Seriously! I don't get it! Exercise Calories!!?!

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chiroGirl77
chiroGirl77 Posts: 41
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok, so I spoke to a nutritionist and she agreed with me! The whole concept of losing weight is to have a calorie deficit by either eating less calories then you need, burning calories (energy) in the form of exercise, or a mixture of the two. So WHY would one want to eat back their hard earned calories after exercising if you are trying to LOSE weight. I get it if you are trying to maintain weight or build muscle. The majority of people on here are trying to lose weight, right?! Can someone please explain to me why you would want to eat back your exercise calories. I would prefer it to be an educated answer though... like maybe cite a source other then what worked for you or what you saw on Fox news. I am not trying to be mean I really am just confused. Also, has anyone had their basal metabolic rate tested by using an indirect calorimeter? That would be the only accurate rate of knowing your metabolic rate. The calaculator on here is only a generalization. In fact, mine was a few hundred calories less then what the number on here was saying. So if people are using that as guidance and it is saying your BMR is 1680 and then the calorimeter told you it was 1380...... that is 300 more calories a day then you theoretically need which means at the end of the week you could actually gain .5 lbs.
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Replies

  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    Did you tell your nutritionist that you were ALREADY eating at a deficit before factoring in exercise?

    You shouldn't eat your exercise calories if you're eating as you normally would, not changing your diet or lowering your calories. But if you've already cut your calories, you should eat some of them, especially if you're burning a lot.
  • stephyy4632
    stephyy4632 Posts: 947 Member
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    because the deficit is already built into the program when you sign up

    thats why you choose your life style , the amount you want to loose per week
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    And no, eating 300 more calories above your BMR won't make you gain weight. Eating 300 calories above your TDEE will make you gain weight.
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    Because you already have a deficit that MFP created for you. It's not like you're eating your maintenance calories - if you were, then you could leave your exercise calories AS your deficit.
  • Hodar
    Hodar Posts: 338 Member
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    aj has it 100% correct.

    MFP already has a calorie deficit calculated. 3,500 calories = 1 lb of body fat.

    Your body DEMANDS a certain level of calories to sustain itself, if you go beyond a certain limit; you will go into Starvation Mode (and stop losing weight) and then your body will consume a very good source of protein (connective tissue and muscles). If you don't eat your exercise calories back - count on having lots of loose skin when you get close to your goal.

    But, it's up to you.
  • kristlynngirl
    kristlynngirl Posts: 121 Member
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    because the deficit is already built into the program when you sign up

    thats why you choose your life style , the amount you want to loose per week

    This!

    I want to lose 2 lbs per week, so MFP already has me at a 1000 calorie a day deficit based on what I need to eat just to survive and maintain my weight. I get 1410 calories per day, and earn back usually between 400-800 in exercise. If I didn't eat them back, my body would think its starving.
  • LolasEpicJourney
    LolasEpicJourney Posts: 1,010 Member
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    MFP works on a principle of guiding us on calorie deficit. Exercise helps increase you metabolic rate and helps tone and firm muscles. You can lose weight by eating differently - but you could still be all soft and squishy and unfit. When you build muscle you set your body up to be continually losing weight - because muscle uses more calories to just even BE.

    They say its 80% diet and 20% exercise that will get you to lose weight.
    I have lost 46lbs since mid march - and countless inches (i didnt take measuerments when I first started but I believe I am somewhere over 20inches in the past 3 months) and thats WITH eating back calories
  • tladame
    tladame Posts: 465 Member
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    Did you tell your nutritionist that you were ALREADY eating at a deficit before factoring in exercise?

    You shouldn't eat your exercise calories if you're eating as you normally would, not changing your diet or lowering your calories. But if you've already cut your calories, you should eat some of them, especially if you're burning a lot.

    This makes sense. Let's say I need to eat 1,200 calories a day to lose weight. If I burn 200 calories exercising, that would put me at only 1,000 calories. So I eat those 200 calories back. Technically I'm eating 1,400 calories a day, but burning off 200 which equals 1,200 calories consumed.
  • jellybaby84
    jellybaby84 Posts: 583 Member
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    I know what you mean, it totally confuses me too.

    Surely 'inbuilt deficit' is just another way of saying 'diet'. Most people don't try to lose weight by exericse alone. Or just by diet. Most people go on a diet AND exercise. And 1200 calories is a perfectly normal amount of calories for someone who is dieting. In fact I thought it was the recommended (with below 1000 being deemed unsafe and below 800 a starvation diet).

    So I don't understand how MFP is so different and how this inbuilt deficit somehow makes this diet different from every other person not on MFP eating their 1000-1200 calories and exercising.

    I'd never heard of eating exercise calories back before I came here. I can't make it add up at all.
  • chiroGirl77
    chiroGirl77 Posts: 41
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    And no, eating 300 more calories above your BMR won't make you gain weight. Eating 300 calories above your TDEE will make you gain weight.

    Listen to what I am saying!! If a person on here did not use an indirect calometer and MFP is telling them their BMR is 1680 and then the calorimeter told you it was 1380...... that is 300 more calories a day then you theoretically need. Even if your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) comes to 1680 you would only maintain your weight then you would not lose!
  • Soulbird81
    Soulbird81 Posts: 86
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    I get everyone's response but with my activity I'm supposed to consume approx 2100 calories in a day....since cutting out processed foods/resturant food there is just no way that I can consume this much and not feel like I am stuffed out of my mind! I am also a vegetarian who doesn't consume dairy....I've been eating at 1200-1400 calories since January and have lost almost 40 lbs.
  • evesacks
    evesacks Posts: 94 Member
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    My personal view is that you should listen to your body, and only eat your exercise calories if you are hungry for them. You will not go into starvation mode if you eat when you are hungry.

    MFP has a deficit built in, but yes by not eating exercise calories you would increase your deficit and lose quicker.

    I also think that MFP overestimates exercise calories and doesn't take into account that the alternative to exercise doesn't use zero calories. eg an hour in the gym may use 300 calories, but even sitting on the sofa may use 100 so really you should only eat 200 extra not 300 extra.

    I didn't eat all my exercise calories as I lost weight, but I did eat some and I ate more protein than MFP suggested.

    I don't have loose skin, and I have good muscle definition.
  • michedarnd
    michedarnd Posts: 207 Member
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    http://caloriecount.about.com/eating-back-exercise-calories-ft35823 -- Here is something that I found. Basically, if you have TOO LARGE a deficit, your body will fight you. If you eat back every calorie shown on your exercise machine, you are reducing your deficit total.

    There was a time when I had a strict 1100 calorie diet while working out 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I was most DEFINITIVELY starving myself, and my body wouldn't burn fat worth beans. I'd go for WEEKS on that diet and either gain (building muscle under the fat) or simply not lose at all.

    Right now, I am eating back MOST of my exercise calories. It seems to be working, although I just started, but I'm aiming for moderation.

    So, you eat enough to avoid "anabolic" mode, but you must retain the deficit, and that requires an ACCURATE count of the DIFFERENCE that the exercise calories makes.
  • picinina
    picinina Posts: 76
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    Ok, so I spoke to a nutritionist and she agreed with me! The whole concept of losing weight is to have a calorie deficit by either eating less calories then you need, burning calories (energy) in the form of exercise, or a mixture of the two. So WHY would one want to eat back their hard earned calories after exercising if you are trying to LOSE weight. I get it if you are trying to maintain weight or build muscle. The majority of people on here are trying to lose weight, right?! Can someone please explain to me why you would want to eat back your exercise calories. I would prefer it to be an educated answer though... like maybe cite a source other then what worked for you or what you saw on Fox news. I am not trying to be mean I really am just confused. Also, has anyone had their basal metabolic rate tested by using an indirect calorimeter? That would be the only accurate rate of knowing your metabolic rate. The calaculator on here is only a generalization. In fact, mine was a few hundred calories less then what the number on here was saying. So if people are using that as guidance and it is saying your BMR is 1680 and then the calorimeter told you it was 1380...... that is 300 more calories a day then you theoretically need which means at the end of the week you could actually gain .5 lbs.

    You need to read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/173853-an-objective-look-at-eating-exercise-calories
    It clears everything up in really simple terms.

    It will make the world of sense for you, promise.
  • chiroGirl77
    chiroGirl77 Posts: 41
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    I know what you mean, it totally confuses me too.

    Surely 'inbuilt deficit' is just another way of saying 'diet'. Most people don't try to lose weight by exericse alone. Or just by diet. Most people go on a diet AND exercise. And 1200 calories is a perfectly normal amount of calories for someone who is dieting. In fact I thought it was the recommended (with below 1000 being deemed unsafe and below 800 a starvation diet).

    So I don't understand how MFP is so different and how this inbuilt deficit somehow makes this diet different from every other person not on MFP eating their 1000-1200 calories and exercising.

    I'd never heard of eating exercise calories back before I came here. I can't make it add up at all.


    Finally! Thank you! You make sense. I think people are confused. The worst part is the people the most confused are the one's who probably need to lose the most weight and the calorie deficit probably will not kill them. The biggest loser participants who are morbidly obese exercise 6 hours a day if they ate all their calories back they would still be morbidly obese and just wasted 6 hours a day!
  • Soulbird81
    Soulbird81 Posts: 86
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    I know what you mean, it totally confuses me too.

    Surely 'inbuilt deficit' is just another way of saying 'diet'. Most people don't try to lose weight by exericse alone. Or just by diet. Most people go on a diet AND exercise. And 1200 calories is a perfectly normal amount of calories for someone who is dieting. In fact I thought it was the recommended (with below 1000 being deemed unsafe and below 800 a starvation diet).

    So I don't understand how MFP is so different and how this inbuilt deficit somehow makes this diet different from every other person not on MFP eating their 1000-1200 calories and exercising.

    I'd never heard of eating exercise calories back before I came here. I can't make it add up at all.

    I'd never heard of it either. I've always always always been told calories that you take in must be burned off............I come to MFP and am told something entirely different. I attempted to "eat back" my exercise calories and guess what? I gained back damn near 10 pounds that I had lost before starting MFP so now I am working to get back to where I was BEFORE starting MFP.
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
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    I completely agree with you, I usually eat a couple hundred of my exercise calories but that's it. If I eat them all...as I have been doing lately due to my training, I do not lose weight.

    None of this is an exact science, but I do know I lose weight if I stick to 1400-1600 calories, regardless of how much I do, or do not, exercise.
  • lind3400
    lind3400 Posts: 557 Member
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    Ok I know this isnt a scientific proof but has anyone noticed that if you eat less than your required calories on a day that you did NO exercise it gives you a warning about putting your body in starvation mode?
    But, today for example I still have like 450 cals left from ym exercise and Im done eating so I still ahve it remaining when I closed my log and it didnt warn me that Im eating too little???
    Just a thing Ive noticed, perhaps the exercise calories can be eaten or not eaten and it will work
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    And no, eating 300 more calories above your BMR won't make you gain weight. Eating 300 calories above your TDEE will make you gain weight.

    Listen to what I am saying!! If a person on here did not use an indirect calometer and MFP is telling them their BMR is 1680 and then the calorimeter told you it was 1380...... that is 300 more calories a day then you theoretically need. Even if your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) comes to 1680 you would only maintain your weight then you would not lose!

    I did see what you were saying. And you did not say that initially.

    Regardless, that's still not an issue with eating exercise calories. That's an issue with incorrect calculations, which can happen with any method. So if you find that following MFP's calorie goal doesn't help you achieve your goals, you change it, or get a better calculation from another source. But if you're truly eating fewer calories than your TDEE, you should still be eating your exercise calories if you want to continue losing weight in a healthy, sustainable way.
  • joakool
    joakool Posts: 434 Member
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    I didn't believe it either, BUT, I have started eating back half my "earned" calories and NOW I am starting to lose weight. You can't dispute those facts.

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