Just started...eat back calories or no? Help!!

kpchefai

Hi All,

I realize that there are lots of topics for this but they seem to be mostly for people who have hit a "plateau" not for those just beginning. I just started to be serious with this last week and I am wondering if I should be eating back the calories I burn through exercise.

I have not been good about logging everything but I swore today I would start logging every little thing.

I have been doing Jillian's 30 Day Shred in the morning before work and I log it between 150-250 calories depending on my heart rate monitor.

Then I also do 60 mins of Zumba/Kickboxing 5-6 days a week. I haven't used my HRM in class yet but generally log it at 650 calories for the hour based on a website calculation. I will use it tonight for the first time to see what it reads.

I saw some weight loss when I started Zumba about 2.5 weeks ago, I dropped from 192ish to 185ish but nothing since then. In fact I have gone back up to 187ish. MFP gave me a calorie limit of 1200/day. I am terrible at math, even entering it into calculators and I am lost on what my amount should be. I am trying to get an appointment with a nutritionist to go over everything but in the meantime looking for some help!

I currently weigh 187 and am looking for 145-150. I am 5'7 and live a moderately active lifestyle(I am teacher so am moving all day long).

Thank you so much and sorry for bringing up this topic again!!

Kiwi_09

I say yes to eating them back. There are lots of opinions out there though. As long as you are recording EVERYTHING and being honest you'll see results.
Having a HRM really helps since it's much more accurate.
I'd say give it a month with eating back calories and if you don't see anything then maybe try only eating half.
Why starve yourself if you don't need to!

pastryari

If you are following MFP's system, then yes you are supposed to eat them back.

LorinaLynn

If you are following MFP's system, then yes you are supposed to eat them back.

This. It's how the site was designed to work.

julesxo

I would. I always eat back most if not all of them, otherwise I am hungry
I lost weight so far and keeping at it.

kpchefai

Thank you...I just changed my goals from 2 lbs/week back to 1 lb/week and it upped my calorie goal to 1690. Now the challenge will be eating that much. I think I will try half first and see how it goes. Thanks again!