Is not eating back your exercise calories putting your body

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cshine06
cshine06 Posts: 139 Member
in Food and Nutrition
How many of you are actually losing weight or fat by not eating any of your exercise calories or by following a low calorie diet Net less than 1200 a day?

It didn't work for me so I am now losing at net 1800 a day versus 1200.

Replies

  • jillyt85
    jillyt85 Posts: 161 Member
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    I don't eat as low as 1200, but I've been eating 1370-1430 a day for about six months and I never eat my exercise calories back. I've lost 74 pounds this past year. When I eat back exercise calories, I gain and I gain lots.
  • EatClenTrenHard
    EatClenTrenHard Posts: 339 Member
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    How many of you are actually losing weight or fat by not eating any of your exercise calories or by following a low calorie diet Net less than 1200 a day?

    It didn't work for me so I am now losing at net 1800 a day versus 1200.

    i dont eat back calories. Except on cheat days once a week. And i still stick within my MFP limit.
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
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    I eat 1200 to 1500, don't eat exercise calories back unless I'm hungry and I've lost 56lbs x
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
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    i've never NOT eaten them. 255lbs on the left, 218lbs on the right. and i'm still at 218lbs, three months later, but have dropped almost 4% body fat. i eat back my exercise calories, and lift heavy things, a good amount of cardio, and a calorie deficit.


    i should actually do less cardio, and lift more, but i love cardio a lot.


    compare.png
  • yoouperh
    yoouperh Posts: 68 Member
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    I only eat mine back when my body tells me I'm hungry for them, I'm down 19 lbs in 6 weeks, so I figure I'll keep listening to my body...if I stop losing, I'll adjust
  • cshine06
    cshine06 Posts: 139 Member
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    Well great job guys!!!!! When I first started I did not eat them back either but after I lost 30 lbs more than 2 years I was just stuck in a plateau. Once I started eating 1800 calories a day then the scale finally started budging. I was 140 for over a year and now I am at 136. I also follow a low glycemic index diet which has resulted in my upper stomach going down. It's amazing how everyone's body works differently.

    SW 167 MFP SW 151 CW 136
  • cshine06
    cshine06 Posts: 139 Member
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    i've never NOT eaten them. 255lbs on the left, 218lbs on the right. and i'm still at 218lbs, three months later, but have dropped almost 4% body fat. i eat back my exercise calories, and lift heavy things, a good amount of cardio, and a calorie deficit.


    i should actually do less cardio, and lift more, but i love cardio a lot.


    compare.png


    What a way to lose weight!!!!! Great job! You look awesome!
  • WishfulShrinking331
    WishfulShrinking331 Posts: 244 Member
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    I usually try to stay under my 1200 except on cheat days and I never eat my exercise calories back, but I am also 5 feet tall so I don't think I need as many calories as other people bigger than me
  • endora60
    endora60 Posts: 17
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    I pretty much don't eat back my exercise calories, and I'm staying right around 1200 calories a day most of the time. I've lost 88 pounds doing it this way, so I'm sticking with it.
  • pauljsolie
    pauljsolie Posts: 1,024 Member
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    I eat back only if I'm hungry. Eating them all back when you're not hungry seems alittle counterproductive to me. Everyone is different though so do what works for you.
  • Mmissy104
    Mmissy104 Posts: 39
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    Im almost always at a NET of less than 1200. But if I ate my allowed 1200 plus my excercise calories I would be eating 2000+ calories a day! and unless im eating junk and fast food thats tough! I eat between 1200-1600 calories a day but my net is always under 1200. And It has been working for me. Down almost 20lbs since october
  • RockaholicMama
    RockaholicMama Posts: 786 Member
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    I'm set at 1200 calories a day. I usually eat just under that amount. On days that I work out, I always eat a good amount of my calories back. As you can see from the ticker, it's working for me. When I hit a point where I stall, I'll have another chat with the dietitian on base and we'll work around another good plan that works for me.
  • EatClenTrenHard
    EatClenTrenHard Posts: 339 Member
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    i've never NOT eaten them. 255lbs on the left, 218lbs on the right. and i'm still at 218lbs, three months later, but have dropped almost 4% body fat. i eat back my exercise calories, and lift heavy things, a good amount of cardio, and a calorie deficit.


    i should actually do less cardio, and lift more, but i love cardio a lot.


    compare.png

    wow seems like you have alot of lean body mass. Gjdm
    miring
  • MizCJ84
    MizCJ84 Posts: 335 Member
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    From my experience (and from what I have heard from others) it is best to eat more than 1200 calories a day, but not eat ALL of your exercise calories back. I have been eating between 1200-1400 calories per day depending on the exercise I did that day. I eat around 1400 calories on strength training days (mostly because my body gets super hungry on these days), and I eat around 1200-1300 on rest or cardio days. This worked for me in the past, and continues to work for me now. I think it depends on the individual of course. Losing weight is not an EXACT science, and everybody seems to lose weight differently. I've chosen to listen to my body.

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    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods
  • cshine06
    cshine06 Posts: 139 Member
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    I was just curious because we seem to lash out on the people with eating disorders who eat 800 calories of food a day, but what is the difference if we are netting 500 or less after exercise?
  • just4peachy
    just4peachy Posts: 594 Member
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    While my ticker isn't pretty right now (just reset it when I decided to try a primal/paleo diet) I eat back almost all of my exercise calories. I have since I a started a new, way more physical, job a few months ago. It's working for me. I eat nearly to an exact zero and I'm not losing a ton of weight but I've lost 9 (total) inches and 2% body fat in 10 weeks. Not eating them back was stalling me out badly.

    You REALLY have to listen to your body to find what works for you.

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