Weight loss deficit, eating exercise calories, stavation mod

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NeuroticVirgo
NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So, here is my problem, I keep seeing that you need a deficit of 3500 calories to lose 1lb. Which MFP has already done for me (decreasing me by 500 cal a day diet). But lets say I wanted to lose 2lbs per week. I'm already at 1500 cal, so from what I get I don't want to go below 1200 calories a day. So that would only give me an extra 2100 calories a week, and I would still need to burn off 1400 calories.

Which leads me to eating exercise calories, I don't understand why you would eat exercise calories? I had read on one of the many posts about eating your exercise calories, that you should eat some, or all of them, or you can still force your body into starvation mode. It was something along the lines, of subtracting your exercise calories from what you've eating...so If I burn 500 calories today, but only ate 1200...I REALLY only ate 700 calories...which would be terms to make your body not want to let you lose.

But that just seems really confusing to me, because lets say...(I know I'm getting a little exaggerated here)...like in this article.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/66451-lose-pounds-one-week/

You wanted to lose 5lbs a week, that you would need a 2500 deficit everyday....So that would mean...given my current diet at only 500 deficit...I would have to burn off 2000 more calories a day...but I'm only eating 1500...so that would put me at NEGATIVE 500 a day...

Does anyone else see why I'm getting so confused. :(

BTW - some of this was sparked up by the biggest loser show...because you know they are pretty much burning like a million calories a day lol. (I get it, not healthy, when people are puking while walking on a treadmill, that pretty much sets the "This is bad for you" alarms off in my head lol).

So thanks for reading, I hope someone can shed some light on this for me. :)
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Replies

  • live2dream
    live2dream Posts: 614 Member
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    This confuses me as well. I'd like to hear what other say. :)
  • wrevhn
    wrevhn Posts: 864 Member
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    I have heard alot of ppl on here that ar thin and fit suggest NOT to eat those cals. I do believe your eating should match your excersising. if your burning 1000 a day you need a smidge more than 1200, but not as much as they say.

    my kickboxing teacher is/was also competeing fitness model, she says no. not too eat them
  • stylistchik
    stylistchik Posts: 1,436 Member
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    It all comes down to how much you have to lose. You CAN lose 5lbs a week. But the healthiest way to lose weight is to aim for 1-2 lbs per week (depending on how much you have to lose) by starting new healthy habits you can continue for life. Why would you work so hard to get to your goal weight, only to return to your previous habits and gain it all back? It makes no sense. The goal here is to learn to live a healthy lifestyle.

    The biggest loser people can burn those many calories because they have hundreds of pounds to lose AND they later learn effective strategies to lead a healthy lifestyle. Personally, I don't have 8 hours every day to work out! :laugh:
  • ErinMarie25
    ErinMarie25 Posts: 733 Member
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    This is an ongoing debate.

    TO ME, don't eat your exercise calories if you want to lose weight, but eat them to maintain your weight, when you are satisfied. I do not or haven't ate my exercise calories in months, since I started and continue to lose a lot of weight.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    First, it's unrealistic and unhealthy to even try to lose 5 lbs per week.

    Second, some people cannot eat their exercise calories AND lose 2 lbs/week because they don't burn enough before exercise. it's just how it goes. Those people can probably safely NOT eat some of their exercise calories, but they should still try to keep their deficit at safe levels (ex. 1000 calories or less a day - no more than a 2 lbs loss per week).

    I, for example, burn 2200 per day, on average, before exercise. Therefore, I can safely take my 1000 calorie deficit and only eat 1200 calories per day. Any exercise calories I burn would push me into a higher deficit than I need. I eat back 50-75% of exercise calories, leaving room for error in my estimates of what I've burned or eaten.

    If, however, I only burned on average 2000 calories per day (which I'll probably get to once I lose more weight), then I can only have a 800 calorie deficit before exercise, since it's not generally safe to eat less than 1200 per day. In this case, I would start not eating back up to 200 of my exercise calories, so I could get up to the 1000 calorie deficit.

    Eating back exercise calories is a good general rule, but obviously there are always exceptions. When it gets dangerous is when people only eat 1200 per day, then burn 500, 600, or even more, and end up with net calories of only 500 or so. Your body is not meant to work on such low calories over the long term.

    Here is a post I did awhile back that address why people's weight loss may slow/stop when they eat exercise calories - it may or may not help clarify things for you: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/117726-eating-exercise-cals-slowing-your-weight-loss-read-this

    Edited to add; people who say that eating exercise calories is only for maintenance mode, or that eating them defeats the purpose of the exercise doesn't understand the calculations and how it all works. MFP builds in your deficit BEFORE exercise, and exercise has plenty of benefits other than just helping lose weight. I've been eating 50-75% (sometimes 100%) back and am succssfully losing weight steadily. Plenty of others are too.
  • Sharonbed4d
    Sharonbed4d Posts: 163
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    Everyone is different but I eat most of my exercise calories. My calories are set at 1200 so if I burn 400 calories exercising, I eat 1600 calories that day. My metabolism would slow down if I didn't fuel my body properly since I exercise consistently. Do what works for you.
  • dendra7
    dendra7 Posts: 113 Member
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    My understanding of it is that if you want to maintain where you are at- eat those exercise calories- if not, don't. When I am losing, I do not eat them. I stick to my regular calorie limit to get that deficit and then exercise to burn the rest of what I want to get accomplished. But I see most do not agree with me---so what do I know! I just do what works for me. I definitely eat all day long and I try to work out daily...so...I'd say listen to your body!
  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
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    This is an ongoing debate.

    TO ME, don't eat your exercise calories if you want to lose weight, but eat them to maintain your weight, when you are satisfied. I do not or haven't ate my exercise calories in months, since I started and continue to lose a lot of weight.

    I have always lost more weight eating more of them..

    Think of it this way, you drive your car and get low on gas (exercise) and dont put more gas iny our tank, you have to put some gas back in so your car keeps running good.
    Exercise can be hard on your body and takes a lot out of it and you keep running a deficit and dont put any nutrition back into your body by eating some of those cals back then your body cant run efficiently
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
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    This is my own personal opinion, based on what I have learned through my own experiences.............

    It is NOT as simple as Calories In, Calories Out, weight loss is contingent on the quality of food we eat, not the quantity

    All calories are NOT equal.

    Starvation Mode is a myth if you are overweight.


    I eat probably at least 2 or 3 times the amount of fat that the average person on this site eats and moderate levels of protein. I am able to lose weight EFFORTLESSLY eating this way............

    I eat very low carb, high fat and moderate protein.


    When it comes down to it, you are going to have to learn YOUR body and how it reacts to foods.

    Some people tolerate grains, others don't..................Some people like myself can eat a higher fat plan and this is what makes for optimum health, others maybe not so much..............

    I do believe that something we can ALL agree upon is that - the more natural the better.
  • pink_butterfly
    pink_butterfly Posts: 83
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    You're forgetting that our bodies burn so many calories just by living.. sleeping, getting out of bed in the morning.. So they take that into calculation. I agree, only try to lose 1-2lbs a week. Yeah 5lbs a week would be great, but its not healthy, and you will be disappointed if u lose it too fast which makes u put it back on just as fast.. Never go below 1200 calories.. and remember, before we all started this site, most of us were eating sooo much more than 1200 cals as we dont notice. You are making such a difference even with just by counting cals.. I eat half of my exercise cals, depending on how much I exercised, then maybe even less, but our body needs that energy.. You don't want to run ur body down.

    But with the calories, yes dont forget we burn cals by doing nothing. lol. :) And good luck on ur weight loss journey!
  • ♥_Ellybean_♥
    ♥_Ellybean_♥ Posts: 1,646 Member
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    It's never recommened to eat less than 1200 calories per day... your body needs these calories to run and do the normal things you do.. and anything lower than that your risking putting your body into danger.

    Second, it's recommended (highly recommended) to lose weight at a 2lb per week pace... therefore, it's not realistic to say you want to lose 5lbs per week and burn XXXXXX amount of calories per day. It's been widely known that the Biggest Loser Contestants are not dieting and exercising in a healthy way (have you seen all the skin that hangs on these players?)....


    MFP already starts you out with a 500lb deficit per day...... So that will give you your first pound... Now to add an additional pound you would need to burn by exercise 500 calories per day..... I would not suggest over doing it... but I sometimes burn as much as 1000 calories per day.. and I like to take 1 day off a week...


    With that said, if you eat your calories like your suppose to... and burn 500 calories per day but eat them all.. you can expect to lose weight at about 1/2 - 1 pound per week depending on the type of foods you are eating.

    If you are looking to lose weight, I don't suggest eating those exercise calories unless needed (not saying everyday should be this way)...
  • daj150
    daj150 Posts: 815 Member
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    This is a very good question. There are a lot of medical articles that unfortunately say both statements; "Don't eat your exercise calories" and "Eat your exercise calories."

    Here is the info that is pretty consistent. If you have a diet of 1500 calories, then exercise and burn 400 calories, that puts you at 1100 calories, putting your body in the "starvation zone." However, let's say you eat 1200 calories, AND are full and your body doesn't seem to be low on energy or your belly rumbling for food. Then guess what, you don't need to eat any additional calories. Also, the 1200 calories is a generally accepted number. But there are reports showing that certain body types and metabolisms can get away with as low as 1000 calories. Some people need 1500 or more to keep from being in starvation.

    The rule of thumb you will get from most trainers, doctors, nutrionists, etc is that you should not eat to make yourself full, and that you should only eat when you are starting to get hungry. Eat enough to curb the hunger in order to feel satisfied. The food you eat should be high in vitamins, fiber, protein, etc, and low in carbs, sugars, sodium, etc. This paired with exercise creates amazing results.

    One other point to make is that if you are exercising, especially strength training, then your body actually is burning a lot more calories when you are sitting around. I hope this helped answer your question. Unfortunately, everybody's body is different.
  • wrevhn
    wrevhn Posts: 864 Member
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    This is my own personal opinion, based on what I have learned through my own experiences.............

    It is NOT as simple as Calories In, Calories Out, weight loss is contingent on the quality of food we eat, not the quantity

    All calories are NOT equal.

    Starvation Mode is a myth if you are overweight.


    I eat probably at least 2 or 3 times the amount of fat that the average person on this site eats and moderate levels of protein. I am able to lose weight EFFORTLESSLY eating this way............

    I eat very low carb, high fat and moderate protein.


    When it comes down to it, you are going to have to learn YOUR body and how it reacts to foods.

    Some people tolerate grains, others don't..................Some people like myself can eat a higher fat plan and this is what makes for optimum health, others maybe not so much..............

    I do believe that something we can ALL agree upon is that - the more natural the better.

    i agree very much with this statement. still believe its best to not eat all the cals they give, but i agree with what you eat can effect more.
  • bmr5770
    bmr5770 Posts: 13
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    Since I started in August, MFP has had me on 1270 calories a day to burn off ~1.8 lbs a week (I had set to 2lbs but that's as close as it would get). That 1270 is used by my body to *just keep me going* - i.e. beat my heart, expand/contract my lungs, think, etc. That's based on my current lifestyle (sedentary/desk job).

    Remember that everyone has a starvation threshold that, if you go under, will cause your body to burn muscle for fuel (as it can burn that quicker than fat) and put as many calories it can to storage (fat). On average, that's about ~1200 calories.

    So, as I said, I'm eating 1270 calories every day only for the basic body functions. If I exercise for say, 300 calories, that leaves only 970 calories left for the base functions and is probably under what my body *has* to have (because it can only pull so much from fat per day). If I do that once, no biggie. If I do it consistently, my body goes into self-preservation mode.

    So, I eat 300 more calories (in the example above), and that gives my body the required 1270 calories.

    All that being said, everyone is different. Some may not have to eat their exercise calories, some may need to eat all of them, and some may only need to eat some of them.

    Try eating your exercise calories for a couple weeks and see how you do.
  • EDesq
    EDesq Posts: 1,527 Member
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    Frankly, losing weight is NOT that difficult "scientifically." Basically, "burn" more calories than you use. If You want to lose 2 lbs. per week then YOU tell the "Computer, data..." that AND then YOU eat accordingly! BUT REMEMBER, just because YOU put it down on "paper" does NOT mean that it will happen that way...The BODY has a MIND of it's own...so don't get frustrated if you stick to your Plan and Exercise and your Body has something else in Mind.

    All of this "Starvation Mode" and Eating exercise calories should not even play a part in your Plan; if you can be active and get done daily what you need to get done on 1000 calories a day, go for it. YOU are NOT going to STARVE, unless Your Body has NO Fat! If you listen to some of these people you will "Starve" in a week or 2 if you eat less than 1200 calories. When you are on a low calorie Plan, You have to increase Your caloric intake gradually for your metabolism to increase once you have lost the weight you want and a lot of people forget about that when the come off of a low calorie eating plan, thus regaining some weight. You also have to remember that we normally do not eat "evenly" during a week; some days we want more, some days less...so it may help to look for a weekly avg. caloric intake also.

    Just look at Your basil (resting) caloric intake, based on that recommended caloric intake DECIDE how many calories UNDER that YOU want to eat, stick with that number no matter what...forget about eating the "exercise" calories. BUT remember, Your Body is going to lose weight at its OWN Pace, No matter what you do (haven't You seen all these people writing about "what's happening to them...and Why am I not losing as fast as I should...and on and on and on...) That's because the Body is going to DO what It DO, so YOUR PURPOSE is to Stay the course and Do NOT get Frustrated while the Body is doing its thing. Forget about the "science" of it all, that's for egg-heads, nerds and ego-maniacs who think they have the answers for EVERYONE. The "science" of weight loss may be working somewhere BUT it's the HUMANITY of Weight Loss that will get you to actually LOSE Weight and keep it OFF...meaning, Your Heart (Commitment), Your Spirit (Determination, Self Motivation), Your Mind ( Choosing a Plan, Forcing Your Body to MOVE, POSITIVE Self Talk and PATIENCE!)
  • ChubbieTubbie
    ChubbieTubbie Posts: 481 Member
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    I think you can probably eat them on some days, but not every day--your body won't go into 'starvation mode' from eating under your calories one or two days, but if you consistently do, it may. I try not to eat my exercise calories unless I've burned a LOT of calories. On a typical day, I burn about 300-500 calories via exercise, so I don't eat those (unless I'm really hungry, which sometimes happens) but sometimes I burn 700+ calories in a day and I do eat some of those. I'm losing about 2 lb/week, even though I am only set to lose 1.5 per week (1600 calories per day). I recently dropped my calories to a 2 lb/wk goal and I'm going to continue to eat my calories the same way, so I guess I can let you know in a week or two if I'm losing 2.5-3 pounds per week doing it that way or if it still stays at 2 lb/wk.

    All in all, I don't think there's a 'right' way and a 'wrong' way--whatever works for YOU is what you should do. I had to tweak mine around some to find what worked for me and what I could live with. No sense in aiming too low on calories if I know I can't keep it up. I know I'm always over the 1340 MFP allows me, so I incorporate a 150 calorie workout that I don't even count towards my daily goal of exercise just to cover the 100 calories or so that I typically eat over my daily goal. I then aim for another 300-500 calories to bank for another bit of weight loss per week.

    I do have to say, though, I fantasize about burning 1300 calories a day and then doubling my weight loss efforts--I don't think it's possible, I know it's not safe, but then again I do have a lot of fat on me so I doubt I'd starve to death. :tongue: At the end of the day, I know it's not going to happen, so I just stick with the 'slow and steady' plan.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    All of this "Starvation Mode" and Eating exercise calories should not even play a part in your Plan; if you can be active and get done daily what you need to get done on 1000 calories a day, go for it. YOU are NOT going to STARVE, unless Your Body has NO Fat!

    Just so you know, starvation mode (as used on this site) does not mean that someone is literally starving. It's when someone's metabolism drops below what it would be normally (meaning they burn fewer calories on a normal non-exercise basis) because their body isn't getting the nutrition it needs. It's a survival mechanism - if our bodies are deprived of adequate nutrition, and people have deficits that are too high for an extended period, the body's metabolism drops to try and conserve the rare resources (ex. calories/nutrients).
  • LareishaH
    LareishaH Posts: 205 Member
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    This is a topic that I am very interested in as well. My calories are set at 1200 per day because i sit at a computer for 8 hours; however, I also exercise at least 5 days a week burning close to 800 calories per day. I have a hard time eating 1200 calories a day, and it isn't because I am going over. I am always under. On average, the only time I go over 1200 calories is if I am having a cheat day. (I generally have one cheat meal per week) Which means I don't eat my 1200 calories plus I am burning over an additional 800 calories. According to what most people are saying, my body should be in starvation mode, thus I should not be losing weight. Let me make this clear, I don't intentionally go under my 1200 calories....believe me....I try. I eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, and I try to get three snacks in throughout the day, but I still come up short. As I was saying, based on this starvation belief, why am I losing weight? I am so confused.
  • PJilly
    PJilly Posts: 21,740 Member
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    I know it can be confusing, but numbers-wise, to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week, your daily caloric deficit should be between 500 and 1,000. You can create this deficit by eating fewer calories, by burning more calories, or by a combination of the two. MFP takes all the information you enter and gives you your daily calories based solely on eating fewer calories. That's why, to maintain this recommended deficit, you need to eat back any calories you burn by exercising. These calculations aren't exactly perfect for every person, but they're a good place to start. My experience has been that the people who use MFP's tools as they're set up, myself included, have the best, longest-lasting results. I'd strongly encourage you to faithfully track your exercise and your food and to eat your exercise calories. Do this consistently for several weeks, and you'll be able to see for yourself how accurate it is for you personally. If you're convinced you're eating too many calories after doing that, you can adjust them down, but I have a feeling you'll understand then why people to eat your exercise calories. Hope that helps!
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    Besides eating healthy foods, just focusing on the caloric intake part...For ME to lose weight, I had to keep a relatively small daily caloric deficit. ~200 calories or so, if that.
    If I kept a higher deficit for too long, I would not lose anything(which is how I started out)

    That meant manually setting my goals to just barely under maintenace and eat all or nearly all my exercise calories.

    That worked for me, (male with about 15# to lose) individual results may vary.

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