Any other "petite" women out there losing the last 10? Eat Exercise Calories?

Teamcampo
Teamcampo Posts: 25 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So, I love the plan with Weight Watchers in that it give you a pool of "bonus points" you can use for when you use them (However, I thought their plan was too liberal). I currently sorta use my exercise points like that where I have to earn the calories I eat before eating them. I have also been messing up a lot lately and need to get back on track with a solid plan, hence my post. Eating 1200-1250 every day will be rough. I am thinking of eating half my exercise calories.

I am 5 feet tall and at 116 now. Want to get back to 105. Thoughts? Thanks, in advance!

Replies

  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    I'm 5'3" and on my last ten pounds. Like above, I have a small deficit and eat back a portion of my exercise calories. I also am very careful with my weighing and logging as accuracy is key at this point.

    Do you have a food scale? If not, get one and use it to weigh your food. It is very helpful when calorie counting.
  • Teamcampo
    Teamcampo Posts: 25 Member
    Thanks. How much is your portion of exercise calories that you eat back?
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    edited February 2017
    4' 11.75", currently 122 lb, goal 115. I'm down 93 lb. out of 100. My deficit is tiny.

    I eat back most of my exercise calories. If I didn't, I would struggle to get enough protein, plus I'd be really hungry--I burn about 500 calories per day and am currently training for my next half marathon. I need the fuel and nutrients. (Edit: I also need chocolate.)

    Assuming you are logging everything accurately, MFP is designed for you to eat back exercise calories, BUT that's a huge "if." MFP tends to give really high estimates for calories burned, so most folks prefer more accurate measurements. This is why some people prefer not to eat all of their exercise calories. Because most of my exercise is running or walking, I use a pedometer app, which gives a pretty low estimate of my calories burned while running. Many people use heart rate monitors; I had one for a while, but it broke so quickly that I haven't wanted to pay for another one. I also weigh and measure as accurately as possible, and estimate high when I can't measure.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,320 Member
    I am not in the demographic you are asking, but what is your weekly weight loss goal. For the last 10 pounds, more than around half a pound a week would generally be too aggressive.
  • ks4e
    ks4e Posts: 374 Member
    Hi, I'm 5'1" and trying to lose 5 to 10 more. It's hard for me to say because I'm focusing more so on body recomposition (go away, pudgy midsection!). I eat when hungry most days, and depending on how aggressive my work out is, I will eat a slight portion or all of my exercise calories back.
  • Chunkahlunkah
    Chunkahlunkah Posts: 373 Member
    edited February 2017
    I'm 4'11. A few years ago, I was 109 lbs. I was curious to drop a few pounds. I cut my daily calories to the 1400s and also added in a Beachbody workout routine. I didn't eat my exercise calories back. In about 6/7 weeks, I lost about 8 pounds. That was an aggressive rate, since I was already thin at my starting point.

    The MFP system is built around eating your exercise calories back. Generally, I'd say that's the healthiest way to go. But, as you probably know, you can form a bigger deficit, so quicker weight loss, by cutting calories and increasing your calorie burn simultaneously. Decreasing your deficit by eating your exercise calories will simply slow your loss, but not stop it (so long as you're truly eating at a deficit for your body).
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    Also not a petite woman last time I checked, but it's the same principle for everyone. The last few pounds are always the hardest because you're getting close to equilibrium between your calorie intake vs expenditure, so accuracy becomes more and more important.

    The system is designed to eat your exercise calories back, but since your exercise calories are an educated guess at best (especially if you use the MFP defaults), you may have to tinker with how much you eat back and see how it goes for a while.
  • lps1dragonfly
    lps1dragonfly Posts: 111 Member
    GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
    Well, I fit your criteria of losing the last few pounds and being petite, but I don't know how WW works.

    I know how MFP works.

    I do eat back a good portion of my exercise calories. I'm on a very small deficit and I'm in no rush to lose the last of my weight. I'm very active and want to continue to properly fuel my activity.

    this is me. 61.25 inches and about 119. I want to be 110-115 but my family freaks when they know that im under 120 but if they don't know the number they say i look good.

    I eat between 1200-1500 depending if it's rest day or workout. I do typically over eat though (i swear i'm working on this), this is probably why i can't lose those last few pounds.
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    Teamcampo wrote: »
    Thanks. How much is your portion of exercise calories that you eat back?

    About 50 to 75% of my Fitbit burn.

    I have had mine for over a year so the data collected correlates with TDEE calculators.
  • Teamcampo
    Teamcampo Posts: 25 Member
    Thanks, everyone! I really appreciate the feedback. I do find it very hard to stick with 1200-1250 and like the reward of being able to eat out to exercise so I will go with that. I would be happy with half a pound a week as long as it is consistent. I really just need to pick a plan, stick to it, and watch every bite. Too many cheats and discouragement for me lately.

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