eating back exercise calories

zudleymarie
zudleymarie Posts: 100 Member
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone. I have a question about my exercise calories. I have lost about 24 pounds since I first started MFP back on Valentine's Day. I feel great, have many NSV's, but the last few days, I have been actually gained a couple of pounds again. I always see everyone saying "Eat your exercise calories!" I try to do that, but often it is hard for me to do. I swim intensely (about a mile and another third of a mile) for an hour every single morning. It has helped me lose body fat and gain muscle as it is an all over body workout. MFP tells me that I am supposed to net 1320 calories a day. However, when I add my swimming, that adds over another 1000 calories, and a lot of the time, I am just not hungry enough to eat that much food every day. What should I do?

Replies

  • irisannRN
    irisannRN Posts: 121 Member
    bump
  • WarriorWomanMaxine
    WarriorWomanMaxine Posts: 162 Member
    bump :)
  • sunshine79
    sunshine79 Posts: 758 Member
    IMO - no need to eat them all back maybe just half of them. Try increasing the size of your protein portions at each of your meals. This should help you to add in a few hundred extra calories each day.

    Just a suggestion:smile::wink: :happy:
  • helenium
    helenium Posts: 546 Member
    Gradually increase the % of calories you eat back, I guess. I agree that for huge burns it gets a bit formidable to consume that much food. But don't give up entirely and eat none of them back - that's the opposite extreme and not helpful either. You can certainly manage to eat more than 1320 in a day - try increasing that to 1500 - 1600 for starters? Reevaluate later on!
  • TS65
    TS65 Posts: 1,024 Member
    Try to eat at least half of them back. Sometimes that's hard so there's a few tricks you can do. If you drink coffee, add a scoop of protein powder to your coffee in the morning. Sneak in a protein shake or protein bar for a snack, etc. Perhaps eat more meals every few hours instead of 3x per day.
  • ari_27
    ari_27 Posts: 88 Member
    I would say try to eat some of them back to keep your metabolism going, but there are days when I don't eat my exercise calories at all..I mean if I'm not hungry I don't see the point of eating just to eat, but definitely increase your protein intake if you're exercising a lot so that your body has the right amount of fuel
  • Mamapengu
    Mamapengu Posts: 250
    This is what I did:
    base calories per MFP- 1260 x7days = 8820/week
    exercise (avg 30 miles run/week)= +3000 cal
    8820=3000=11820/week divide by 7= 1688 per day

    I then manually changed my goal calories to 1600 and try to hit between 1500 and 1700/day total and ignore when MPF adds the exercise calories back in. I eat better on days I don't do as much exercise, and tend to have 2 larger days near the end of the week that I don't worry about as much. This way I know I'm getting most of my exercise calories in, just maybe not that same day.
  • Marcus_E
    Marcus_E Posts: 124
    Firstly, congrats on the journey to date.. Awesome effort..

    I'm basing this answer on previous knowledge and experience, but it's one of those strange things. Firstly be wary of the amount of calories burnt according to MFP (they're not 100% accurate), also bear in mind that our standard daily activities also burn calories - that aren't always counted for.

    If you are basing it on MFP - I wouldn't attempt to consume the 1000calories burnt through swimming - you will actually gain more weight. There is a balance though. Do you have a protein shake before / after exercise? I'm not sure what other people think towards this, but when I was in training (and what I will be doing very shortly) is adding a protein shake before and after exercise. This helps as a counter balance, but aids in so many ways as well.

    I did a bit of research as well and came across this article for you and all, which helps explain something:
    There are some articles within MFP - if you do a search for exactly what you typed there are some good articles:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/216994-new-to-mfp-eating-back-exercise-calories

    From another website, but similar question: http://caloriecount.about.com/eating-back-exercise-calories-ft35823
  • Jillyc72
    Jillyc72 Posts: 13
    Firstly well done on your weight loss! I lost almost all my weight through eating 1500-1750 calories per day, but that was with excercising consistently. If I ate all of my exercise calories I know I wouldn't lose weight. I think you have to apply common sense. also mfp exercise calories are only a guide. If you aren't hungry, you clearly don't need to eat! I think the key is to mix it up. Eat no exercise cals for a week, them have a few 'higher' days. Don't let your body adjust. Keep it guessing! Also I sometimes use my exercise calories if I'm eating out. Guilt free! Good luck. There are other threads on this topic where you may find replies to help.
  • velvetkat
    velvetkat Posts: 454 Member
    I will tell you what has worked for me.. I was in the same boat.. it wanted me to eat some ungodly amt of calories so I have upped my calories gradually and actually have dropped my exercise just a bit. I was burning almost 2000 calories a day in exercise.. Now I am around 1500 and also upped my calories from 900-1000 to around 1250. No I have not gotten into my exercise calories as of yet BUT in adding a couple hundred more, I keep my body guessing and the weight keeps coming off. I had been losing 4lbs a week and last week dropped to 2 which is still great. I was worried my body might be going into the dreaded starvation mode so I upped my calories and decreased the exercise... Not by a lot but still it was different. I am 5 days into my week and I have lost an additional 4 lbs. Was it because of that? or was I just catching up from the week before? I didn't cheat either week so that doesnt factor in. I do know last weekend I over exercised so that may have hindered me. Doesnt make sense does it.. but it is what it is.!

    Lots of good advice on what others do.. play with your numbers and do what works for you.. Remember.. one week wont make or break you lifestyle change(I refuse to say the D word) If one way doesnt work try another!

    Good luck..


    on this ticker is not my 4 lbs lost this week as my weigh day in Tues>

    4925355.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Weight Loss Tools
  • donicagalek
    donicagalek Posts: 526
    Eat back what you're actually hungry for. You may not be hungry for it today or even tomorrow but listen to your body. It will let you know when you're lacking in nutrients. Either by straight hunger pangs or light headedness or irritability or something. Pay attention to it and make note in your diary.
  • zudleymarie
    zudleymarie Posts: 100 Member
    Thank you everyone. I appreciate your input.
This discussion has been closed.

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