whats the point of excercise if I eat back the calories?

Options
balguy
balguy Posts: 19 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
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?
«13456789

Replies

  • technobunny
    technobunny Posts: 131
    Options
    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.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
    Options
    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.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    Options
    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.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
    Options
    Edit: double post
  • The_Gent_65
    The_Gent_65 Posts: 24
    Options
    The more I exercise, the more I get to drink...
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
    Options
    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.
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,179 Member
    Options
    The bigger the deficit, the bigger the loss.
  • Ottawa_Randy
    Ottawa_Randy Posts: 42 Member
    Options
    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.
  • bethannien
    bethannien Posts: 556 Member
    Options
    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.
  • dawlschic007
    dawlschic007 Posts: 636 Member
    Options
    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.
  • bethannien
    bethannien Posts: 556 Member
    Options
    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.

    ^^^Exactly
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
    Options
    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.
  • AdrianBry
    AdrianBry Posts: 138 Member
    Options
    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
  • balguy
    balguy Posts: 19 Member
    Options
    Thanks, yes Im actually using a heart monitor and not MFP data on calories burned for the exercise
  • AdrianBry
    AdrianBry Posts: 138 Member
    Options
    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 lose
  • technobunny
    technobunny Posts: 131
    Options
    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.
  • balguy
    balguy Posts: 19 Member
    Options
    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?
  • jlp100
    jlp100 Posts: 117 Member
    Options
    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:
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    Options
    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
    yeeeaaah... except that's still pretty horrible advice.
  • ElliottTN
    ElliottTN Posts: 1,614 Member
    Options
    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)

Categories