Eating back calories

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BevP123
BevP123 Posts: 58 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been "Yo Yo dieting" for far far too long and have decided to start a fresh from now. Only trouble is I'm confused by reading many posts about eating back the calories to lose weight.

I've read many posts with great equations and what sounds like great advice but then I read another post that says the opposite.....
I know there's no quick fix but I would like everyone's opinion on whether on not you can really find success by eating back calories.

Using my situation as an example, I am 210lbs, want to lose at least 40lbs, am aiming for 1200 calories a day (as recommended by MFP) and aim to swim for between 30 & 60 minutes per day Monday to Friday.

Q: Do I eat back the calories I "earn" through swimming or stick to the 1200 regardless?

Any advice would be welcomed

xxx

Replies

  • dlbinin
    dlbinin Posts: 66 Member
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    IMO...1200 is WAY too low!!! You need to go to tools and figure out your BMR. Never net less than that. MFP seems to give everyone 1200. It's just too low. Some great links in the top of the message boards from people who know there stuff. Take some time to read them.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    eat them back. you're much too far from your goal weight to eat so few calories. you will lose consistently eating substantially more.
  • BevP123
    BevP123 Posts: 58 Member
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    Thank you both. I think it's the old fashioned mind set that you must eat less to weigh less that stumps me. I guess I know it's wrong and certainly wouldn't starve myself but there are also so many opinions on it and what works for one may not for another.
  • melissaw78
    melissaw78 Posts: 214 Member
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    IMO...1200 is WAY too low!!! You need to go to tools and figure out your BMR. Never net less than that. MFP seems to give everyone 1200. It's just too low. Some great links in the top of the message boards from people who know there stuff. Take some time to read them.


    THIS!!!

    My BMR is 1,314 calories. I find that if I go below this for more than a day at a time, I may as well eat 2,000 caloies per day.
  • gemmalianne84
    gemmalianne84 Posts: 75
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    Remember that food is fuel. Your body cannot function without it. If you are exercising make sure you eat to accommodate. If you feel tired or run down, it's probably because you haven't eaten enough. You don't need MFP to tell you if you're eating too few calories. Your body will tell you.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    Thank you both. I think it's the old fashioned mind set that you must eat less to weigh less that stumps me. I guess I know it's wrong and certainly wouldn't starve myself but there are also so many opinions on it and what works for one may not for another.

    Well it is true to an extent. Howeer as you reduce your calories there is a point of diminishing return--you'll lose weight but the hunger and difficulty does not match the amount you're losing.
  • Birdie
    Birdie Posts: 256 Member
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    Think about what you are doing and reading on MFP. There are many posters here with eating disorders and a lot of really bad advice. Learn how to pick out what is logical and healthy. Ignore the rest. It's never good for anyone to eat under 1200 calories.
  • ChappyEight
    ChappyEight Posts: 163 Member
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    MFP has already calculated your calorie deficit. The calories you burn from exercise increase that deficit. So, eat back your calories to fuel your body and you're still netting a deficit (i.e., you'll still lose weight).
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
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    if you are doing only 1200, I would definately eat back ALL your exercise calories or you'll be miserable.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    1200 is not too low for everyone. If I NET 1200 calories (which is what I do), my projected weight loss is about 1.3 lbs. per week. That is a perfectly acceptable level. I tried the eat more to weigh less plan and my weight loss slowed from 4 to 5 lbs. per month to 2 to 3 lbs. per month.

    However, it is important that you NET that amount. So yes, eat back all your exercise calories. I eat on a typical day around 1800 or so because of the exercise. To make this easier to do correctly, I'd recommend picking up a good HRM with a chest strap to get a more accurate measurement of calories burned.
  • kingofcrunk
    kingofcrunk Posts: 372 Member
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    My calorie goal has been 1200 for well over 2 months now and I've not eaten back any exercise calories (except for on a couple of occassions when I needed to drink back the exercise calories...)

    I've been consistantly losing weight and once I got used to eating that amount of food it was fine to live with.

    People will likely tell you I'm wrong/ I'm an idiot for eating so little but I'm happy with how its going so far :) Not everyone needs to eat more to weigh less :)
  • kimmyannl
    kimmyannl Posts: 70 Member
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    This has been something I have struggled with. In the end I've decided to go about this slowly. I have my calories set to one lb a week and I eat back all of my exercise calories. I end up eating about 1800 cal a day on the days I workout. And I like being able to eat this much. The only drawback is that when I have dieted in the past the weight came off quicker. And it is kind of disappointing seeing the weight come off slower. But in the past u have always gained by weight back after I stop dieting. So, I'm hoping if I don't go to the extreme this time I can keep my weight off. And I have enjoyed eating 1800 calories too much to go back to 1200 calories to lose weight.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    My calorie goal has been 1200 for well over 2 months now and I've not eaten back any exercise calories (except for on a couple of occassions when I needed to drink back the exercise calories...)

    I've been consistantly losing weight and once I got used to eating that amount of food it was fine to live with.

    People will likely tell you I'm wrong/ I'm an idiot for eating so little but I'm happy with how its going so far :) Not everyone needs to eat more to weigh less :)

    well, I'm glad you're getting the success you want but I'd reconsider simply from a health perspective. Odds are your body won't be getting sufficient micronutrients while eating so few calories. In addition, you simply don't NEED to go to such extremes so why do it?
  • Sojaided34
    Sojaided34 Posts: 113
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    I only eat 1200 calories as well. Sometimes I will eat 1500 (if i exercise). I hardly ever eat back calories. Nothing wrong with that. Everyone is different. If you eat properly you will get the nutrients you need.
  • kingofcrunk
    kingofcrunk Posts: 372 Member
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    My calorie goal has been 1200 for well over 2 months now and I've not eaten back any exercise calories (except for on a couple of occassions when I needed to drink back the exercise calories...)

    I've been consistantly losing weight and once I got used to eating that amount of food it was fine to live with.

    People will likely tell you I'm wrong/ I'm an idiot for eating so little but I'm happy with how its going so far :) Not everyone needs to eat more to weigh less :)

    well, I'm glad you're getting the success you want but I'd reconsider simply from a health perspective. Odds are your body won't be getting sufficient micronutrients while eating so few calories. In addition, you simply don't NEED to go to such extremes so why do it?

    Because I'm happy doing it and it is working for me. My body is dramatically more healthy than it has been in the past. So I think i'll be fine.
    Anyway this thread isn't about me (and I didn't ask for advice) so maybe we should stick to answering the OP's questions? :)
  • TreEe5
    TreEe5 Posts: 41 Member
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    I know that many people differ on their opinions of eating back their exercise calories. I try to eat a good portion of them back. I'm allowed around 1800 calories each day, because I've set my goals to loose 1lb per week. MFP has already calculated a 500 calorie deficit from my BMR - which is the amount of calories you'd need to just live, even if you laid in bed all day. If I eat all 1800 calories, which I tend to do, and exercise and burn about 600-700 for one day, now I've got a deficit of 1100-1200 calories from my BMR. This deficit is too high, if you don't eat the calories back, and will most likely cause your body to hold on to what it can because it'll feel like you're starving.

    I look at my body like a machine - a car for example. It requires maintenance and fuel to run in optimal condition. Just like you're not supposed to get too low on gas because your car will suck down all the sludge through your fuel system and make the car run worse, you're body cannot get too low on nutrients because then you'll run on empty and you won't see the results you want.

    I'm a big fan of the EM2WL - eat more to weigh less - there's a group on here and they also have a website which might shed some light on the subject.

    www.em2wl.com

    As always, you must do what's right for your body. Some people eat more, some don't, and they have varying results. Unfortunately, it is a trial and error process to figure out the method that works best for you. Remember, it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle change :)

    I hope all this helps!

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