Eating back those exercise calories
TeresaWash
Posts: 283
I was banded 6/29/2010. In that year and a half I have lost 140 pounds. I was a really consistant loser. Averaged 10 pounds a month. My weight loss has almost come to a stop or at least if feels that way. For the past 6 months I will lose 1 - 2 pounds a month. I read all of this stuff an MFP about eating back your calories. I am set at 1200 calories a day. I go to the gym at least 5 days a week, sometimes more and burn anywhere from between 500 - 900 calories. (according to the machines) So my net calories a day average around 600. Everything I read on hear says eat more. It's not that I couldn't eat more because of the band, I could, but I have been so succesful in changing my eating habits that it scares the hell out of me to start eating more.
I had an apointment with my Lab Band Dr. last week and told her all of this. I did admit to her that I am not as diligent as I was that first year after I was banded. But I do exercise regularly and watch my calories. I don't think I eat more calories now than I did that first year but I will eat "crap" once in a while. (always keeping track of the calories).
She didn't agree or disagree with it. I am scheduled to see my dietitian and discuss it with her, then back to my Lap Band Dr to decide how to handle it. She said she could take fluid out of my band to make it easier to eat more. I have been at the "perfect" tightness for 9 months now so I also hate to mess with my band.
I guess I could cut back on exercise and the calories I'm burning but that just seems dumb to me also.
What do you think of this "eating back your calories"?
I had an apointment with my Lab Band Dr. last week and told her all of this. I did admit to her that I am not as diligent as I was that first year after I was banded. But I do exercise regularly and watch my calories. I don't think I eat more calories now than I did that first year but I will eat "crap" once in a while. (always keeping track of the calories).
She didn't agree or disagree with it. I am scheduled to see my dietitian and discuss it with her, then back to my Lap Band Dr to decide how to handle it. She said she could take fluid out of my band to make it easier to eat more. I have been at the "perfect" tightness for 9 months now so I also hate to mess with my band.
I guess I could cut back on exercise and the calories I'm burning but that just seems dumb to me also.
What do you think of this "eating back your calories"?
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Replies
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I don't know what to say about eating back the calories, but I wanted to point out that most machines are not very accurate on calorie expenditure. They are usually over optimistic.
I have a Polar HRM. The treadmills at my gym will pick up the Heart Rate from my HRM... and the heart rate is usually very close, within a digit or two.... but the HRM gives my calorie burn as at least 100 less than the machine every time.
Just something to think about.0 -
I don't know what to say about eating back the calories, but I wanted to point out that most machines are not very accurate on calorie expenditure. They are usually over optimistic.
I have a Polar HRM. The treadmills at my gym will pick up the Heart Rate from my HRM... and the heart rate is usually very close, within a digit or two.... but the HRM gives my calorie burn as at least 100 less than the machine every time.
Just something to think about.
Ya, I've always thought they seem high. MFP is even higher, about 300 calories more on the eliptical then the machine says. I should invest in a HRM.0 -
I only eat back about half those calories if I am hungry. Congrats on your success thus far, maybe if you change your food choices, as in not eating the same foods everyday your body will be shocked into losing faster?0
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I only eat back about half those calories if I am hungry. Congrats on your success thus far, maybe if you change your food choices, as in not eating the same foods everyday your body will be shocked into losing faster?
ya know.. that's a thought, cuz I do eat a lot of the same things. Also, I am not a "carb" watcher. I count calories and protien and don't worry about the rest. Maybe cutting out carbs?
Thanks0 -
Great sucess- CONGRATS!!! Do you switch up your workout routine? THey say to change every 10 days so your body doesn't have have time to adjust ..just a thought.....My downfall is alcohol - Do great everywhere but once out and about with friends it's hard to stop. ALthought i had my gall bladder removed so since then I need to go back and have my band refilled I hope to be able to do that in Feb- cause I have no restriction since removing gallbladder. Best of luck
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Changing the carbs you eat could help. When I'm focused on wt loss, I do not eat anything with white flour, white potatoes, pasta, rice or corn. These things tend to be high glycemic and when I do eat them, I find that I'm hungrier. Whole grain is better for me and doesn't make me hungrier sooner.
You might look into low glycemic eating, which is very similar to low carbing. www.glycemicindex.com0 -
Congratulations on the success!
Here's my take on it...
Even though you should be dropping weight like crazy if you're netting 600 calories a day, a few things could be happening:
1. The type of calories is wrong. Like you said, maybe dropping or drastically reducing carbs would help.
2. Your base metabolic rate has slowed WAY down in response to the weight loss which means you're able to survive on that 600 calorie per day net intake.
3. You aren't burning as many as you think from exercise so you're actually getting closer to your net goal than you realize.
4. You're not eating enough. It's true, the body will refuse to let go of any more weight if it thinks food is scarce.
So what I'd personally try doing is keeping your exercise the same and adding in a few hundred extra calories of good stuff whether it's all protein or fruit or whatnot, just not 300 extra calories of refined carbs/sugar. Add in a 300 calorie fruit protein smoothie or something. Don't change anything else and try that for a week and see what happens. If you gain weight then go back down to what you were doing or try something else. If you stay exactly the same, maybe even try adding in more calories, if you lose, then it seems the key is you truly weren't eating enough and that was inhibiting the weight loss.0 -
Thanks everybody. Went to my nutritionist last week. Hadn't seen her in a year, cuz everything was just going great. She suggested interval training, other than that she was not very informative. So... I appreciate all the advice and am going to try it all. Trying hard not to get discouraged I know that eventually.... it's got to give. Right?0
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