Eating back calories

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Replies

  • DirtyTrickster
    DirtyTrickster Posts: 202 Member
    Why exactly do you think MFP would up your calorie GOAL when you log exercise? Do you think MFP is just trying to play a sick joke on you? It is a calorie GOAL...it is something to be achieved just as any other goal. Achieve your goals.

    I wasn't sure, that's why I was asking.
  • Susan_fessler
    Susan_fessler Posts: 56 Member
    If I don't eat back most of my calories I do not lose any weight, or if I do it's not even .5 a pound. I do crossfit at the gym 5 days a week and then started training for a 5k last week. I do it to be in better shape and be more toned but I am also dieting to lose 40lbs and I have to eat the exercise calories or nothing happens. I know everyone is different so you need to figure out what works for you. Nothing is more frustrating then eating your calorie (1200) and working out for weeks and only losing 1.5 pounds it makes me give up, then I finally starting eating more calories when I work out and the weight starting coming off.
  • jhstroebel
    jhstroebel Posts: 49 Member
    I think this has been stated in multiple posts above but to summarize.

    1) You exercise to not only allow yourself to eat more calories, but to be fit and healthy. Also exercise and resistance training helps to tone and build muscle (which in turn raises your metabolism, will help your skin keep its elasticity if you are losing a large amount of weight, and to get the body composition you are probably looking for).

    2) The misconception is you burn more calories and eat less and you will lose the weight more quickly. While this is true, you are not going to achieve what you want. At a certain point your body is starting to not only burn fat, but also start cannibalizing your muscle mass for energy b/c you haven't eaten enough to sustain it for the amount of exercise you are doing. Food is fuel first and foremost. I personally made this same mistake and while the scale number kept dropping, I was also losing muscle mass and my BF% wasn't dropping like it should have.

    3) MFP's formula already gives you the calorie deficit for you to lose weight. When you exercise it gives you more calories to eat (that you need to eat back) because your body needs them... you are still eating at a deficit even when you eat back your exercise calories. The important thing to note is to make sure you don't overestimate your exercise calories. There might be some logic in eating back a portion of your exercise calories just b/c most of the estimates are high to begin with. If you are manually entering calories from exercise based on a HRM or other more accurate method, I would eat back your calories in whole.

    In short... Eat back your exercise calories if you are using MFP as designed. The only reason not to do this is if you are using the TDEE method.
  • emcclore
    emcclore Posts: 38
    "I agree.

    I guess my question boiled down to if I exercise for weight loss and then eat back those calories, why even exercise."

    OK, if this is really the question -- here is the answer from my standpoint.

    1. My MFP setting is at 1500 calories on a non-workout day. That's not a lot. On a non-workout day, I eat right up to it.
    If I burn 500 extra calories in a workout, I'm likely to eat back 300 or 400 (at least during the week; I do eat more on the weekend), so I actually have a slightly bigger deficit on those days. And I am a lot happier besides

    2. Using this system has me working out a lot more -- 6-7 days a week vs 3-5 previously.

    3. Working out will help you retain muscle, thus maximizing the percentage of fat lost. Which I assume is what everyone wants.

    4. Working out greatly reduces my stress, and thus my stress eating.

    5. Working out makes me feel like a healthier person, and it reinforces good choices in the kitchen.

    6. Working out is going to make maintenance a hell of a lot easier once I get there.

    I had this question recently.... and I like your approach... great help, Thanks!
  • The_Next_Disney_Princess
    The_Next_Disney_Princess Posts: 3 Member
    Thanks! I've been really struggling with what I've read. Some people say eat them back, other people don't. I've been exercising a lot, I do strength training 3 days a week, and cardio 6 days a week. Although, the past month my measurements and weight have been the same with me eating calories back, but I don't want to not eat them back and potentially lose any muscle I've put on...so it just confuses me as to why I haven't really seen results, you know?

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