Don't understand why I should eat back exercise calories..

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cupcakestarz
cupcakestarz Posts: 11
in Health and Weight Loss
If I eat 1500 calories a day, burn 500 calories with exercising, and eat back the exercise calories, aren't I back where I started? I'm kind of confused.

Replies

  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    Yes, except for the other benefits of exercising ...
  • crossfitterwahine
    crossfitterwahine Posts: 61 Member
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    MFP has already calculated a deficit for you and your weightloss goals. That 1500 is what you should eat to LOSE weight (if that is your goal). If you don't eat your exercize calories, you could stall eventually.
  • StarryEyed500
    StarryEyed500 Posts: 225 Member
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    MFP approximates your calories burned in a day then subtracts a number to match your goal loss. If you eat below this number, you're creating a bigger deficit which could lead to health problems if you go too far below your BMR. All you are doing by eating back calories is eating the correct amount to maintain a steady weightloss.

    That said, you may find you only need half to 3/4 of them to be eaten to maintain the loss.
  • IvoryParchment
    IvoryParchment Posts: 651 Member
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    You're where you would be if your goal was 1500 calories, assuming your goal includes no exercise. If you don't eat them back, you're where you would be if your goal was 1000 calories and you did eat them back. Everyone wants to lose weight like yesterday, but trying to lose too aggressively is hard on your body and your morale. You're more likely to be successful if you are patient and do this in a way that you are willing to continue after you reach your goal and have to maintain it.
  • adnama36
    adnama36 Posts: 32 Member
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    Yes. If MFP tells you to eat 1500 calories/day in order to lose weight, they have already figured a calorie deficit into that 1500 calories. In other words, you will lose weight even if you don't exercise. Personally, I exercise so that I get to eat more while still losing weight!
  • muddyventures
    muddyventures Posts: 360 Member
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    The best way I can explain it is...

    You are like a car and you require 8 gallons of gas to get from point a (beginning of day) to point b (end of your day).
    if you go straight from point A to point B with no extra turns you won't run out of gas.
    But say you take a detour that will require 2 more gallons of gas (exercise). You won't make it unless you fill your tank with those 2 gallons of gas.


    The recommendation is that you don't go below 1200 calories, this is a healthy number to live on, however I'm not in the belief that you are going to die off in starvation mode if you don't stick to the 1200 min. I think you need to average over a week, a month a good balanced diet whatever those calories are. I know if I go under my calories for too long I don't feel great.
  • Gt3ch
    Gt3ch Posts: 212 Member
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    The FAQ explains the rationale pretty well. Frankly you don't HAVE to do it their way. There are lots of other people using different systems. The thing is if you use MFP to calculate your BMR it will give you a pretty low number so being very aggressive with a calorie deficit doesn't always work well. IMHO it's impossible to calculate the calories with great precision. I try to eat most of my exercise calories but operate in a calorie range rather than any strict limit. YMMV.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    The #1 question on MFP.

    MFP calculates a calorie deficit so you will lose weight. If you don't work out, you will lose weight. So, when you work out, you need to eat back those calories.

    Most diets assume you will work out, so you don't add calories to eat, because they've already calculated that into the program. MFP doesn't calculate that until you do it.
  • hvergelmir
    hvergelmir Posts: 23
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    Also, the way I understand it, if you've been doing strength exercises you need nutrients to help build muscle tissue (proteins, I think). Bit weird that MFP doesn't count calories for strength exercises, though.
  • Hood25
    Hood25 Posts: 208 Member
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    I better start eating! I usually go under my calories after exercise. I already feel like i'm eating all the time!
  • kazzamcamille
    kazzamcamille Posts: 117 Member
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    I didn't understand this either, it seemed crazy to me! Well, I ate 1200 plus some exercise calories for the fist 2 months and only lost 6 lbs. Yes 6lbs is pretty good over that period of time but I wasn't losing consistently and was pretty hungry. Everyone told me to up my calories and eat my exercise calories back because the way to lose weight is to eat and keep your metabolism up. I am now experimenting with my calories. I keep upping them and losing MORE!! I love it. I try to eat every 2-3 hours to keep my metabolism going. Try not to eat after 7. When you exercise and don't eat at least half back you are going to starve your body and make it store fat and fluids (causes 0- minimum weight loss) When you fuel your body with the healthy foods with the right amount of calories your body thinks oh well I'm going to get fed every 2 hours or so , so I don't need this extra weight, and it is going to drop right off of you. :) You can private message me if you need to! Good luck <3:)
  • Hood25
    Hood25 Posts: 208 Member
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    I didn't understand this either, it seemed crazy to me! Well, I ate 1200 plus some exercise calories for the fist 2 months and only lost 6 lbs. Yes 6lbs is pretty good over that period of time but I wasn't losing consistently and was pretty hungry. Everyone told me to up my calories and eat my exercise calories back because the way to lose weight is to eat and keep your metabolism up. I am now experimenting with my calories. I keep upping them and losing MORE!! I love it. I try to eat every 2-3 hours to keep my metabolism going. Try not to eat after 7. When you exercise and don't eat at least half back you are going to starve your body and make it store fat and fluids (causes 0- minimum weight loss) When you fuel your body with the healthy foods with the right amount of calories your body thinks oh well I'm going to get fed every 2 hours or so , so I don't need this extra weight, and it is going to drop right off of you. :) You can private message me if you need to! Good luck <3:)

    Makes total sense!! I'm in!
  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
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    If I eat 1500 calories a day, burn 500 calories with exercising, and eat back the exercise calories, aren't I back where I started? I'm kind of confused.

    Yeah. Back to the healthy deficit that mfp set you at....
  • purpleipod
    purpleipod Posts: 1,147 Member
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    Where you started is already a deficit.
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
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    Think of exercise calories as extra calories earned...

    If you were supposed to eat 1500 to lose weight, and you earned an extra 500 calories in exercise, now you can eat 2000 calories and still be losing weight. Make sense?
  • Hernandeak11
    Hernandeak11 Posts: 351 Member
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    I've only been using this site for two months, and I facepalm every time someone asks this.

    I don't know how those of you who've been here longer handle it..
  • Savyna
    Savyna Posts: 789 Member
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    The best way I can explain it is...

    You are like a car and you require 8 gallons of gas to get from point a (beginning of day) to point b (end of your day).
    if you go straight from point A to point B with no extra turns you won't run out of gas.
    But say you take a detour that will require 2 more gallons of gas (exercise). You won't make it unless you fill your tank with those 2 gallons of gas.


    The recommendation is that you don't go below 1200 calories, this is a healthy number to live on, however I'm not in the belief that you are going to die off in starvation mode if you don't stick to the 1200 min. I think you need to average over a week, a month a good balanced diet whatever those calories are. I know if I go under my calories for too long I don't feel great.

    Nice analogy and way of explaining it. I liked it.

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