Still confused about eating back cals!!

7funnygirl7
7funnygirl7 Posts: 1,176
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
Okay, I know this is on here a lot but I am still confused about eating back calories.....call me stupid, but need to know please.
I just started MFP in Feb. so not too sure if it is "really" working totally for me or not. I am 248 pounds (now) and do a "curves" workout 5 days a week plus I walk on the treadmill, this totals approx. 45 mins of cardio a day some days more. My question is because I am hugely overweight do I need to eat these back? I do end up eating some back but really should I? Would I benefit by doing any more cardio? Please help as I need to lose these 4 spare tires!!! Thanks..
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Replies

  • 7funnygirl7
    7funnygirl7 Posts: 1,176
    ANYONE????
  • raquelott
    raquelott Posts: 14
    Don't know whether you should or should not, I try not to. Today I ended up eating all but 79 calories of the 600+ cals I burned. Hope someone has a better answer.
  • Becky_Boodle
    Becky_Boodle Posts: 253 Member
    As long as you are eating at least 1200 NET calories not total calories...
    I took a quick look at your diary...and it looks like you are...
  • loves_jc
    loves_jc Posts: 86 Member
    Okay, I know this is on here a lot but I am still confused about eating back calories.....call me stupid, but need to know please.
    I just started MFP in Feb. so not too sure if it is "really" working totally for me or not. I am 248 pounds (now) and do a "curves" workout 5 days a week plus I walk on the treadmill, this totals approx. 45 mins of cardio a day some days more. My question is because I am hugely overweight do I need to eat these back? I do end up eating some back but really should I? Would I benefit by doing any more cardio? Please help as I need to lose these 4 spare tires!!! Thanks..
  • JamzPurse
    JamzPurse Posts: 66 Member
    My only advice is to use them if you need them. If you are hungry go for it, if youre not than don't. Only eat about 80% back when you do to leave room for error.
  • 7funnygirl7
    7funnygirl7 Posts: 1,176
    Thanks, any more info/advice is always welcome!!
  • jennkess
    jennkess Posts: 86
    I would eat most of the calories back, you need to fuel your body , if you are hungry eat, drink lots of water- just make what you eat matter try not to get into the - I just walked off 300 calories now I can have a piece of cake--- would be delicious- but add some extra chicken to your salad, eat a handful of nuts- avocados- protein-protein shake. the last thing you want to do is after you put it thru the shock of eating better and exercising is not eating enough and going into starvation mode. the scale may move slower but your body will love you more for it.

    good luck! and view others diaries, add freinds- watch what they eat, open your diary if it's not already and ask for help - that is what we are here for, and this is my Inspiration this week on the success board:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/518976-i-hit-51-lbs-pictures
  • dicoveringwhoIam
    dicoveringwhoIam Posts: 480 Member
    Eat your base caloric intake. The other is a bonus.. If you abstain from the extra calories given to you from working out you end up losing more belly fat. That's what I've learned.
  • nikdonbon
    nikdonbon Posts: 12 Member
    I was just going to ask the same questions. I know that you are supposed to eat 1200 calories, but if you burn 600 are you supposed to eat 1800 total or just have a larger deficit. Good question!
  • loves_jc
    loves_jc Posts: 86 Member
    I am very overweight and am lossing about 2 p.ounds a week and still eat back my cals. I recomend that you do this you need it for energy. That is all cals are is energy when we dont use our energy that we eat then it is bad but if you excersie and dont go over you will lose it. It has already deducted the weith loss cals.
  • SweatinSammie
    SweatinSammie Posts: 126
    It SEEMS to me that when someone needs to drop a large amount of weight - or is considered obese - not eating back your burned calories is not a big deal. What I've noticed that if people hit a plateau, and they are not eating back at least half of their work out cals, that starting to eat those jump starts weight loss. This is what happened to me, and I've seen it happen to plenty of other people also. Since you have 'four extra tires' to lose, I highly doubt that not eating back all of those calories is a big deal but I'm not a nutritionist, just an observer and participatant of MFP! Good luck to you!
  • chelseaalicia
    chelseaalicia Posts: 164 Member
    Having your net calories over 1200 (or slightly higher) will help your body recover from workouts and to keep your metabolism up. Keep your macros in line- yours protein/carbs/fats, but especially your protein will help make sure you are burning fat, not muscle (important when you're in a calorie deficit from diet and exercise). As you get more fit and burn calories more efficiently and are able to do more intense workouts you may need to eat back all those workout calories to feel satisfied or if you're saving them up for a treat.
  • SlimStacey74
    SlimStacey74 Posts: 74 Member
    I am definately no expert, but IMO, I do believe you should eat some if not about at least half of them back..This is what I try to do..If I have a day where I got alot of exercise, I try to get between 1200-14/1500 net, otherwise I shoot close to my goal. My goal is set to about 1800 now, and I weigh 198 lbs. Hope this helps. This has worked for me so far :) -Stacey
  • jnhu72
    jnhu72 Posts: 558 Member
    I weigh about the same as you and I have lost all my weight so far by not eating them back. When I was eating some or all of them back, I was barely losing. I burn from 500-1500 calories when I work out though, I'm not sure how much you burn that might make a difference to.
  • 7funnygirl7
    7funnygirl7 Posts: 1,176
    Thanks again for all your inputs.The new motto in my life is;~ " I will eat to live", not "live to eat"!! Best of Luck to you all. Feel free to add me for support as well.
  • JacksMom12
    JacksMom12 Posts: 1,044 Member
    Eat your base caloric intake. The other is a bonus.. If you abstain from the extra calories given to you from working out you end up losing more belly fat. That's what I've learned.

    What?!?
  • madisonbriggs
    madisonbriggs Posts: 1
    Definitely don't eat your calories back!!!!!! the point is to burn them off so if you eat them back on then that's defeating the purpose!!!! keep going-you can do it!
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    It's like this - two options;
    1. Factor your exercise into your activity level. Don't eat them back.

    2. Don't factor them into your activity level. Eat them back.

    Reason being is you don't want to create too large a deficit and leave your body no energy to perform it's basic functions with. Choose your poison.
    Definitely don't eat your calories back!!!!!! the point is to burn them off so if you eat them back on then that's defeating the purpose!!!! keep going-you can do it!
    Sigh...
  • irisheyez718
    irisheyez718 Posts: 677 Member
    I weigh what you weigh. I eat mine back. Why deprive yourself when you don't have to? Plus, I want to keep the muscle that I have, since it burns more calories.
  • AndreaWyland
    AndreaWyland Posts: 142 Member
    Exercise is not just about making a deficit, big or small, its about building stamina, making your heart strong, cardiovascular health, there are millions I mean MILLIONS of health benefits to exercise... not to mention the muscle you build that DOES burn more fat and calories and LOOKS a hellofa lot better than fat (my personal opinion). So if anyone is struggling with WHY eat back your calories you work so hard to burn think about it like you already have a deficit (mfp makes one for you) so youre not only working for the above reasons but heck I sleep a lot better too:) Some people use it to fight depression and anxiety, etc. There are many many threads on this exact topic already...I WORK OUT! haha:)
  • meg7399
    meg7399 Posts: 672 Member
    Always eat ALL your calories back. MFP is set up to keep your calories at a deficit level which is optimal for your weight loss...if you burn some working out you need to eat back those calories to get back to the optimal deficit level. If you don't you may eventually plateau and stop losing. I have always eaten back every single workout calorie and I have lost 32lbs!
  • meg7399
    meg7399 Posts: 672 Member
    Definitely don't eat your calories back!!!!!! the point is to burn them off so if you eat them back on then that's defeating the purpose!!!! keep going-you can do it!
    TOTALLY FALSE! Please do not listen to this advice! Any health professional would advice this poster to play in traffic!
  • LadyConundra
    LadyConundra Posts: 37 Member
    I don't, I never have. I work out 5-6 days a week, cardio and weights. I never trust what the machine tell me anyways, and have never tracked my exercise burn on MFP. I stay around 1200-1500 cals a day, with one cheat meal a week (1800-2200). I handle it just fine not eating my calories back, and I have only plateaued once. I lost 100 pounds in a yr and have maintained that for over a yr. I bugs me when people on MFP tell you that you have to eat them back, and than break out articles to prove their point. But you could ask 500 trainer and nutritionist the same question and get about 250 different answers. My trainer and I have talked about this many times, and He (in his opinion) says no you don't have to, if you do that is fine also, but you wont see the weight loss coming as fast if you do. It is all about calories in vs. calories out.
    So my suggestion is don't, if you can keep up your energy and feel good without eating them back, than don't. If you have to eat them back only try 100 cals and see if that does not work for you.

    Just my opinion. Good luck with your journey. You can do it :)
  • hubkal
    hubkal Posts: 125 Member
    I only found any weight loss by eating 1200 calories TOTAL a day!! a majority of my days I NEVER eat back my exercise calories. The biggest thing is being SURE about the calories you are REALLY burning and being SUPER careful about what you log, do not forget anything and if anything OVER ESTIMATE your calorie intake...double check the things you pick and the calories listed on the package compared to what MFP has listed for it, check the number of servings listed on the package AND on mfp! sometimes someone may add a product and put in only .5 of a serving and you think you have added a whole serving! Be very specific to follow your nutrients and do not go over on your carbs and sodium. MFP seems to give too little for PROTEIN intake, it should be at least 1/3 higher, so don't be afraid to go over on protien.

    You will get used to eating 1200 calories, once you find foods that fill you up but contain less calories! add tons of veggies to everything you will be surprised at how much flavor and crunch value you get with veggies!

    Everyone has their own "way" this is what started working for me after 6 weeks of working out with no weight loss, finally I ate as you can see on my diary and the weight came off. All the above recommendations were from my dietitian for me.
  • alise_lmx
    alise_lmx Posts: 292 Member
    most people on mfp seem to say to eat them back. Personally, if I'm hungry (which I usually am anyway after working out), I'll eat them back, but if I'm not, I don't stress about it. I listen to my body instead of to people freaking out about "starvation mode" :) I have to say I don't believe in the "starvation mode" thing bc if that was true, how would anorexic people lose weight? And I doubt a few days here and there of being under will hurt you. Just stay smart about what you eat, and if you're hungry, eat! :)
  • meg7399
    meg7399 Posts: 672 Member
    most people on mfp seem to say to eat them back. Personally, if I'm hungry (which I usually am anyway after working out), I'll eat them back, but if I'm not, I don't stress about it. I listen to my body instead of to people freaking out about "starvation mode" :) I have to say I don't believe in the "starvation mode" thing bc if that was true, how would anorexic people lose weight? And I doubt a few days here and there of being under will hurt you. Just stay smart about what you eat, and if you're hungry, eat! :)
    Starvation mode is before your body hits an anorexic state. Yes is you starve yourself long enough then you will lose weight. Obviously not healthy.
  • maf66
    maf66 Posts: 211 Member
    I say no. No, you should not eat back your calories unless you are on maintenance or trying to increase muscle mass. My reasoning is this. Have you ever previously been on a diet that gave you a restrictive calorie intake and then turned around and told you that it was flexible? My guess is that you have not. Nor do you need to be on 1200cal/day.

    Think about what is reasonable for you. I have mine set at 1600. Educate yourself and make choices as to how much protein/fiber/etc etc you believe you need. My goal is 100g protein and a minimum of 25g fiber daily. protein and fiber keep you fuller longer. This is a fact, not my 2 cents.

    Think about it. If you are eating back the calories you are burning, how in the world are you going to lose weight? Unless you are trying to gain weight or build muscle, that is the wrong way to do it. It's just common sense really.

    BTW, I'm losing on avg 2#/week
  • meg7399
    meg7399 Posts: 672 Member


    Think about it. If you are eating back the calories you are burning, how in the world are you going to lose weight? Unless you are trying to gain weight or build muscle, that is the wrong way to do it. It's just common sense really.

    you lose because you are already set up at a deficit to begin with!!! working out brings you further below your deficit and you eat back to refuel the body!!!
  • essjay76
    essjay76 Posts: 465 Member
    Definitely don't eat your calories back!!!!!! the point is to burn them off so if you eat them back on then that's defeating the purpose!!!! keep going-you can do it!

    Is this what people call a "troll"? LOL

    But yes, MFP already works in a deficit for you. Personally, I agree that you should eat some of them back, not necessarily all of them. If you are still hungry and are going to faint, heck yeah, eat them! But you shouldn't force yourself to eat all of them.

    Despite all this, a deficit that comes from both eating less and exercise is nothing new. And exercise isn't just for burning calories. Think of all the health benefits you'll get from it! :-)
  • tialynn1
    tialynn1 Posts: 884 Member
    I am no doctor or anything. But, I will tell you what worked for me. I usually do eat most of my calories back that I burn. There have been a couple of times I also didn't eat 1200 calories in a day. But, I have always stayed under my calorie allowance. If I am hungry I eat, if I am not I don't. I do exercise a lot most days. I have averaged 2.3 pounds per week since January 4.
    Which when I entered my goals, it set as I was lightly active and wanted to lose about 1.5 pounds per week.
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