Time to settle things...

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right, so with all the debates about exercise cals, it's getting a bit much.
All I want you to do is to post whether or not you eat them back (yes or no) and how much weight you've lost in what amount of time.
This probably won't sort anything out, but it will make it easier for people to decide for themselves!

Replies

  • melizerd
    melizerd Posts: 870 Member
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    yes (about half to 3/4 of them because I don't own a HRM, otherwise I'd eat them all back)

    73lbs in one year and one week, no plateaus.
  • deegarcia19
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    I do NOT eat my exercise calories.
  • AmerTunsi
    AmerTunsi Posts: 655 Member
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    nope, I don't and lost 20lbs in about a month; people, don't freak out about this number, the doctor knows! ;-)
  • snickerpants
    snickerpants Posts: 44 Member
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    Yes, usually all the time. 30 pounds since February.
  • KaeChelle
    KaeChelle Posts: 576
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    It's never going to be settled. People will always debate.

    Most of the time, I eat them if I'm hungry, I don't eat them if I'm not. I originally lost 37 pounds doing it that way. I gained my weight back when I stopped logging my food and just eating whatever. Now I'm back to logging, and the same rule applies to the exercise calories. Hungry-yes. Not hungry-no. :smile:
  • AZKAOZ
    AZKAOZ Posts: 35
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    No, Lost 6 pounds since I started this 2 weeks ago, but have lost 167 since last January.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    Youre' right, it won't settle things.
    People have fixed ideas on this and aren't going to change!



    (PS. I do!)
  • cschu544
    cschu544 Posts: 320 Member
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    I'm freaking as confused as you. But if you look at your goal thingy in settings, it tells you the cals you burn just by sitting around.. and it also gives you the average of cals you need to burn per day even after eating all your cals. Mine is 388. So I know I have to burn at least 388 6 days a week to lose. I do not eat my cals back, depending if it's that time of the month or not.... -.-

    that probably didn't help. but no, i don't eat my cals back and i lose about 1-2 lbs a week.. (with 8-10 glasses of water)

    really, water is super important.. i didn't realize it and went weeks without losing anything.. then started actually drinking the water and the lbs fell off.
  • FaithsVegWorkout
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    Yes, but I don't eat them all back.

    I've lost 9 pounds since July 26, and I've lost some inches too.
  • AmerTunsi
    AmerTunsi Posts: 655 Member
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    I'm freaking as confused as you. But if you look at your goal thingy in settings, it tells you the cals you burn just by sitting around.. and it also gives you the average of cals you need to burn per day even after eating all your cals. Mine is 388. So I know I have to burn at least 388 6 days a week to lose. I do not eat my cals back, depending if it's that time of the month or not.... -.-

    that probably didn't help. but no, i don't eat my cals back and i lose about 1-2 lbs a week.. (with 8-10 glasses of water)

    really, water is super important.. i didn't realize it and went weeks without losing anything.. then started actually drinking the water and the lbs fell off.

    I'm with you there about the water ..especially during TOM .. I learned that lesson recently actually!
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
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    I did at one point...but stalled...so i stopped then lost the rest
  • singer201
    singer201 Posts: 560 Member
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    57 lbs. lost in just over 6 months. I eat back my exercise calories, about 250-375 per day.
  • Kimmer2011
    Kimmer2011 Posts: 569 Member
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    It'll never be settled, because it isn't a "once size fits all" situation. Everyone has to find out what works for them.

    So far, I don't generally eat back my exercise calories (at least not on purpose, ha). I've lost over 80 pounds since February. I'm open to the possibility that eventually, I'll be eating them back deliberately.
  • barbiex3
    barbiex3 Posts: 1,036 Member
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    i usually burn 1000 in a day, so i'm def. eating those babies back =]!
  • ChantalGG
    ChantalGG Posts: 2,404 Member
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    you should also ask if they are trying to lose 2lbs or 1/2 a week. it really changes things.

    I sometimes eat mine back but i still eat 1400 calories and i usually only burn 200 so i am not eating to little.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    YES I eat my calories.
    I've lost 7lbs in 2 months.


    I've only been tracking calories religiously for 2 months. I average about 2000 NET calories a day. 2 months ago I was 14 pounds from my goal.
  • av8rblond
    av8rblond Posts: 140
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    I eat them if I am hungry and don't if I'm not. I have lost 36 pounds in 13 months but honestly only consistently since joining MFP. Keep in mind if people have more weight to lose it comes off a little easier than those that have a few pounds. I am not syaing it is easier for them, but rather your body releases them a little more readily.

    Like said before, you need to find your own groove.
  • withchaco
    withchaco Posts: 1,026 Member
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    Keep in mind if people have more weight to lose it comes off a little easier than those that have a few pounds. I am not syaing it is easier for them, but rather your body releases them a little more readily.
    Yes, this is important when we're talking about weight loss pace. :)

    I have lost 41lbs since April. I had about 65lbs to lose when I started.

    I maintain a certain amount of net calories, so yes, I eat my calories.

    My net calories were MUCH lower when I started. In the beginning, I maintained about 800-1000 net calories and lost weight successfully. Now I have to eat 1200-1300 net. I'm still losing weight at a good pace.
  • llkilgore
    llkilgore Posts: 1,169 Member
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    I ate about 2/3rds back until I was 10 pounds or so above my goal weight, and then began eating all of them. I'm at my goal weigh now and got there in a little under 7 months without ever hitting a plateau. A couple of slow downs, yes, but no plateaus. You have to be very honest with both calories in and calories out if you eat back all of your exercise calories and hit your weight loss targets. Logging regular activities like walking up and down the aisles of a grocery store and calling it cardio is asking for trouble. So is guesstimating your portion sizes.
  • vettle
    vettle Posts: 621 Member
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    I used to, but I stopped doing it about halfway through last week when it was explained to me why I shouldn't. I was plateauing at 147 for a couple of weeks.

    I lost two pounds last week by zig zagging and not eating them back partly. so it's hard to say whether it was because of the zig zag or the exercise. BUT I also INCREASED my calories by almost 300 a day.

    weird eh?