I don't want to eat up my calories burned from working out

ErinBeth7

I'M BRINGING UP THIS TOPIC B/C A FEW PEOPLE SEEM TO BE CONCERNED THAT I'M "STARVING" MY BODY B/C I'M NOT EATING UP MY WORKOUT CALORIES. I KNOW THAT THE "BEST" WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT AND KEEP IT OFF IS TO ONLY LOSE 1-2 LBS A WEEK (500 CAL DEFICIT/DAY). I ALSO KNOW THAT WEIGHT LOSS IS A SIMPLE EQUATION. YOU HAVE TO CREATE A CALORIE DEFICIT! YOU CAN DO THIS BY LOWERING YOU CALORIES/INCREASING YOUR WORKOUT. MY QUESTION IS, IF I BUST MY HUMP BURNING AN EXTRA 700 CALORIES WHY WOULD I WANT TO EAT THOSE CALORIES? I DON'T THINK ANYONE WAS BEING MEAN ONLY CONCERNED. I HAVE ALSO TALKED TO SEVERAL PPL WHO DON'T EVEN RECORD THEIR CALORIES BURNED FOR THIS REASON. JUST CURIOUS WHAT YOU ALL THINK?

Then you must be aware that MFP already builds in your 500cal deficit. Right?

This is true, MFP already gives you that 500 calorie deficit when it tells you what your calorie goal is. So, really any extra calorie burn (like your exercising) is gonna add to that 500 calorie deficit. Theoretically, If you followed all the rules and met the calorie goal every day that MFP gave you, then you would essentially lose weight without exercising.

I think you should just listen to your body. If you feel like you need to eat more, then eat more. If you feel fine exercising and not eating back the calories, then do it. Your body will let you know if you're not getting enough food. You'll feel it and see it.

wareagle8706

There is nothing wrong with not eating back your exercise calories.

Just know if/when you might stall you'll need to readjust your calorie intake.

It sounds like you have the hang of this.

Cassi_Eats_Apples

eyeshuh

You are not doing the "simple equation" correctly. The math is already built in to MFP. You don't have to add more math on top of the math and starve yourself trying to create a deficit that is already there.

Lifting_Knitter

I'M BRINGING UP THIS TOPIC B/C A FEW PEOPLE SEEM TO BE CONCERNED THAT I'M "STARVING" MY BODY B/C I'M NOT EATING UP MY WORKOUT CALORIES. I KNOW THAT THE "BEST" WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT AND KEEP IT OFF IS TO ONLY LOSE 1-2 LBS A WEEK (500 CAL DEFICIT/DAY). I ALSO KNOW THAT WEIGHT LOSS IS A SIMPLE EQUATION. YOU HAVE TO CREATE A CALORIE DEFICIT! YOU CAN DO THIS BY LOWERING YOU CALORIES/INCREASING YOUR WORKOUT. MY QUESTION IS, IF I BUST MY HUMP BURNING AN EXTRA 700 CALORIES WHY WOULD I WANT TO EAT THOSE CALORIES? I DON'T THINK ANYONE WAS BEING MEAN ONLY CONCERNED. I HAVE ALSO TALKED TO SEVERAL PPL WHO DON'T EVEN RECORD THEIR CALORIES BURNED FOR THIS REASON. JUST CURIOUS WHAT YOU ALL THINK?

Then you must be aware that MFP already builds in your 500cal deficit. Right?

^^^ This

bronnyd

Go for it. Do what you want. You'll see short-term results and then nothing. I'll be waiting for your next post:

I'M BRINGING UP THIS TOPIC B/C I'M PRETTY CONCERNED THAT I'M NOT LOSING ANY MORE... I SWEAR I'M NOT STARVING MY BODY BUT THE SCALE WON'T GO DOWN. WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK?

:laugh: :laugh:

I echo these sentiments. You don't want to? Then don't. Nobody cares. I'll continue eating back my exercise calories and I'll continue losing, thanks!

WendyTerry420

So increase your daily calories instead of eating them back. Just don't let your deficit get too high, or your weight loss will stall. And don't forget that MFP gives you a deficit without your exercise calories built in. So if you don't want to eat them back, then don't burn more than 500 a day and change your settings to lose one pound a week instead of two.

LizL217

You could just reset your activity level according to how often you work out, probably either lightly or moderately active. MFP will then give you the calories you should be eating and you won't have to deal withh the psychological factor of "eating back" calories burned.

^this is good advice if the issue is that you feel like you're "wasting" all your hard work by eating more. I tend to think of eating more on workout days as fueling my body and giving my muscles some building blocks to get stronger, so maybe your issue is your relationship with food.

Either way, your strategy is either going to give you the long-term results you want, or it isn't, and that's how you'll know if it's the right strategy or not. The reason people express their concern to you is that many of them have personal experience with your strategy and have found that it didn't work. So take that advice as what it is (the voices of experience) or don't... whatever you want to do.

vjohn04

I'M BRINGING UP THIS TOPIC B/C A FEW PEOPLE SEEM TO BE CONCERNED THAT I'M "STARVING" MY BODY B/C I'M NOT EATING UP MY WORKOUT CALORIES. I KNOW THAT THE "BEST" WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT AND KEEP IT OFF IS TO ONLY LOSE 1-2 LBS A WEEK (500 CAL DEFICIT/DAY). I ALSO KNOW THAT WEIGHT LOSS IS A SIMPLE EQUATION. YOU HAVE TO CREATE A CALORIE DEFICIT! YOU CAN DO THIS BY LOWERING YOU CALORIES/INCREASING YOUR WORKOUT. MY QUESTION IS, IF I BUST MY HUMP BURNING AN EXTRA 700 CALORIES WHY WOULD I WANT TO EAT THOSE CALORIES? I DON'T THINK ANYONE WAS BEING MEAN ONLY CONCERNED. I HAVE ALSO TALKED TO SEVERAL PPL WHO DON'T EVEN RECORD THEIR CALORIES BURNED FOR THIS REASON. JUST CURIOUS WHAT YOU ALL THINK?

Your body, do what you want. But be warned.... like I want to tell my husband sometimes..... "I told you so"!

ChristinaR720

It's your body and your weight loss journey. What works for one person may not work for another, so if not eating back your exercise calories works for you, then don't do it.

714rah714

Stalls are inevitable, just your body's way of coping with its new healthy and more active lifestyle.

dsimmons107

Kelfer I am going to say it really depends on how you view food:
1. Fuel
2. Entertainment and comfort.
3. A necessary evil or problem
4. A combination of fuel and enjoyment
You will eat based on how you view food. This is a very complex issue based on where you are in your progress. Some people reach a point where they exercise more so they can eat more. Some eat more than they should so they have to exercise more. We all want to be satisfied with our intake and that is where the problem comes in. You need to take in enough food to meet your body's fuel needs and that takes into account the quality of the food you eat. That will also impact how much you can take in. The deficit should be sufficient to get your weight loss but not be such a deficit that you do not get the fuel you need. That is what the concern is about. Some people want to lose weight to fast and don't give the body enough fuel and even worst they are not eating the right foods. Eating the wrong foods and having a deficit can get weight loss but not necessarily good weight loss. You want good weight loss. Hope this helps new friend.

EmilyOfTheSun

Sigh. Enjoy being "skinny fat."

kelfer80

I DIDN'T MAEN ANYTHING RUDE. WHY ARE SO MANY PPL BEING SO UGLY? I'M NOT YELLING I JST LIKE TO TYPE IN ALL CAPS. DIDN'T KNOW THIS TOPIC HAD BEEN BROUGHT UP SO MUCH. SORRY FOR RUBBING SO MANY OF YOU THE WRONG WAY. I WILL THINK TWICE BEFORE POSTING IN THE FUTURE.

mzshah

i sort of over did my calorie count - i worked out still and lost 3 pounds since I started. I'm trying real hard to see the logic that when I exert myself physically I will need to eat more. it's hard - but I'm know it's necessary

ingeh

Maybe work out your TDEE and minus 500 from that? Iv set mine to 1-3 hrs exercise a week (I do 30 day shred plus a few 15 mins workouts from youtube a week) and im eating that amount that im given. Then exercise is factored in so you dont need to log and eat back unless you burn a really high amount or going over your set activity level?

stumblinthrulife

Sounds like people have previously told you what they think, and this post is just you saying "I'm not going to take your advice, so nurrr".

So I'll just say you've been given advice by people who have already been down your path, found out what works and what doesn't work, and are sincerely trying to help you not make the mistakes they made. If you want to ignore that advice, that's your prerogative. Just do it quietly.

Amy62575

I'M BRINGING UP THIS TOPIC B/C A FEW PEOPLE SEEM TO BE CONCERNED THAT I'M "STARVING" MY BODY B/C I'M NOT EATING UP MY WORKOUT CALORIES. I KNOW THAT THE "BEST" WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT AND KEEP IT OFF IS TO ONLY LOSE 1-2 LBS A WEEK (500 CAL DEFICIT/DAY). I ALSO KNOW THAT WEIGHT LOSS IS A SIMPLE EQUATION. YOU HAVE TO CREATE A CALORIE DEFICIT! YOU CAN DO THIS BY LOWERING YOU CALORIES/INCREASING YOUR WORKOUT. MY QUESTION IS, IF I BUST MY HUMP BURNING AN EXTRA 700 CALORIES WHY WOULD I WANT TO EAT THOSE CALORIES? I DON'T THINK ANYONE WAS BEING MEAN ONLY CONCERNED. I HAVE ALSO TALKED TO SEVERAL PPL WHO DON'T EVEN RECORD THEIR CALORIES BURNED FOR THIS REASON. JUST CURIOUS WHAT YOU ALL THINK?

You stated "Just curious what you all think?"

I am here to say that I didn't believe in eating calories back and in 2011 I busted my *kitten* eating right and exercising faithfully 6 and sometimes 7 days a week. The results were only an 8 pound loss in those 5 months and minimal changes in my measurements.

I decided to listen to what all my wise friends on mfp were saying and I have lost 4lbs in 3 weeks this time around. How? BY EATING MY EXERCISE CALORIES BACK. Yes, I'm shouting back at you. Remember this: just because you don't understand it, doesn't mean it doesn't work.

That's what I think. But hey, if you want to go months without seeing much change, keep doing what you're doing. Who are we to judge?

Also remember, when you ask what people think, you may not get the answers you think you want to hear.

That's all I've got.

1newcat

Then you must be aware that MFP already builds in your 500cal deficit. Right?

LOL- , know I didn't realize that. So that was helpful, but reading through some of these responses, I'm a little scared of ever posting what will undoubtedly be considered a stupid question by some in the future. Is it always a tough crowd or do some posts hit people the wrong way?

DaBossLady24

Me thinks you need to stop yelling. :yawn: