why eat back exercise calories?

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  • l3ugjuice
    l3ugjuice Posts: 233
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    I've been to my PCP once a month since January, and reviewed my diet, exercise, sleep patterns, etc. My father died of a heart attack when I was 18, and now that I'm getting close to his age when he died (42) I'm pretty petrified of suffering the same fate. Bloodwork is steadily improving (as it should, since I've lost about 60 lbs since Jan), livery & kidneys are perfect, blood pressure is literally perfect, I have no fatigue at all (for the first time in a decade, I actually have quite a bit of energy), I already had no hair (thanks DNA).

    So like I said, I hear ya guys...and I'm not questioning how your body works. Mine, however, is responding wonderfully to NOT eating back my exercise calories....and it is doing so in every single way. So while you say whats "working for me" may "actually be causing problems"...its just not. Maybe I'm an anomaly, maybe I have Greek-God DNA and am just a superior being to the rest of humanity....but I really kinda doubt it. So, wonderful information you guys, but I'm going to take to heart what my doctor and my body are telling me.
  • l3ugjuice
    l3ugjuice Posts: 233
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    Oh, I am getting quite a bit of relatively loose skin though. Which is kinda odd. I was never a "Jiggly" fat guy before, if that makes any sense. I was (and still am) certainly fat, but it was...uh...well, kinda tight-fat. Does that make sense? Anyway, not the case anymore. But, the loose skin isnt going to kill me...the weight will.
  • ShapeUpSidney
    ShapeUpSidney Posts: 1,092 Member
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    I
    So like I said, I hear ya guys...and I'm not questioning how your body works. Mine, however, is responding wonderfully to NOT eating back my exercise calories....and it is doing so in every single way. So while you say whats "working for me" may "actually be causing problems"...its just not. Maybe I'm an anomaly, maybe I have Greek-God DNA and am just a superior being to the rest of humanity....but I really kinda doubt it. So, wonderful information you guys, but I'm going to take to heart what my doctor and my body are telling me.

    Everyone is different. If you are already significantly overweight, you might be able to get by without eating back those exercise calories. Me though? I'd be exhausted. I have to lose weight slowly, because I'm trying to go from thin to thinner and more toned. For my body type, I simply cannot get through the day without eating back the exercise calories. I still lose weight, because I still have a caloric deficit, but I can't handle the caloric deficit of someone else who may have more calories in...err...reserve
  • l3ugjuice
    l3ugjuice Posts: 233
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    Yep, that's what I mean. Everyone is different....and even further, the "me" of 4 months ago is different from the "me" of today, and the "me" of 6 months from now will very likely be different again. I've probably still got a good 30 pounds or so to lose before my BMI actually gets out of "obese" and into just "fat"...so I'm pretty much good to go on what I'm eating. YMMV.

    I understand that my situation will likely change as I get closer to a more normal weight, hopefully, which is why I read posts discussing these things. What's working for me is currently working, but if it stops working I want to know what to do next =D
  • doliveresti
    doliveresti Posts: 29 Member
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    Okay... Assume that all of the solid advice for *healthy* weight loss is to be ignored...for now. I am not encouraging this by any means, but go ahead and try not eating them back if you think it's counterproductive. I'll tell you from experience that NOT eating them back IS counterproductive, but if you want to learn for yourself, I'll be the first to point you in the right direction for failure.

    Constantly not eating them back creates an exercise bulimic disorder, where you will be having a massive calorie deficit each day. You say you don't want to hit "starvation mode", well, mathematically, you will be. It's inevitable. Eating 1200 calories and burning off 600, for example, will only give you 600 calories for that day. Do it again, and you'll have had only 1200 calories in 2 days. Do it again, and so on and so forth. By the end of the week you'll have accumulated so many negative calories that your body will do what its supposed to do... and think that it IS starving. Therefore it will eat away at your muscles and fat and anything else it can use for fuel.

    Any food that you put into your body will be held onto for as long as it possibly can and it will convert it immediately for storage in the form of fat. You will then at that point become "skinny fat," where you may be low in weight, but absolutely emaciated and possibly still have flab. Great. You will have successfully attained your goal weight in the worst way possible to your health.

    So, that's what the future of not eating your exercise calories holds for you. If it's something you can live with, by all means, don't eat them back. No one here will force you to. Make an informed decision and question no further.


    This is probably the best explanation I've heard for why you need to eat back your calories.

    This whole thing makes a lot of sense to me thank you!
  • Lisa076
    Lisa076 Posts: 78
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    I am one of the people that don't eat back my calories burned and the reason is I do not have a HRM & don't want to estimate what I am burning, I am not really trying to lose although a few more pounds would be nice but my real goal is to maintain and tone. MFP gave me 1200 calories and I work out 35-45 minutes every morning (P90) plus walk daily as well as the every day stuff cleaning etc...So here is my question, should someone like me that is just trying really to maintain and tone still eat back my calories burned? If so I guess I better look into a HRM.
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
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    I am one of the people that don't eat back my calories burned and the reason is I do not have a HRM & don't want to estimate what I am burning, I am not really trying to lose although a few more pounds would be nice but my real goal is to maintain and tone. MFP gave me 1200 calories and I work out 35-45 minutes every morning (P90) plus walk daily as well as the every day stuff cleaning etc...So here is my question, should someone like me that is just trying really to maintain and tone still eat back my calories burned? If so I guess I better look into a HRM.

    If you selected maintain in your loss per week goal, there's no way MFP gave you 1200 cals.

    But yes, especially if you are training to maintain and build muscle, it is VITAL that you fuel the body properly - which included exercise cals.
  • Lisa076
    Lisa076 Posts: 78
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    I haven't changed it as of yet but I am thinking about doing so...probably a good idea! I am going to have to train myself as far as eating goes, I find myself having a hard time reahing 1200 calories most day's unless I throw a little not so healthy food in there. What I have been doing has been working, I am toning and not gaining but not losing anymore either?!? Who knew changing for the better could be so confusing :laugh: but SO worth it!!!

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