“eat you calories back” related question

mrk34 · July 2011

I have a question about “eat you calories back” theory/method/practice.

I don’t practice this method.

To help me understand your theory better, I need an answer to my question. The question is related to my morning routine.

Let me briefly explain what I do in the mornings.

First I jog three times around the block. When I come back home I exercise. I do push-ups, squats, and either bicycles or sit-ups.

Then I eat. For breakfast I have:

1 tomato,
blueberries, blackberries or apple,
1 slice of dry, 100% whole-grain toasted bread with 2 slices of 99% fat free turkey breast.

Should I eat anything else in addition to what I have for breakfast according to “eat your calories back” or my breakfast covers the requirement?

babyblake11 · July 2011

id say this breakfast isnt big enough.
eat some or all of your exercise calories if you are genuinely hungry at the end of the day or your NET calories dont make it to 1000 BARE MINIMUM.

mrk34 · July 2011

Do you recommend eating more if I don’t feel any hunger?

tramaine81 · July 2011

The whole point is...no, if you are not hungry, do not force yourself to overeat. Although this site is about counting calories, that is an intermediate step. The ultimate goal is to trust and listen to your body.

Eating your exercise calories isn't horrific; however, it is not necessary and if a person wants to learn how to manage what they eat, sometimes "exercising to eat" can become a crutch and a detour in thinking. I personally want to feel that even if I don't exercise, my body will not return to it's previous state. Also, I think it is important to disconnect exercise from my eating. If I haven't exercised one day, I don't want to have to lower my calories to compensate. In addition, if I overeat one day, I do not want to feel like I have to exercise extra to "solve" the problem.

I personally think that the "eating your calories back" method should be taken with a grain of salt...maybe half a grain. Let me explain further...
If a person is setting their calorie count low (around 1200), then exercising (burning 400 calories), they will probably experience steady weight loss even if they eat their calories (total 1600 calories a day). However, if a person (i.e. a woman) already has a high calorie allowance (around 2000 calories) and then they are exercising (burning 400 calories), they may experience weight loss so slow it may seem nonexistent or not experience weight loss at all if they are consuming 2400 calories a day. That is because (in my experience), your body responds to what it thinks you want. If you are eating a lot and exercising, your body assumes you would like to be a body builder. The extra calories help maintain the mass. When I was doing this, I saw my body getting firmer, but I didn't see the scale going down, until I realized that "eating my calories" was eating my progress.

Although I think exercise is very important, I think it is important to look at exercise as a separate aspect of health and not just a part of "weight loss". Not all exercise produces weight loss, this is a fact. Also, some exercise can potentially increase hunger, by increasing the desire to consume more calories. Your body doesn't know you are trying to lose weight when you exercise. When it responds with weight loss to some exercises it is doing so to enable you to perform them better; however, with other exercises, your body may feel that you need to increase in bulk to perform the exercise better.

Side tips:
1) forcing yourself to participate in exercises that you do not enjoy can cause stress, which for some, stress can increase a desire to eat.
2) High exertion/Hunger creating exercises must be counteracted with hunger decreasing foods or you will not have "peaceful" success at weight loss.
3) Hunger is usually caused by foods. Most people on a diet don't let themselves get truly hungry because they fear that feeling. What they are confusing with hunger is the desire to eat, which paradoxically is caused by something that have recently consumed.

britterbrittney · July 2011

bump

chevy88grl · July 2011

I am going to reply based on my OWN personal experience (and it is going to disagree with the previous poster).

I eat my exercise calories. Sometimes I eat every single last one of them because I am starving and other times (like tonight) I will likely have between 50-100 leftover because I've eaten and I'm just not hungry anymore. I've made sure the food I consumed today is healthy and fills me up - my exercise calories are not used to consume junk food or crap. I use it eat decent food because I am truly hungry.

In the last 18 months, here is what I have learned about my body (and while it works very well for ME, it may NOT work for you!):

I must consume 2200-2500 NET calories a day. If I drop below this amount, I will see a slow weight gain. No, it does not happen overnight - it is gradual over the course of a week or two. So, it is NOT water retention. It is my body freaking out because it isn't getting enough calories.

My body LOVES when I consume 3000 net calories a day. I had my weight down to 140lbs by consuming 3000 calories a day. I quickly learned that this is far too many calories and I don't feel good when I eat this much. I tried. It worked. I lost weight. But, I felt sluggish because I was simply eating more than I wanted to eat. However, my body was in love with all the calories and was more than happy to lose weight.

Every single person is different. We have different activity levels and our metabolisms are different. I work on my feet 4-5 days a week for 5-9 hours a day. I am constantly moving - except for my break (15 mins) and lunch (if I work a longer shift). While I don't count work as my exercise, I truly believe I burn more calories while I'm there than I realize. I also go to the gym 2-3 days a week for 60 mins each time. I do cardio. I do strength training. I do squats. I do circuit training. I may not go everyday, but I do go I work my butt off while I'm there. I burn between 400-600 calories while I'm there.

There's NO way I could survive on 1200 calories a day and not eat back my exercise calories either. Heck, I can't survive on 1600 calories (been there, done that - body HATED it). I'm definitely NOT one of those people who needed LESS calories as they got thinner - I definitely need MORE calories.

Our bodies are different. We need to figure out what works for US. I know what works for me and will speak up when people generalize people who have a higher daily calorie intake and say they should NOT be eating their exercise calories back.

mrk34 · July 2011

Thank you Tramainepaul and Chevy88grl for great posts.

I can’t understand why Chevy88grl would see a slow weight gain if she dropped below 2200-2500 NET calories a day level.

I thought that one could not gain weight by taking in fewer calories a day.

chevy88grl · July 2011

Thank you Tramainepaul and Chevy88grl for great posts.

I can’t understand why Chevy88grl would see a slow weight gain if she dropped below 2200-2500 NET calories a day level.

I thought that one could not gain weight by taking in fewer calories a day.

Don't know - but it happens. I can not explain it. My doctor said that it may be a bit of 'starvation mode' kicking in because my body truly NEEDS the amount of calories I am taking in each day. It is just the way my body works. I can NOT drop too low or it freaks out and starts to slowly gain weight.

Here's an example: Decided I was going to try eating MORE calories to see if my weight would drop or raise. Did it for 10 days and dropped from 145 down to 140-141. I felt overfull all the time and ick, but my body LOVED it. I decided it was just too many calories for me to consume and went back down to 2200-2500 and within 10 days to 2 weeks, I had gained back the 5lbs I had lost when I upped to 3000. I spent MONTHS at 150lbs (Sept 2010 to May 2011) eating 2000 calories a day. Upped to 2200 - saw a loss. Upped again to 2400 - saw a loss. Realized if I stick within the 2200-2500 range -- I maintain 143-145lbs. As soon as I drop it back down around 2000 - my weight goes back up to 150lbs.

If you are taking in too few calories your body CAN go into starvation mode because it isn't getting enough calories from food. This seems to be the only explanation I can get for needing so many calories in a day. I truly believe it is because of my job, my workouts, my lifestyle in general.

Pattywack74 · July 2011

bump

MissMaggie3 · July 2011

Bump for me too.

helenbeee · July 2011

Thank you Tramainepaul and Chevy88grl for great posts.

I can’t understand why Chevy88grl would see a slow weight gain if she dropped below 2200-2500 NET calories a day level.

I thought that one could not gain weight by taking in fewer calories a day.

Don't know - but it happens. I can not explain it. My doctor said that it may be a bit of 'starvation mode' kicking in because my body truly NEEDS the amount of calories I am taking in each day. It is just the way my body works. I can NOT drop too low or it freaks out and starts to slowly gain weight.

Here's an example: Decided I was going to try eating MORE calories to see if my weight would drop or raise. Did it for 10 days and dropped from 145 down to 140-141. I felt overfull all the time and ick, but my body LOVED it. I decided it was just too many calories for me to consume and went back down to 2200-2500 and within 10 days to 2 weeks, I had gained back the 5lbs I had lost when I upped to 3000. I spent MONTHS at 150lbs (Sept 2010 to May 2011) eating 2000 calories a day. Upped to 2200 - saw a loss. Upped again to 2400 - saw a loss. Realized if I stick within the 2200-2500 range -- I maintain 143-145lbs. As soon as I drop it back down around 2000 - my weight goes back up to 150lbs.

If you are taking in too few calories your body CAN go into starvation mode because it isn't getting enough calories from food. This seems to be the only explanation I can get for needing so many calories in a day. I truly believe it is because of my job, my workouts, my lifestyle in general.

This is really interesting because Im the complete opposite if I eat more than 1400 calories a day the weight just packs on and fast! I also have trouble consuming more than 1200 calories I just dont feel like it. I rarely go hungry or feel like Im not eating enough and if I keep my calorie intake around 1200 I shed weight nice and steady.
I do however prepare most of my food so I eat lots of fibre, low GI, good protein and keep sugar, salt and fat to a minimum. So lots of oats, legumes, fish, chicken, red meat, eggs, skim milk, plain yogurt, fresh fruit and vegetables. These are very filling foods with low calorie weight.

chastitykelly · July 2011

Thank you Tramainepaul and Chevy88grl for great posts.

I can’t understand why Chevy88grl would see a slow weight gain if she dropped below 2200-2500 NET calories a day level.

I thought that one could not gain weight by taking in fewer calories a day.

Don't know - but it happens. I can not explain it. My doctor said that it may be a bit of 'starvation mode' kicking in because my body truly NEEDS the amount of calories I am taking in each day. It is just the way my body works. I can NOT drop too low or it freaks out and starts to slowly gain weight.

Here's an example: Decided I was going to try eating MORE calories to see if my weight would drop or raise. Did it for 10 days and dropped from 145 down to 140-141. I felt overfull all the time and ick, but my body LOVED it. I decided it was just too many calories for me to consume and went back down to 2200-2500 and within 10 days to 2 weeks, I had gained back the 5lbs I had lost when I upped to 3000. I spent MONTHS at 150lbs (Sept 2010 to May 2011) eating 2000 calories a day. Upped to 2200 - saw a loss. Upped again to 2400 - saw a loss. Realized if I stick within the 2200-2500 range -- I maintain 143-145lbs. As soon as I drop it back down around 2000 - my weight goes back up to 150lbs.

If you are taking in too few calories your body CAN go into starvation mode because it isn't getting enough calories from food. This seems to be the only explanation I can get for needing so many calories in a day. I truly believe it is because of my job, my workouts, my lifestyle in general.

Have your doctor check your insulin levels. I know someone whose body does this as well, and it was because her body produced TOO MUCH insulin- the exact opposite of diabetes. It's a condition known as Hyperinsulinism. If left untreated, the body can begin to reject the surplus insulin, resulting in diabetes. At least, that's how I understand it. Hope this helps.

Aries03 · July 2011

Bump

tramaine81 · July 2011

Great posts everyone!

I do understand that lifestyle determines caloric need and being in tune with what your body needs is important. When I was working an 8-5, I was on my feet all of the time (I was a teacher),and I did not have to count my calories often and I seemed to need a lot of food to maintain my weight (155lbs at 5'10). I read somewhere that you can burn as much as 1000 calories a day simply by always being on your feet all day.

However, I am now at a job where I am sedentary, my stress level has increased (I am in school...again), and my metabolism has responded. I gained over 20 lbs in the last year and a half eating the same amount of calories that seemed not to be enough during the previous years ( probably 2000-2500 calories). That is the primary reason that I have joined this community. I definitely agree that it is a case by case basis on the amount of calories to consume and a person should look at how their body responds and their lifestyle. My happy range (with my current lifestyle now) is 1300-1800 calories. If I go higher or lower, my results seem to be stalled.

A few months ago I couldn't imagine eating this amount and being full, but now I am full all of the time because I have changed my foods. Also, I was formerly an athlete so I gain muscle and bulk if I eat a lot and engage in heavier strength training simultaneously. I actually get better results with less strenuous exercises (leisurely walking). My body, like everyone else's, definitely has it's quirks. However, I think that the walking works because it lowers my stress levels and I can engage in walking for a longer time than high intensity exercise (1 hour of walking vs 30 minutes of running). Even though I might burn more calories in the higher intensity exercise, exercise that lowers my stress levels and the amount of time I spend active seem to be more conducive to my weight loss than strenuous activities.

I still have 15 lbs to go; however, I have found that understanding my body and how it relates to my lifestyle is critical in determining my calorie intake.

♥xenawarriorprincess♥ · July 2011

I know for me, my body is very sensitive to high carbs and sugar. I try to eat my 1300 calories but find it very hard most days only getting to 1150-1250 and I have yet to eat my exercise calories back...but I agree that everyones body is different and it takes listening to your body and time figuring out what works for you

lloydmel · July 2011

I would say the people that need that many more calories than the majority are truly just active people during the day. Most people are thinking 1200 calories to lose weight, what they aren't realizing is that is for NON-ACTIVE people. The majority of us are all couch potatoes or are working at desk all day without much activity except for when we go to the gym.
Needing the extra calories is because they need those calories for their regular daily activity. Those people would be fine not even going to the gym most likely because they are getting enough activity without having to do anything extra for it.
That's why they go into starvation mode at 1600 calories or so....
It also has to do with the size of the person.

Here's the story though; everyone is different. There isn't a catch all that works for everyone. The problem most people run into is trying something for a week or two and when they don't see results they either quit or move onto something else and then don't give it enough time to work either.

Experiment, yes... but stick to it for a while to see if it will actually work for you. Give your body time to adjust (a few weeks) and then give it a few more weeks to see if it will work.

If you see immediate results ... GREAT, but if you don't that doesn't mean it isn't working.

I think the idea though is to be healthier and more active.

Eat healthy... if you eat your exercise calories back, fill it with nutritional foods, if you don't... make sure you are getting enough food that is fulfilling nutritionally otherwise to support your workouts....

chevy88grl · July 2011

Thank you Tramainepaul and Chevy88grl for great posts.

I can’t understand why Chevy88grl would see a slow weight gain if she dropped below 2200-2500 NET calories a day level.

I thought that one could not gain weight by taking in fewer calories a day.

Don't know - but it happens. I can not explain it. My doctor said that it may be a bit of 'starvation mode' kicking in because my body truly NEEDS the amount of calories I am taking in each day. It is just the way my body works. I can NOT drop too low or it freaks out and starts to slowly gain weight.

Here's an example: Decided I was going to try eating MORE calories to see if my weight would drop or raise. Did it for 10 days and dropped from 145 down to 140-141. I felt overfull all the time and ick, but my body LOVED it. I decided it was just too many calories for me to consume and went back down to 2200-2500 and within 10 days to 2 weeks, I had gained back the 5lbs I had lost when I upped to 3000. I spent MONTHS at 150lbs (Sept 2010 to May 2011) eating 2000 calories a day. Upped to 2200 - saw a loss. Upped again to 2400 - saw a loss. Realized if I stick within the 2200-2500 range -- I maintain 143-145lbs. As soon as I drop it back down around 2000 - my weight goes back up to 150lbs.

If you are taking in too few calories your body CAN go into starvation mode because it isn't getting enough calories from food. This seems to be the only explanation I can get for needing so many calories in a day. I truly believe it is because of my job, my workouts, my lifestyle in general.

Have your doctor check your insulin levels. I know someone whose body does this as well, and it was because her body produced TOO MUCH insulin- the exact opposite of diabetes. It's a condition known as Hyperinsulinism. If left untreated, the body can begin to reject the surplus insulin, resulting in diabetes. At least, that's how I understand it. Hope this helps.

Been checked out for everything since there is a family history of diabetes. I am fine. Just need a lot of calories in a day to function properly.

IMYarnCraz33 · July 2011

I suggest not exercising on an empty stomach.
You need energy to work out.
Your dinner from the night before has already been digested.
I usually eat breakfast, then wait an hour before doing my workouts.

mrk34 · July 2011

I just noticed that I missed one letter in my post.

The subject should have been “eat YOUR calories back” not “eat you calories back”.

Sorry.

sleepytexan · July 2011

well, I don't think it's really necessary to reconcile each meal. For me, it works best to reconcile daily, or at least within 24 hours (if I have a huge burn day like yesterday, where I rode 48 miles and danced 2 belly dance shows), I put the dancing calories on for today, my day off. I knew I would be starving today and want more than 1530 cals, and I couldn't eat over 3500 cals yesterday.

Some people reconcile over a week's time, but for me, that does not work, perhaps bc I am within 5 lbs. of my goal, I am at a snail's pace now

Here is a nice explanation for eating the calories you have earned by exercising:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/196502-for-the-people-who-work-out-like-crazy-and-are-not-losing?hl=for+people+who+work+out+like+crazy

Personally, I prefer to eat breakfast prior to a work out, but if I were to have a very early workout planned, I would probably just eat a banana beforehand (I hate getting out of bed).

blessings.

sleepytexan · July 2011

Thank you Tramainepaul and Chevy88grl for great posts.

I can’t understand why Chevy88grl would see a slow weight gain if she dropped below 2200-2500 NET calories a day level.

I thought that one could not gain weight by taking in fewer calories a day.

Here is my story: After maintaining a healthy 127 lbs. for my whole life (except pregnancies), and being very active, I actually gained 15 lbs. over a year by adding in new activities without extra food (I had never counted calories in my life)! 4 hours/week dancing with a new company made me gain 10 lbs, and a 35-mile bike ride/week made me gain another 5. I struggled, frustrated, for an entire year without knowing why I couldn't lose it eating 1200 cals/day. I finally found MFP and the thread "FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WORK OUT LIKE CRAZY AND ARE NOT LOSING", and realized finally that I had been netting fewer than 800 cals (sometimes negative cals!) most days for 15 mos.

Within 2 mos. of learning this and eating properly (1500-3500 calories/day depending on the exercise that day), I have lost 13 of those 15 lbs.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/196502-for-the-people-who-work-out-like-crazy-and-are-not-losing?hl=for+people+who+work+out+like+crazy

blessings.

mrk34 · July 2011

Some (most?) people struggle so much to lose weight. They suffer from stress and hunger to create calorie deficit, and when they managed to achieve a little-bit bigger calorie deficit they are told “eat your calories back”. Why? Because the deficit is supposedly too big.

This doesn’t make any sense to me. I can't understand why you would eat more, when you're trying to lose weight.

The theory of “eating calories back” is confusing and counter-productive.

As long as your body gets required nutrients and energy it needs, it is OK to create calorie deficit, because it is the nature of weight loss. The bigger the deficit, the bigger the weight loss. I assume that we eat healthy, high nutrient foods, not an unhealthy crap here

OnMyWay2STay · July 2011

I want to understand this too!

tigersword · July 2011

To lose weight safely, and healthily, you shouldn't generally have a calorie deficit of more than 1,000 calories a day (which equals a loss of 2 pounds a week.) The thing is, the body needs so much fuel a day in order to function properly. If you eat too little, your body isn't getting the fuel it needs, and starts to hoard anything it can, as it recognizes that it isn't getting the proper amount of calories. So then the body stops burning fat, and actually tries to store any fat it can, so that it can use those stores when needed. This causes weight loss to slow down and stall out.

As far as eating back your exercise calories, it's all about how you count the calories. This particular website creates a calorie deficit for you automatically, so that if you don't exercise, you should still lose weight just based on what you eat. To offset that, when you do exercise, you need to add those calories back in, in order to maintain the safe deficit. Look at it mathematically.

Say you burn 2500 calories a day, and you want to lose 2 pounds a week. You can either, eat 1,500 calories a day and not exercise (for a 1,000 calorie deficit) or you can eat 2,500 calories a day and burn 1,000 through exercise (also creating a 1,000 calorie deficit.) If you attempt to do both (eat 1,500 and burn 1,000 through exercise) then as far as your body is concerned, you only ate 500 calories, which is well below the minimum necessary for basic function. This causes your body to shut down non-essential functions (maybe a kidney, maybe the gall bladder, any non-essential organ that you could survive without may get shutdown to conserve energy) and hold on to every last gram of fat in order to have energy to properly function. Your body, will burn only the fat necessary to maintain current function, whereas if you eat more and maintain a lower, safer deficit, your body will burn off the excess fat due to a fully functioning metabolism.

Now the survival mode scenario doesn't happen overnight, it happens over a period of time. The real scary part is once the body makes the decision to shut down a non-essential organ, it will also start breaking that organ down to convert it to energy. Definitely not something I want to chance.

alisa1973 · July 2011

bump

mrk34 · July 2011

Thank you Tigersword.

I don’t know what this website algorithm is to calculate food based calorie deficit for everybody who requests calculation.

Let’s assume that it is 500 calories.

If you add exercise and manage to burn let’s say 200 calories more then it’s wonderful.

“Eating it back” would be a waste of effort and missed opportunity for weigh loss.

It would simply kill the success already achieved.

I don’t think people complain that they are losing too much weight.

They are unhappy because they can’t lose enough.

In my comment I didn’t refer to super extreme situation you described.

chevy88grl · July 2011

If not eating your exercise calories works for you - great.

If you're trying to lose weight, not eating them back and not losing - then it is time to switch things up. Try new things. As a rule, once you start consuming MORE calories - you will see a loss on the scale. As Tigersword explained, you HAVE to feed your body for it to be comfortable enough to burn fat. You can't starve it to death and expect it to function correctly. It just isn't going to happen.

I want to burn fat and build muscle. NOT store fat and burn muscle.

If you choose to not do it -great. I personally KNOW that I have to eat them back, so I do.

It is ALL about figuring out what works for YOU. Everyone's body and metabolism are different - so everyone's calories requirements are different.

As you can see by the other poster, when you don't eat enough you CAN gain weight and hold onto that weight. It's a funny thing, but eating to lose DOES work. I'm proof as is the other poster and a lot of other people. Starvation is NOT the way you want to go to try and lose weight.

mrk34 · July 2011

Thank you Chevy88grl.

You are absolutely right that it is all about figuring out what works for us, and that everyone's body and metabolism are different. I would add that no single approach, formula, or plan for weight loss can work perfectly for every person.

I am not advocating starvation. The only two participants of our thought provoking exchange who mention starving to death are you and Tigersword.

My previous post states that I assume that we eat healthy, high nutrient foods that provide out body with energy it needs.

Totally disagree with “As a rule, once you start consuming MORE calories - you will see a loss on the scale.”

Lanfear · July 2011

Some (most?) people struggle so much to lose weight. They suffer from stress and hunger to create calorie deficit, and when they managed to achieve a little-bit bigger calorie deficit they are told “eat your calories back”. Why? Because the deficit is supposedly too big.

This doesn’t make any sense to me. I can't understand why you would eat more, when you're trying to lose weight.

The theory of “eating calories back” is confusing and counter-productive.

As long as your body gets required nutrients and energy it needs, it is OK to create calorie deficit, because it is the nature of weight loss. The bigger the deficit, the bigger the weight loss. I assume that we eat healthy, high nutrient foods, not an unhealthy crap here

As we're on a site where people's weight ranges from 100-400lbs, hopefully no-one will be offended by this.

I've been talking about this to a lady in our office who is qualified and does know what she's talking about (don't ask me what she used to do LOL cause I can't remember, but I know she taught lots of classes such as spinning etc etc and has a solid background in weight management and nutrition...). It's the larger people (those who are considered obese or morbidly obese) who should not eat their exercise calories back.

The larger you are the more easily you can maintain a larger calorie deficit. Those people who are obese or morbidly obese will benefit from the extra calorie burn and a higher calorie deficit - this is why people who have a lot of weight to lose can generally drop the extra pounds very quickly, whereas those who have a lot less to lose take a lot longer.

The people who should primarily be looking to eat their exercise calories back are those who are within reach of their goal as this is when you will start to burn muscle instead of fat if you don't put enough back into your body, and it will hold onto every little calorie it can get hold of in case it doesn't get any more! But, as previously stated on this (and about 1 million other threads) everyone is different and what works for me might not work for you. Everyone has to find their own way but we can all help with our own personal experiences.

Also personally I think that your assumption that "we eat healthy, high nutrient foods" is likely to be at least partially wrong - people may be working to lose weight and get healthy 99% of the time, but they'll still be drinking wine and eating chocolate - it might just be they're consuming a lot less of it than they did previously.

MissMaggie3 · July 2011

Well said, Lanfear!

12by311 · July 2011

Thank you Tigersword.

I don’t know what this website algorithm is to calculate food based calorie deficit for everybody who requests calculation.

Let’s assume that it is 500 calories.

If you add exercise and manage to burn let’s say 200 calories more then it’s wonderful.

“Eating it back” would be a waste of effort and missed opportunity for weigh loss.

It would simply kill the success already achieved.

I don’t think people complain that they are losing too much weight.

They are unhappy because they can’t lose enough.

In my comment I didn’t refer to super extreme situation you described.

I usually don't jump in on the "eating back your exercise calories" debates on here because it seems like most people have their own opinions no matter what others say. But I thought, "Hey...it's Monday...why not..."

My suggestion to you is do a search on the forum and read as much as you can. Then...I suggest you take note of those that have been most successful and have been around the longest (not yo-yoing with their weight, steadily maintaining after losing it).

I will say that if you have more to lose you can afford a greater deficit. When you get closer to goal if you create too large of a deficit for a long period of time what ends up happening is that if you are typically hoovering around 700 or so net a day, it's NOT starvation but it's just enough to signal to your body, "whoa........slooooowwwww down metabolism. Let's not burn too much at one time, we need to ration this fuel."

Also, once you get to a certain point, if you are working out and not fueling your body, you will feel like trash. Plain and simple. I can't imagine trying to lift weights then run 5 miles and then not refuel my body.

And to be honest, I would rather be fit and able to exercise hard than deprive my body of fuel and have no energy to do anything. I just don't really like that look. I don't find it attractive. Plus my life is way too busy to try to survive every day feeling like butt.

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