eating back calories results and expreiences

never mind

I don't eat them back-don't see the point in burning them off if you do

lost 1lb per week,

*sigh*

so sorry this makes you sad, but it is MY opinion of MY experience. And that is what was asked.

The first 15lb was lost not eating them back, and then I stalled for a good 5/6 months and wondered why I felt tired and sluggish and generally awful. Oh, and starving - complete with the snarling shewolf grumpiness.

Then I read the forums on here, I researched how MFP should actually work - yes, I was stupid and assumed that eating cals back defeated the object and I needed to see negative net.
Now, I eat about 80% of mine back - again, mostly for MFP's errors with the logging. Lost 60lb doing it. I feel fitter, stronger, healthier... I'm losing weight, and I get to eat food!

I don't eat them back-don't see the point in burning them off if you do

lost 1lb per week,

*sigh*

make that a double....

The reason there is debate is because people A) don't understand why they should or shouldn't eat them back and/or can't estimate/measure correctly.

Figure out those 2 things and it all becomes incredibly easy.

^ This is a fair view of most of the problem.

Just to belabor the point....

There really needs to be a sticky thread on the dangers of relying on an HRM or FitBit or BodyBug or etc for accurate calorie burns....

Disagree - they don't have to be accurate, they just have to be consistent.
If you are consistent in your food logging plus your exercise estimates and then adjust intake based on results then I really don't see the problem?

Agreed.

The point is that there are way to many people who, seemingly, blindly swear by them under all conditions without any thought. And that's the problem.

I eat mine! Exercise calories are the most delicious calories. Size 10 down from a 16.

I don't think this thread has helped the OP.

I usually take a glass of Jack Daniels as a reward for working out or exercising. But my rule is to eat back 50% of exercise calories, otherwise there's no point in exercising in the first place!

Ate the vast majority back while losing weight, while maintaining, and right now, doing my best to eat them all while bulking. Learnt that my fitbit does underestimate my tdee by somewhere in the range of 200-300 calories a day on average, so I get to enjoy an insane amount of food just to keep up with my lifestyle before even factoring in exercise.

making sarcastic comments doesn't really help anyone......the 3 of you that commented on my post should enlighten me as to why I am so incorrect in my statement? Share your wealth of knowledge if you have any....

That has already happened....but I'll belabor the point...

MFP gives you a calorie goal with a weight loss deficit built in. When you set up your activity level in MFP, it is sans exercise because MFP is a NEAT method calculator...with a NEAT method calculator, you account for exercise after the fact rather than incorporating it into your activity level. With a TDEE calculator you incorporate it into your activity level...thus, you are still eating back exercise calories, just not deliberately...either way, the activity is accounted for.

This is important because for optimal fitness performance and results you need optimal nutrition and energy...i.e. you need to properly fuel you body for your activity level...cut too much and your performance suffers.

As has also been noted before, people who have issues are usually overestimating their burn and/or underestimating intake...it's generally a combination of both...this isn't rocket science, it's really pretty much like 6th grade math.