Ate exercise cal's back....and gained....am NOT sold!

Options
245678

Replies

  • Dahllywood
    Dahllywood Posts: 643 Member
    Options
    Listen to your body. If you are hungry...eat. If you aren't hungry, don't force yourself to eat all those calories back just to reach some number that might not even be correct. It's simple really.

    This ^. People make it so damn complicated
  • onyxgirl17
    onyxgirl17 Posts: 1,721 Member
    Options
    I don't really eat my exercise calories back. If anything I eat more on my off days from exercise.... but my body tells me I'm hungry those days.
  • peachyxoxoxo
    peachyxoxoxo Posts: 1,178 Member
    Options
    The bottom line is this:

    If you have calculated your calorie needs based on a sedentary level of activity and then you log your exercises, you can eat back those calories.

    If you have calculated your calorie needs factoring in a higher level of activity, don't log those exercises, and don't eat back the calories. Your allotted intake will automatically be higher.
  • whitefang66
    whitefang66 Posts: 38 Member
    Options
    i use a heart rate monitor to calculate my cal burn, and so far, i've eaten my exercise back most days, give or take a few calories and i lost... mfp's calculations for cal burns are grossly overestimated
  • wftiger
    wftiger Posts: 1,283 Member
    Options
    Were you using a HRM to get calories burned? That might be part of it. Don't trust the exercise numbers here, my experience is that they are way off on certain exercises. Also, most sites recommend only eating back half.

    I am an advocate of eating back none unless you are hungry and need them. If you eat back some for that reason, only eat more protein and non-starchy veggies and not carbs.
  • cbevan1229
    cbevan1229 Posts: 326 Member
    Options
    I eat some of them back - about half, I'd guess. I try to leave myself about 100 calories under my goal most days (although on hungry days, I'll eat them all) to account for errors in the numbers. I've had good success so far - 13lbs in 8 weeks, which has been comfortable and encouraging.
  • whitefang66
    whitefang66 Posts: 38 Member
    Options
    i use a heart rate monitor to calculate my cal burn, and so far, i've eaten my exercise back most days, give or take a few calories and i lost... mfp's calculations for cal burns are grossly overestimated
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    Options
    Either you've proven wrong everything science has ever found to be true in the known universe, or you've miscounted.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
    Options
    I think MFP really overestimates the amount of calories, as do most exercise machines. That's why I'm wary of eating back exercise calories!

    Or ... get a heart rate monitor. Not perfect, but better than guestimates and self-starving?
  • breezedm
    breezedm Posts: 12
    Options
    If you can eat the amount of calories before exercise and not be hungry, do that. That is what I do. If you are hungry all the time when not eating exercise calories, get a HRM or fitbit to have a more accurate calorie count and eat half or all.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    Options
    I eat them back when I want or need them and don't stress about it otherwise. Go with the ebb and flow of your body.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    Options
    Either you've proven wrong everything science has ever found to be true in the known universe, or you've miscounted.

    Agree! There is some miscounting going on. I am set at sedentary and eat back nearly all of my exercise calories to net 1200. It works very well because I'm very careful in my counting. I weigh my food. I use an HRM while exercising and subtract my BMR from the results.

    I could be losing faster, but I'd rather be losing in a way that is sustainable over the long term. Almost 15 months for me now so it's obviously working.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    Options
    It also becomes less of an issue if you're only burning 200 calories while exercising. I run and bike and typically burn 600+ calories per session five times a week. WAY too many calories not to eat them back.
  • JeaninePaige
    JeaninePaige Posts: 464 Member
    Options
    Like others have said, I don't eat all of my calories I gain back from exercise.
    And the HRM idea for you is great.
  • Judysiguaw
    Judysiguaw Posts: 12 Member
    Options
    I never eat my work out calories if I am being really strong. I would only gain weight if I did.
  • fueledbychange
    fueledbychange Posts: 132 Member
    Options
    I NEVER eat back my exercise calories and have been losing a good 2lbs a week for a few months.
  • dunnweb
    dunnweb Posts: 49
    Options
    Eat them if you're hungry. Don't force yourself to eat. Some days you will want to and some days you won't. Don't force your body either way.
  • ravenchick
    ravenchick Posts: 345 Member
    Options
    Just curious, If not eating your exercise calories back was working for you, why did you decide to change that? I never eat mine back and it works for me. I would never change what works just because someone on this site says it worked for them. Everyone is different.
  • meeka472
    meeka472 Posts: 283 Member
    Options

    I am an advocate of eating back none unless you are hungry and need them. If you eat back some for that reason, only eat more protein and non-starchy veggies and not carbs.

    I do this as well. If I'm going over I make sure it's with protein and non-starchy vegetables and not on simple carbs.
  • TheMolloy
    TheMolloy Posts: 31 Member
    Options
    Its really good reading through the replies ... a lot of people have the same mind set as me when it comes to this type of thing (that sounded kind of snobish hey? not what im going for)

    I see calories burnt as a BONUS to your journey ... even if you thrash yourself and burn mega calories a day ...

    I eat to survive and live and don't take exercise into account at all when i choose what to eat ... i keep it simple stupid and say that food keeps me alive and exercise is making my weight loss journey as successful as what it is. But at the same time, if you get hungry ... then eat! Your body will tell you when it needs food or rest :)

    I hear a lot of blah blah as well about eating back your calories, a lot of people preaching it ... and i don't believe in it to be honest. But i also don't believe in starving yourself either ... just wanted to make that clear. "But what about losing muscle instead of fat if you don't eat back your calories", yeah i don't think so either ... if you eat enough protein and the right foods it wont be a problem ... if it was then why do i still have very decent muscles in my arms, chest and shoulders after losing close to 30 kilograms (66 lbs) ? Do feel free to add me and have a look at my diary if you wanted to :)

    After all that garble i have just written ... i also wanted to add that this is just my opinion and what im doing works for me :) Other people may have different opinions and will do what works for them :) and that is totally cool ...

    ANYONE who is out there using MFP is an absolute superstar in my opinion ... we are mighty :)

Categories