Eating Back Calories....I JUST DON'T GET IT.

so basically, if you are suppose to eat back your exercise calories, then in reality you don't even have to go the gym as long as you only eat to your goal of 1200 calories you will still lose weight.

I don't eat all mine back because if I did, I would be eating all day long. Like yesterday I went to the gym and I did the 30day shred, burning upward of 766 calories. I then had to eat an additional 1280 calories. this is crazy considering I went to the gym at 3:30, there is no way I was eating another full 1280 calories after that time.

I agree you need to eat some of the calories back, especially if it was high burn excercise. But the thing I dont get is why MFP advises eating them all back when their estimates are I feel quite generous on calories burned and they dont take into account the 70-100 calories that a person would have burnt anyway had they just been sitting on the couch for the hour! I wear a heart rate monitor and always deduct the appropriate rate of cals that I would have burnt doing nothing.

But eating 1200 calories and burning off 500 and not eating them back is not only dangerous, it's stupid as well.

But eating 1200 calories and burning off 500 and not eating them back is not only dangerous, it's stupid as well.

Really?

Could you explain to me in detail how it is dangerous? Which hormonal systems it will imbalance? What feedback loops it will cause danger in? Statements like this are wildly inaccurate and show a lack of understanding of the body.

No, I do not. I could understand a protein shake an maybe some fast acting carbs to help the body repair post workout but, eating back exercise calories? Je nais comprends pas?

But eating 1200 calories and burning off 500 and not eating them back is not only dangerous, it's stupid as well.

Really?

Could you explain to me in detail how it is dangerous? Which hormonal systems it will imbalance? What feedback loops it will cause danger in? Statements like this are wildly inaccurate and show a lack of understanding of the body.

The idea is that MFP already has a deficit built in. So the calorie goal that MFP has set for you is already set with a deficit to lose weight, so if you burn 500 calories in a workout, you can eat 500 more calories that day and have the same deficit. However, I dont eat mine back. I drink a post workout protein shake and thats it, usually.

so basically, if you are suppose to eat back your exercise calories, then in reality you don't even have to go the gym as long as you only eat to your goal of 1200 calories you will still lose weight.

I don't eat all mine back because if I did, I would be eating all day long. Like yesterday I went to the gym and I did the 30day shred, burning upward of 766 calories. I then had to eat an additional 1280 calories. this is crazy considering I went to the gym at 3:30, there is no way I was eating another full 1280 calories after that time.

Actually yes. The way MFP is designed, you will lose without the gym.

If you are going to work out in the afternoon, it's generally advised that you eat more earlier in the day. If you are going to do the 30 day shred at 3:30, you should be having a bigger breakfast and lunch so you don't eat all the calories after your work out.

There seems to be a lot of debate about this. I am in the medical profession. The simple answer is...Eating too few calories (less than 1200 a day) for almost ALL people is dangerous. It can cause electrolyte disturbances, and illness. If you burn off an additional 500 calories from exercise, and already are eating a significant calorie deficit, then over time, you could not only put your body into starvation mode, but you can make yourself very sick. I just had a a very good friend, who only ate 900 (by her admission to me) calories a day and exercised daily, probably burning that in her workouts. She had a massive heart attack because her potassium was too low from her extreme diet and exercise routine. Now, she did this for a long time, and it started out as her eating 1200 a day and exercising 500 a day, then she slowly decreased the food and increased the exercise over a year or more. I know this is an extreme example, but you need to be careful. I recently had to have emergency surgery and they ran a series of labs, as my heart was having some arryhthmias, and my potassium was low. (I felt like I was loosing weight in a very healthy manner) It wasn't dangeroulsy low, but low enough to cause concern. I am still not a small girl by any means. I exercise daily, and eat 1300-1400 a day, and DID NOT eat my calories back. I eat very healthy (lean meats, proteins, veggies, fruits, whole grains) but still had low potassium levels. This was causing my arryhthmia (irregular heart beat), as well as muscle weakness, and fatigue. I have lost 40 lbs so far in 6 months, and feel I have done it healthy. They have found no other medical cause for my low levels, the only thing is the calorie deficit. Please be careful. I have increased my calories and maintained my exercise routine. I have been taking a supplement from the doctor, and eating high potassium foods. I am doing much better and STILL LOOSING WEIGHT!!! My friend died on Dec 2nd, 2011. She had 3 small children, and has left a hole in all our hearts. There are reasons to eat enough calories. This program has the deficit built in already, the exercise is for your health and physique, not the calories. Good luck to you.

Really?

Could you explain to me in detail how it is dangerous? Which hormonal systems it will imbalance? What feedback loops it will cause danger in? Statements like this are wildly inaccurate and show a lack of understanding of the body.

It isn't dangerous at all, because you still have that base 1200 calories.

You both are idiots.

My BMR is 1630 calories.
I set MFP to lose 2lbs a week, that set me at 1200 calories a day, which would only give me a 500cal deficit & about 1lb a week loss instead of 2lbs.
So I don't eat back my exercise calories & I rarely hit 1200 because if I do, I don't lose at all.
I ate back my exercise calories a few times & every time I gained weight.

This is the same as me, if I eat them back I always gain. but if I just stick to my goal of 1200, then I see a change

There seems to be a lot of debate about this. I am in the medical profession. The simple answer is...Eating too few calories (less than 1200 a day) for almost ALL people is dangerous. It can cause electrolyte disturbances, and illness. If you burn off an additional 500 calories from exercise, and already are eating a significant calorie deficit, then over time, you could not only put your body into starvation mode, but you can make yourself very sick. I just had a a very good friend, who only ate 900 (by her admission to me) calories a day and exercised daily, probably burning that in her workouts. She had a massive heart attack because her potassium was too low from her extreme diet and exercise routine. Now, she did this for a long time, and it started out as her eating 1200 a day and exercising 500 a day, then she slowly decreased the food and increased the exercise over a year or more. I know this is an extreme example, but you need to be careful. I recently had to have emergency surgery and they ran a series of labs, as my heart was having some arryhthmias, and my potassium was low. (I felt like I was loosing weight in a very healthy manner) It wasn't dangeroulsy low, but low enough to cause concern. I am still not a small girl by any means. I exercise daily, and eat 1300-1400 a day, and DID NOT eat my calories back. I eat very healthy (lean meats, proteins, veggies, fruits, whole grains) but still had low potassium levels. This was causing my arryhthmia (irregular heart beat), as well as muscle weakness, and fatigue. I have lost 40 lbs so far in 6 months, and feel I have done it healthy. They have found no other medical cause for my low levels, the only thing is the calorie deficit. Please be careful. I have increased my calories and maintained my exercise routine. I have been taking a supplement from the doctor, and eating high potassium foods. I am doing much better and STILL LOOSING WEIGHT!!! My friend died on Dec 2nd, 2011. She had 3 small children, and has left a hole in all our hearts. There are reasons to eat enough calories. This program has the deficit built in already, the exercise is for your health and physique, not the calories. Good luck to you.