Eating back calories vs my Nutritionist's Goal

lyndsaysutton82
lyndsaysutton82 Posts: 30
edited September 28 in Food and Nutrition
So my nutritionist set me with a goal of 1200 calories per day. That's no problem, but I've started going to the gym on an almost daily basis, and I'm seeing results, but not as much as I'd like.

I know that MFP is sort of split on eating back calories. I have been following the use "some but not all of the exercise calories" way of thinking, but i'm starting to wonder if it might be better to not eat back the calories.

I want to hear from both sides of the arguement. If you don't eat back the calories, how much are you loosing, and the same for the folks who do eat some (or all) of them back.

Thanks folks! And if you have a lot of weight to loose (or are loosing) add me!

Replies

  • stanvoodoo
    stanvoodoo Posts: 1,023 Member
    Ask the nutritionist! Best to go by their requirements!
  • Angela4Health
    Angela4Health Posts: 1,319 Member
    Use the search function on MFP to look for previous threads about this. You will find tons and tons with the same information.
  • ladybug1620
    ladybug1620 Posts: 1,136 Member
    This is going to vary a lot based on the person. One person who has 80 lbs to lose, and is losing steadily by NOT eating back their calories is not any more or less credible than a person who has 5 lbs to lose and is losing by EATING back their exercise calories. I agree with eating them, especially the closer you get to your goal, but it's about seeing what works for you.
  • ajricketts
    ajricketts Posts: 32
    Ask the nutritionist! Best to go by their requirements!

    Agree. They are the professional.
  • marathonmommy0205
    marathonmommy0205 Posts: 40
    I am set on a 1200 calorie count too. I eat about 1/4 to 1/2 he calories back! That being said I noticed when I wasn't eating some of my exercise calories bak I was feeling very hungry although I ate and I found I would cheat more and over eat. I'm losing about 2 pounds a week which I am okay with. When I don't eat my calories back I do lose weight faster but feel very sluggish and than I take more rest days and have to restart again! Hope this helps you, good luck.
  • Deedee0075
    Deedee0075 Posts: 78 Member
    Sometimes I'll eat the calories back but I will usually go to the gym on the days that I go over my cals or plan on going over my cals. If I eat less than 1200 calories on a particular day, I won't go to the gym because I usually will get a bit lightheaded. So, if you are only eating 1200 calories and working out, I'd recommend consuming at least some of it back.
  • LOLmerrill
    LOLmerrill Posts: 43
    I just started this thing but Ill jump in. Im not eating them back so far.. Im burning about 500 a day. However, if I were hungry, I would. Im actually surprised Im not more hungry after all the cardio. I think I belong in the 'listen to your body' camp.
  • cbirdso
    cbirdso Posts: 465 Member
    I have eaten them back (every last one) from day one and have met all my weight loss goals. For me this is a no-brainer, If I can eat more and stil lose, I am all about it.
  • pizzygirltx
    pizzygirltx Posts: 96
    My nutritionist says not to go below 1200 net calories for the day. So if I exercise I eat at least enough calories to get to 1200 net. I have just started doing this recently so I have only lost a little, but I am losing inches and feel better.
  • supershiny
    supershiny Posts: 170 Member
    I eat them ALL and I upped my calories from 1200 to 1390 this past week and lost 2 lbs. I have been on here for 2.5 weeks and I have lost 6. Did your nutritionist mean net calories? My aunt is a dietitian and she includes exercise cals in her recommendations to clients...
  • jenny4994
    jenny4994 Posts: 7
    I have just joined this site after leaving a very similar site called Nutracheck, which I had to pay a fee to use. I found that my weight didn't move if I ate back the calories so I try not to anymore. If I have a night out planned I do not stress too much about 'saving' calories for this knowing that I've done my exercising. This approach works for me and I have lost a total of 44lbs of baby weight. Hope this helps (although I know that eating back the calories is the preferred option!)
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Did your nutritionist know that you're working out? Maybe you can just call and ask them what their opinion is.

    Every since I started out January 2010, I have eaten every exercise calorie I've earned and I've lost 61 pounds to date (just under 1.5 years). Can't imagine doing it any other way because exercise makes me extremely hungry....and I figure if my body's asking for fuel, I'm going to provide as much as I can.
  • thehulket
    thehulket Posts: 33
    My personal experience has been this:

    For the first two months, I wasn't eating my workout calories (I ate about 1400 calories a day), and I dropped about 20 lbs. Then my calorie intake lowered to about 1290. I was reading comments over and over again about how you SHOULD be eating them. So I started. Not all, but a good chunk. But then the weight stopped coming off so quickly. I went from about 2.5 lbs a week to about 1.

    So, I won't be eating my workout calories. Atleast until I plateau. Then I'll try again.
  • andreaashell
    andreaashell Posts: 16 Member
    I had this same question a couple of days ago...or similar, anyway... And got some advice from a friend who is having lots of success. She basically told me #1 be careful about how many calories you are claiming from exercise - while MFP is great for keeping track of food calories, the calorie values that they place on exercise seem to be really inflated, compared to her body bugg. Basically, stick to your pre-exercise calories the best that you can. If you still feel hungry, then eat more, but don't try to just fill in. It sounded to me like great advice, and like I said- she is seeing lots of results. Also... she gave me this advice because I was frustrated about a weigh in. Later that day, I was peeing every five minutes so I weighed in again the next day and had lost 2 more pounds. If you are frustrated about a single weigh in, you might want to give it some time before you change anything. It is possible you are retaining water or something. One way to avoid this is to be very careful to get enough water every day.

    Good luck and keep up the great work!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Most nutritionist would give you 1400 to 1600 if they new you worked out. Say you went to a nutritionist and said you workout 1hour/day 4 days per week and want to lose weight. They may give you 1400 calories, which includes exercise calories, whereas MFP gives you 1200 plus your exercise calories.

    Now lets say on those 4 days you burn 400 cals/day. So the nutritionist has you eat 9,800 (1400*7) cals/week while MFP sets you up to eat 10,000 (1200*3 +1600*4) which is only 200 more than the nutritionist.

    If your nutritionist gave you 1200 calories most likely they are under the impression you will not be working out or they would have given you more as per my example above. And over the week both take you to the same place. the difference is MFP gives you the same deficit everyday, whereas the other plan has a different deficit (larger on days you workout and smaller on days you don't) each day.
  • TayJoMama
    TayJoMama Posts: 348 Member
    I'm curious as well. I started off at 1200 cals, but then when I hit a plateau, I went to 1500 cals, This worked for a month or so, but since then, I have lost very little in the past two months. I tried going up to 1700 cals, but that just me me gain. So i'm thinking of going back to 1200-1300 cals and see what that does. Good luck!!
  • cindysg3
    cindysg3 Posts: 12 Member
    I do NOT eat back my calories that I burn; however, my exercise usually does not burn more than 200-300 calories on the days I work out which is usually 3-4 times per week. I set my goal at 1200 calories and have lost 51 pounds since January 4. I do weigh out my food on a scale or use a measuring device. I try to eat a balanced diet, making sure I get in the fruits and veggies on a daily basis. I have logged onto MFP for 148 days in a row and only one day did I go over my allotted calories and it was only by 5. I use MFP on my android and now I always log my food for dinner and snack PRIOR to eating so I know if I need to adjust. I have found this method works well for me but I did notice that the scale did not move as much if I didn't eat to the 1200 calories. I think you may need to explore what works best for you. Balance is the key.
  • jenny4994
    jenny4994 Posts: 7
    P.s - as I've just started with this MFP I need to clarify a similar issue. I have set myself the goal of 1lb per week. The calorie limit MFP has given is 1200 per day plus 4 days exercise at 30 mins. Am I correct in thinking I need to do both (eat 1200 cals + exercise x 4days)to lose 1lb and then any exercise above this is my option to eat? The site has confused me by adding even the basic 4 days calories to my calorie ttals on those days, so makes it look like I can eat those calories too. Hope this makes sense!!
  • annacataldo
    annacataldo Posts: 872 Member
    If u burn let's say 500calories, and uve only eaten 1200, its like you've only eaten 700 calories that day. Ur body needs 1200 to function properly...if u don't give ur body enough it has to get its nutrition from somewhere, so it eats at ur muscles...then not to mention starvation mode that then eventually catches up with u and makes it near impossible to loose. 6ou should not go any lower than 1200 net calories to avoid more serious issues. The last time I dieted I was at about 600net regularly, and my metabolism completely shut down, so the minute I went up to eating normal amount of healthy calories I gained my 30lbs back...then I gained another 35lbs I never had before..it wasn't cuz I was overeating or eating bad, was just eating normal and gained cuz I had shut down my metabolism
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    P.s - as I've just started with this MFP I need to clarify a similar issue. I have set myself the goal of 1lb per week. The calorie limit MFP has given is 1200 per day plus 4 days exercise at 30 mins. Am I correct in thinking I need to do both (eat 1200 cals + exercise x 4days)to lose 1lb and then any exercise above this is my option to eat? The site has confused me by adding even the basic 4 days calories to my calorie ttals on those days, so makes it look like I can eat those calories too. Hope this makes sense!!

    Yes, the site ignores your exercise goals when it gives you a caloric intake. Exercise is only accounted for once you enter it into the exercise tab, so on the days you exercise you should eat those back, this ensures your caloric deficit for each day is the same and you lose your goal amount of weight each week.
  • annacataldo
    annacataldo Posts: 872 Member
    P.s - as I've just started with this MFP I need to clarify a similar issue. I have set myself the goal of 1lb per week. The calorie limit MFP has given is 1200 per day plus 4 days exercise at 30 mins. Am I correct in thinking I need to do both (eat 1200 cals + exercise x 4days)to lose 1lb and then any exercise above this is my option to eat? The site has confused me by adding even the basic 4 days calories to my calorie ttals on those days, so makes it look like I can eat those calories too. Hope this makes sense!!

    No..the excercise uve entered. N ur settings does not make a difference, its just to help some people meet a certain goal each week...it is not calculated in to ur numbers at all.
  • jenny4994
    jenny4994 Posts: 7
    Thanks Eric thats helpful to know! Kind regards.
  • jenny4994
    jenny4994 Posts: 7
    Thanks Annacataldo thats good to know. cheers for that!
  • lclarkjr
    lclarkjr Posts: 359 Member
    I also say ask the nutritionist since they are the professional and the one that set you up with the 1200 calorie goal in the first place. They should be able to tell you if it is 1200 net or 1200 regardless of calories burned.

    For me personally, I eat all or most of my exercise calories. My goal is set to lose 1lb per week and I have been hitting that consistently each week. But for me I place overall fitness above just weight loss. So I like to make sure I fuel my body for my intense workouts and make sure I have the necessary nutrients to aid my recovery so I can hit the gym hard the next day.
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