why eat back calories???
Replies
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These threads make me sad. So many people abusing themselves and believing they are getting healthy. The damage some of you are doing will take YEARS to reverse.0
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I will tell you this because it is very important--when I was in SUPER good shape, I was eating 1200-1400 calories a day and exercising hard with a personal trainer 3 days a week, exercising alone two more. I did not eat back calories. My weight stalled and did NOT budge for six weeks. I kept up the exact same routine. I was a little tired, but I wasn't super hungry because I had gotten used to eating so little.
But it wasn't until I readjusted my calories and ate MORE (1600-1800) that I started losing weight again. You may not be stalling now, but that day will come and you may wish you had been eating back exercise cals. Like others have said, you need to at LEAST eat your BMR, otherwise you are not just losing fat, you are losing water, fat, and muscle (not what you want). I wish I had known better earlier.0 -
otherwise you are not just losing fat, you are losing water, fat, and muscle (not what you want).
Don't forget bone density loss.0 -
Different things work for different people.
I personally don't eat my calories back. I eat 1200-1500 a day, work out lightly and have a fairly quiet non-active lifestyle (I work from home) though I do some light strength training every day, and cardio 3x a week. When MFP asks if you have a non-active lifestyle to figure out how many calories you should be eating it's a generalized formula that doesn't take into account whether you work, leave the house, run after children, and all the rest.
I've been losing a steady 1 pound a week (sometimes slightly more), don't feel tired or cranky or worn out or upset. I'm actually quite proud of what I've done so far, it's almost 3 months and I'm almost 15 pounds down. I feel fantastic. I'm not out of breath chasing after my husband in the parking lot any more as we go shopping. I feel my stamina building. I'm keeping in mind that this is a lifestyle change, not a diet. I have protein with every meal, and if I'm craving something I try to find a healthier way to accommodate for it. I'm pleased with my progress so far and honestly NONE of this matters because YOU need to figure out what works for YOU. A thousand different people on here will tell you a thousand different things relating to their own personal experiences in losing weight.
Find a healthy method of weight loss that works for you and ignore the petty bickering on the forums.0 -
otherwise you are not just losing fat, you are losing water, fat, and muscle (not what you want).
Don't forget bone density loss.
Weakened bones, hormone function, brain function. lowered immune system, slower metabolism, muscle loss, on and on.0 -
i never eat mine back since i dont have a HRM and such but i dont panic if i go over the calorie coal mfp puts me in when i know i worked out today so i might eat 1700 instead of 1500 if i am hungry in that day and know it wont matter to much since i worked out0
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My only concern for the OP is that her diary shows she is "earning" some very high calories from her cardiovascular exercise - over 1000 calories for a day is not unusual (which is great). If I were going to eat back that many calories, I would want to make sure that I knew to a high degree of certainty that I was actually burning that many calories.
Obviously, we all have to make estimates in our diaries, for both food and exercise. Being off 20% on a 250 calorie burn is 50 calories: in other words, a rounding error. Being off by 20% on a 1100 calorie burn starts to get into the area of an actual issue if compounded daily. And I don't think 20% is a big number to be off by in estimating exercise calories. I've seen some MFP estimates that could easily be off by that kind of percentage.
For someone who is serious about losing weight and is going to use cardiovascular exercise to that extent, it makes sense to get a lot of certainty about calorie burning by using a HRM.0 -
I used to net 600 to 800 calories a day and did this for a couple of years. I lost a ton of weight. I lost fat, muscle, hair, and my metabolism slowed to the point 1200 was maintenance (proven through lab test. I just resently came off my heart medicine i was on because under eating and over training weakend my heart. I had to eat more to get better and gained everything back. This time i did eat my calories back and actually fed my body what it needed. I am not ignorant enough to believe 800 calories is enough to fuel a grown adult, Though I can see this site is full of ignorance and disordered eating. It is very sad.0
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Eat back? Think drink back and relax for a moment.
^^^ Ha ha. This! :drinker:
ETA: I actually exercise just so I can eat/drink more. I don't always eat back all of my exercise calories, but I always eat back some of them. I'm not losing super fast, but I don't have a whole lot to lose.0 -
As long as you're in tune with your body and listen to it... I personally think you dont have to eat back your calories! I eat them back a couple times a week when I want to go out and enjoy my self at a social gathering where there is food and drinks. I don't think it's how much you put in your body, but WHAT you put in your body... everyone is different... if you're satisfied and full of energy then who cares?0
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i have a wellness coach and she told me i was eating enough and it was not necessary to eat back my exercise cals and that by doing that im really just cheating myself but she said to definitly make sure i am eating protien at every meal including snacks. any thoughts on this subject? im new to all this so i am just trying to get the right information
I eat mine back.
Having said that, if I don't eat mine back (which I did for a while a long, long time ago), I find that I don't have the energy to really put the maximal effort into my workouts and I would find myself much more likely to overeat one, two or several times a week. Ever since I have stuck to a NET calorie scheme, I have enough energy to kill my workouts and the desire to binge is now extremely rare.
If you've found yourself anything like me, eat them back.0 -
MFP is a NEAT method calculator which is why you eat back exercise calories. NEAT method calculators assume no exercise in your activity level...this is because a lot of people either don't exercise (and yeah...still lose weight) or they're new to the game and very inconsistent and/or calorie burns are all over the place...this makes a NEAT method calculator advantageous for an individual new to diet and exercise. The key is to make sure that you are not overestimating calorie burn. My rule when I was doing MFP was to eat back at least 50% and up to 70% to allow for estimation error but still fuel my activity.
Also, you don't have to burn a gazillion calories at the gym...your calorie goal already has a substantial deficit built in. If you can't eat back 1000 calories you shouldn't be training like you can.
Diet for weight control (lose, maintain, gain); exercise for fitness. Set fitness goals that are independent of calorie burn and weight loss and I promise you that you'll thank yourself down the road.0 -
ya i get a little crazy on the cardio sometimes i just get so into it but i do want to start lifting i am just waiting until i can afford to get some used weights i do use hand weights but i know its not enough i want to start bench pressing
In the meantime, you can do body weight exercises. All my strength training consists of push-ups, working toward pull-ups, squats, lunges, and planks. I am too poor to afford a gym membership or weights. So in the meantime, that is what I do. And it's been working pretty well for me so far.0 -
I eat some or most of mine back because I do a lot of cardio. I tend to burn 1000 + calories a workout 5 days a week. There is no way I'd make it if I didn't. I try not to eat all of them back but not eating any back would be insane, esp. since my defeict is set to 2 lbs. a week as it is.0
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I think it depends on what you eat if you have to eat it back. If you are eating low calorie healthy food like tuna, chicken, veggies, and so on then i don't see the need to eat all of them back. You could eat a bunch of grilled chicken and it wouldn't amount to a ton of calories and it would make you full, but according to many people on here even after that you should eat back your calories. I don't agree with that. If you are eating high calorie food that uses your calories for the day fast and doesn't give your body the nutrients it needs then yes i would definitely eat back some calories. I make sure I overdue protein and other key components the body needs so i don't have to eat back as many calories. Not the easiest thing to do but it keeps my calories lower0
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Exactly0
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As long as you're in tune with your body and listen to it... I personally think you dont have to eat back your calories! I eat them back a couple times a week when I want to go out and enjoy my self at a social gathering where there is food and drinks. I don't think it's how much you put in your body, but WHAT you put in your body... everyone is different... if you're satisfied and full of energy then who cares?
Exactly! I agree0 -
MFP isn't about trying to eat the fewest possible number of calories. It's about learning to eat at a healthy level for your body - not too much and not too little.
So you do need to eat all of your base calories and at least half of your exercise calories. Here are some ideas for adding healthy calories:
Chicken with the skin
Steak
Cheese
Whole eggs (including deviled eggs, egg salad)
Full fat dairy (including cottage cheese, yogurt)
Fruit,
Peanut butter or other nut butters
Nuts
Avocado
Dried fruit (raisins, apricots, apples)
Dark chocolate
Salmon
Add Chia seeds to salads or yogurt
Olive oil
Smoothies
Granola/sports nutrition bars
Whole grains or whole grain products (like brown rice, Quinoa, oatmeal)
I've been reading through all of these responses and finally someone brings up the real reason you should eat back your exercise calories. You have to give your body the RIGHT type of fuel. You can eat your little low calorie diet meals but are you getting enough protein, good fats, fiber,etc? Probably not. It should never be hard or too filling to eat healthy, calorie dense food that your body will thank you for. An apple and almond butter, carrots and hummus, cooking with coconut oil, etc... When you eat real food, healthy food, in adequate amounts, your metabolism will function better, your hair, skin and nails will look better, you will FEEL better.
I'd also like to reiterate what someone said about excessive cardio. It's not necessary. Weight training with heavy weights is the best thing a woman can do for herself. And in order to get strong you need adequate amounts of protein. Calorie restriction alone, without being mindful of the quality of food you're eating is a recipe for disaster.0 -
Here's my personal example:
If I did not eat back my exercise calories on a day I workout (not just something light like a walk) I would be trying to fuel my extremely healthy (and not overweight) body with...wait for it...760 calories per day.
What say you diet expert nutrition counselor trainer diet expert person???0 -
As long as you're in tune with your body and listen to it... I personally think you dont have to eat back your calories! I eat them back a couple times a week when I want to go out and enjoy my self at a social gathering where there is food and drinks. I don't think it's how much you put in your body, but WHAT you put in your body... everyone is different... if you're satisfied and full of energy then who cares?
Exactly! I agree
So you are NOT of the calorie is a calorie is a calorie mindset? So if I ate 2,000 calories per day of things like rice, beans, fruit, veggies you are saying I would not gain weight. Ok, in what universe is this true? You are stating that when I need to eat no more than 1600/day (that's my maintenance cals, without exercise) as long as those were quality calories that I WOULD NOT EVER GAIN WEIGHT?0 -
I think it depends on what you eat if you have to eat it back. If you are eating low calorie healthy food like tuna, chicken, veggies, and so on then i don't see the need to eat all of them back. You could eat a bunch of grilled chicken and it wouldn't amount to a ton of calories and it would make you full, but according to many people on here even after that you should eat back your calories. I don't agree with that. If you are eating high calorie food that uses your calories for the day fast and doesn't give your body the nutrients it needs then yes i would definitely eat back some calories. I make sure I overdue protein and other key components the body needs so i don't have to eat back as many calories. Not the easiest thing to do but it keeps my calories lower
See my example. If I did not eat mine back I'd be fueling my body with 760 calories per day? How on earth is that even remotely a good idea?0 -
Anyone recommending that you don't eat them doesn't understand that MFP is set up with a low calorie goal that doesn't include exercise. It is set up so that if you did no exercise at all, you would lose weight just by dieting alone. When you do exercise, you need to fuel it, otherwise you would be eating too little for all of the activity you did.
This is different than most other methods where they figure energy needs including exercise and take a deduction off of that.
Agreed, if you're eating your calories back and not losing then you are allowing too many calories to begin with.0 -
I never eat them all back usually, but I definitely eat at least half back because I am really freaking hungry after working out hard!0
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she knows what mfp is and she is going to advise others to not eat them back as well i dont feel that i am starving myself and i lose weight consistentlyi just think its silly to eat back so many calories whats the point of even burning them if your just going to eat them again ...
Because if you are exercising you may be creating too much of a calorie deficit and that is not good. Initially you will likely lose, but you will slow your metabolism and your body will match what you are feeding it, making it more difficult. It also causes too much stress on your body. Stress causes an excess of cortisol. Cortisol makes it so you do not lose fat.
Example: Say your calorie needs are 2,000 a day. You tell MFP you want to lose 2 pounds a week. It sets you to 1200 calories a day. Then you exercise and burn 300. Now your net calories to run your organs and everything else is 900. It's not enough. Most likely your body needs more than 1200 just to properly run your basic functions. Will it run for awhile? Yes, but it's not good for you.
This is your answer folks.0 -
Anyone recommending that you don't eat them doesn't understand that MFP is set up with a low calorie goal that doesn't include exercise. It is set up so that if you did no exercise at all, you would lose weight just by dieting alone. When you do exercise, you need to fuel it, otherwise you would be eating too little for all of the activity you did.
This is different than most other methods where they figure energy needs including exercise and take a deduction off of that.
Agreed, if you're eating your calories back and not losing then you are allowing too many calories to begin with.
Are you being serious right now?
Here's mine:
1,200 (to lose 1 lb per week) or 1,400 to lose .5/week
So with the 1,200 let's say I go to kickboxing and burn 500 calories.
That would mean I'd be going to bed with only 700 calories eaten.
Can you explain to me (a super healthy and a healthy weight person) how this is even a good idea?0 -
she knows what mfp is and she is going to advise others to not eat them back as well i dont feel that i am starving myself and i lose weight consistentlyi just think its silly to eat back so many calories whats the point of even burning them if your just going to eat them again ...
Because if you are exercising you may be creating too much of a calorie deficit and that is not good. Initially you will likely lose, but you will slow your metabolism and your body will match what you are feeding it, making it more difficult. It also causes too much stress on your body. Stress causes an excess of cortisol. Cortisol makes it so you do not lose fat.
Example: Say your calorie needs are 2,000 a day. You tell MFP you want to lose 2 pounds a week. It sets you to 1200 calories a day. Then you exercise and burn 300. Now your net calories to run your organs and everything else is 900. It's not enough. Most likely your body needs more than 1200 just to properly run your basic functions. Will it run for awhile? Yes, but it's not good for you.
This is your answer folks.
Thank you.
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I set my calories to burn 2 pounds a week and I eat back my exercise calories up to 400 (but no more). That puts me at about 1600 net calories a day if I am perfect. If I am not perfect obviously more. I like to shoot low and if I miss a little I don't care- I would be thrilled to lose 1 pound a week.0
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and so, I post what I posted wayyyyyy back in 2011. The year I lost 20 lbs.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/244664-why-1-200-calories-per-day0 -
I set my calories to burn 2 pounds a week and I eat back my exercise calories up to 400 (but no more). That puts me at about 1600 net calories a day if I am perfect. If I am not perfect obviously more. I like to shoot low and if I miss a little I don't care- I would be thrilled to lose 1 pound a week.
Yeah, it's all what you have to lose. I only have this much to lose left:0
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