Eat back your calories

strwberri5
strwberri5 Posts: 15
in Food and Nutrition
Let me first start off by saying sorry if this is a dumb question but I am new to this. Exactly what does everyone mean when they say eat back your calories? I am doing between 1200-1300 calories as my goal a day. I do zumba 6 days a week which burns off about 600-700 calories. So if I am eating saying 1250 one day and I burned 700 doing zumba that means I only ate 500 calories. Is that healthy for me and will I lose weight or should I be eating more calories?

5'3
Female
193
«1

Replies

  • hardyjessicag
    hardyjessicag Posts: 93 Member
    Heh, I was confused by this to.

    I'm sure someone will be able to answer this question MUCH better than me, but to put it simply; yes.

    If you are only netting 500 calories a day, your body is getting too few calories. I know it seems crazy (it does to me at least) because i feel like i eat enough, even though i'm exercising. I'm currently trying to up my calorie intake, but it can be hard when you are being so active.

    You will probably still lose weight, but it can negatively impact your body. It could also start to put your body in starvation mode, which can make the weight loss harder.
  • strwberri5
    strwberri5 Posts: 15
    That's what I was thinking to. So much info out there that is confusing lol.
  • avababy05
    avababy05 Posts: 930 Member
    My calories are set at 1200 to lose 1-2 pounds a week,

    If I burn 500 calories in a day.I'm supposed to eat that back so that I'm still at 1200.

    I usually do best when I eat back at least half.
  • strwberri5
    strwberri5 Posts: 15
    My calorie intake is also 1200 and I burn about 700 a day so I need to up my calorie intake to 1900. WOW! Any good suggestions on foods that can get me to my calorie intake? I usually just eat chicken and fish, but maybe I should put rice back in my diet. I am so new to this lol. Any suggestions would be great.
  • avababy05
    avababy05 Posts: 930 Member
    My calorie intake is also 1200 and I burn about 700 a day so I need to up my calorie intake to 1900. WOW! Any good suggestions on foods that can get me to my calorie intake? I usually just eat chicken and fish, but maybe I should put rice back in my diet. I am so new to this lol. Any suggestions would be great.

    I have difficulty eat it all back myself but some things I really like to snack on:

    Air popped popcorn,Almonds,Laughing cow cheese....and sometimes sweet potato fries.
  • ecw3780
    ecw3780 Posts: 608 Member
    As long as you eat back enough to be at 1200 net (calories eaten- calories burned = net calories), so you will be fine. If I am really hungry, I eat all my exercise calories. Otherwise, I just make sure I am over 1200 net.
  • kcaffee1
    kcaffee1 Posts: 759 Member
    Peanut butter, avocado, sweet fruits (bananas, grapes, pineapple) unless you have a medical condition where you have to limit sugars, full fat milk, full fat salad dressings, butter, olive and/or coconut oil, nuts, cheeses

    Anything calorie dense will help boost your calorie intake in a hurry.

    Hope this helps.

    (I am still getting used to eating so MUCH of the "good" stuff myself, so any other suggestions will be appreciated.)
  • strwberri5
    strwberri5 Posts: 15
    Thank you for the suggestions. I think I will try to eat about 1900 calories so that when I do Zumba I burn 700 calories which will bring me back to 1200 :) And now I need to make a list to do some grocery shopping lol.
  • strwberri5
    strwberri5 Posts: 15
    Not sure whats so funny, but that's what my Polar heart and calorie watch says. And actually there are a few people in my class that has different watches and monitor that come close to that count.
  • Railr0aderTony
    Railr0aderTony Posts: 6,803 Member
    Here is good info:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet

    This will explain most of the basic questions you have.
  • avababy05
    avababy05 Posts: 930 Member
    Not sure whats so funny, but that's what my Polar heart and calorie watch says. And actually there are a few people in my class that has different watches and monitor that come close to that count.

    Check out her other posts and take what she has to say with a grain of salt.:smile:
  • strwberri5
    strwberri5 Posts: 15
    I will check out other post and it doesn't bother me what she said. People have their own opinion and that's ok.
  • Bearbrat
    Bearbrat Posts: 230
    Not sure whats so funny, but that's what my Polar heart and calorie watch says. And actually there are a few people in my class that has different watches and monitor that come close to that count.

    Check out her other posts and take what she has to say with a grain of salt.:smile:
    yea, pretty rude.......but it's the internet, people say stupid stuff on here all the time. Things they woudn't say to someone in person lol. I'd ignore it and move on....Good luck to the OP :flowerforyou:
  • strwberri5
    strwberri5 Posts: 15
    Gotta love the internet lol. I don't focus on negativity :smile: Thank you
  • jesssi1984
    jesssi1984 Posts: 17 Member
    Plus it's totally possible depending on weight, because I was calculating around 500 cals/hr for myself when I was going to class! The less you weigh, the less you burn. And it also depends on how much effort you put forth. Some people are just rude!

    But to answer your original - yes, just make sure you're getting your 1200 at least!

    I eat back all of my calories until the app no longer says "you're going to put your body into starvation mode!"
  • nomorepizza2
    nomorepizza2 Posts: 85 Member
    As to how many calories you're burning whilst exercising, no-one really knows, it's all estimates, even with your heart rate monitors.
    I find that eating back about half of my exercise calories seems to answer.
  • DatMurse
    DatMurse Posts: 1,501 Member
    1 hour of me on the stairmaster when I was 200 lbs burns 500 calories. at a moderate pace and i had a higher BMR than you do

    I dont think zumba will burn 600-700 calories.

    Heart rate monitors do not work properly and are an inaccurate way to measure daily energy usage.

    anxiety can stimulate tachycardia which can be similar to be sprinting but one is using movement and the other one isnt.
    Same thing goes to muscle repair post workout. It does not factor that in.

    Eating back your calories used doesnt make much sense.
    You should eat at a certain deficit and at your weight and assuming your TDEE you should probably eat 600 calories under your TDEE and still be fine for quite a while.

    you could eat at even a lower caloric intake if you can handle it mentally.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    This explains it:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
  • gingersnaps828
    gingersnaps828 Posts: 86
    bump
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    1 hour of me on the stairmaster when I was 200 lbs burns 500 calories. at a moderate pace and i had a higher BMR than you do

    I dont think zumba will burn 600-700 calories.

    Heart rate monitors do not work properly and are an inaccurate way to measure daily energy usage.

    anxiety can stimulate tachycardia which can be similar to be sprinting but one is using movement and the other one isnt.
    Same thing goes to muscle repair post workout. It does not factor that in.

    Eating back your calories used doesnt make much sense.
    You should eat at a certain deficit and at your weight and assuming your TDEE you should probably eat 600 calories under your TDEE and still be fine for quite a while.

    you could eat at even a lower caloric intake if you can handle it mentally.

    and then what? lose weight faster?
  • DatMurse
    DatMurse Posts: 1,501 Member
    1 hour of me on the stairmaster when I was 200 lbs burns 500 calories. at a moderate pace and i had a higher BMR than you do

    I dont think zumba will burn 600-700 calories.

    Heart rate monitors do not work properly and are an inaccurate way to measure daily energy usage.

    anxiety can stimulate tachycardia which can be similar to be sprinting but one is using movement and the other one isnt.
    Same thing goes to muscle repair post workout. It does not factor that in.

    Eating back your calories used doesnt make much sense.
    You should eat at a certain deficit and at your weight and assuming your TDEE you should probably eat 600 calories under your TDEE and still be fine for quite a while.

    you could eat at even a lower caloric intake if you can handle it mentally.

    and then what? lose weight faster?


    yes. the more fat availability someone has, the lower on a deficit their body can handle physically. mentally is a different story and will vary from person to person
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    This explains it:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    Thanks Sara. That was extremely useful and succinct.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    1 hour of me on the stairmaster when I was 200 lbs burns 500 calories. at a moderate pace and i had a higher BMR than you do

    I dont think zumba will burn 600-700 calories.

    Heart rate monitors do not work properly and are an inaccurate way to measure daily energy usage.

    anxiety can stimulate tachycardia which can be similar to be sprinting but one is using movement and the other one isnt.
    Same thing goes to muscle repair post workout. It does not factor that in.

    Eating back your calories used doesnt make much sense.
    You should eat at a certain deficit and at your weight and assuming your TDEE you should probably eat 600 calories under your TDEE and still be fine for quite a while.

    you could eat at even a lower caloric intake if you can handle it mentally.

    and then what? lose weight faster?


    yes. the more fat availability someone has, the lower on a deficit their body can handle physically. mentally is a different story and will vary from person to person

    mentally due to actual hunger? or mentally due to other issues? like emotional eating, habits or whatnot?
  • DatMurse
    DatMurse Posts: 1,501 Member
    1 hour of me on the stairmaster when I was 200 lbs burns 500 calories. at a moderate pace and i had a higher BMR than you do

    I dont think zumba will burn 600-700 calories.

    Heart rate monitors do not work properly and are an inaccurate way to measure daily energy usage.

    anxiety can stimulate tachycardia which can be similar to be sprinting but one is using movement and the other one isnt.
    Same thing goes to muscle repair post workout. It does not factor that in.

    Eating back your calories used doesnt make much sense.
    You should eat at a certain deficit and at your weight and assuming your TDEE you should probably eat 600 calories under your TDEE and still be fine for quite a while.

    you could eat at even a lower caloric intake if you can handle it mentally.

    and then what? lose weight faster?


    yes. the more fat availability someone has, the lower on a deficit their body can handle physically. mentally is a different story and will vary from person to person

    mentally due to actual hunger? or mentally due to other issues? like emotional eating, habits or whatnot?

    there are many factors. Is the person on a VLCD vs their TDEE?
    If you go too low fat for a period of time you can become irritable. Fat is the happy macro believe it or not.
    Too low carb your performance will fall.
    too low calories or eating non-satiating food will result in hunger.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    mentally due to actual hunger? or mentally due to other issues? like emotional eating, habits or whatnot?

    Many people can't handle the idea of being hungry, as for many it is an alien and fleeting feeling. One of the most interesting things my old nutritionist told me is that most people will fail at weight loss the moment they realize that if they eat poorly they'll be hungry. The conversation went on after that about her opinions on what eating poorly was, but that stuck with me.

    Many people are not mentally prepared for challenges, hunger for extended periods is a challenge that cuts to the very core of who we are. If you are curious as to what that means, try fasting for three days. No food, water, go about life as normal. You'll understand rather quickly. I do those from time to time just to gauge what kind of person I am at that time.
  • DatMurse
    DatMurse Posts: 1,501 Member
    mentally due to actual hunger? or mentally due to other issues? like emotional eating, habits or whatnot?

    Many people can't handle the idea of being hungry, as for many it is an alien and fleeting feeling. One of the most interesting things my old nutritionist told me is that most people will fail at weight loss the moment they realize that if they eat poorly they'll be hungry. The conversation went on after that about her opinions on what eating poorly was, but that stuck with me.

    Many people are not mentally prepared for challenges, hunger for extended periods is a challenge that cuts to the very core of who we are. If you are curious as to what that means, try fasting for three days. No food, water, go about life as normal. You'll understand rather quickly. I do those from time to time just to gauge what kind of person I am at that time.
    I have taken substances such as adderall(legally and prescribed since I was 7).

    Sometimes you forget to eat. its weird, but I know I will not be able to process information at the same efficiency if I do not eat.

    If I play a video game all day, I can literally sit there and not consume a single meal. I stuff my face before I sleep with calorie dense food and probably 5 scoops of protein because I forgot to eat. lol
  • siqiniq
    siqiniq Posts: 237 Member
    Not sure whats so funny, but that's what my Polar heart and calorie watch says. And actually there are a few people in my class that has different watches and monitor that come close to that count.

    Check out her other posts and take what she has to say with a grain of salt.:smile:

    Why are you being nasty?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Not sure whats so funny, but that's what my Polar heart and calorie watch says. And actually there are a few people in my class that has different watches and monitor that come close to that count.

    Check out her other posts and take what she has to say with a grain of salt.:smile:

    Why are you being nasty?

    Check out the poster that they are referring to's original post, then you will realize.
  • JenCatwalk
    JenCatwalk Posts: 285 Member
    Bumpity.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Ok first, you shouldn't be at 1200 in the first place. Pick the 'lose 1lb a week' option.

    Then yes, eat those calories back! But make sure you don't overestimate what you're burning... I never burned over 500 calories with zumba even at 200lbs (I know, it's what your HRM says, did you change your weight setting as you lost weight though?). So I'd probably eat back 500 or so, unless you're really hungry.

Categories