Non exercise calorie eaters, please explain something to me

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Replies

  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    Those people generally plateau, not directly from their diet approach, but due to it's un sustainability.

    ^----Here's your answer.
  • klaff411
    klaff411 Posts: 169 Member
    I know, I know. I should not concern myself with other peoples methods and should just concentrate on my own.

    However, I would say 90% of the threads I read that say 'help, I'm not losing weight!' are made by people that are not eating their exercise calories back

    Please could someone explain to me why you would join a website designed to help you lose weight, with many, many successful members, and trust this website to give you your daily calorie amounts, your macro targets, and to provide the nutritional information for thousands of different foods, yet when it tells you to eat your exercise calories back, said website is obviously out to sabotage your weight loss?

    Please, for the love of God,

    images_zpsf9ce10bf.jpg

    Uh well..I'm not a nutritionist. But your supposed to do recovery after you exercise. Most people think thats downing a whole Gatorade after 20 mins on the treadmill. =/

    Usually I drink lots of water and put a little whey powder in there 1/2 scoop. But I do high intensity cardio (kickboxing) for about an hour. On the days I'm lifting, I don't do any recovery. I'll just eat dinner after...yay!
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    *Looks at ticker* Yup it says 132 lbs loss, and guess what? I don't eat back my calories... Just saying... Why? Because I tried it and it didn't work.

    Why do people suggest to eat at TDEE and come to this site and preach about it when it wasn't designed that way? Because everyone works different and people need to try what works best for them that isn't unhealthy.

    I totally thought of you when I read this thread! You're the perfect example!
  • dym123
    dym123 Posts: 1,670 Member
    During the week, I don't workout until after work so I don't know how many exercise calories I'll have (I use an HRM). By that time I've already eaten most of my calories and have no desire to have a big meal for dinner, I usually like to eat light. On the days I do workout in the mornings, I'm usually so busy during the day I don't have time to have regular meals and even though I try to eat more (i.e. big breakfast), I sometimes still come well under my calorie goal. Also like someone else said, I don't count every last thing, such as the milk in my coffee or the oil spray or all my supplements, so it is always good to have a cushion.

    BTW I think I've done pretty well not eating back my all exercise calories.

    ETA - I eat way more than 1200 calories
  • kattjohnsonmfp
    kattjohnsonmfp Posts: 21 Member
    "Many, many successful members" do not eat back their exercise calories and I know this might cause your head to explode, but they eat 1200 calories, too.

    Shhhhhhh.

    They'll be back.

    Best response :D
  • fatfudgery
    fatfudgery Posts: 449 Member
    Some people already account for exercise when they tell MFP their activity level in their daily calorie calculation. Then eating back exercise calories would be double-dipping.
  • This isn't sarcasm.. . I didn't really read everything when I signed up, does it really say you should eat your extra calories from working out? I vary from when I do or I don't depending on when I work out but I want to be doing the most productive thing
  • TX_Rhon
    TX_Rhon Posts: 1,549 Member
    Loved your Friday PSA! Great advice. :flowerforyou:

    Sadly, there will be a few threads tomorrow with the title "I can't lose weight even though I am exercising 5 times a day and eating only 1200 calories, HELP!!!" :noway:

    Happy weekend to all!!
  • sigsby
    sigsby Posts: 220 Member
    I spend a lot of time exercising. Most days I eat back at least most of my exorcise calories. Some days I burn in excess of 2000 calories during my workouts. That makes it too hard to eat back all of my calories. It just depends on the day I guess.
  • inktink
    inktink Posts: 135 Member
    I get what you're getting at. Yes you can lose weight by not eating exercise calories back, but eventually you will hit a wall. If you eat 1200 calories, but burn 1800 total through exercise and and daily life, your body will eat away at your adipose tissue. That's what it's there for, extra energy storage. At some point though (likely the point where people go "what's wrong, why am I not losing?!?!?!!") your body is going to quit using adipose tissue. That's the point where eating your exercise calories back becomes important.

    Any diet/exercise plan, case in point: anorexia, can cause weight loss. That doesn't make it the most healthy, sustainable option.
  • vjw221
    vjw221 Posts: 34 Member
    What does it matter? Honestly. If that's how they approach then that's they're not forcing you to do it. And if it works for them it works for them. i don't eat my calories back but i unintentionally over eat on some days. i just don't stress about it and that's what works for me.
  • aelphabawest
    aelphabawest Posts: 173 Member
    I don't really understand it either - but I'm also of the mindset that exercise = tasty food.
    "Yay! I just burned 3,000* calories hiking all day! Burger! Fries! Booze!"

    A lot of people on this website aren't setting out to make a lifestyle change, they're looking to diet.
    Which, as someone else already pointed out, means they'll be back.

    I love your "Eat All the Calories" meme. :-)


    * This is unfortunately only a monthly occurrence.
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    I think, to be honest, the point has kind of been missed here. Some of you are saying you overeat one day and then won't eat back your exercise calories the next - this is still eating them back. Some of you are saying you use the TDEE method - this is still eating them back.

    The people that this is targeting are the people that cannot lose the weight because they don't eat their exercise calories, or the people that net below 1200 calories because they don't eat their exercise calories. Why? MFP even warns you that amount is too low. Then said people start a thread asking why they are in a plateau. I don't think my question was unreasonable.

    I just don't use the terminology of "eating exercise calories back". I also don't look at a "day", but rather trends in calories, exercise, and weight, and try to arrive at a workable balance.

    I think too many people get obsessed with the idea of eating back their exercise calories right away - I had a 500 cal burn, so I MUST eat an extra 500 TODAY. And if they don't eat them back TODAY, then they're not eating back exercise calories. If they eat more tomorrow, they see it as a binge or a failure day, rather than eating back yesterday's exercise calories.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    This isn't sarcasm.. . I didn't really read everything when I signed up, does it really say you should eat your extra calories from working out? I vary from when I do or I don't depending on when I work out but I want to be doing the most productive thing

    Yes, you should be eating your exercise calories unless you're following the TDEE method. You could do like many people here and save your exercise calories for a day you want to eat something high in calories. If you don't eat your exercise calories, you will still lose weight. HOWEVER, you could feel tired, weak, or drowsy, and it's also unsustainable for most people. The key is to do what works for you. Eat your exercise calories or don't, but the important factor here is if something isn't working, change it up until it does.
  • I know, I know. I should not concern myself with other peoples methods and should just concentrate on my own.

    However, I would say 90% of the threads I read that say 'help, I'm not losing weight!' are made by people that are not eating their exercise calories back

    Please could someone explain to me why you would join a website designed to help you lose weight, with many, many successful members, and trust this website to give you your daily calorie amounts, your macro targets, and to provide the nutritional information for thousands of different foods, yet when it tells you to eat your exercise calories back, said website is obviously out to sabotage your weight loss?

    Please, for the love of God,

    images_zpsf9ce10bf.jpg

    People have to find their own way. I think a lot of people are prone to modify systems they don't understand. Human nature maybe? Anyway, that's why folks a bit longer in the tooth are so valuable to the rest of the community.
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    This isn't sarcasm.. . I didn't really read everything when I signed up, does it really say you should eat your extra calories from working out? I vary from when I do or I don't depending on when I work out but I want to be doing the most productive thing

    The aim of the game is to get a sustainable average daily deficit of 200-700kcal per day.
    There are 1001 ways of doing this, don't be confused when people are doing things different to you when they are on a different plan. (Like the cabbage soup guy watching someone on Atkins).

    Anyway, MFP and Weight Watcher's methods (I'm sure there are others though) as standard to not include calories burned during exercise to the daily calories they assign you.
    This approach is to encourage the individual to get some exercise, so they get to have more goodies.
    Exercise is good.
  • Jerseygrrl
    Jerseygrrl Posts: 189 Member
    "Many, many successful members" do not eat back their exercise calories and I know this might cause your head to explode, but they eat 1200 calories, too.

    Shhhhhhh.

    ^^^^
    This...
  • punkinkat
    punkinkat Posts: 85 Member
    I, personally, eat damn near all of my exercise calories back. I consider 1200 calories to be my punishment for not working out. I also have "swap" days where I'll not eat exercise cals back in order to compensate for being over my limit the previous day... Basically, I do whatever I need to do to keep my weekly total just under or at goal; that's the number that counts for me.
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  • rachael726
    rachael726 Posts: 202 Member
    This is just my $.02 on this topic. While I believe your intentions of the orginial post were in the right place, I think perhaps you may have phrased the purpose of this thread inaccurately. There are MANY people on this site for MANY reasons. I can only speak for myself and why I am here. I had and still have a very sick obsession with food. I didn't know how to eat healthy or where to begin. This has been a very good learning experience on how to be "healthy". Some people simply do not feel the need to eat their exercise calories back. Plain and simple. There is no method to the madness, they simply choose not to.

    None of us are perfect. We are all on here to better ourselves and quite frankly, instead of threads like this, pick 1 person that you have noticed what you said (eating less than 1200) and explain to them in depth why that's not a wise choice. They may lack the knowledge right off the bat to know what's going to work for them verse what's not. Hopefully it will create a "pay it forward" attitude. That person becomes educated then they go on to educate someone else that needs it.

    The important thing to remember about weightloss is that it's an INDIVIDUAL JOURNEY. I took advice from the people that I chose to have as friends, some I didn't. Everyone will ALWAYS have an opinion about what others need to be doing. What works for me may not work for others and so forth.
  • xSirensSong
    xSirensSong Posts: 615 Member
    Why I don't eat my exercise calories back?

    Because I was instructed not to from my doctor, my OB/GYN, and mainly, my dietician. In my opinion, they are the experts in their line of work ~ Human wellness & nutrition.

    So, in conclusion.... Kangaroos.

    LU7Dzdy.gif

    That is all.
  • Blacklance36
    Blacklance36 Posts: 755 Member
    I eat when I'm hungry, I'm not going to force food down.
  • vjw221
    vjw221 Posts: 34 Member

    So, in conclusion.... Kangaroos.

    :laugh:
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,706 Member
    "Many, many successful members" do not eat back their exercise calories and I know this might cause your head to explode, but they eat 1200 calories, too.

    Shhhhhhh.

    I eat 1200 calories ( for legitimate reasons ) and don't eat my exercise calories back and have lost just under 40 pounds in six month. 'nuff said.....
  • Sery18
    Sery18 Posts: 4 Member
    I rarely eat back my calories and have lost 49 pounds since February of this year. Do what works for YOU!!
  • Well for me, I don't eat most of my exercise calories back because between the extra 500 calories I allow myself for breastfeeding, and the ~400 I burn a day exercising, I just don't have the appetite to want to eat 2100 calories a day. I do eat into my exercise calories though, but I'm only eating 1800 total or so a day. I'm still losing weight (12 pounds in a month). And while that amount isn't really sustainable in the long run, I've comfortably slid into a 1-2 pound loss a week now.

    That being said, once my little one eventually weans, you better believe I will be eating back ALL the calories. I dislike exercise just enough, and love food wayyy too much, to only want to actually do it to be able to eat more because of it.
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    Why I don't eat my exercise calories back?

    Because I was instructed not to from my doctor, my OB/GYN, and mainly, my dietician. In my opinion, they are the experts in their line of work ~ Human wellness & nutrition.

    So, in conclusion.... Kangaroos.


    That is all.

    And they prescribed that you set up a standard MFP account, follow MFP's recommended caloric intake, but not eat back your exercise calories?
  • grrrlface
    grrrlface Posts: 1,204 Member
    Because it doesn't work for me.
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member

    instead of threads like this, pick 1 person that you have noticed what you said (eating less than 1200) and explain to them in depth why that's not a wise choice.

    Trouble is, I have done this many, many times, which is why I posted this. I'd like to think I've helped a few along the way!

    You are right by the way, the OP was not worded very well.
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    Most of the people responding are not understand the OP's question. Its a valid question. And, it's one that is repeated here over and over again as people constantly say, "I don't see the point in eating back exercise calories". Then, 3 months later, "why has my weight loss stalled. I eat 1200 calories and burn 600 calories everyday with exercise on a treadmill, why am I not losing, I don't understand..." then, they are told why, and they rage quit. LOL. It's my favorite thing to watch happen.

    Thank you, someone gets it! My bad wording, I think.