Calorie allowances from exercise - To Use or Not To Use?!

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Replies

  • XoXoLJFitness
    XoXoLJFitness Posts: 48
    I eat them back. The recommended calories is 2400 (I know this varies slightly) but when you are trying to loose weight you are already at half the recommended daily calories of 1200 which is why you are expected to loose weight even without exercise. Going below 1200 will slow down your metabolism and your body needs that extra energy your burned to repair itself; not being counterproductive because I am sure you build muscle during your workout and gave your heat a stellar run for its money!
  • akaMrsmojo
    akaMrsmojo Posts: 762 Member
    I have always been told that if you are hungry after you work out, then your metabolism is working properly. If you workout and your are not, your metabolism is damaged. I am sure that is not 100 percent of time but I am not chancing it. Generally I am starving after I workout. I always eat and I always lose.
  • celtbell3
    celtbell3 Posts: 738 Member
    For months I was eating them back but not losing weight. About three weeks ago I stopped eating them back - I'm staying within my 1200/daily and I've lost almost seven pounds. I've decided that the eat-back method does not work for me.
  • llkilgore
    llkilgore Posts: 1,169 Member
    During the weight loss phase I ate back a minimum of 2/3rds of my exercise calories to allow for MFP's overestimation. Currently I'm eating at a TDEE calculated on another site and tweaked up or down as needed to maintain my weight. I don't need to eat back exercise calories because they've already been taken into account.

    While it didn't take very long to realize that MFP was overestimating my burn from exercise, I never considered not eating back exercise calories at all. As a reforming couch potato in my late 50s I'd already lost some muscle mass, just from carelessness, and eating at too large of a calorie deficit would have cost me more. It's hard enough to build muscle when you're young. Try doing it when you're 8 or 9 years post menopausal. Also, while I didn't think about it at the time, I think what I did to conserve my muscle mass - a moderate calorie deficit, plenty of protein, and regular strength training - also helped a lot with the recovery of my skin. It's about 98% snapped back after losing almost a third of my starting weight. Not bad considering how late in life I lost it.
  • loripullum
    loripullum Posts: 1
    Thanks that answers my question:smile:
  • nminden
    nminden Posts: 55 Member
    Thank you all for your contributions to my question. I'm new to this site and am astounded by the quick response of so many friends.
    It became an amazing and helpful discussion with so much valuable input. Thank you!!!
  • smr071165
    smr071165 Posts: 4
    I'm also very new to the site. I can tell from the discussions that I really need to find out how it works much better. It was my understanding when I signed up, that based on my mostly sedentary work-style, I should be at 1200 calories. And that if I add in extra exercise, it would be a good thing. Not make it so that I have to eat more.
    I'm trying to learn how to eat healthy. I have a 2 egg omelet with 1 pc of toast for breakfast (about 300 calories), a really big salad for lunch (about 100 calories), which leaves me with 800 calories for the rest of the day. I try to have a snack of unsalted peanuts, or something like that. But I still struggle with getting to the 1200 calories more days than most. To top if off, I'm also trying to learn how to eat fewer carbs.
    So, I never eat back my exercise calories...there just isn't enough room in my stomach for another 200-400 calories! Or enough time in the day to get it all in.

    Please don't beat me up, I'm trying to learn and some of the posts seem a bit harsh to this newbie.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I'm also very new to the site. I can tell from the discussions that I really need to find out how it works much better. It was my understanding when I signed up, that based on my mostly sedentary work-style, I should be at 1200 calories. And that if I add in extra exercise, it would be a good thing. Not make it so that I have to eat more.
    I'm trying to learn how to eat healthy. I have a 2 egg omelet with 1 pc of toast for breakfast (about 300 calories), a really big salad for lunch (about 100 calories), which leaves me with 800 calories for the rest of the day. I try to have a snack of unsalted peanuts, or something like that. But I still struggle with getting to the 1200 calories more days than most. To top if off, I'm also trying to learn how to eat fewer carbs.
    So, I never eat back my exercise calories...there just isn't enough room in my stomach for another 200-400 calories! Or enough time in the day to get it all in.

    Please don't beat me up, I'm trying to learn and some of the posts seem a bit harsh to this newbie.

    Ummm .... 100 calorie lunch .....why?

    Add some full fat salad dressing .... 1 TABLESPOON is 100 calories ... add some avocado (OR a handful of nuts, OR a sprinkle of cheese) .... at least another 100. FAT is good for you..... it's not something to be afraid of. 2 tablespoons of a calorie dense food is not going to make you "too full"

    Don't eat your calories if you CHOOSE .... but muscle tissue loss is terrible for your metabolism.
  • KMel30
    KMel30 Posts: 1 Member
    Definitely eat them back... you are supposed to net 1200 to lose the weight based on the information you gave them. No one should ever eat less than 1200 calories p/day, your body will go into starvation mode and you'll end up either not losing or gaining.
  • m3x43
    m3x43 Posts: 40

    I'm also very new to the site. I can tell from the discussions that I really need to find out how it works much better. It was my understanding when I signed up, that based on my mostly sedentary work-style, I should be at 1200 calories. And that if I add in extra exercise, it would be a good thing. Not make it so that I have to eat more.
    I'm trying to learn how to eat healthy. I have a 2 egg omelet with 1 pc of toast for breakfast (about 300 calories), a really big salad for lunch (about 100 calories), which leaves me with 800 calories for the rest of the day. I try to have a snack of unsalted peanuts, or something like that. But I still struggle with getting to the 1200 calories more days than most. To top if off, I'm also trying to learn how to eat fewer carbs.
    So, I never eat back my exercise calories...there just isn't enough room in my stomach for another 200-400 calories! Or enough time in the day to get it all in.


    Please don't beat me up, I'm trying to learn and some of the posts seem a bit harsh to this newbie.

    I am new to this site also and had no idea that not eating the exercise allowance could cost me muscle mass. Now I do and thanks to all for that info. And I agree about the harsh remarks but they have taught me to be sure I share what I learn in the future with kindness.
  • smr071165
    smr071165 Posts: 4


    Ummm .... 100 calorie lunch .....why?

    Add some full fat salad dressing .... 1 TABLESPOON is 100 calories ... add some avocado (OR a handful of nuts, OR a sprinkle of cheese) .... at least another 100. FAT is good for you..... it's not something to be afraid of. 2 tablespoons of a calorie dense food is not going to make you "too full"

    Don't eat your calories if you CHOOSE .... but muscle tissue loss is terrible for your metabolism.

    My challenge is that I dislike dressing and cheese. It's really tough to eat more calories. A 100 caloris salad will fill me up for a few hours. Lots of good vegetables. I guess I just need to try to find other things to eat. But I'm trying to keep low-carb/low-sugar, which makes it tough. I'll have to talk to my nutritionist agani and show him my food/exercise log.
  • kellijauch
    kellijauch Posts: 379 Member
    I only eat back my exercise calories if I am hungry. If I'm not hungry, I don't eat them back.

    ^ this. Listen to your body. Trust your body.
  • akaMrsmojo
    akaMrsmojo Posts: 762 Member
    I'm also very new to the site. I can tell from the discussions that I really need to find out how it works much better. It was my understanding when I signed up, that based on my mostly sedentary work-style, I should be at 1200 calories. And that if I add in extra exercise, it would be a good thing. Not make it so that I have to eat more.
    I'm trying to learn how to eat healthy. I have a 2 egg omelet with 1 pc of toast for breakfast (about 300 calories), a really big salad for lunch (about 100 calories), which leaves me with 800 calories for the rest of the day. I try to have a snack of unsalted peanuts, or something like that. But I still struggle with getting to the 1200 calories more days than most. To top if off, I'm also trying to learn how to eat fewer carbs.
    So, I never eat back my exercise calories...there just isn't enough room in my stomach for another 200-400 calories! Or enough time in the day to get it all in.

    Please don't beat me up, I'm trying to learn and some of the posts seem a bit harsh to this newbie.

    Please understand many people are not trying to be snarky but helpful. Many people have made the same mistake.

    Eating healthy is not about eating less or starving yourself. It is about eating the proper amount for your activity level. If you do nothing but lay in a bed all day, you burn a certain amount of calories and that is your BMR. That is what MFP is based. If you exercise, your body needs more fuel. As a rule, you should not eat less than your BMR for a long period of time. You will lose eating them back and you will feel great. I promise.

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