (in between levels, so every 10 days). Should I be eating those extra cals? I'm in the 170s and I'd like to lose 15 lbs.

I know everyone has their own take - what is everyone's personal view on this?

Some days I do, some days I don't. Since I started Level 2 of 30 Day Shred I decided not to eat back the exercise calories just to see how that will compare to Level 1 when I did eat them back. One thing I will say is that I don't think you should do all ten days in a level without resting. Jillian says you should take at least one rest day a week in order for your muscles to repair themselves, otherwise you're not going to see the results you want. I (and others doing the September 30 Day Shred Challenge) did not see a change on the scale until we took a rest day.

DIYmomma

I normally use my exercise calories as a cheat, most days I wouldnt eat them back, but on the days I go a little overboard I have those extra calories to work with......


when i did the shred in April I lost a first but by the end of the month i had gained 3lbs but I lost many many inches (mostly in my chest) and went down about a dress size. Dont stress about the scale too much.

LorinaLynn

The way this site is designed, you're supposed to eat them back. MFP doesn't include the exercise you say you're going to do into your calorie goal, not unless and until you do it and log it.

If you were plateauing using WW, it's probably because WW's points generally equal a rather low calorie goal. Cutting calories isn't enough. You have to eat RIGHT to lose weight.

LorinaLynn

And for the people who think it's "nuts" or "stupid" or "pointless" to eat them... WHY do you think the site includes them?

And if you believe this site is wrong for including them, why would you continue to use a site that you believe has a faulty design and premise?

Chrisswa

I personally eat mine back .... i have a HRM and if i burn 600 calories i log 500. I actually feel funny eating all that food and still losing a pound a week.

gingerjen7

And for the people who think it's "nuts" or "stupid" or "pointless" to eat them... WHY do you think the site includes them?

And if you believe this site is wrong for including them, why would you continue to use a site that you believe has a faulty design and premise?

Why do you think the site only gives you a warning about eating too few calories if you eat less than 1200? If I eat 1200 and then exercise and burn 195, it says nothing, but if I only eat 1150 it tells me I'm eating too few calories and I need to eat more. It doesn't seem to matter if you eat back your calories or not as long as you eat at least 1200. Probably the site includes them so that you know if you wanted to eat more, you have "x" amount from calories you could eat without lowering the deficit determined for your goals and thereby diminishing your weight loss from the initial projection.

LorinaLynn

you have "x" amount from calories you could eat without lowering the deficit determined for your goals

Exactly. And if you chose the right calorie deficit for the amount of weight you need to lose, you should stick with that deficit. IE, unless someone has more than 75 pounds or so to lose, they shouldn't have a deficit of 1000 calories or more. But, for yourself, as someone with only 12 pounds to lose, it's very important to have a SLIGHT - 250-300 below maintenance - calorie deficit. Unless you want to lose too much muscle and look bigger at your goal weight.

I've done it both ways. And eating minimally was just a temporary way to lose a few pounds, and as soon as I ate "normal" again, it came back on. Eating RIGHT and fueling my body... well, I've been maintaining over a year now and I have to log my calories to make sure I'm eating ENOUGH!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/709987-how-wrong-i-was-600-days-of-mfp-lotsa-pics

gingerjen7

And eating minimally was just a temporary way to lose a few pounds, and as soon as I ate "normal" again, it came back on. Eating RIGHT and fueling my body... well, I've been maintaining over a year now and I have to log my calories to make sure I'm eating ENOUGH!

Just because someone doesn't eat back their exercise calories doesn't mean they're eating "minimally." If it weren't enough, MFP would say so, but it only tells you you need to eat more if you don't eat at least 1200 calories. Also, it's not like the majority of us are burning 1000 calories with exercise. Doing 30 Day Shred, I burn 200 at most, and in the same amount of time I'd have burned 50 just sitting on my *kitten*, so I'm really only burning off an excess of 150. If I want to leave off the extra bowl of cereal, I think I'll be alright.

eviegreen

I think it depends on how your body feels. If you need to eat those calories back, then do it. If it's the end of the day and your body is content with the calories you've allotted, then don't. I have days where I eat them back, and days where I don't. But if I do eat them back, I don't eat all my calories back, just in case an error was made in my calculating (not burning as many calories as MFP says I am, etc).