OK SO EATING BURNED CALORIES....

how many cals have you eaten so far? i tried to see your diary, but it's not open.

Honestly eating back your burned calories is trial and error and you need to see what works for you. I don't eat any of mine back. I find I'm ok. I'm slightly plateaued right now but I just need to work out harder and longer as the pounds just don't melt off anymore.

Eat what you are able - you don't want to force yourself to eat either.

I rarely ever eat all the calories I have earned from exercise. I usually burn about 600 per day. That would give me 1800 calories for the day and usually that is too much food. I do however enjoy getting to sneak and ocassional treat because of those extra calories. I have been doing this and have still been losing so it is working.

http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

I rarely ever eat all the calories I have earned from exercise. I usually burn about 600 per day. That would give me 1800 calories for the day and usually that is too much food. I do however enjoy getting to sneak and ocassional treat because of those extra calories. I have been doing this and have still been losing so it is working.

well said, 100% agreee

I would say try to eat most of them back. also have snacks through out the day not just 3 meals. it's better because it doesn't make you think you have to eat 1300 cals for dinner. if you spilt them up it's easier to eat. I have learned that not eating your exercise cals could be very bad. I didn't for a long time and have been at the same weight for a year, I workout 4-5 days a week for an hour. it's not the exercise that is going to get you going again, it's going to be eating enough for your body to function.

Does that make sense?

I don't eat back the burned calories. I would rather speed up the process of losing weight.

By NOT eating your exercise calories you are actually slowing down the process because you will "technically" go into starvation mode and stop losing weight (if you don't NET at least 1,200 cals).

So for example, if you are set at 1,200 cals, and work out to burn 500 cals, you are actually only getting 700 cals, which is below starvation mode.

You might feel like you are speeding up the process (and you might be, in the beginning), but in order to have consistent, sustainable loss, you should eat your exercise calories.

I eat back my exercise calories and am still losing. Often, I'll have some left over - I just go on how I feel. I notice, too, that it motivates me to work out if I'm not feeling it one day, so I'll be able to treat myself.

Eat the exercise calories (or atleast half of them) you don't have to eat it all in one setting like dinner. You can have a snack before dinner fruit or something then dinner then another snack after dinner.

@Abells - if you have plateaued you will need to up your calories. What happens is your body has gotten to a certain point where it doesn't feel comfortable with the amount of calories it is burning vs. what it is taking in so it will hold onto the fat that you have to compensate. You can push yourself all you want, but your body won't budge.

Agreed!! 100%

These posts show exactly why there are at least three threads about this a day!! Everyone is all over the place with the issue.
Plus, don't worry about the caps, you kinda do seem to be screaming for help!

For ME, it varies by the day. When I run, I'm not as hungry so I might not eat back all the calories. When I do the elliptical or my 30 Day Shred, I seem to be more hungry after, so I eat back more of the calories. It's really just trial and error. I plateaued when I didn't eat at least some calories back. For ME, if I'm hungry, I'm going to eat. If I'm not, I'm not. I do keep a close eye to make sure that I have at least 1300 cals and loads of water each day.

I also started weight lifting though and my body is transforming and you can see a lot of muscle definition so I dont think I"m "plateauing" in that sense of fat cause I am still slimming....but I will try to eat a little more throughout the day.

Do I now have to customize my goals in MFP?? In order to change my allotted daily cals? Thanks!

WHY ARE WE YELLING?!

I rarely ever eat all the calories I have earned from exercise. I usually burn about 600 per day. That would give me 1800 calories for the day and usually that is too much food. I do however enjoy getting to sneak and ocassional treat because of those extra calories. I have been doing this and have still been losing so it is working.

This is me too. Also, learn to listen to your body.. Some days I am completely satisfied on my baseline calories and even struggle to get them all in.. Other days I"m STARVING... One those days I will eat some of my exercise calories.. Our bodies will tell us if we listen.. I have always dieted low calorie and high intensity and I always fizzle out..NO MORE!! I have learned the hard way... This is a lifestyle change.. Some days you need more fuel than others... Also...200 calories of junk isn't the same as 200 calories of healthy food... So it matters also what you are eating..

I eat back some of my burned calories when i am hungry. I never eat them all. I find i am more hungry on some days than others. Today I will probably eat a few back. This seems to be one of my hungry days