Anyone had success eating exercise cals to re-start loss?

rjdunn87
rjdunn87 Posts: 385 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm in my 4th week of T25 and this week I've been doing two workouts a day (T25 and then something else) and so burning around twice as many calories as I had been. I've gone up about four pounds on the scale and am wondering if it could be because I'm not eating my exercise calories back. I know part of it is likely water retention from the extra strength training, but it's been a bit discouraging nonetheless. I'm eating around 1650 calories not including exercise: that would put me at over 2000 which just seems like so much. Does anyone have any advice? I'm trying to move past this bump in the road as soon as I can. My diary is open as well. Thanks. :)

Replies

  • loubidy
    loubidy Posts: 440 Member
    Are you measuring inches? If you're doing strength training you might be gaining muscle?
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    If you're not eating your exercise calories back, you're using MFP incorrectly.

    Your daily goal already has you at a deficit - meaning you could eat ALL your calories, every single day, and do zero exercise, and you'll lose weight. Burning off more cals through exercise (especially two sessions a day!) is leaving you with a HEEEYOOOOGE deficit, and that's no bueno. :noway: This is why MFP adds them back into your daily goal - you are supposed to eat those cals back, bringing your daily NET cals at, or very near your daily goal.

    Eat too little for too long, especially with hard exercise, and you're asking for all kinds of problems. You may lose weight for a time, yes, but it will be lean muscle along with fat (and your body will want to desperately store the fat due to lack of fuel), eventual weakness, lack of energy, and burn out. Other people report weak and brittle nails and hair loss.....fun fun! Not!

    MFP works great when used correctly. A small calorie deficit is best, along with reasonable exercise. Eat your calories, exercise, drink water, take rest days, get good sleep, repeat. And have patience.

    Good luck!
  • rjdunn87
    rjdunn87 Posts: 385 Member
    If you're not eating your exercise calories back, you're using MFP incorrectly.

    Your daily goal already has you at a deficit - meaning you could eat ALL your calories, every single day, and do zero exercise, and you'll lose weight. Burning off more cals through exercise (especially two sessions a day!) is leaving you with a HEEEYOOOOGE deficit, and that's no bueno. :noway: This is why MFP adds them back into your daily goal - you are supposed to eat those cals back, bringing your daily NET cals at, or very near your daily goal.

    Eat too little for too long, especially with hard exercise, and you're asking for all kinds of problems. You may lose weight for a time, yes, but it will be lean muscle along with fat (and your body will want to desperately store the fat due to lack of fuel), eventual weakness, lack of energy, and burn out. Other people report weak and brittle nails and hair loss.....fun fun! Not!

    MFP works great when used correctly. A small calorie deficit is best, along with reasonable exercise. Eat your calories, exercise, drink water, take rest days, get good sleep, repeat. And have patience.

    Good luck!

    Thanks. :) I do know these things but it helps to be reminded.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    If your using the MFP approach to this than you should be eating them back.... I have eaten mine from the beginning and it has worked well for me..... Best of Luck...

    Just make sure you are estimating your calorie correctly.... I eat back 85% of what my Polar Ft60 hrm tells me I burn during steady state cardio...
  • rjdunn87
    rjdunn87 Posts: 385 Member
    If your using the MFP approach to this than you should be eating them back.... I have eaten mine from the beginning and it has worked well for me..... Best of Luck...

    Thanks! I'm going to try eating them back for a week or so and see how I feel. Honestly, I'm not even really intentionally NOT eating them back. I've just been satisfied on my 1650ish calories, I haven't felt deprived or hungry. That being said, I know I'm not usually hitting my protein macro so an extra few hundred calories would certainly help with that.

    I use a Polar ft4. I think I will probably start eating back about 75% just to make sure I'm not overestimating.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    I agree with the above advice about eating back calories. Just some insight as to why you are up in weight. You may very well be gaining muscle. If you are sore from you workout routines too then it is likely you muscles are retaining water in their healing process. Its not a bad thing but unfortunately you will see it on the scale. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water too, as weird as it sounds your body will start trying to hold onto water too if it is getting dehydrated. If you make sure you are drinking plenty then your body will use it and flush the rest out.
  • rjdunn87
    rjdunn87 Posts: 385 Member
    I agree with the above advice about eating back calories. Just some insight as to why you are up in weight. You may very well be gaining muscle. If you are sore from you workout routines too then it is likely you muscles are retaining water in their healing process. Its not a bad thing but unfortunately you will see it on the scale. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water too, as weird as it sounds your body will start trying to hold onto water too if it is getting dehydrated. If you make sure you are drinking plenty then your body will use it and flush the rest out.

    Thank you :)
  • alimaeden
    alimaeden Posts: 10 Member
    thank you so much for re-iterating what i thought! i always aim for my net of 1200, which, since i'm training for my 2nd half marathon, sometimes has me eating QUITE A LOT. i know logically i HAVE to eat the calories back, but for some reason when i saw the original post it made me second guess myself and panic. thank you so much for reassuring me that i'm doing this right!

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