To eat or not to eat? (Those exercise calories)

stephwalker311
stephwalker311 Posts: 9 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I am so tired of researching and trying to figure out if I should be eating more. Years ago I did a program that has me eating a lot less calories than I now know is healthy, and I was exercising about 2 hours a day, combining cardio and strength training. I lost weight like crazy and was so happy. I gained the weight back because I had a baby and got lazy and started eating without limits again. I know it's my fault. Now I'm mid 30's and trying like crazy to lose it again and I just don't know if what I'm doing is right. I use mfp to track EVERYTHING and it's set me up to have a 1000 calorie deficit because I put that I want to lose 2lbs per week. But I feel like it's not going anywhere. I started at 183 in August. I've lost 31 lbs, so only an average of about 1lb per week. I did totally fall off from Halloween to New Years : ( I'm just so confused about the eating back my exercise calories. I feel like if I do I'm over eating and not going to lose. I have a vacation in 8 weeks and had really hoped to be about 10-15 lbs lower by then and I feel like it may not happen.

Replies

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    edited March 2017
    This content has been removed.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    Losing 1lb per week is awesome! 2 lbs per week is really only appropriate for those that have a lot of weight to lose.

    Are you using a food scale? If you are eyeballing portions or using measuring cups you are probably eating more than you think, which would be why you are losing 1 lb instead of 2. At @ 150 lbs though, you shouldn't really be trying for more than 1 lb per week, so you could just keep doing what you're doing! If your rate slows down further, you need to tighten up your logging.

    As to what you were technically asking, MFP expects you to eat back some of your exercise calories. So if you decide to start using a food scale and being super accurate, yes eat back some of them! Good luck :drinker:
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    This is well worth the 3 minutes it will take you to watch it. Straight information from a very knowledgeable source: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10503681/exercise-calories-do-i-eat-these-a-video-explanation
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    edited March 2017
    stephwalker311 wrote: »
    I am so tired of researching and trying to figure out if I should be eating more. Years ago I did a program that has me eating a lot less calories than I now know is healthy, and I was exercising about 2 hours a day, combining cardio and strength training. I lost weight like crazy and was so happy. I gained the weight back because I had a baby and got lazy and started eating without limits again. I know it's my fault. Now I'm mid 30's and trying like crazy to lose it again and I just don't know if what I'm doing is right. I use mfp to track EVERYTHING and it's set me up to have a 1000 calorie deficit because I put that I want to lose 2lbs per week. But I feel like it's not going anywhere. I started at 183 in August. I've lost 31 lbs, so only an average of about 1lb per week. I did totally fall off from Halloween to New Years : ( I'm just so confused about the eating back my exercise calories. I feel like if I do I'm over eating and not going to lose. I have a vacation in 8 weeks and had really hoped to be about 10-15 lbs lower by then and I feel like it may not happen.

    It is working, and 1lb per week is really good. It may not be as fast as you want, but is it ever? 1lb per week is healthy and sustainable, and in the process you should be able to get a good feel for reasonable portion sizes and overall intake. You know what to do... just work on your consistency. Easier said than done, for sure, but consistency is a crucial part of all this.
  • Natso29
    Natso29 Posts: 28 Member
    Really good info here from others, I just wanted to say 31 lbs in 7 months (with 2 months off the wagon so really only in 5 months) is really good!!
  • stephwalker311
    stephwalker311 Posts: 9 Member
    edited March 2017
    kimny72 wrote: »
    Losing 1lb per week is awesome! 2 lbs per week is really only appropriate for those that have a lot of weight to lose.

    Are you using a food scale? If you are eyeballing portions or using measuring cups you are probably eating more than you think, which would be why you are losing 1 lb instead of 2. At @ 150 lbs though, you shouldn't really be trying for more than 1 lb per week, so you could just keep doing what you're doing! If your rate slows down further, you need to tighten up your logging.

    As to what you were technically asking, MFP expects you to eat back some of your exercise calories. So if you decide to start using a food scale and being super accurate, yes eat back some of them! Good luck :drinker:

    I do actually use a food scale to measure and track everything I eat and log everything. Except for those occasional days I eat something that's harder to track. But 99% of the time everything is measured in one way or another and tracked.
  • stephwalker311
    stephwalker311 Posts: 9 Member
    Would it be a good idea to switch my goal to lose 1lb per week then instead of 2? Or just keep it where it is and eat make the exercise calories?
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