*Sigh---

amandastephens9003
amandastephens9003 Posts: 33 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm sorry if this is been asked 1000000000 times but I still don't understand!!!
When I workout I burn a total of 600 calories, and i eat 1200-1400 per day. So do EAT back that 600? or drop that to 300?
I'm so confused... my process is slow, i've needed to lose my baby weight for a combined 7 years (i have a 6 yr old and a 1 yr old)
I am 4'11 and i weigh 156--( i started at 168 back in 2008, maintained at 142 for 2 years until 2012 when i got preggo again) Now im slowly trying to lose my flab... walking 30 min in the am, and then walking 60-80 min in the pm... plus 2 days a week, i do Yoga and lift.... Sorry to ramble, im just so worn out, busting my booty working out and trying to eat right and it doesn't seem to be working... i don;t keep up with logging here, i usually put it all in on paper....sigh........ any encouragment you can give me would be most appreciated. Even a virtual hug :/

Replies

  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,346 Member
    Short answer - if you are using MFP. Method, yes, you are meant to eat back exercise calories.

    Some people have said the MFP exercise calories are over estimated - to compensate for this perhaps don't eat them all back, but do eat back at least, say, 3/4 of your exercise calories.
  • amandastephens9003
    amandastephens9003 Posts: 33 Member
    Thank you :)
  • C3001
    C3001 Posts: 28 Member
    Do you weigh your food? I don't, so to compensate I always log a bit over my guess at amount. For exercise, I always log a bit under the guesstimate of calories burned. It's worked thus far and then I don't have to worry about eating half of whatever... I just plan to eat all of my exercise calories, I can see my net and try and stay as close to goal as possible, 1200 for you then. It's easier to read is all but same theory.

    ((Hug)) you're going to do it!
  • kittykat1994
    kittykat1994 Posts: 149 Member
    I eat about half of my exercise calories back, sometimes a little more if I'm hungry after a big burn!
  • felonebeats
    felonebeats Posts: 433
    I don't eat mine back,basically I use bodyweight in lbs x 15 for maintenance calories and eat 500 less
  • rickyrue22
    rickyrue22 Posts: 1
    i eat half mine back - ish....if you can leave your net 1200 as C3001 says should be fine
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Absolutely eat them back if you're using the MFP method - with this method, your calorie deficit is built in. So, when you exercise and don't eat those calories back, you're making your calorie deficit bigger - bigger than is recommended.

    Just be wary of how you're estimating your calorie burns. If you're using the MFP database, it can be wildly inaccurate. To be honest, it never was for me, I always ate every single one back and lost as I expected BUT for a lot of people, the MFP database overestimates burn. So, just keep an eye on the rate that you're losing at, and adjust as necessary. It may be that eating back approx 2/3 of your exercise calories is the sweet spot.

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