Exercise calories

tamwin1985
tamwin1985 Posts: 6
in Getting Started
Hi all, I know there are other posts on here about this, but I'm after some constructive feedback please.

I've been exercising for an hour a day (brisk walking, swimming, badminton, strength work) and having between 1200 and 1400 (set at 1200 by MFP) calories a day for 2 weeks. The 1400 days have been rare and the exercise calories earned are between 220-517 a day.

The scales say I've lost nothing! My clothes show a little give compared to before, but this is not what I was expecting for the amount of work I've put in.

A friend of mine has been healthy eating and doing 'a little' exercise for a week and has lost 8lb!! I won't give up, but I just wondered if you can make any suggestions as to what I'm doing wrong. Many thanks :)

Replies

  • tamwin1985
    tamwin1985 Posts: 6
    Oh, I meant to say....should I eat back any exercise cals?
  • rockmama72
    rockmama72 Posts: 815 Member
    The extra room in your clothes is a sign that you're doing something right! I'm sure it's frustrating to not see the scale move, but think about it. Getting smaller is the goal! Nobody but you can see the scale, but everyone can see you shrinking. I would recommend eating your exercise calories.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    If you are using MFP as it is intended, yes, you should eat back your exercise cals. The caloric level that MFP gives you already figures in the deficit you need to make the weight loss goal that you entered.

    With that said, it is recommended to start eating back only a portion of those calories as caloric burn is mostly and estimate and the burns that MFP gives you can be grossly over exaggerated.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Oh, I meant to say....should I eat back any exercise cals?

    This is how MFP is designed. Your calorie deficit was built in BEFORE exercise.

    I eat back all my exercise calories****............here's the catch. I have my activity level set to sedentary....so adding a workout is not "double counting." I use a heart rate monitor for cardio....it's the best (available) estimate of calorie burns....MFP tends to be too high....many people will over ride the number MFP gives them to be conservative.

    1200 is really a low number to start with .......you should definitely be eating calories back. I am fine with losing weight at a slower pace, if that helps me preserve existing muscle mass.

    Re: no weight loss. Are you measuring your food & not just eyeballing it? People who are close to goal (10-15 pounds) can expect 1/2 pound a week loss. Do you weigh the same time of day. A high sodium day will mess with the scale (water weight).
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    what size are you currently, weight, height, m/f? you probably can eat back the exercise calories and still do ok. Another question is have you started a new routine and are you sore from exercise? If so your muscles might be retaining water. Usually they will let it go and you will see a drop a few days after you stop being sore. Other general advice is to make sure you are really truely logging accurately. You will probably need to weight food if you are not currently. When I started out I was very suprised by how far off I was on my portions.

    And just be patient. I would be willing to bet your friend went from a very high salt diet to a pretty low salt diet and dropped a bunch of water weight; and if they went from eating alot to not as much you can drop alot your first week just from less gut fill and it is not truely weight loss. If you are actually seeing changes in your body then you might not be seeing the number change but you are on the right track, just stick with it :).
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
    You should eat them back. The key is accuracy and consistency. Most people thinking they have a weak metabolism or that they're in "starvation mode" simply are underestimating their caloric intake and overestimating their caloric burn from exercise. A food log that says 1200 is all well and good, but if you're actually netting 1800 calories and your log is simply inaccurate, you probably can't expect any weight loss. There's no way to be 100% accurate, but you should strive to be as accurate as you possibly can - weigh everything and be wary of your exercise calories. Wearing a HRM is generally the best option, but even those have their limitations and aren't going to be entirely accurate for HIIT and lifting.
  • ruthhospo
    ruthhospo Posts: 1 Member
    One thing to keep in mind is that you shouldn't focus on the scale as much as you focus on the fit of your closing. You may be gaining muscle which is heavier than fat. Also, working out for an hour doesn't mean much. It is best to focus on a 30 to 40 min hard core workout giving it 110% rather than a full hour of barely giving it 100%. I understand your frustration on other people losing a lot of pounds though. Everyone is different and lose weight differently. Glad to hear you won't give up!!
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Yes, eat them back. The however is that they can be overestimated both by MFP and on cardio machines. So plan to eat back at least half but more if you're hungry.

    STOP comparing yourself to your friend. Even if you two weighed exactly the same and were exactly the same height, ate exactly the same things and worked out exactly the same, one of you will likely lose weight faster than the other. No two people are alike (thank GOD!).
  • tamwin1985
    tamwin1985 Posts: 6
    Thanks all so much for your responses. You've all confirmed some of the things I'd thought may be the case, but as I'm new to this I wasn't sure.

    I weigh 180lbs and I'm 5'3", so I have about 40lb to lose to get to an acceptable weight (50lb would be great). My friend is taller and heavier, so probably losing it differently. I log my calories according to the MFP food database and do weigh my portions, so I'm really not cheating etc. I will try eating back my exercise calories, but will keep in mind all you have all said.

    You're right about the scales as I expect to see results there as well as in my clothes. Also, yes I am sore from exercise as my body's not used to doing it every day (except walking), so my muscles will probably be retaining water, as suggested. I weigh in the morning before breakfast, twice a week so far, but will stop this!

    Thanks to all of you for your support and advice and I hope to be showing you the difference soon enough! Best of luck to you all on your healthy lifestyle journey :)
  • blessman
    blessman Posts: 15 Member
    I'm in a fun workout group on Facebook. Everyone is so positive and supportive. We would love to have you join us! Send me a Facebook friend request if you're interested! (My FB link is Facebook.com/brad.lessman.1).
  • tamwin1985
    tamwin1985 Posts: 6
    Thanks so much, I will do that after work today :)

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