Eat back what you burn or not??

fatladysings72

Ok, I am VERY heavy. I have lost almost 15 lbs in 3 weeks by not hitting my caloric goal of 1800-1900 calories a day. I don't understand why I should eat back what I have burned. Isn't it better at my weight to just be happy with the caloric difference? Currently I weigh 296. I am aiming for 1 lb a week, but I am not starving and have more energy than ever. I don't think it is hurting my not to eat my calories back.

Desirai18

I've been wondering the same thing. Mine says to eat around 1900 calories a day, and for the longest time I've eaten no where near that. I started eating more so my body wouldn't be in 'starvation mode', and I have lost some weight. I noticed it adds back the calories you burn off, but I haven't been eating the extra. Like you, I'm at a loss here.

bogden78

I do not normally eat back my calories. However, if I was feeling hungry I would choose a healthy snack. On the whole, I do not eat them back. I've been on MFP since Oct., and am currently down 40lbs.

fatladysings72

I have read many posts about this but I think it is for people trying to lose less weight than me or for people who weigh less in general. I think it is a awesome that you have already lost 39 lbs. So excited to get there myself!

MoreBean13

My vote is yes. I eat back every single one and always have.

BUT, since you're larger you can afford a slightly bigger deficit than a smaller person could. So my caveat would be that if your workouts are <300 cals, you're probably ok. 300-500 cals you should probably eat some, and 500+ you should eat a good percentage. I see people not eat back like 1200 calorie workouts, and that leaves them in a crash-and-burn situation.

BurtHuttz

Echoing Bean. You need to fuel your recovery. While low calories is great, and the more overweight you are the easier it is lose (pound for pound) you can't sustain yourself on stored energy alone. Better to take the long road on this matter. Slower weight loss will also give your skin time to recover; if you go too fast you'll just end up with a different problem.

ashlinmarie

It is a personal preference and the only way to get the correct answer is to try it yourself. Here is what I have noticed about MY body.

Workouts burning 500 or less calories: do not eat back calories
Workouts burning 501 or more calories: eat back half exercise calories.

I have lost weight doing this. I also spent a month trying different combos

Always eat back half exercise calories: lost weight at a very slow rate (usually .5 lbs per week eating 1400-1700 calories/day)
Always eat back most or all exercise calories: resulted in a 1 month loss of 1 lb

I usually aim to eat 1400-1600 calories and do not eat back exercise cals unless I have a higher burn. This usually results in a 1-2lb loss per week.

fatladysings72

Ok, so basically, listen to my body and right now since I am not hungry and have energy, I think I will try only eating it back if it is higher than 500, but truthfully, I haven't even been hitting my calorie goal normally without exercise, but I don't want to lower my calorie goal because I don't want to go over everyday either. Having issues...lol

Lyadeia

I'm a standalone type person on this issue, lol.

I don't use MFP to tell me how many calories I need. I started with the Katch-McArdle equation and used a weekly feedback loop to find my personal sweet spot. That being said, exercise is going to be factored in the equation already. I don't "eat back" anything. My sweet spot is around 1650 calories. I eat that daily, no matter how many calories I happen to burn off each day. And I am no where near starving, yet I am quickly reaching my end goal of 16% body fat.

Now, if you are following MFP's guidelines, then I would say, yes, eat them back. They don't factor in exercise, so you need more calories than they tell you if you are working out.

Sycoholic

You have to assess how you feel. This site/app/whatever isn't just designed for people looking to lose weight. If I'm liftig regularly and calories are important to me I would want to eat them back to keep energy levels up. However, I'm trying to lose weight so I always make sure I'm under my calorie goal and don't purposely eat the calories back. I eat what I'm comfortable eating. I don't think I could eat what it tells me to unless I made some poor choices or added in extra pumpkin pie or something. As long as you're feeling good and have good energy levels you should be fine. My bud at work who I also work out with was trying to cut back but was getting weak and light headed between meals. A granola bar for breakfast simply isn't enough to fuel him until lunch. Eat sensibly. That's the most important thing here. You aren't doing any good if you're starving yourself.

fatladysings72

You have to assess how you feel. This site/app/whatever isn't just designed for people looking to lose weight. If I'm liftig regularly and calories are important to me I would want to eat them back to keep energy levels up. However, I'm trying to lose weight so I always make sure I'm under my calorie goal and don't purposely eat the calories back. I eat what I'm comfortable eating. I don't think I could eat what it tells me to unless I made some poor choices or added in extra pumpkin pie or something. As long as you're feeling good and have good energy levels you should be fine. My bud at work who I also work out with was trying to cut back but was getting weak and light headed between meals. A granola bar for breakfast simply isn't enough to fuel him until lunch. Eat sensibly. That's the most important thing here. You aren't doing any good if you're starving yourself.

Cool, very helpful. Thank you. And you are right, today I almost hit my calorie goal BECAUSE I went for the extra pie...lol (so to speak). But I made myself workout later, so no eating it back!

auddii

Interesting, several people suggested eating them back, but you only responded to the two that told you not to. I'd listen to the people who have several thousand posts on the forum (and are looking pretty great). For more information:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

BurtHuttz

yep. probably best to just cut the calories back to nothing because that would be the fastest weight loss of all, right?

fatladysings72

Interesting, several people suggested eating them back, but you only responded to the two that told you not to. I'd listen to the people who have several thousand posts on the forum (and are looking pretty great). For more information:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

Good call... see THAT is why I love this place. I value straight forward people. Thanks. That is a good point, but I was also looking at how much weight they lost. I think the point is that it may not matter unless you are highly active. So, if I want to eat it back, be very active... what is your thought on that?

fatladysings72

yep. probably best to just cut the calories back to nothing because that would be the fastest weight loss of all, right?

I don't understand, are you trying to be sarcastic? I am trying to be serious. I am not looking to lose quickly. But I am trying to bring my blood sugar down as quickly as possible. So, it is important for me to know if I should try to eat more when I am not hungry now and how will eating that back affect my blood sugar. Just trying to get it all straight. Thanks for your help.

auddii

My vote is yes. I eat back every single one and always have.

BUT, since you're larger you can afford a slightly bigger deficit than a smaller person could. So my caveat would be that if your workouts are <300 cals, you're probably ok. 300-500 cals you should probably eat some, and 500+ you should eat a good percentage. I see people not eat back like 1200 calorie workouts, and that leaves them in a crash-and-burn situation.

For not so active vs. very active, I'd go with what Bean said (quoted above). You have a lot to lose, and have your calories set to lose 1lb/week. You could tolerate a little steeper deficit. You can create that larger deficit by not eating back your calories (or you could set it to 2lbs/week and eat back exercise calories). You'd probably end up around the same place if you're not killing yourself in the gym (I'm all for not going cardio crazy). I'd go with whichever system works, but like Bean said, if you start doing more intense workouts, I'd start eating back some.

(And thank you for being reasonable and listening to all the varied advice.)

tolleirrigon

I started at a similiar weight as you. I do eat most of my calories back but I am not a fanatic about it. Doing it this way I have lost 18 pounds in the past 6 weeks. I am wanting to make sure I can sustain it, not go in starvation mode, and also "fingers crossed" hoping that my skin will have time to adjust so that I will not have that additional issue.

I have done a lot of online research-not just on this site-to help me make the best decision for me.

VeronicaAM

Read from one other member that is not such a thing as starving "fat people " only people who lacks of food for many many days can actually starve . also read that we do usually eat more than we should and the 1500 and the 1800 are way to much I kind of believe that should be truth
For Reference her name is Californiagirl2012

fatladysings72

(And thank you for being reasonable and listening to all the varied advice.)

Well, I am looking for real answers. I would not be helping myself if I ignore life experience from others. That's what the forums are supposed to be for after all.

T1mH

I started with the Katch-McArdle equation and used a weekly feedback loop to find my personal sweet spot. That being said, exercise is going to be factored in the equation already. I don't "eat back" anything. My sweet spot is around 1650 calories. I eat that daily, no matter how many calories I happen to burn off each day.

You are doing the same thing as eating back your calories because they are factored into your daily allowance.

swiftkiss

I have done some research and studies show that the more calories you intake the more you burn. If you suddently cut back on your normal daily food intake healthy or not, your body would react by storing the fats until you eat again. The body tends to itself. I found it is okay to eat the extra burned calories and still lose weight. If you think about it you still would be within your calorie intake amount. I believe it to be alright as long as we do not go over our daily goaled calories.

vanguardfitness

If you're seeing good progress I wouldn't change anything yet

stumblinthrulife

It depends on whether you've factored them in to your requirements and deficit.

If you figured out how many calories you need, including exercise, and then created a deficit from that point, then you don't need to eat back anything you burned off, because you have already done so if you meet your target.

If you just used MFP to figure out your intake, using the 'sedentary' option, then you should eat back your exercise calories in order to ensure you're getting sufficient calories.

Assuming your goal is fat-loss, and not just weight loss, it's not just about the deficit game. Your body needs a certain amount of calories to ensure you are retaining your lean body mass. On that note, as I'm sure many here will also tell you, make sure you are doing some resistance training to minimize lean body mass loss, and maximize fat loss.

fatladysings72

It depends on whether you've factored them in to your requirements and deficit.

If you figured out how many calories you need, including exercise, and then created a deficit from that point, then you don't need to eat back anything you burned off, because you have already done so if you meet your target.

If you just used MFP to figure out your intake, using the 'sedentary' option, then you should eat back your exercise calories in order to ensure you're getting sufficient calories.

Assuming your goal is fat-loss, and not just weight loss, it's not just about the deficit game. Your body needs a certain amount of calories to ensure you are retaining your lean body mass. On that note, as I'm sure many here will also tell you, make sure you are doing some resistance training to minimize lean body mass loss, and maximize fat loss.

That effectively explained the deficit thing for me. No I did not factor it in. So, I am not sure yet how I am going to handle it. As I said I think I will try "eating them back" for now and see how I feel, but, I also kind of agree that if it is working for now, maybe don't change it until I plateau. Thanks so much for all of your input everyone!

jmadams111

Sometimes I do; sometimes I don't. Kinda depends on whether I am hungry or not....or maybe ate a littlw too much in spite of myself. You also have to recognize that most of the calorie counts you end up with are not aleays that accurate. I don't hink it hurts to get int a "habit" that says if you don't want, don't eat it! Its worked so far.

blackmantis

If your eating at a deficit eat your workout calories back if your eating at TDEE then let you exercise be your deficit and do not eat your calories back but do NOT do both.

MoreBean13

The other day I wrote a thread about what has worked for me, and what I consider to be generally applicable rules for almost everyone starting out on this site. I feel a bit shameless plugging my own thread, but I also don't want to retype that TL;DR post, and miss stuff- plus the thread is chick full of good advice from other members. I would stronly encourage you to check it out:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/844040-raspberry-ketones-for-the-rest-of-us?hl=raspberry+ketones+for+

Also, that thing about fat people not being able to starve themselves is pure nonsense. The amount of FAT (adipose tissue) you can lose per week is limited- you start losing lean body mass at a high percentage when your calories go to low, and you risk metabolic and hormonal problems- no matter how much you start out with. It's a dangerous and stupid concept, and incessant promotion of it got that user banned, which is why she isn't posting anymore.

DontStopB_Leakin

Interesting, several people suggested eating them back, but you only responded to the two that told you not to. I'd listen to the people who have several thousand posts on the forum (and are looking pretty great). For more information:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

Good call... see THAT is why I love this place. I value straight forward people. Thanks. That is a good point, but I was also looking at how much weight they lost. I think the point is that it may not matter unless you are highly active. So, if I want to eat it back, be very active... what is your thought on that?

I eat back my exercise calories. All. The. Time.


Check out my ticker. Yup.

Weebs628

I eat back mine. Nom nom nom... if I'm not hungry, I don't (that's not very often!), but 9 times out of 10, I dip into my exercise calories.

emtjmac

In theory, you should eat back what you burn because MFP has built in a deficit for you. There is no way of knowing how accurate your calories burned estimations may or may not be and if you you eat over that actual amount then you may not lose weight in the way that you expect. It is a balance you must find through experimentation.

geekyjock76

You may be setting your goal to lose 1 lb per week, but that's assuming you eat back those exercise calories. MFP already provides a deficit of 500 calories below predicted TDEE for you. If you exercise, it adds those exercise calories to your deficit, thus increasing your 1 lb per week loss to a greater amount. As others have stated, since you are around 300 lbs, you can actually begin with a weight loss goal of 2 lbs. But again, if you aren't eating back - at least some exercise calories - you are likely losing over 1 lb per week.