Is not eating back your exercise calories putting your body

cshine06
cshine06 Posts: 139 Member
edited November 10 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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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.

    16774070.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods
  • cshine06
    cshine06 Posts: 139 Member
    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
    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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