Not eating exercise Calories

I also lost weight walking. I walked about 4 miles 3-5 days a wek for 3 weeks and lost 10 lbs. I didn't really stick to any particular calorie limit. I just made sure I didn't over eat. I am starting back up on my weight loss and will have a 1200 calorie limit. I am aiming to lose 10 more lbs for this month.

It's really not rocket science that you lose weight by not eating your exercise calories. The point of eating them is to nourish your body and let it properly recover from exercise and also to maintain a sustainable level of eating. Sure you can skip eating them now...but is this how you plan to live forever?

eta: I've always eaten mine back and the 15lbs I've dropped since 7/5/11 don't lie either.

I didn't start eating my exercise calories until I started working out very intensely - when I was walking/doing Wii Fit, I kept calories low. Now that I run/bike a lot, I need to eat more. But with low intensity workouts, I don't think eating exercise calories is as crucial.

I'm new to the program. I've been cutting the calories for years and exercising and its not gotten me anywhere. The idea of eating back the spent calories seem ludicrous to me, but I'm willing to try anyway. I workout ALOT, I was eating 1200 calories and burning 300-600 calories per day. Now I am eating more and exercising less. Sounds so bizarre even to me but my weight loss is obsessive at this point and after losing 20, plateauing for 6 months and gaining 10, I've got to find a new strategy. So I have lost a few pounds after 2 weeks but not posting it yet. Want to see where I go first.

Another intersting thing for me is that I have been trying hard for 3 years, truly dedicated to it. No desert, etc. Exercise 3-6 times per week. I'm in good shape, just can't get rid of these pounds and will lose my job in 6 months if I can't drop 30.

i eat some back and stop around 1400 or 1500...i try not to eat them all back and that works for me

I eat about 1,200 calories a day except for twice a week because of school, on those days I'm lucky if I eat 1,000 calories because I'm busy and I get home late. On school days, instead of eating 3 meals a day I eat 2 plus a snack, it's usually a late breakfast, a late lunch, and a nutrition bar for dinner when I get home, though everyday varies depending on how I'm feeling that morning. I excerise about 5 days a week alternating from working out at the gym for almost 2 hours, walking lake murray, and hiking Cowles mountain. I don't eat my excerise calories because I simply can't eat that much. I know it's probably not that good for me, but it's the only thing that works for me and my crazy schedule. One thing that I try to do to keep me full longer is to eat things with protein and high fiber, that way it keeps me going when I get tried from work and school escpecially in the same day.

The answer to your problems is ....pre-plan your days. If you lay out what you need to eat to meet your goals and use more calorie-rich healthy foods so you don't have to eat "so much", then you won't find yourself in these situations. Healthy calorie rich foods would be things like...nuts, nut butters, avocados, olive oil...

I eat my back. I am starving if I don't. ::ohwell: And I find if I'm not well fuelled I can't exercise well and improve. Eating exercise calories just makes sense to me. Loads of peole don't, and I have no idea how they manage it because I would binge if I didn't. If you looking at improving your fitness and are working towards fitness goals then I would. Peronally I would always have a net of at least 1200 (I am on 1300 at the moment). However, I don't count walking calories or yoga or strength training....? I know its exercise for some people (And another debate ) so some might say I don't eat all my exercise calories? But I have my activity down as light active as I work with 3-5yr olds...total grey area. Just my opnion on what I do. I am losing about 1lb a week. Somtimes more, sometimes less. I am averaging at about 4lbs per month.

Hope my opinion is useful :bigsmile:

I didn't start eating my exercise calories until I started working out very intensely - when I was walking/doing Wii Fit, I kept calories low. Now that I run/bike a lot, I need to eat more. But with low intensity workouts, I don't think eating exercise calories is as crucial.

I run too and I have to eat them! I am so tired and can't concentrate if I don't xxx

Here's a thought: Eat them back if you are hungry. If you are not hungry, then your body is not saying, "FEED ME" and it is probably not going to hurt you not to eat them. On the other hand if your body IS telling you it needs foods (needs, not wants) then you should probably eat at least some of them back.

The most remarkable thing I have learned in the past couple months of changed food intake is that I can basically eat fruit and vegetables all day long, not feel hungry, and still be well under my calorie goals. (I still eat meat, but in much reduced portions and frequency).

I burn 1000+ calories riding my bike most days, but eating the foods I am now eating, I would feel stuffed and bloated if I ate that much back every day.

Here's a thought: Eat them back if you are hungry. If you are not hungry, then your body is not saying, "FEED ME" and it is probably not going to hurt you not to eat them. On the other hand if your body IS telling you it needs foods (needs, not wants) then you should probably eat at least some of them back.

This is what I was going to say. Listen to your body. If you are doing intense exercise and are still hungry...eat. If you aren't hungry, don't force yourself to eat them.

I don't eat mine back intentionally, I may occasionally have a few of them. I just see in my head weight loss if I have a bigger deficit of caloroes, but if this stops working then I will reassess.

I have lost 15LB since the 27th July, I last weighed myself on the 31st August.

What works for one person may not work for another other though!

I eat back what I feel I need.

To those of you who say you are just making sure you eat your 1300, or 1400 calories each day... on days that you burn 1000+ calories at the gym, do you still only eat 1300 calories? (Or.. do you never have days that you burn that much?)

I would find it hard to survive if I ate 1300 calories a day, and burned 1100.

Here we go Again.............

I don't eat my exercise calories because I either gain or stay the same when I do.

I eat all of mine back. I eat between 1800 and 2500 calories a day. I've lost 12lbs (of 16 from my goal) since May.

I am usually in that range, too. My maintenance calories when I reach my goal weight is 1900 cals/day, so I try to stay withing 200 +/- that amount, depending on my workout. No work out -- around 1700, and depending on the workout up to 2200...binge days (although rare, I had one last night) I hit 2500. Some days I eat less, but those are rest days where I am not working out. Now that I am back at work and on my feet all day I haven't been working out as much, and still needing to eat all of my calories. Some days I even go over, but the lbs are still dropping. Perhaps I am more active than 'lightly active' and that is why.
I also only eat when I am still hungry. My biggest issue is eating a bedtime snack...I would love to cut it out, but think it is actually hunger. When I want a night time snack I drink water and wait 20 minutes...If I am still motivated to make the snack and hungry, I make it.
To end my ramble -- don't starve yourself, make sure you get all of your nutrients and nourish your body, and develop a reasonable eating pattern/habits that you will be able to maintain when you reach your goal.