whats the point of excercise if I eat back the calories?
balguy
Posts: 19 Member
I know exercise is healthy but in regards to loosing weight. I find that when I workout I end up eating the calories that I burned. So for example my goal on MFP is about 1300 calories to loose 2lbs per week.
If I don't work out I end up eating those 1300 calories, but if I do work out MFP tells me I can eat those calories back, whats the point then to cardio workouts for loosing weight?
My trainer at gym suggested I don't eat back all calories that I burned but I find that difficult because as it is I am already cutting enough calories to loose those 2lbs per week...
I do enjoy working out, but should I skip cardio until I loose the weight that I want to loose?
Any thoughts?
If I don't work out I end up eating those 1300 calories, but if I do work out MFP tells me I can eat those calories back, whats the point then to cardio workouts for loosing weight?
My trainer at gym suggested I don't eat back all calories that I burned but I find that difficult because as it is I am already cutting enough calories to loose those 2lbs per week...
I do enjoy working out, but should I skip cardio until I loose the weight that I want to loose?
Any thoughts?
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Replies
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MFP is already set at a deficit, so let's say it tells you to eat 1300 calories that's already at a 500 calorie deficit. If you exercise and burn 300 calories, then now you are at an 800 calorie deficit. You need to eat the calories you burn to get back to the recomended 500 calorie deficit. Otherwise your body will not have enough energy and you will wear yourself out.0
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MFP's calorie goal has a built in deficit for weightloss...when you set your activity level, you do not include any exercise as a part of your daily activity, just your day to day hum drum...then MFP calculates your NEAT (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis)maintenance calories and takes a deduction from there for weight loss. Any exercise you do is unaccounted for activity...you don't account for it up front, so you have to account for it on the backside of the equation.
Your trainer is telling you not to eat them back because most PTs assume you are using exercise to create your calorie deficit...or some combination of exercise and diet...and sometimes, if they happen to actually be half way intelligent they will use the TDEE approach. With MFP, you're not trying to create a weight loss defcit with exercise...it's all built into your calorie budget and diet.0 -
1300 Cals includes a deficit to loose 2 lbs per wk with no exercise - MFP takes into account only what you burn in your typical day (depends on the settings you picked).
Additional exercise increases your deficit by the amount of calories burned. You don't want too large a deficit, so you need to eat those calories back to maintain an appropriate deficit. Generally speaking, MFP overestimates calorie burn for exercise, so you might want to only eat 1/2 - 3/4 back.0 -
Edit: double post0
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The more I exercise, the more I get to drink...0
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never "eat back" your exercise calories UNLESS you want to lose weight slower OR if for some reason you are hungier (which happens with increased activity) but my advice is to NOT eat those calories back. If defeats the purpose of exercise.
You should exercise to burn extra fat, calories or lose weight faster.
You shouldn't exercise just so you can eat more
Funny....I dropped on average about 1 Lb per week (40 Lbs down total) as per my goals that I input to MFP...I did so using this tool properly and eating back my exercise calories (allowance made for overestimation of burn)...because that is the way this tool is designed. Eating a mere 1300 calories and going to the gym and burning off 600 - 1000 calories is a pretty friggin' horrible idea and extremely unhealthy.0 -
The bigger the deficit, the bigger the loss.0
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Exercise does way more than just give you a calorie deficiency.
It is a major defense against depression, helps prevent loads of ailments and heart conditions, helps regulate blood sugar and boosts energy. It also is a major contributer to longevity and is even more important as you age.
Weights/Resistance adds additional benefits like denser bones, building new muscle and increasing metabolic effect after completed.
I do know what you mean about sometimes being hungrier after a workout. If you need to eat, go ahead and eat and still have the benefits you rerived from a great workout.0 -
never "eat back" your exercise calories UNLESS you want to lose weight slower OR if for some reason you are hungier (which happens with increased activity) but my advice is to NOT eat those calories back. If defeats the purpose of exercise.
You should exercise to burn extra fat, calories or lose weight faster.
You shouldn't exercise just so you can eat more
Slow weight loss isn't the end of the world. Exercise is for overall fitness, diet is for weight loss.0 -
If you don't want to eat back your exercise calories, you can also just increase your activity level settings so that MFP is including your workouts in their calculations. Then just enter your workouts as 1 calorie burned and keep track of the actual calories burned in the note section.
It really ends up balancing out to the same thing, either way.0 -
If you don't want to eat back your exercise calories, you can also just increase your activity level settings so that MFP is including your workouts in their calculations. Then just enter your workouts as 1 calorie burned and keep track of the actual calories burned in the note section.
It really ends up balancing out to the same thing, either way.
^^^Exactly0 -
never "eat back" your exercise calories UNLESS you want to lose weight slower OR if for some reason you are hungier (which happens with increased activity) but my advice is to NOT eat those calories back. If defeats the purpose of exercise.
You should exercise to burn extra fat, calories or lose weight faster.
You shouldn't exercise just so you can eat more
The purpose of exercise is to improve cardiovascular health, develop strength, and generally feel good. You are not defeating the purpose by eating back your calories. I don't exercise just so I can eat more, but it's a nice benefit.
Faster isn't always better. People who lose more slowly hang on to more muscle, which looks much better once they reach their goal weight. Losing slower is also better in terms of skin elasticity. Plus, If eating a little bit more makes it easier for someone to stick to the plan, that is much better than being stressed and tired because they are hungry and they give up.0 -
never "eat back" your exercise calories UNLESS you want to lose weight slower OR if for some reason you are hungier (which happens with increased activity) but my advice is to NOT eat those calories back. If defeats the purpose of exercise.
You should exercise to burn extra fat, calories or lose weight faster.
You shouldn't exercise just so you can eat more
Funny....I dropped on average about 1 Lb per week (40 Lbs down total) as per my goals that I input to MFP...I did so using this tool properly and eating back my exercise calories (allowance made for overestimation of burn)...because that is the way this tool is designed. Eating a mere 1300 calories and going to the gym and burning off 600 - 1000 calories is a pretty friggin' horrible idea and extremely unhealthy.
no, it's not unhealthy. you're still getting 1300 calories and you lost 40 pounds (i'm guessing in 40 weeks) which is good but imagine losing that 40 in 20 weeks or even 300 -
Thanks, yes Im actually using a heart monitor and not MFP data on calories burned for the exercise0
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Faster isn't always better. People who lose more slowly hang on to more muscle, which looks much better once they reach their goal weight. Losing slower is also better in terms of skin elasticity. Plus, If eating a little bit more makes it easier for someone to stick to the plan, that is much better than being stressed and tired because they are hungry and they give up.
the heavier you are = the faster you'll lose weight and the MORE fat you'll lose. muscle loss only begins to occur at the point when your bodyfat % gets EXTREMELY low (like under 5%)
as for skin elasticity (or loose skin) most people mistake loose skin for simply more fat they have to lose. Pinch the skin on the back of your hand which is VERY thin - that's loose skin. pinching skin in other areas that is thicker anywhere else is just more fat you need to lose0 -
never "eat back" your exercise calories UNLESS you want to lose weight slower OR if for some reason you are hungier (which happens with increased activity) but my advice is to NOT eat those calories back. If defeats the purpose of exercise.
You should exercise to burn extra fat, calories or lose weight faster.
You shouldn't exercise just so you can eat more
Funny....I dropped on average about 1 Lb per week (40 Lbs down total) as per my goals that I input to MFP...I did so using this tool properly and eating back my exercise calories (allowance made for overestimation of burn)...because that is the way this tool is designed. Eating a mere 1300 calories and going to the gym and burning off 600 - 1000 calories is a pretty friggin' horrible idea and extremely unhealthy.
no, it's not unhealthy. you're still getting 1300 calories and you lost 40 pounds (i'm guessing in 40 weeks) which is good but imagine losing that 40 in 20 weeks or even 30
If you're eating 1300 calories and burning 600, you're only getting 700. That is in no way shape or form healthy for any human adult. Not even if you're bed ridden.0 -
I kind of agree that I have to eat back those calories, the question then becomes did I gain anything in regards to loosing weight by running, swimming etc...? should just do weights until I achieve my goal?0
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The more I exercise, the more I get to drink...
Like ha ha :drinker:
That's how I see it on the weekend! And possibly a lil chicken kebab... mmmmm :blushing:0 -
yeeeaaah... except that's still pretty horrible advice.never "eat back" your exercise calories UNLESS you want to lose weight slower OR if for some reason you are hungier (which happens with increased activity) but my advice is to NOT eat those calories back. If defeats the purpose of exercise.
You should exercise to burn extra fat, calories or lose weight faster.
You shouldn't exercise just so you can eat more
Funny....I dropped on average about 1 Lb per week (40 Lbs down total) as per my goals that I input to MFP...I did so using this tool properly and eating back my exercise calories (allowance made for overestimation of burn)...because that is the way this tool is designed. Eating a mere 1300 calories and going to the gym and burning off 600 - 1000 calories is a pretty friggin' horrible idea and extremely unhealthy.
no, it's not unhealthy. you're still getting 1300 calories and you lost 40 pounds (i'm guessing in 40 weeks) which is good but imagine losing that 40 in 20 weeks or even 300 -
never "eat back" your exercise calories UNLESS you want to lose weight slower OR if for some reason you are hungier (which happens with increased activity) but my advice is to NOT eat those calories back. If defeats the purpose of exercise.
You should exercise to burn extra fat, calories or lose weight faster.
You shouldn't exercise just so you can eat more
I sometimes throw in an extra mile or two for some extra beer....but some say I may have a problem (hiccup)0 -
never "eat back" your exercise calories UNLESS you want to lose weight slower OR if for some reason you are hungier (which happens with increased activity) but my advice is to NOT eat those calories back. If defeats the purpose of exercise.
You should exercise to burn extra fat, calories or lose weight faster.
You shouldn't exercise just so you can eat more
Bad advice. Fast weight loss isn't good weight loss.
Exercise should not be about calorie burns.0 -
Sssshhhhh......If you're eating 1300 calories and burning 600, you're only getting 700. That is in no way shape or form healthy for any human adult. Not even if you're bed ridden.
yes, but you're not eating ONLY 700. you ate 1300. the 600 you burned exercising is a bonus. you don't go into starvation or start starving or malnutrition just because you exercise.0 -
never "eat back" your exercise calories UNLESS you want to lose weight slower OR if for some reason you are hungier (which happens with increased activity) but my advice is to NOT eat those calories back. If defeats the purpose of exercise.
You should exercise to burn extra fat, calories or lose weight faster.
You shouldn't exercise just so you can eat more
This is terrible advice, I advise no one to follow it. Losing weight as fast as possible to the point of endangering your health is NOT the way to go.0 -
I kind of agree that I have to eat back those calories, the question then becomes did I gain anything in regards to loosing weight by running, swimming etc...? should just do weights until I achieve my goal?
you'll still lose weight eating those calroies back but it really is defeating the purpose of exercising. eating back calories is simply the same thing as JUST DIETING or eating less ALONE to lose weight0 -
never "eat back" your exercise calories UNLESS you want to lose weight slower OR if for some reason you are hungier (which happens with increased activity) but my advice is to NOT eat those calories back. If defeats the purpose of exercise.
You should exercise to burn extra fat, calories or lose weight faster.
You shouldn't exercise just so you can eat more
It's interesting that so many people fail to understand how MFP works. Your deficit is already built in to the number of calories they give you per day. When you exercise, you are pushing that deficit even lower. I lift weights and run to maintain more of my lean body mass and to build endurance. Not to eat more or lose faster.0 -
This is terrible advice, I advise no one to follow it. Losing weight as fast as possible to the point of endangering your health is NOT the way to go.
of course you want to finsih your goals as fast as you can and what I suggested is not unhealthy.
let's look at it this way...
when someone hits a plateau are you (the ones suggesting you should eat your calories back) that you should ONLY eat less? because if you increase your exercise intensity or workotu longer then you'll still have to eat those calories back anyway0 -
never "eat back" your exercise calories UNLESS you want to lose weight slower OR if for some reason you are hungier (which happens with increased activity) but my advice is to NOT eat those calories back. If defeats the purpose of exercise.
You should exercise to burn extra fat, calories or lose weight faster.
You shouldn't exercise just so you can eat more
It's interesting that so many people fail to understand how MFP works. Your deficit is already built in to the number of calories they give you per day. When you exercise, you are pushing that deficit even lower. I lift weights and run to maintain more of my lean body mass and to build endurance. Not to eat more or lose faster.
Exactly. By this logic, I should just completely stop eating until I hit goal weight.. and any extra workouts I do are just bonus points on the way to Awesomeville.
but hey, math can be difficult to understand sometimes.0 -
never "eat back" your exercise calories UNLESS you want to lose weight slower OR if for some reason you are hungier (which happens with increased activity) but my advice is to NOT eat those calories back. If defeats the purpose of exercise.
You should exercise to burn extra fat, calories or lose weight faster.
You shouldn't exercise just so you can eat more
Um No........ This site is designed so that your calories deficit is already built in so weight loss will happen without exercise you exercise for fitness and in order to be successful you must fuel your workouts... Nothing wrong with eating back your exercise calories and losing weight at a 1 to 2 lb. a week clip.. Somehow I managed to do this and lose 312 lbs...... OP unless your using the TDEE approach then you are using the MFP approach and should be eating those calories back... To large of a deficit can work against you in the long run... This is a marathon not a sprint..... Best of Luck...0 -
OP... do what you want, but just on the second page of this thread, you have three people that have lost 566 lbs combined.
We're all three telling you to eat them back.
Now, you choose.
We don't have our own websites for weight loss and we're not trying to talk you into doing something crazy, like not eating enough... but hey, to each their own, right?0 -
Bad advice. Fast weight loss isn't good weight loss.
Exercise should not be about calorie burns.
then what about the overeweight person who loses 10 pounds a week until they get within 20-to-50 pounds of their goal?
If exercise shouldn't be abotu calorie burns then why exercise?0
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