Don't Eat back your exercise Calories !!???/

ctalimenti

I don't trust the eating back your calories theory, just because the fact that people usually over estimate the amount of calories burned through exercise, then people tend to "reward" themselves with food and find themselves over indulging.

But I also think that no one does themselves a favour by eating only 1200 cals.

Eating back exercise calories "theory"?

"Theory" as in musings of calorie counting/weight loss beginners amongst themselves?



I lose, gain, and maintain with precision, precision that requires knowing how many exercise cals I burn each and every day. Likewise I'm pretty much convinced that plateaus are a myth, pretty much a side effect of sucking at estimating your calorie needs (either way, too much or too little).

I'm certianly not alone, there are plenty of us long past our initial goal weight that see estimating exercise calories well to be absolutely vital, every bit as important as estimating food calories well.

LOL, love this!!

bpwparents

If I'm hungry and still have calories left from working out, I eat. If I'm not hungry, I don't. It's nice to have the cushion if you need at least a little bit of the calories. My 100 calorie chai latte is a great treat to add if I have the room on an exercise day. Yummm

Julzanne72

I don't trust the eating back your calories theory, just because the fact that people usually over estimate the amount of calories burned through exercise, then people tend to "reward" themselves with food and find themselves over indulging.

But I also think that no one does themselves a favour by eating only 1200 cals.

Unless they use a HRM, in which case, over-estimating doesn't happen.

HRMs don't guarantee anything... they are still just an estimate, and can be horribly inaccurate depending on how they are used.

I use one with a chest strap and I find it to be pretty accurate, I don't use the mfp built in calories burns, because they are very inaccurate. I would say using a good HRM is the best way to calculate calorie burn, if you have it set up w/ your weight, age, etc....just my opinion. Better than just trying to guess or using the built ins on mfp.

motd2k

I train with an SRM on the bike, so know pretty much exactly what i've burnt. Eat them back... dont eat them back - doesn't matter, just end the day with your deficit target.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

I don't trust the eating back your calories theory, just because the fact that people usually over estimate the amount of calories burned through exercise, then people tend to "reward" themselves with food and find themselves over indulging.

But I also think that no one does themselves a favour by eating only 1200 cals.

So that's why you wear your heart rate monitor and measure your food. It's still an estimate, but it gets you within a reasonable percentage of error. If you don't want to eat them back then you need to calculate you TDEE and BMR and then eat according to the weight loss goals associated with that.

Faye_Anderson

Don't eat them back if you want to lose quicker.

Why would anyone want to lose quicker? It's not a race, slow steady weight loss and educating yourself about what your body needs is proven to be more effective to maintaining weight loss and health in the long term. People who lose faster are usually the yo-yo dieters, or the people who end up back here 2 years down the line heavier than they were in the first place.

motd2k

I don't trust the eating back your calories theory, just because the fact that people usually over estimate the amount of calories burned through exercise, then people tend to "reward" themselves with food and find themselves over indulging.

But I also think that no one does themselves a favour by eating only 1200 cals.

Unless they use a HRM, in which case, over-estimating doesn't happen.

HRMs don't guarantee anything... they are still just an estimate, and can be horribly inaccurate depending on how they are used.

I use one with a chest strap and I find it to be pretty accurate, I don't use the mfp built in calories burns, because they are very inaccurate. I would say using a good HRM is the best way to calculate calorie burn, if you have it set up w/ your weight, age, etc....just my opinion. Better than just trying to guess or using the built ins on mfp.

It's not accurate at all really - if you're stressed, if you didn't sleep, too much coffee, coming down with a bug... tons of things affect your heart rate other than the effort you're exerting. Use it as a guide, but don't trust the burn figures as being exact purely because you know your average heartrate for the effort.

spfldpam

I use MFP and FitBit. So I should be eating my exercise cals back? I set my cals at 1000 a day but have had gastric sleeve surgery back in 6/11/12 is why it is set at 1000 cals a day. My nut. and bariatric physical therapist told me if I exercised more than 30 minutes a day to start eating 1200 cals a day. I have been exercising 1 hour and 20 minutes the last couple weeks broken into three times a day. I did up my cals on MFP to 1100 yesterday but still didn't eat back my exercise cals. I noticed am at a stall now for the last week or so. I only need to loose about 7-17 more pounds to be a my personal weight goal of 130-140 for my 5'4" height and realized loosing those last pounds will be tough. So should I eat the exercise cals back!?!?
Thanks!

TrailRunner61

I just eat some of mine back if I REALLY GET HUNGRY, as in... my stomach is growling, not because I'm bored or that cake looks good, blah blah. There is a difference between eating exercise calories because you can, and eating them because you NEED them. If I work out with a 'walk' and have 2-300 cals left, I'm less likely to eat them because I'm not really hungry. If I work out like yesterday and burn nearly 1,000 cals, I end up starving by the time I go to bed so I eat something! I just try to stick with healthy stuff like nuts, protein packed food, fruit, etc. I won't go and eat a huge piece of cake just because I have the calories. Not that I never fit in treats, because I do! Just try to eat something that will nourish and repair your body most of the time.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/717858-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-and-deficit-calcs-macros-hrm

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/813720-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-deficit-macro-calcs-hrm-zones

Look at those links. The last one is a spreadsheet to help you calculate your tdee and bmr and appropriate deficit. If you don't want to log and eat back your exercise calories you really should just set your diary to a higher and more appropriate level to begin with.

CyberEd312

I don't trust the eating back your calories theory, just because the fact that people usually over estimate the amount of calories burned through exercise, then people tend to "reward" themselves with food and find themselves over indulging.

But I also think that no one does themselves a favour by eating only 1200 cals.

Unless they use a HRM, in which case, over-estimating doesn't happen.

HRMs don't guarantee anything... they are still just an estimate, and can be horribly inaccurate depending on how they are used.

But they (HRM) can be a better estimate than not using anything at all over just believing the numbers you see on the gym treadmill or elliptical. I have used the Polar FT60 HRM since I was finally able to support my own weight and get out of the pool. My approach (and yes I know HRM are not completely accurate) has been to take my calorie burn number from my HRM and eat back 85% (just a number a played with til I found a balancing point) of my calories burned leaving 15% for error (in accuracy and logging) which has worked out pretty good for me. OP it comes down to how you figure you caloric intake is it by TDEE (in which case your exercise is already figured in) or are you using the MFP method (which if so you need to be eating those calories back). Best of Luck....

CyberEd312

I don't trust the eating back your calories theory, just because the fact that people usually over estimate the amount of calories burned through exercise, then people tend to "reward" themselves with food and find themselves over indulging.

But I also think that no one does themselves a favour by eating only 1200 cals.

Unless they use a HRM, in which case, over-estimating doesn't happen.

HRMs don't guarantee anything... they are still just an estimate, and can be horribly inaccurate depending on how they are used.

I use one with a chest strap and I find it to be pretty accurate, I don't use the mfp built in calories burns, because they are very inaccurate. I would say using a good HRM is the best way to calculate calorie burn, if you have it set up w/ your weight, age, etc....just my opinion. Better than just trying to guess or using the built ins on mfp.

It's not accurate at all really - if you're stressed, if you didn't sleep, too much coffee, coming down with a bug... tons of things affect your heart rate other than the effort you're exerting. Use it as a guide, but don't trust the burn figures as being exact purely because you know your average heartrate for the effort.

I will bet my 311 lbs. lost that using my HRM is far more affective than pulling a number out of the air... :drinker:

buildingdreams

Thanks everyone, I will take all the info and do some research. I'm currently set to 1235 per day . exercise is usually 400 calories. I haven't over indulged. I don't eat meat or dairy ( except Skim milk which I'm trying to get off) I eat alot of veggies and 1 cup of beans daily and salads with everything in it !! Been this way for a year and down 17 lbs . Slow but it will last!!

jacksonpt

I don't trust the eating back your calories theory, just because the fact that people usually over estimate the amount of calories burned through exercise, then people tend to "reward" themselves with food and find themselves over indulging.

But I also think that no one does themselves a favour by eating only 1200 cals.

Unless they use a HRM, in which case, over-estimating doesn't happen.

HRMs don't guarantee anything... they are still just an estimate, and can be horribly inaccurate depending on how they are used.

But they (HRM) can be a better estimate than not using anything at all over just believing the numbers you see on the gym treadmill or elliptical. I have used the Polar FT60 HRM since I was finally able to support my own weight and get out of the pool. My approach (and yes I know HRM are not completely accurate) has been to take my calorie burn number from my HRM and eat back 85% (just a number a played with til I found a balancing point) of my calories burned leaving 15% for error (in accuracy and logging) which has worked out pretty good for me. OP it comes down to how you figure you caloric intake is it by TDEE (in which case your exercise is already figured in) or are you using the MFP method (which if so you need to be eating those calories back). Best of Luck....

Correct, in most cases HRMs are a better estimate. But they are still just an estimate. Try using it for strength training. Or wear it all day long to calculate TDEE. Both will give you horrible results. Or use it for intervals... higher level of inaccuracy there too. Or use it for steady state cardio but don't take the time to setup it up correctly.

I wasn't bashing HRMs... I was merely responding to the suggestion that using an HRM will take away any possible over-estimations.

CyberEd312

I don't trust the eating back your calories theory, just because the fact that people usually over estimate the amount of calories burned through exercise, then people tend to "reward" themselves with food and find themselves over indulging.

But I also think that no one does themselves a favour by eating only 1200 cals.

Unless they use a HRM, in which case, over-estimating doesn't happen.

HRMs don't guarantee anything... they are still just an estimate, and can be horribly inaccurate depending on how they are used.

But they (HRM) can be a better estimate than not using anything at all over just believing the numbers you see on the gym treadmill or elliptical. I have used the Polar FT60 HRM since I was finally able to support my own weight and get out of the pool. My approach (and yes I know HRM are not completely accurate) has been to take my calorie burn number from my HRM and eat back 85% (just a number a played with til I found a balancing point) of my calories burned leaving 15% for error (in accuracy and logging) which has worked out pretty good for me. OP it comes down to how you figure you caloric intake is it by TDEE (in which case your exercise is already figured in) or are you using the MFP method (which if so you need to be eating those calories back). Best of Luck....

Correct, in most cases HRMs are a better estimate. But they are still just an estimate. Try using it for strength training. Or wear it all day long to calculate TDEE. Both will give you horrible results. Or use it for intervals... higher level of inaccuracy there too. Or use it for steady state cardio but don't take the time to setup it up correctly.

I wasn't bashing HRMs... I was merely responding to the suggestion that using an HRM will take away any possible over-estimations.

Totally agree with you, (definitely wearing it during weight training and you might as well throw darts at a dartboard... lol) just wanted to add to your post that for some instead of guessing HRM can be used as another tool in your arsenal to maybe help you get a little more accuracy when figuring your calorie burned.......

motd2k

I will bet my 311 lbs. lost that using my HRM is far more affective than pulling a number out of the air... :drinker:

Sure, it's more accurate than pulling a number out of the air, but what i'm saying is don't go eating back 100% of the calories your heartrate monitor (with it's ~+- 25% accuracy) tell you that you expend... especially if the numbers are relatively low anyway. I'd even go so far as to suggest that some higher-end gym based ergometers are more accurate with their calorie figures than basing it purely on a HRM!

Anyway, we have digressed!

Dymatized

If you wanna be skinny fat, then don't eat them back. If you wanna look hot and toned, eat them back and hit your macros targets! (If you're using MFP the way it's set up. If you have your own custom calorie setup then it may be different).

This ^

yoovie

dont worry about it - just go workout instead

LaLa_Ventura

I try my best not to eat them all. Sometimes im just not hungry after working out but I know I need to eat something so I have a obj with only one piece of bread sliced in half, half a serving of peanut buttet and low sugar jam.

jillianedwards

I use my HRM while im working out (starting with cardio ending with strength training) If my heart rate is still up around 120-170 during that time would it still be accurate? My resting heart rate is around 80.