Eating exercise calories back when you're very overweight

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  • georgiapeach1965
    georgiapeach1965 Posts: 27
    I know I'm replying to an older post, but wanted to comment on this topic. I definitely eat back my exercise calories. I have a heart rate monitor and use it to tell me how many calories I burn, so I just adjust the numbers when I find my exercise in MFP's database (i.e., spinning). Anyway, as everyone is stating, please listen to your own body. Everyone is so different. The more muscle you have, the more you are going to burn and continue burning throughout the day. Some days I feel like I'm hungry all day and that I'm going to black out if I don't eat all day long. Of course, these are small snacks and/or meals, but I usually eat about 6 times a day. I keep my calories lower than is indicated for me to lose weight. I keep them between the fat loss and extreme fat loss levels, but never go below around 1300 net calories. I did that the first week and thought I was going to die! I wasn't eating back my exercise calories and for me, that was not the way to go. Even though I have a desk job, I am up and down all day. Remember too, that your brain uses 20% of your daily calories, so if you are foggy feeling, you need to eat more. Your brain and body are fighting over the food you are eating. Eat enough, just don't eat too much. Again, it is very important to find your own balance, as has already been mentioned. Just remember that this is a WOL (way of life), NOT a quick fix. If you starve and binge, you will eventually get sick or give up and gain your weight back. Be balanced. Some days we are hungrier and some days we can go without. Some days we work out and some days we sleep in. I wish everyone the very best in your endeavors! :flowerforyou:
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    If I didn't, I'd be netting 900 per day.....not going to happen.
  • jlapey
    jlapey Posts: 1,850 Member
    I think you should read this, it might put things in perspective for you to fully understand how the body works in regards to weightloss.

    http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/
  • CeCe_711
    CeCe_711 Posts: 35
    If I didn't, I'd be netting 900 per day.....not going to happen.

    ditto, if i didn't eat mine back i'd #1 be starving and #2 i'd be eating around 900-1000 a day. yeah not an option. i exercise because i love to eat. the more i exercise the more i can eat :0)
  • michellechawner
    michellechawner Posts: 892
    I didn't eat my exercise calls back originally. BIG MISTAKE. You're not netting enough fuel for your body.

    I started eating some back, and the pounds came flying off.

    MFP is designed so you eat them back - if you're not using the system properly, it won't work as well.

    Also, MFP usually logs everyone at 1200 cals - I wasn't losing at 1200. I starting losing a ton at 1400. Calculate your RDEE - 15%/20% for a much better food plan.

    Also, don't go off MFP calorie burns. They are extremely over estimated - invest in a fitbit, bodymedia, or heart rate monitor. MFP was overestimating my caloric burn by about 300-400 a day. That's a big difference, and once I figured that out as well as the TDEE method the pounds came off much quicker! (typically 1-1.5 a week)
  • Isakizza
    Isakizza Posts: 754 Member
    I can only speak of what I've done that works for me.

    I DO eat back my workout calories, but only 50% of what it says I've burned. So if I burn 600 calories running, I'll eat 300 of that. I choose to do that to fuel my workouts and also... I don't like going hungry, lol.

    It has worked nicely for me that way and I love it so far. I also had a lot of weight to lose, about 100 lbs.

    SW: 242 lbs
    CW: 193 lbs

    :smile:
  • leaellenj
    leaellenj Posts: 38
    I think part of it depends on where you are with your weight loss in part, and also how many calories you burn while exercising. If you're heavier, you probably don't need to eat them back and you will lose weight at a faster rate for awhile. Eventually this may not continue to work for you.

    I'm training to run a marathon and can easily burn 1000-1500 during a training run and even more on my long runs. Obviously this is above and beyond the 300-400 most people will burn doing regular cardio. If I didn't eat most of my calories back, I probably wouldn't be able to get out of bed the next day.

    However, I am a big believer that everyone should net at LEAST 1200 calories a day even with exercise and really, despite what the MFP calculators may tell us, I think that number is closer to 1400 or 1500 for most people.
  • dicoveringwhoIam
    dicoveringwhoIam Posts: 480 Member
    I don't eat my exercise calories back. I have found eating 3meals and 2-3 snacks daily has helped in weight lost. Good luck ;)

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