H E L P! I don't think I should eat exercise cals!
BarbaraCarr1981
Posts: 903 Member
First thing - Im diabetic trying to get in good shape - it's harder for diabetics - the whole insulin/sugar thing.
I am only eating at a 300 cal deficit. TDEE is 2000 and Im eating 1700 cals a day. I am 5'9" and weigh 148lbs - healthy weight/unfit body.
So my question, since I'm only eating a 300cal deficit I should NOT eat exercise cals back right? I really only burn on average about 300cals from exercise 5 days a week. Currently doing 30dayshred and heavy weigh on universal set at home 3 times a week. Badminton once a week. And a walk or eliptical once a week.
Am I right or am I wrong???
I am only eating at a 300 cal deficit. TDEE is 2000 and Im eating 1700 cals a day. I am 5'9" and weigh 148lbs - healthy weight/unfit body.
So my question, since I'm only eating a 300cal deficit I should NOT eat exercise cals back right? I really only burn on average about 300cals from exercise 5 days a week. Currently doing 30dayshred and heavy weigh on universal set at home 3 times a week. Badminton once a week. And a walk or eliptical once a week.
Am I right or am I wrong???
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Replies
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See the way I have always understood it is that if your exercise is not worked into your TDEE then just the calorie deficit alone makes you lose the weight. But if you are burning calories you would need to eat them back or you would go over a 300 cal deficit. Now if you have your exercise worked into your TDEE then no, you should not eat them back. Get several opinions on this, including your doctor since you are diabetic.0
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When you use TDEE you choose your activity level, if you choose according to what you are doing then you do not eat back your exercise calories as the formula figures it in.0
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TDEE includes your exercise. If you eat at TDEE, you will not lose weight. You need to eat between your BMR and TDEE. If you are going by MFP's automatic settings, you need to eat back at least some of your exercise calories. Some people will suggest you eat them all back.
Edit to note that I may have misunderstood OPs question? May need to clarify...0 -
if you were set at 1200, I'd say eat them back. I don't see a problem with NOT if you don't feel fatigued, hungry, etc. Just listen to your body
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K thanks. I think Im doing it right by not eating them then. I figured my TDEE out by saying that I worked out 3-4 days a week plus I added in all the other stuff - cleaning, looking after baby blah blah blah. And I don't feel hungry - I just want to eat lots in the evening of course but I just try to munch on carrots and turnip and cabbage and stuff. I think I just need to tell myself everyday that I am great and I will reach my goal just as long as I stick with it no matter what.0
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then why do we even log our work outs....to show out???0
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I just eat the exact amount of calories for the weight I want to be. If I exercise I add 200. Works great and if you are not exact for your setting and estimates of food and exercise, you still win.0
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I just eat the exact amount of calories for the weight I want to be. If I exercise I add 200. Works great and if you are not exact for your setting and estimates of food and exercise, you still win.
I don't get how that works? Please explain. I want to weigh 140lbs so ..........0 -
You should just experiment and see what works for you. Your calorie level seems reasonable. If you stall out, you can re-evaluate and start eating your exercise calories.0
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then why do we even log our work outs....to show out???
To see how many calories we burned exercising. Is eating exercise cals back working for you?0 -
You can go to a site like fat2fitradio and use the calculator to work out how many calories per day you would eat to maintain your goal weight at your current level of activity. Then start eating at that calorie level right now. You will never be on a diet again!0
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There are two ways to figure TDEE. The most common is INCLUDING your average workouts in a week. If you did that, DON'T eat back your exercise calories. If you did, you'd be double-dipping. Alternately (the way MFP is set up, by the way), TDEE would NOT include your exercise calories and this you'd log the calories burnt and eat those calories back. Either works, just don't double-dip.0
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What we are missing is really how much weight do you realistically want to lose and in what time frame. I have 88lbs (40 kg) to lose. I am trying to lose it at the rate of 2 lbs a week (1000 calorie deficit). You are only at a 300 calorie deficit meaning you will lose less than a lb a week. Was this your intention? I only eat back my exercise calories if it takes my net below 1200 calories and usually try to stay around that mark. It has been working for me.
I am also diabetic so the other factor is timing of meals/snacks/ etc. I always try to leave a protein filled snack for after a really big workout if I need it. You need to do what's best for you and what works. But I think 300 calorie deficit is quite low so I wouldn't eat back those calories (in my opinion)
Hope this helps!0 -
K thanks. I think Im doing it right by not eating them then. I figured my TDEE out by saying that I worked out 3-4 days a week plus I added in all the other stuff - cleaning, looking after baby blah blah blah. And I don't feel hungry - I just want to eat lots in the evening of course but I just try to munch on carrots and turnip and cabbage and stuff. I think I just need to tell myself everyday that I am great and I will reach my goal just as long as I stick with it no matter what.
It sounds like you're doing the TDEE method and doing TDEE - 15%. In that case, you are correct...exercise is included in your TDEE so you wouldn't eat them back.
For clarification for others, the MFP method assumes no exercise and any exercise you do is extra activity so you would be eating them back. Two different methods, same net effect.0 -
What we are missing is really how much weight do you realistically want to lose and in what time frame. I have 88lbs (40 kg) to lose. I am trying to lose it at the rate of 2 lbs a week (1000 calorie deficit). You are only at a 300 calorie deficit meaning you will lose less than a lb a week. Was this your intention? I only eat back my exercise calories if it takes my net below 1200 calories and usually try to stay around that mark. It has been working for me.
I am also diabetic so the other factor is timing of meals/snacks/ etc. I always try to leave a protein filled snack for after a really big workout if I need it. You need to do what's best for you and what works. But I think 300 calorie deficit is quite low so I wouldn't eat back those calories (in my opinion)
Hope this helps!
Thanks, just trying to lose the last 8lbs from pregnancy. BUT I don't mind if I don't - I just want to make sure that my belly goes flat and arms and legs are strong and toned.0 -
then why do we even log our work outs....to show out???
Two different methods...MFP method (eat back exercise calories as exercise is not included in activity level)...TDEE method (do not eat exercise calories because because they are included in activity level). The net effect is the same.
For example, MFP might give the OP a 1,400 calorie goal...she does 300 calories worth of exercise and eats them back...she's now at 1,700 gross (still at 1,400 net). If she uses the TDEE method (looks like TDEE - 15%) she gets a 1,700 calorie goal (gross)...she exercises 300 calories and doesn't eat them back and is 1,400 net. Net effect is the same, just two different methods.0 -
Whoa! Just looked into the Fat to Fit Ratio Calculator to see how many cals I should eat to go from 148lbs to 140lbs and I think the calculator is CRAZY wrong. One of you should try it and see what you see! Makes NO sense.0
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ive used fat2fit calculators before and always get fairly accurate numbers.0
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ive used fat2fit calculators before and always get fairly accurate numbers.
This is what I got 148lbs CW 140lbs GW 5'9" moderately active. I don't think that 2993 is right to lose weight!!!
Activity Level Daily Calories
Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) 2317
Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk) 2655
Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2993
Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk) 3331
Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.) 36690 -
Thanks to all this information - i have no idea what I should be eating. 1700 cals is what I'm doing without eating exercise cals back. I just dont know.0
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Don't eat them if you are a fat *kitten* like my trying to lose weight, if you are where you want to be and are just trying to be healthy and eat healthy, there shouldn't be problem eating those calories.0
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ive used fat2fit calculators before and always get fairly accurate numbers.
This is what I got 148lbs CW 140lbs GW 5'9" moderately active. I don't think that 2993 is right to lose weight!!!
Activity Level Daily Calories
Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) 2317
Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk) 2655
Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2993
Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk) 3331
Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.) 3669
Just ran your numbers, you imputed something wrong. TDEE for moderate is 2200.0 -
I always eat back my exercise calories or like 95% of them at any rate.0
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Eating back 1/2 here and seeing results and not feeling totally drained or starving. Feel its a good compromise vs feeling like all that exercise just equals more calories to eat. Tried to not eat any but found I was just too hungry and low energy without eating at least some back. Just try different things over several weeks to see what works best!!0
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ive used fat2fit calculators before and always get fairly accurate numbers.
This is what I got 148lbs CW 140lbs GW 5'9" moderately active. I don't think that 2993 is right to lose weight!!!
Activity Level Daily Calories
Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) 2317
Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk) 2655
Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2993
Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk) 3331
Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.) 3669
Just ran your numbers, you imputed something wrong. TDEE for moderate is 2200.
Okay, so if Im eating 1700 cals (500 below TDEE) and NOT eating exercise cals back, then I should be losing weight - correct?0 -
A 15-20% cut is 1750-1850. You only want to lose 8lbs so many suggest a smaller cut. As long as you keep your activity in the range you set, you should see a loss each week. Is it fast? No, this method is healthy and not for rapid loss. You also do NOT eat back exercise calories bc your activity is factored in. People that don't know this method never understand this so you'll get conflicting advice. TDEE is NOT MFP.0
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Do you think 1lb a week would happen? or more like .5lb a week in loss?A 15-20% cut is 1750-1850. You only want to lose 8lbs so many suggest a smaller cut. As long as you keep your activity in the range you set, you should see a loss each week. Is it fast? No, this method is healthy and not for rapid loss. You also do NOT eat back exercise calories bc your activity is factored in. People that don't know this method never understand this so you'll get conflicting advice. TDEE is NOT MFP.0 -
Everyone is different and will respond differently. 0.5 is more likely to happen but I did lose up to a 1 lb a week when I was consistent with the cut.0
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I vote try not eating them back, and see what happens. Then try eating 1/2 and see what happens. Then try eating them all and see what happens.
I think eating 1/2 back is the best, because so many people probably overestimate their calories anyway. I'm on the losing pounds train at the moment. If I stall, then I will consider eating 1/2 my calories back. Everyone is different.
The most important thing is the way you feel. If you are really hungry, then you definiitely need to eat more. Remember this, if you are weak during your exercising then you need to eat more. Exercise should be fun and you should have energy to do it (you know, after you get over the period of hating it for a week or two, then you should be enjoying it).0 -
I don't eat back my calories and I don't eat at TDEE. I think I figured it out one day and it was somewhere around 1700 for me. I can't eat that much without eating garbage and junk or going out to eat for a meal.
I haven't figured out what works for me yet, other then eat less then I eat now.. which is not an option. I did find out one medical thing that will help me in the future once I correct it. So maybe that will make a difference. We shall see.
from what i understand... if you go the TDEE route, it includes your exercise calories already so you don't eat them back. If you eat below TDEE you will lose weight.
Sounds simple.. if you are hungry enough to eat all that. I'm just at 1200 today and stuffed.0
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