What works for you?

I eat back my exercise calories. But I use a heart rate monitor to estimate calories. If you're using MFP's estimates and want to eat back calories I suggest only eating back 50% because the only activities that have "matched up" between my HRM and MFP were running, running stairs and jumping rope.

I eat some junk, but for the most part I eat whole foods that I prepare myself. Much more filling that a burger from a drive thru or something.

I eat back my exercise calories. I'm aiming to do better at hitting my macros, because I feel more satisfied when I do. I take at least 1 full rest day each week. I run 3 days a week, and cross train 2-3 days. I don't do anything excessive - I want to be able to keep doing this long term, even when I'm done losing weight, so it has to be sustainable for me.

I eat relatively clean and work out 5 days per week. I'm in maintenance, but when I was losing, I ate back my exercise calories and still lost about .8-1 lb. per week. Always made sure to take at least one rest day per week, altho I walk my dog every day and try to walk a mile or two every day on breaks at work. Now I eat at least as many calories as MFP says I should, and I'm not having a hard time maintaining.

MFP wants you to eat your exercise calories back, but if you are worried that they are too high, then only eat 50-75% back. Just don't starve yourself--it makes maintenance that much harder to figure out if your body was starved to get where it is. I have been on the yoyo track before too, and I'm not planning to go back there.

I have a kcal goal that is the same everyday regardless of exercise because I focus on the week as a whole. Food changes are made one at time until the habit is formed and then I change something else. What I eat to lose is what I plan to eat when I am in maintenance.

This works for me:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819925-the-basics-don-t-complicate-it

This works for me:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819925-the-basics-don-t-complicate-it

me too actually :drinker:

Definitely slow works for me. I don't intentionally eat back exercise calories but often go over my goal. This works for me:).

I find that when I plan out my daily meals I do better. I am a diabetic so I try to plan out my daily calories into six meals a day. I do we'll when I stick to it but that' seems to be my problem, not sticking with it. I've lost 30 lbs and have another 40 to go. Today is my first day back on plan since Oct. I would like to be down another 10 lbs by Easter

This works for me:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819925-the-basics-don-t-complicate-it

This is really great info, and so is the other link on how to figure your TDEE.

That really is the most common sense approach to figuring your TDEE that I have seen. No online calculators. Just using your actual history.
Going thru your steps my TDEE over the past 6 months came out to be around 1800. Since I have over 40 pounds left to lose to get to my ultimate goal, a 30% cut from that number would be 1260. I aim for around 1200, some days a bit over and some a bit under, but I also don't count every single carrot and almond I eat, so I'm sure that extra 60 calories evens out.
I am steadily losing 1 pound a week now, so that coincides with the 500-ish calorie deficit.

I am 49, don't work outside the home, manage to ride my recumbent bike 3-4 days a week, and other than that, am very sedentary due to arthritis and injuries that limit my mobility.

I am found that a Low carb/high fat/ moderate protein plan works best for me, and my macros fall around 20Carb/30Pro/50Fat

On 1200 cals, this equals 90g protein, 67g Fat, and 60g Carb. I try to keep my 'net carbs' under 50, so I am usually a tad over on protein and fats.

I rarely eat grains or starches, and stay away from processed sugars as much as possible, as my body does much better without them.

I eat lean proteins, healthy fats from nuts and avocados, etc, and lots of high fiber carbs, usually from veggies, including 1 or 2 servings of fruit per day.
I do eat cheese, mostly fat free cheese because the cals are so much lower and protein is higher than regular, and it is easier for me to get extra fats in than it is protein.
I generally use Egg Beaters instead of whole eggs, for the same reason.

I catch a lot of flack from some people for eating the dreaded 1200 cals, and I certainly do not suggest that it is appropriate for the majority of people here, but for me, it is working and I am steadily losing weight, keeping what appears to be all of my muscle mass so far, as I am stronger than ever, and not really sagging much anywhere, except the girls are heading south a bit, but that is to be expected at my age and after having 3 kids!

I carry the majority of my weight in my midsection, which puts me at higher risk for Diabetes, as well as having my mom die from it last summer. So the lower carb plan works very well for me and my blood sugar is staying in a very good range. Hopefully I can continue to dodge that bullet.

My pain levels are a fraction of what they used to be. I have more energy than ever. I sleep better, my moods are better, I don't have carb cravings from fatigue like I used to have. I just really feel great. My only problem now is being careful not to overdo it with the exercise because I can certainly do that and end up on the couch for a few days. Sometimes my WILL is stronger than my WAY.

I truly do have a much better quality of life now than I ever thought possible again, and so this is a new way of life for me, which I will hope to continue for many years to come.