Eating back exercise calories

kbeatty1015
kbeatty1015 Posts: 56 Member
edited September 28 in Health and Weight Loss
So, I guess I'm a complete idiot, but I don't get the math behind "eating back your exercise calories." I have been stuck on a plateau for over a month now with my weight loss. I have switched up my exercise plan (just started running three times a week and am doing the Supreme 90 Day DVDs) and have also been meeting my calorie goal of 1200 a day. However, on days that I exercise up to 900 calories, it makes me extremely nervous to eat back that many calories. Since I am stuck on plateau, I am desperate. Can someone please tell me exactly how many exercise calories I can eat back or all??? Any similar stories would be appreciated as well.

Replies

  • MissAnjy
    MissAnjy Posts: 2,480 Member
    If your caloric intake (goal) is at 1200, and you burn 900, your body is trying to run on 300 calories a day. You've burnt off 900 calories. Would you ever ONLY eat 300 calories a day? That's essentially what you're doing by not eating them back.

    If your goal is 1200, that is bare minimum. ANYTHING you burn, you need to eat back, most definitely. You will NOT gain weight. MFP already has you at a deficit. By not eating back your calories, your making your deficit entirely too large & your body is hoarding what you do eat to protect itself.

    Please eat.
  • Naomi_84
    Naomi_84 Posts: 197 Member
    Lots to read but hopefully it'll help

    http://www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/
  • brookeaarnold
    brookeaarnold Posts: 14 Member
    I don't really have a lot of suggestions but I don't eat back my exercise calories and have lost 20 lbs in the last few months but I also don't probably make it to 1200 calories a day some days either (I'm under that) are you watching your fat and carbs? I keep my fat to under 30% a day and keep my carbs under 40% a day though I am stuck right now at the same weight for a couple of weeks now.
  • DestinyJoy57
    DestinyJoy57 Posts: 8
    Thank you for asking this question. I have been wondering the same thing. Thanks for your responses. Now I have a better idea of what I am suppose to be doing. Have a great day!
  • Majbdrake
    Majbdrake Posts: 69
    That's a great explanation on the calorie allocation for a new MFPer!
  • MellowYellowGem
    MellowYellowGem Posts: 120 Member
    What it means is you need to net 1200 calories a day, no less. So if you only eat 1200 calories, then do 900 cals worth of exercise you would only be netting 300 calories, which isn't enough for the body to correctly function and it may cling on to the fat it has.

    That's the theory any way, & I'm also afraid of eating back all my exercise cals! :smile:

    Just seen above some one beat me to it! :smile:
  • Tissues
    Tissues Posts: 361 Member
    you are opening a can of worms on this site! LOL...

    this is MY belief.

    you have "normal daily activities" calories burned. I believe when you are exercising, you are taking time away from your normal daily activities, in order to fit in fitness. NOT A BAD THING ( a great thing actually). HOWEVER.. I think it affects the net calories and that MFP does not account for that. I will usually eat back 1/2 of my exercise calories if I'm hungry or feel that I need it. Truth is I usually net 950-1000 calories/day, and that works for me. My body is not starved, I lose about 1lb/week and I feel great and I'm in pretty good shape at this point.

    Everyone is different. You really just have to play around and see what works for you. But since you are in a plateau, I would suggest increasing your caloric intake (aka eat ALL of you calories back, even if it totals 2000 calories a day) for a few days.. (I think 4 days with minimal exercise did the trick for me), and then jump back on your normal activity track. and don't forget to drink LOTS and LOTS of water.
  • MissVV
    MissVV Posts: 19
    Exercise speeds up your metabolism - so still eating the same net number of calories but having exercised is MUCH better than just sitting in a chair all day and eating less.
    Hang on in there, plateau stage isnt fun. I got out of mine by making sure my body doesn't go into "starvation mode" so dont let yourself get hungry too often - keep snacking of filling healthy snacks. Starvation mode slows down your metabolism hugely so it's definitely best to avoid. Things are quite as simple as cals eaten vs cals burnt I'm afraid...
  • kappyblu
    kappyblu Posts: 654 Member
    Eating back all or most of your exercise calories really does work. Try doing it for a week, at least 75% of them daily. See what happens in a week, I bet you will be surprised--happily, of course. :flowerforyou:
  • SemperAnticus1643
    SemperAnticus1643 Posts: 703 Member
    So, I guess I'm a complete idiot, but I don't get the math behind "eating back your exercise calories." I have been stuck on a plateau for over a month now with my weight loss. I have switched up my exercise plan (just started running three times a week and am doing the Supreme 90 Day DVDs) and have also been meeting my calorie goal of 1200 a day. However, on days that I exercise up to 900 calories, it makes me extremely nervous to eat back that many calories. Since I am stuck on plateau, I am desperate. Can someone please tell me exactly how many exercise calories I can eat back or all??? Any similar stories would be appreciated as well.

    You should eat back the calories u burn. You should also eat more than 1200 calories a day. The more you workout, the more calories you need to take in. I personally should be eating around 2000 calories a day! That's because I work out 3-6 times a week.

    What happens is your body goes into starvation mode if you don't eat back the calories. Then it starts storing everything as fat because it doesn't know when you will eat again. I would recommend setting your goal at about 1500 calories a day. Your body will then kick up the metabolism again and not store all the junk. Little weird I know to eat more in order to lose but I promise it works.
  • mlemonroe2
    mlemonroe2 Posts: 603
    if you are really uncomfortable with eating them all, try just 1/2. i had a nutrition expert tell me that eating just 1/2 back is ok, but you need to eat more than 1200 if you are burning 900 on top of your regular daily activities. Also, I don't know how much weight you have to lose but if you have 20 pounds or less, your goal should only be 1/2 to 1 pound a week. Probably closer to the 1/2 pound. The less you have to lose, the smaller your weekly goal.
  • saltorian
    saltorian Posts: 192 Member
    Please remember that MFP already includes a calorie deficit when they set up your account. If you go to your "Goals" tab under "My Home" you can see it over on the left hand column. It tells you what you burn through everyday activity and then the amount you should consume. The deficit that is listed there is *already* included in the amount they're telling you to eat. That's why you should eat back your exercise calories. If you don't, you're really not eating enough.

    Also, check out this woman's story: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/174065-starvation-mode-is-real-and-ugly
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    So, I guess I'm a complete idiot, but I don't get the math behind "eating back your exercise calories." I have been stuck on a plateau for over a month now with my weight loss. I have switched up my exercise plan (just started running three times a week and am doing the Supreme 90 Day DVDs) and have also been meeting my calorie goal of 1200 a day. However, on days that I exercise up to 900 calories, it makes me extremely nervous to eat back that many calories. Since I am stuck on plateau, I am desperate. Can someone please tell me exactly how many exercise calories I can eat back or all??? Any similar stories would be appreciated as well.

    If you re on a 1200 cal day and burn 400 from the gym it is like eating 800 and not going as 800-0=1200-400. And the min is 1200 Net (1200 plus exercise) so if you burn 400 you need 1600 to net 1200 (1600-400).

    the way MFP works is by giving you a caloric deficit to meet your weekly weight loss goal. If you chose 1 lb/week that would be a 500 cal/day deficit, if you burn 400, your deficit is now 900, as you burned 400 more calories than MFP used to calculate your deficit. So to keep your deficit at 500/day you must eat back the 400 and you deficit goes back to 500 (900-400)
  • Mixmode
    Mixmode Posts: 332
    You need to know your BMR and base your intake calories on that and your exercise calories.
  • hroush
    hroush Posts: 2,073 Member
    Besides what everyone else says, which is true, muscles continue to burn extra long past when you stop working out, so you will still have a calorie deficit.
  • Bratkins
    Bratkins Posts: 47
    I always eat back my calories.
  • gimedatnow
    gimedatnow Posts: 173 Member
    Yes, I eat back all my exercise calories, but I am very selective with what I log. I only log explicit exercise (going for a run) and don't count cleaning, mowing the lawn, biking to/from work, etc. That way, my burn is at most only 500 cals. I'm also on the 1200 cal plan, and it's worked for me so far!

    If you're nervous about eating them back, just try eating back about half and see how that goes.
  • RichardWhitman
    RichardWhitman Posts: 105 Member
    I hate to suggest such a thing, but if you are really burning 900 and eating <1200 and not losing weight, for a month, than your math is wrong. And I would imagine your math is wrong because you are doing some combination of not putting in all your calories consumed or overstating your calories burned. Unintentionally I am sure, but what other real explanation could their be?

    Your diary isn't public so we can't see that.

    Drink alcohol and not put it in?
    Maybe check other sources to confirm the calories burned?
    Is one or more of your saved foods incorrectly showing calories?

    Again, I am not suggestion this is intentional on your part. But I struggle for an alternative explanation.
  • McHirt
    McHirt Posts: 3
    Ditto, Destiny Joy!
  • dragonflytwt
    dragonflytwt Posts: 49 Member
    What about inches, you could still be "loosing", but they scale isn't reflecting that. My weight loss has been slow, very slow, but I am going down in inches every week, even though the scale doesn't show that.... I think we put too much emphasis on that stupid scale, as long as your feeling great and seeing physical results, you're on the right track!!
  • ohthatmomma
    ohthatmomma Posts: 115
    Hi. This is my personal experience, and most individuals utilizing MFP's tools have viewed the 500 calorie deficit that MFP factors in as a PROGRAM. As for myself, I utilize the tools available and walk the path along my own journey. I was losing weight and I read that I should eat my exercise calories back. Well, I questioned that. Being that I at one point followed Bob Harpers program, as well as Jillian Michaels (neither of which suggest that you eat your exercise calories back. I started eating my exercise calories back and I gained 3lbs!! I was more than upset with myself and just felt like I had gone nowhere. I was working out and doing all the things that the professionals said to do, as far as exercise, but putting off the deficit created through calorie deficiency via food and throguh calorie burn via exercise. YES I gained my weight back!! Some of it anyway.

    Some people eat their exercise calories back, and they lose weight. If that is what you are going to do, I suggest you keep a diary of what you are consuming through the day for at least a week, and then create a deficit through food, otherwise you will be maintaining or gaining weight.

    I like the way Jillian Michaels puts it.... It iß basic math. You burn more than you eat and that melts fat! Do you really think those poeple on biggest loser are eating their calories back? They are on strict calorie intake and they workout for an hour in the morning, afternoon, and evening. They DON'T eat their calories back. If they burn them, they burn them... They burn them.... They are gone!

    The newest show with Chris (I think that is his name... The extreme Makeover: weightloss edition), he put one guy on a 2000 calorie diet and this guy worked out for 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening. Do you believe that this guy ate his calories back? No! The whole idea behing weight loss is the huge deficit that creates the fat loss. To speed up the proceess, limit calories (at a healthy level) and workout.

    I never heard of eating your calories back until I became a member of this site and started using their tools. Personally, whe. I went back to burn, burn, burn, I lost 3.8 lbs... The weight that I gained! For me, eating calories back doesn't work. Everyone is different.

    It was suggested to me by one of my MFP friends to use the extra calories burned through exercise like a bank. If you get hungry, make a withdrawal. Otherwise just let them sit there.

    I am no expert, I do have friends in the fitness arena who train for competitions and those who are personal trainers to the regular folk and some big time folk.... All have given me the same advice.... Lower your calories (no less than 1200) and work your butt off. And it works!!! (Well, it worked for me)

    I wish you the best on tis journey! Find what works for you and stick to it!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Hi. This is my personal experience, and most individuals utilizing MFP's tools have viewed the 500 calorie deficit that MFP factors in as a PROGRAM. As for myself, I utilize the tools available and walk the path along my own journey. I was losing weight and I read that I should eat my exercise calories back. Well, I questioned that. Being that I at one point followed Bob Harpers program, as well as Jillian Michaels (neither of which suggest that you eat your exercise calories back. I started eating my exercise calories back and I gained 3lbs!! I was more than upset with myself and just felt like I had gone nowhere. I was working out and doing all the things that the professionals said to do, as far as exercise, but putting off the deficit created through calorie deficiency via food and throguh calorie burn via exercise. YES I gained my weight back!! Some of it anyway.

    Some people eat their exercise calories back, and they lose weight. If that is what you are going to do, I suggest you keep a diary of what you are consuming through the day for at least a week, and then create a deficit through food, otherwise you will be maintaining or gaining weight.

    I like the way Jillian Michaels puts it.... It iß basic math. You burn more than you eat and that melts fat! Do you really think those poeple on biggest loser are eating their calories back? They are on strict calorie intake and they workout for an hour in the morning, afternoon, and evening. They DON'T eat their calories back. If they burn them, they burn them... They burn them.... They are gone!

    The newest show with Chris (I think that is his name... The extreme Makeover: weightloss edition), he put one guy on a 2000 calorie diet and this guy worked out for 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening. Do you believe that this guy ate his calories back? No! The whole idea behing weight loss is the huge deficit that creates the fat loss. To speed up the proceess, limit calories (at a healthy level) and workout.

    I never heard of eating your calories back until I became a member of this site and started using their tools. Personally, whe. I went back to burn, burn, burn, I lost 3.8 lbs... The weight that I gained! For me, eating calories back doesn't work. Everyone is different.

    It was suggested to me by one of my MFP friends to use the extra calories burned through exercise like a bank. If you get hungry, make a withdrawal. Otherwise just let them sit there.

    I am no expert, I do have friends in the fitness arena who train for competitions and those who are personal trainers to the regular folk and some big time folk.... All have given me the same advice.... Lower your calories (no less than 1200) and work your butt off. And it works!!! (Well, it worked for me)

    I wish you the best on tis journey! Find what works for you and stick to it!

    If you are at a deficit and eat back what you burn you are still in a deficit = to your original goal. The only reason you can gain by eating back exercise calories is either by some or all of the following. You over estimate calories burned from exercise, you under estimate calories consumed, you have a thyroid imbalance, you don't measure your food properly, or you have a compromised metabolism (usually from under eating for too long).
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