To Those Who Have Lost 30,40,50 lbs+

Most people are going to tell you to eat them. I personally.....sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. The last time I lost weight, I lost 60 pds in just under 5 months. I didn't know about exercise calories, and now that I do......I'm not changing what I did then, that worked.
I ate a healthy, well balanced, diet! I eat around 1500 cals, walk 5 days a week and do weights and strength training exercises. I drink alot of water and eat NO JUNK FOOD or empty calories. I find that I start to know my body so well, I can listen to it.....if I have a uge calorie burn, it needs a bit more, so I fuel it. If it's just a walk, naw, and I eat alot of protien to help my muscles.

This loss jourey I just started, I've had the flu for weeks, so I haven't been working out and have just maintained my weight. But for the first few weeks I gained a few pounds (because of muscle gain) then I lost three pounds in a week. Fitness pal doesn't register the lose because I gained a few pounds in muscle

Don't know if this helps?!

I would watch eating the exercise calories because I think some of them are overstated on this site. Eat some if you are still hungry, if you aren't hungry don't eat them just because they are there.

Just my opinion!
Kim

I've lost 32 lbs since 1/13/2011. I do spin class and weights 2 x per week. I also work in 3-4 mi of running and I am slowly increasing the running. MFP has me at a 500 cal deficit per day (1lb per week mode). I don't generally eat my exercise calories. I just eat my daily calories or a little below if I feel ok. Sometimes I eat some of my exercise calories if I am feeling really hungry.

Most of the time I do not eat them back. I have read all the hoopla around my body going into starvation mode and making sure that I eat back my calories, but in the end it is simple math. 3500 calories equals a pound, up or down. You either lose it or gain it. I know there are times that our bodies plateau, but the body adjusts and you keep moving forward.

I do both. I've lost over 200 pounds, and it depends on how hungry I am. I find I need more with heavy workouts... so I try not to eat all of the calories back, but I frequently eat some.

It's kind of trial and error - what works for one of us, won't work for all.

Best of luck! If you're finding yourself hungry, consider eating a few back. If you're comfortable and don't need them, then stick to your baseline.

That is flat out inspirational girl!!!! 200 pounds lost That is where I set my goal..I'm on the beginning of that journey and your nearing your end. I wish I had this site two years ago. I didn't even think about that. I had lost about 80 pounds back then and was so proud of myself. But I don't know what happened I quit and I hated myself for it. So I'm here and trying again and I will defeat the evil fat fairy that attacked me with doughnuts and sodas...lol.

That is flat out inspirational girl!!!! 200 pounds lost That is where I set my goal..I'm on the beginning of that journey and your nearing your end. I wish I had this site two years ago. I didn't even think about that. I had lost about 80 pounds back then and was so proud of myself. But I don't know what happened I quit and I hated myself for it. So I'm here and trying again and I will defeat the evil fat fairy that attacked me with doughnuts and sodas...lol.

Thank you!! I'm so glad you're here and trying again!!

As for the evil fat fairy - LOL!!! I had one - then I ate her. :-)

If you don`t eat them back, you will lose weight faster. This is because you create a larger calorie deficit.

But faster isn`t better becasue you will be losing muscle mass along with fat. If lose your weight at moderate rate, 1-2lbs per week, you will be getting healthier and fitter at the same time that you lose weight.

I have never really ate mine back and I only lose 1 to 2 a week

Nope, I don't eat them, I more or less just use it as a buffer in case I get hungry later. I do some pretty intensive training too, and it hasn't made a hint of difference.

Good answer!

If that's your average over time, then you must have an average 500-1000 calorie deficit per day, and you're in the perfect zone for healthy weight loss. It's just math. It's possible that the way you're logging somehow makes it look like you're not "eating back your calories", but I would bet that you are, based on your results over time. So in other words, you found a good routine for yourself which is obviously working, and giving you a healthy weight loss, so I wouldn't change a thing there.

first, let me say that i am currently set at a goal of losing 1 lb a week now that i have crossed over into the high-end of "normal" bmi. I try not to eat all the way to goal even on my rest days, but i do get close and always stay over 1200 net. I typically am closer to 1350 net. I *do* eat back my exercise calories and always have, but have pretty much always tried to keep that "few extra hundred buffer" ... I don't know, i could just set my goal to 1.5 lbs a week and eat right up to my goal, but then i would be flirting with going over too often and i really get bummed when i am 'over' too frequently, even when its just a bit over. Just personal experience there... anyhoo,... I also have had my share of weeks where i get "too good at dieting" and have to remind myself to eat enough to nourish my body and perform as i want it to. The LAST thing i want to do is to lose muscle and hold onto fat EEKS lol. I'm currently about 15-ish pounds from my goal, but am really concentrating more on fitness gains at this point.

I weigh, count and/or measure all my foods and i log everything.

So short answer to your "do i eat back my exercise calories?" question is yes, well, sort of :drinker: