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

For me, eating more IS the point.

Without exercise I could only eat 1800 calories.
With exercise, I can eat up to 2500. I like to eat a lot, so I exercise.
Exercise also tones and builds muscle.

Yep, me too! I'm a foodie and I wasn't going to leave any calories on the table that didn't need to be left! Loved my long run days because a 10+ mile run equalled a high volume food day for me.

Yes, this. The thing is, sure it's possible to generate a "healthy" deficit and lose 2 pounds a week with diet alone. BUT it's a BUMMER, man! Raise your hands if a doctor or nutritionist has ever devised a meal plan that includes suppers frequently composed of "3 oz broiled skinless chicken breast, 1 cup brown rice, 1 cup steamed broccoli." It's eye-rollingly maddening: you might be able to eat that way for a couple of weeks (or if you were imprisoned in a hospital), but most people would never commit to eating that way exclusively for an extended period of their lives, let alone for a long-term lifestyle change.

My typical workout burns more than 500 calories. Those extra calories make my healthy meals enjoyable, and part of a long-term lifestyle that I'm happy to commit to. With a few hundred extra calories a day, a person can include things like avocado, cheese, and peanut butter in their diets. A glass of wine with dinner. A nip of chocolate, or a couple of slices of bacon once in a while. Whatever little things you love, in moderate quantities. All while still eating at a substantial deficit and losing a healthy amount of weight every week. I've lost nearly 40 pounds since June, and I don't feel like quitting AT ALL, because my diet and lifestyle are sustainable and enjoyable.

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

That's just not true. You are clearly not a person who ever had loose skin, or you'd know better. Skin stretches to accommodate you when you're fat but it doesn't always shrink back down again when you lose the weight. The older you get, the more true that is. These are the facts.

Exactly.... you wanna see what skin that is stretched out and has no hope of going back to normal and is definitely not just fat needing to be reduced, go check out my shirtless photos....

www.gettingfit4life.com

That's just not true. You are clearly not a person who ever had loose skin, or you'd know better. Skin stretches to accommodate you when you're fat but it doesn't always shrink back down again when you lose the weight. The older you get, the more true that is. These are the facts.

maybe this will help: http://www.nowloss.com/how-to-get-rid-of-loose-skin.htm - In most cases i deal with personally it's just more fat someone has to lose. Only surgery can truly get rid of loose skin

Here's a link about loose skin I copied from Stroutman (those who've been around know he's knowledgable)
http://www.burnthefat.com/loose_skin.html

And nice try plugging your website. After your displays on this forum, your's is the last I'd ever recommend.

the point I'm trying to make about "FAST" is that it's okay if you lose over 2 pounds a week and if you happen to lose 5 pounds in a week then that's okay and no need to panic about that or vice versa...

if you lose under 2 pounds a week that is also okay.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding here but I getting the feeling here that some of you think losing over 2 pounds a week is dangerous or unhealthy. It's perfectly fine to lose way over 2 pounds in your first weeks (or months) just starting a new diet + workout

Sweet baby JC. The reason people lose 10 lbs in the first week is because their glycogen stores are depleted and they're losing almost entirely water weight.

Preach!!!!

If HRMs, machines, and MFP were all at least 50% off then why wouldn't they just cut their current estimates in half themselves thus making their estimates twice as accurate?

Aren't the formulas these all use, used because they are considered the most generically accurate?

(not being snarky, I am genuinely curious)

The formulas have assumptions more suitable for their target market, which is people who are already pretty fit, doing steady state cardio for long stretches of time. Four months ago, my HRM gave vastly over-estimated results - now, I can cycle 45km and run 10km and yada yada yada and it's no longer very far off.

If HRMs, machines, and MFP were all at least 50% off then why wouldn't they just cut their current estimates in half themselves thus making their estimates twice as accurate?

Aren't the formulas these all use, used because they are considered the most generically accurate?

(not being snarky, I am genuinely curious)

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1044313-this-is-why-hrms-have-limited-use-for-tracking-calories
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/post/new/1110568-whats-the-point-of-excercise-if-i-eat-back-the-calories?quote=17171502

So in other words, based on the OP of the first link there, HRMs are basically fine for steady state cardio and do not need to be cut in half?

So for walking, running, jogging, elliptical machines, and similar aerobics at a steady pace it's fine, or at least fine-ish? No need to chop it in half?

For programs like P90X, Insanity, T25, and many others they would not be so good?

The formulas have assumptions more suitable for their target market, which is people who are already pretty fit, doing steady state cardio for long stretches of time. Four months ago, my HRM gave vastly over-estimated results - now, I can cycle 45km and run 10km and yada yada yada and it's no longer very far off.

How do you know that the HRM estimates you got 4 months ago were vastly over-estimated?

How do you know that the current HRM estimates aren't the incorrect ones?

(again not being snarky, or argumentative here, just genuinely curious and looking to soak up accurate knowledge you might be dropping)

rusureurnot18becauseyoushouldbe18tobeonthissite

rusureurnot18becauseyoushouldbe18tobeonthissite

Lol... no... I am 31... 17 is my current goal Body Fat %. My name here is an affirmation.

Sorry, bro. I checked your profile after I posted, but I couldn't resist. lol

Good luck on your goal!

The more I exercise, the more I get to drink...

Hell to the yes . . . will work(out) for booze. :drinker:

wut...? :explode: ok, no one is saying that 600 calories of food would suddenly disappear from your body after exercise. We seem to be using 1300 cals so let's be consistent. You eat 1300 calories in a day. You exercise to burn 600. Your body is then left with 700 calories to use to carry out daily functions. And most people need more than that to function properly.

No, that's not how it works at all (esp. if you have a high bodyfat %) - your body feeds off the stored glycogen (or the carbs stored in your muscle & liver) + your bodyfat for energy during exercise

BONUS TIP: if you exercise fasted or first thing in the morning you'll burn MORE FAT and less carbs (glycogen)

:noway: Ok, let me put it another way. My 1 year old is 3 feet tall and weighs 22 lbs. SHE eats more than 700 calories per day. So you're saying thag an adult who exercises off 600 calories should be able to carry out the remainder of their day on LESS than a toddler eats?

Of course not, but you're not eating ONLY 700 cals. - you ate 1300

if your 1 year eats 700 calories and let's say (for sake of arguement) that your toddle burns another 100-to-200 calories exercising or their normal daily activity is She only eating 500 calories per day? of course not.

but look - let's not let me and you get off on the wrong foot here. WE BOTH agree that 1200-to-2000 cals per day is reasonable for MOST people to lose weight.

I think are main struggle here is to figure out where those DAMN exercise calories go - LOL.

but i say (and I know this) they are used mostly for burning extra FAT with the assitance of a calorie restrited diet.

How do you know this? I'd love to see a scource.

Let me ask you this, what's the rush? On the one hand, I can eat 1500 calories no matter what my activity level is. I will feel irritable and weak by the end of a work out day. I might not feel hungry but the extra deficit will be felt. On the other hand, I eat at a 500 calorie deficit. I exercise because it makes me feel good and eat back my exercise calories, making sure I have enough energy to get through each day. In one scenario, I MAY lose weight faster, but I'll be miserable and exhausted and much less likely to stick to it. On the other hand, I lose weight slowly, between .5-2 lbs per week. But I'm happy, I look forward to work outs and I know I can live with this forever.

Seems like a no brainer to me

Well, Im very happy to have created such a nicely debated post

Thank you all for your responses! I agree, I have to eat the calories back, I don't want to be miserable and MFP is already creating a deficit.
I also appreciate that exercise has benefits beyond loosing weight and I was already big into exercise before I gained and during my 40lbs weight gain (meds). I enjoy working out is my favorite part of the day.

That been said I am on a 3 month mission to loose 30 lbs, and what I am wondering is if during that 3 month period I should lower my cardio and spend more time doing weights... is not a long term decision to stop cardio is a 3 month thing.... does that make sense?

Does running burn carbs ? is that a reason to exercise even if I am eating back the calories?

I would simply recommend to give yourself longer than 3 months....30Lbs isn't a ton of weight to lose so you're not going to have the fat stores to go fast..also, as you approach a healthy BF%, things just slow down to a crawl. I'm personally not big on making "time commitments" for any of this stuff...I prefer to focus on the process and let the results come as they may...much less frustrating that way.

Bump..

Exercise like cardio raises the heart level, improves your overall fitness, and can actually train your body to burn more fat for energy.

huh? :huh: