"Eating it back"
ericaelainefields
Posts: 14 Member
Hi all!
I'm new to the app but have continuously read ppl warning not to "eat back" what was lost in exercise.
I've been really diligent in weighing and measuring my food, journaling EVERYTHING and checking the accuracy, and tracking calories burned (Not using MFP #s!!!). Now, I'm trying to lose weight for my healthy, but being fit is more important to me. I've been working out for about an hour to two every day and then 'eating back' those calories and still staying under my goal (1600 kcal to lose 1.5 week). So far Im really happy with my results. Haven't been weighing in, but my muscle gains are awesome and my problem areas are thinning out.
Is there any reason besides logging inaccuracies not to do this? What is the thought process behind that? Just trying to educate myself.
I'm new to the app but have continuously read ppl warning not to "eat back" what was lost in exercise.
I've been really diligent in weighing and measuring my food, journaling EVERYTHING and checking the accuracy, and tracking calories burned (Not using MFP #s!!!). Now, I'm trying to lose weight for my healthy, but being fit is more important to me. I've been working out for about an hour to two every day and then 'eating back' those calories and still staying under my goal (1600 kcal to lose 1.5 week). So far Im really happy with my results. Haven't been weighing in, but my muscle gains are awesome and my problem areas are thinning out.
Is there any reason besides logging inaccuracies not to do this? What is the thought process behind that? Just trying to educate myself.
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Replies
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ericaelainefields wrote: »Hi all!
I'm new to the app but have continuously read ppl warning not to "eat back" what was lost in exercise.
I've been really diligent in weighing and measuring my food, journaling EVERYTHING and checking the accuracy, and tracking calories burned (Not using MFP #s!!!). Now, I'm trying to lose weight for my healthy, but being fit is more important to me. I've been working out for about an hour to two every day and then 'eating back' those calories and still staying under my goal (1600 kcal to lose 1.5 week). So far Im really happy with my results. Haven't been weighing in, but my muscle gains are awesome and my problem areas are thinning out.
Is there any reason besides logging inaccuracies not to do this? What is the thought process behind that? Just trying to educate myself.
Logging inaccuracies are part of it, but it is mostly due to caloric burn being an inexact science, or at best a general estimation which can vary extremely. The general rule is to eat back only half of your calories which should be a safe enough buffer to keep you on track.0 -
I would rather see a person eat all of their calories back for maybe a month before deciding whether the amounts given by MFP are too high. Then they could adjust downward. I see so many people who cut their calories low and don't eat back their exercise calories and then they wonder why they feel terrible or break down and binge. A month or two of delay or slower weight loss, in the grand scheme of things, seems like a small sacrifice when it could mean the difference between successfully staying on plan long term and completely jumping ship.
When I've used the MFP goal calories, I've found that marking myself as sedentary and eating back the majority (75%+) of my exercise calories still has me losing weight faster than the goal weekly loss that I chose. Choosing lightly active and eating that many exercise calories keeps me pretty much at the right place.0 -
Hmmm. Most days I've tried to keep it at about 75% (the struggle is real, I'm a foodie). I try not to be hungry bc that will discourage me.
Any thoughts on how that translates to eating high protein diet and trying to gain muscle as well?
Like I said I'm really happy so far, I feel like this is a topic that people will have different opinions on based on training styles and I'd love to hear them all.0 -
Some people will tell you to eat them back, others will say not to. I say eat half, and that's what I usually do.0
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ericaelainefields wrote: »Hmmm. Most days I've tried to keep it at about 75% (the struggle is real, I'm a foodie). I try not to be hungry bc that will discourage me.
Any thoughts on how that translates to eating high protein diet and trying to gain muscle as well?
Like I said I'm really happy so far, I feel like this is a topic that people will have different opinions on based on training styles and I'd love to hear them all.
Apart from the newbiest of newb muscles, you won't gain muscle while in a deficit regardless of how much protein you consume.0 -
ericaelainefields wrote: »Hmmm. Most days I've tried to keep it at about 75% (the struggle is real, I'm a foodie). I try not to be hungry bc that will discourage me.
Any thoughts on how that translates to eating high protein diet and trying to gain muscle as well?
Like I said I'm really happy so far, I feel like this is a topic that people will have different opinions on based on training styles and I'd love to hear them all.
You cannot gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. If you're seeing more muscle definition, it's because you're losing fat and revealing the muscle underneath. Eating a good amount of protein and strength training can help you to keep as much LBM as possible, though.
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I don't eat back my exercise calories, but I also don't feel guilty if I occasionally go out to eat or go over my calories. I think of them as a sort of a bank.0
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peachyfuzzle wrote: »ericaelainefields wrote: »Hmmm. Most days I've tried to keep it at about 75% (the struggle is real, I'm a foodie). I try not to be hungry bc that will discourage me.
Any thoughts on how that translates to eating high protein diet and trying to gain muscle as well?
Like I said I'm really happy so far, I feel like this is a topic that people will have different opinions on based on training styles and I'd love to hear them all.
Apart from the newbiest of newb muscles, you won't gain muscle while in a deficit regardless of how much protein you consume.
Lol....call me a newbie. I started working from home 10 months ago and have turned myself into a piece of veal
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atypicalsmith wrote: »I don't eat back my exercise calories, but I also don't feel guilty if I occasionally go out to eat or go over my calories. I think of them as a sort of a bank.
A couple things to consider..........
The more weight you have to lose, the more cushion you have regarding a high deficit. This is why obese people can go on medically supervised starvation diets, and the merely overweight cannot.
The older you are the more likely you have lost lean muscle due to inactivity. Really large deficits make it hard for your body to fuel existing lean muscle.
Only you know if your weekly goal is already aggressive. Only you know if your workouts are intense.0 -
ericaelainefields wrote: »Hi all!
I'm new to the app but have continuously read ppl warning not to "eat back" what was lost in exercise.
I've been really diligent in weighing and measuring my food, journaling EVERYTHING and checking the accuracy, and tracking calories burned (Not using MFP #s!!!). Now, I'm trying to lose weight for my healthy, but being fit is more important to me. I've been working out for about an hour to two every day and then 'eating back' those calories and still staying under my goal (1600 kcal to lose 1.5 week). So far Im really happy with my results. Haven't been weighing in, but my muscle gains are awesome and my problem areas are thinning out.
Is there any reason besides logging inaccuracies not to do this? What is the thought process behind that? Just trying to educate myself.
Logging inaccuracies is definitively a part of it...but there are a lot of people who simply don't understand how this tool actually works....and there are a lot of people who are also of a very unhealthy mindset to simply lose as quickly as possible...and there are a lot of people who don't actually understand fitness for the sake of fitness.
Essentially there are a lot of people who don't understand much of anything...0 -
Logging inaccuracies are why most people say to eat half. If what you're doing is working, then you're definitely doing it right. The winner gets to eat the most and still lose. Great job!0
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cwolfman13 wrote: »ericaelainefields wrote: »Hi all!
I'm new to the app but have continuously read ppl warning not to "eat back" what was lost in exercise.
I've been really diligent in weighing and measuring my food, journaling EVERYTHING and checking the accuracy, and tracking calories burned (Not using MFP #s!!!). Now, I'm trying to lose weight for my healthy, but being fit is more important to me. I've been working out for about an hour to two every day and then 'eating back' those calories and still staying under my goal (1600 kcal to lose 1.5 week). So far Im really happy with my results. Haven't been weighing in, but my muscle gains are awesome and my problem areas are thinning out.
Is there any reason besides logging inaccuracies not to do this? What is the thought process behind that? Just trying to educate myself.
Logging inaccuracies is definitively a part of it...but there are a lot of people who simply don't understand how this tool actually works....and there are a lot of people who are also of a very unhealthy mindset to simply lose as quickly as possible...and there are a lot of people who don't actually understand fitness for the sake of fitness.
Essentially there are a lot of people who don't understand much of anything...
I know, right? Thanks for your input.0 -
Liftng4Lis wrote: »Logging inaccuracies are why most people say to eat half. If what you're doing is working, then you're definitely doing it right. The winner gets to eat the most and still lose. Great job!
Thank you for the encouragement! In three months I've changed my body, energy level, and self esteem...and can't wait for more.
Thank you all for your input. Sorry I can't respond to everyone.0 -
It sounds like you are doing great. I'd keep going and see how your results compare with what you are going for. You can always eat back a bit less if it stops working so well.
I think the main thing is that a lot of people don't eat back at all because they don't trust their logging, start with too high a number, or log poorly, and thus don't lose and blame the exercise calories. It's true that it's common to eat more than you think, so for many people not eating exercise calories makes up for this. You just have to know if you are someone this will apply to or not.
The other is the source of the exercise calories and what exercise you do. I found my running calories to be basically accurate (except for really long runs) and my walking adjustments from Fitbit, so ate most of those back. I think weights are really impossible to estimate and other things like spinning and elliptical tend to be overstated, so those I cut more (or did when I used MFP method). Some people find that they end up losing more than expected even if you eat back all calories--you just have to find what works for you, and since you are focused more on fitness and have patience on the weight loss element, waiting and seeing seems a good plan.
Good for you!0 -
I_Will_End_You wrote: »Some people will tell you to eat them back, others will say not to. I say eat half, and that's what I usually do.
Same. If I put in a hard work out, I'll eat enough to make sure I'm not hungry, but I won't make a point of eating everything back. I let my stomach be my guide. It usually ends up I eat about half back. The only exception is when I want to have a few drinks, then I will drink back the remaining calories.
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If I need them, i'll eat them! Sometimes, I am quite satisfied with my normal calories but if I've had a mega workout (700cals plus) I NEED to eat more! I actually had to get out of bed last week to eat something as I got SOOOOO hungry I had a headache...but I'd eaten more than usual. I just let my body tell me what it wants0
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atypicalsmith wrote: »I don't eat back my exercise calories, but I also don't feel guilty if I occasionally go out to eat or go over my calories. I think of them as a sort of a bank.
I do the same thing.
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