Eating exercise calories or setting realistic calorie intake?
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VelveteenBunnyFooFoo
Posts: 6 Member
Hi all ~ I'd appreciate a little advice from those of you who are more seasoned here. My current caloric intake is set at 1400. Should I eat back my exercise calories or should I use something other than MFP to help set my caloric intake for the day? My BMR is 1435 so I'm not really sure if 1400 calories is realistic for weight loss or if I'm setting myself up for failure by not giving my body what it needs to do its job.
Suggestions are welcome and greatly appreciated.
Suggestions are welcome and greatly appreciated.
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Replies
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Age, height, weight? Activity level?0
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I've been eating under what IIFYM says is my BMR for about a year now. Either their calculator is wrong or doing so isn't the ticket to the hospital it's made out to be.
Note that I am not recommending such a thing, of course.0 -
I'm interested in this answer as well. I had a bmr test done and mine was 1335, so I eat 1400 a day but also burn about 500 calories exercising. Should I eat some back?0
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Age: 52, Height: 5'8", Weight: 173. I have a desk job, but I work out (cardio and weights) three times a week and attend two 50 minute cardio classes per week. I'm also active on the weekends--I try to get a hike in when the weather permits. I started dieting about 3-1/2 weeks ago--I'm down nearly 6 pounds, and I just started back to the gym a week ago last Friday.0
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VelveteenBunnyFooFoo wrote: »Age: 52, Height: 5'8", Weight: 173. I have a desk job, but I work out (cardio and weights) three times a week and attend two 50 minute cardio classes per week. I'm also active on the weekends--I try to get a hike in when the weather permits. I started dieting about 3-1/2 weeks ago--I'm down nearly 6 pounds, and I just started back to the gym a week ago last Friday.
Congrats! I don't eat back my calories - as soon as I do, I start gaining.0 -
VelveteenBunnyFooFoo wrote: »Age: 52, Height: 5'8", Weight: 173. I have a desk job, but I work out (cardio and weights) three times a week and attend two 50 minute cardio classes per week. I'm also active on the weekends--I try to get a hike in when the weather permits. I started dieting about 3-1/2 weeks ago--I'm down nearly 6 pounds, and I just started back to the gym a week ago last Friday.
It sounds to me that what you are doing is working
The weight will probably start to come off slower than 6lbs in 3.5 weeks. Don't let that discourage you though. Sometimes I eat back my exercise calories if I'm hungry. Sometimes not. It's all about balance. If you find that you are truly ravished and on the verge of binging, I'd recommend increasing your cals/decreasing the lbs lost/week so that you don't screw yourself over. You are already very active so 1400 seems on the low side to me. 0 -
I eat back some of my exercise calories when I work out at the gym (usually less than 50%), but when I use my HRM for outdoor running, I eat back more of those.0
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http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818082/exercise-calories-again-wtf
And link there-in for setting static goals if that allows better planning.
Because really, the MFP eating goal is based on doing NO exercise and whatever you selected as activity level.
But you do more, you should eat more. Especially if the more is exercise, and you want to get max benefit from it. Otherwise the body isn't going to transform nearly as much for you.0 -
I don't eat mine back because I'm not hungry. It's good to have that leeway for "just in case".0
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VelveteenBunnyFooFoo wrote: »Hi all ~ I'd appreciate a little advice from those of you who are more seasoned here. My current caloric intake is set at 1400. Should I eat back my exercise calories or should I use something other than MFP to help set my caloric intake for the day? My BMR is 1435 so I'm not really sure if 1400 calories is realistic for weight loss or if I'm setting myself up for failure by not giving my body what it needs to do its job.
Suggestions are welcome and greatly appreciated.
Its up to you - the numbers end up the same (and based on accuracy of logging)
If following MFP then eat your calories plus 50% of the exercise calories that MFP database gives you
- then judge rate of weight loss across 8 weeks and compare to expectation and adjust the amount of exercise calories
If following TDEE then take a cut from that and overwrite your daily calorie - do not add exercise0 -
Thank you for this! I have been trying to figure out how long to give it in order to tell if I was losing too quickly or if it's just the scale playing scale games.VelveteenBunnyFooFoo wrote: »Hi all ~ I'd appreciate a little advice from those of you who are more seasoned here. My current caloric intake is set at 1400. Should I eat back my exercise calories or should I use something other than MFP to help set my caloric intake for the day? My BMR is 1435 so I'm not really sure if 1400 calories is realistic for weight loss or if I'm setting myself up for failure by not giving my body what it needs to do its job.
Suggestions are welcome and greatly appreciated.
Its up to you - the numbers end up the same (and based on accuracy of logging)
If following MFP then eat your calories plus 50% of the exercise calories that MFP database gives you
- then judge rate of weight loss across 8 weeks and compare to expectation and adjust the amount of exercise calories
If following TDEE then take a cut from that and overwrite your daily calorie - do not add exercise
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VelveteenBunnyFooFoo wrote: »Hi all ~ I'd appreciate a little advice from those of you who are more seasoned here. My current caloric intake is set at 1400. Should I eat back my exercise calories or should I use something other than MFP to help set my caloric intake for the day? My BMR is 1435 so I'm not really sure if 1400 calories is realistic for weight loss or if I'm setting myself up for failure by not giving my body what it needs to do its job.
Based on the additional information you provided below, either one is really fine. I think TDEE method (setting a higher goal that includes exercise) works better if you like eating about the same every day and have a reasonably consistent exercise schedule each week, and eating back exercise works better if you feel like eating more when you exercise or vary a lot in how much you do.
I've done both and both worked.0 -
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1058378-oh-noes-i-am-eating-below-my-bmr
you can eat under your BMR for a period of time....it's not that bad of a thing.
If you are afraid of not getting in enough nutrition than eat back your exercise calories...at least some of them.
TDEE is a good method if you are consistent with exercise otherwise what's the point.0 -
atypicalsmith wrote: »VelveteenBunnyFooFoo wrote: »Age: 52, Height: 5'8", Weight: 173. I have a desk job, but I work out (cardio and weights) three times a week and attend two 50 minute cardio classes per week. I'm also active on the weekends--I try to get a hike in when the weather permits. I started dieting about 3-1/2 weeks ago--I'm down nearly 6 pounds, and I just started back to the gym a week ago last Friday.
Congrats! I don't eat back my calories - as soon as I do, I start gaining.
Then chances are you are eating more than you think and/or your exercise calories are way over stated.0 -
http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
Enter your info (I'd guess moderately active), pick a 20% deficit, just eat that every day. Easy and no need to worry about exercise calories.0 -
atypicalsmith wrote: »VelveteenBunnyFooFoo wrote: »Age: 52, Height: 5'8", Weight: 173. I have a desk job, but I work out (cardio and weights) three times a week and attend two 50 minute cardio classes per week. I'm also active on the weekends--I try to get a hike in when the weather permits. I started dieting about 3-1/2 weeks ago--I'm down nearly 6 pounds, and I just started back to the gym a week ago last Friday.
Congrats! I don't eat back my calories - as soon as I do, I start gaining.
Then chances are you are eating more than you think and/or your exercise calories are way over stated.
Either way, I am steadily losing.0 -
atypicalsmith wrote: »atypicalsmith wrote: »VelveteenBunnyFooFoo wrote: »Age: 52, Height: 5'8", Weight: 173. I have a desk job, but I work out (cardio and weights) three times a week and attend two 50 minute cardio classes per week. I'm also active on the weekends--I try to get a hike in when the weather permits. I started dieting about 3-1/2 weeks ago--I'm down nearly 6 pounds, and I just started back to the gym a week ago last Friday.
Congrats! I don't eat back my calories - as soon as I do, I start gaining.
Then chances are you are eating more than you think and/or your exercise calories are way over stated.
Either way, I am steadily losing.
Great but not eating exercise calories at least some of them is like driving a car and never putting gas in it...eventually it's going to just stop.
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atypicalsmith wrote: »atypicalsmith wrote: »VelveteenBunnyFooFoo wrote: »Age: 52, Height: 5'8", Weight: 173. I have a desk job, but I work out (cardio and weights) three times a week and attend two 50 minute cardio classes per week. I'm also active on the weekends--I try to get a hike in when the weather permits. I started dieting about 3-1/2 weeks ago--I'm down nearly 6 pounds, and I just started back to the gym a week ago last Friday.
Congrats! I don't eat back my calories - as soon as I do, I start gaining.
Then chances are you are eating more than you think and/or your exercise calories are way over stated.
Either way, I am steadily losing.
Great but not eating exercise calories at least some of them is like driving a car and never putting gas in it...eventually it's going to just stop.
I didn't say I wasn't eating. You said I'm eating more than I think. Which is it?0 -
VelveteenBunnyFooFoo wrote: »Hi all ~ I'd appreciate a little advice from those of you who are more seasoned here. My current caloric intake is set at 1400. Should I eat back my exercise calories or should I use something other than MFP to help set my caloric intake for the day? My BMR is 1435 so I'm not really sure if 1400 calories is realistic for weight loss or if I'm setting myself up for failure by not giving my body what it needs to do its job.
Suggestions are welcome and greatly appreciated.
Its up to you - the numbers end up the same (and based on accuracy of logging)
If following MFP then eat your calories plus 50% of the exercise calories that MFP database gives you
- then judge rate of weight loss across 8 weeks and compare to expectation and adjust the amount of exercise calories
If following TDEE then take a cut from that and overwrite your daily calorie - do not add exercise
^ This
As an example say MFP gives you 1450 calories to lose 1 lb/week, and you plan on exercising 5x/week for an average of 400 cals per workout. well MFP will tell you to eat 1450 on the days you don't workout and 1850 on the days you do whereas a TDEE calculator may tell you to eat 1700 (TDEE-20%) everyday regardless if you workout .
So for the week MFP will have you eat 12,150 (1450*2+1850*5) whereas the TDEE minus way will have you eat 11,900 (1700*7) almost the same number of cals for the week (250 dif). The issue in not following MFP is if you don't workout the full 5 days or burn more or less than planned. If that is the case you may lose more or less than your goal, whereas MFP will have you lose your goal amount regardless how much you actually workout.
What many MFPers do is take the low 1450 and not eat back exercise calories which is wrong, if you are not eating them back then your daily activity level should reflect the higher burn with would be covered in the 1700/day above.
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atypicalsmith wrote: »atypicalsmith wrote: »VelveteenBunnyFooFoo wrote: »Age: 52, Height: 5'8", Weight: 173. I have a desk job, but I work out (cardio and weights) three times a week and attend two 50 minute cardio classes per week. I'm also active on the weekends--I try to get a hike in when the weather permits. I started dieting about 3-1/2 weeks ago--I'm down nearly 6 pounds, and I just started back to the gym a week ago last Friday.
Congrats! I don't eat back my calories - as soon as I do, I start gaining.
Then chances are you are eating more than you think and/or your exercise calories are way over stated.
Either way, I am steadily losing.
Great but not eating exercise calories at least some of them is like driving a car and never putting gas in it...eventually it's going to just stop.
Like you said earlier, she is eating them but doesn't realize it, as she is eating more than she is recording or she would not gain weight when eating them.
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