If you are eating more than 1000 exercise cals back

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  • marbly
    marbly Posts: 103
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    (This does not apply to those who are near their idea weight--that is a different scenario. I am referring to those who have a lot of weight to lose and who are in the beginning/middle of the journey).


    Would you mind explaining what you mean by this "not applying to those who are near their ideal weight"? For example, my BMI is 21, with BF% of 18.6-19.5% estimates and trying to lose around 5-8 more lbs. Why would my scenario be different? Must I eat back my exercise cals all the time?
  • chicpeach
    chicpeach Posts: 302 Member
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    I only have about 1/2 as many exercise calories, but I can never eat them all back without blowing my sodium limit. I think it's more important to stay within my sodium goal because excess sodium makes me retain water and therefore, weight.
  • PhatAndy
    PhatAndy Posts: 285
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    I know the feeling. I have had to cut back exercising, and I have cut back to 13000 and I have gained weight. I did weigh 173 now I am at 179...help It says the way I am eating I should weigh about 165

    I WANT 13,000 CALORIES!!!
  • Tourney3p0
    Tourney3p0 Posts: 290 Member
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    How long is the workout that burns 1000 calories? Also, what is your BMR? I think I know the reason for your problem, but I need to crunch some numbers first.
  • Tourney3p0
    Tourney3p0 Posts: 290 Member
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    I only have about 1/2 as many exercise calories, but I can never eat them all back without blowing my sodium limit. I think it's more important to stay within my sodium goal because excess sodium makes me retain water and therefore, weight.

    It's a good idea to watch your sodium of course, but I would consider the calorie goal to be more important. You'll only gain so much water weight before you reach a saturation point where you're no longer going to gain weight from water. A normal diet slightly over the sodium limit won't add much at all. Consider filling the rest of your calories with a low- or no-sodium food.
  • KareninCanada
    KareninCanada Posts: 807 Member
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    I eat back my exercise calories, but only to my goal calories for the day. I have a calorie goal based on the New Rules of Lifting book that I'm working through - right now it's 1832 on a regular day, and 2116 on a workout day. So I set my MFP goal to 1832, and on workout days I eat up to 2116. If MFP gives me a higher number, I still stop at my goal of 2116.

    So far it's working; I'm losing slowly but steadily, and I'm not feeling deprived.
  • skinnyjeansdiva
    skinnyjeansdiva Posts: 119
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    How long is the workout that burns 1000 calories? Also, what is your BMR? I think I know the reason for your problem, but I need to crunch some numbers first.

    I usually exercise about 45 mins average and burn anywhere from 300 (if walking) to 650 (if doing zumba/dancing/ elliptical high intensity) if I burn 1000 it's usually b/c I go to body pump class and a zumba class and it's more like 2 hours of exercise non-stop. I have no idea of what my bmr is, but I am 249 lbs, 5ft 6 inches and 27 yrs old and mfp gives me about 1890 cals per day to eat to lose one lb per week with the sedenentary setting ( I so spelled that wrong)
  • skinnyjeansdiva
    skinnyjeansdiva Posts: 119
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    I eat back my exercise calories, but only to my goal calories for the day. I have a calorie goal based on the New Rules of Lifting book that I'm working through - right now it's 1832 on a regular day, and 2116 on a workout day. So I set my MFP goal to 1832, and on workout days I eat up to 2116. If MFP gives me a higher number, I still stop at my goal of 2116.

    So far it's working; I'm losing slowly but steadily, and I'm not feeling deprived.

    someone else has gotten some really good results wiht that program, best of luck to you!!! sounds like it's working for you
  • skinnyjeansdiva
    skinnyjeansdiva Posts: 119
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    I only have about 1/2 as many exercise calories, but I can never eat them all back without blowing my sodium limit. I think it's more important to stay within my sodium goal because excess sodium makes me retain water and therefore, weight.

    It's a good idea to watch your sodium of course, but I would consider the calorie goal to be more important. You'll only gain so much water weight before you reach a saturation point where you're no longer going to gain weight from water. A normal diet slightly over the sodium limit won't add much at all. Consider filling the rest of your calories with a low- or no-sodium food.

    I always thought sodium was the worst also, good to know that I can go over a little bit if needed
  • rcpayton
    rcpayton Posts: 90
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    (This does not apply to those who are near their idea weight--that is a different scenario. I am referring to those who have a lot of weight to lose and who are in the beginning/middle of the journey).


    Would you mind explaining what you mean by this "not applying to those who are near their ideal weight"? For example, my BMI is 21, with BF% of 18.6-19.5% estimates and trying to lose around 5-8 more lbs. Why would my scenario be different? Must I eat back my exercise cals all the time?

    Im curious how that works too. Im about 15 lbs from goal weight and its going very slowly now....I eat back my calories but am worried that Im still sliding into starvation mode.
  • Tourney3p0
    Tourney3p0 Posts: 290 Member
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    I usually exercise about 45 mins average and burn anywhere from 300 (if walking) to 650 (if doing zumba/dancing/ elliptical high intensity) if I burn 1000 it's usually b/c I go to body pump class and a zumba class and it's more like 2 hours of exercise non-stop. I have no idea of what my bmr is, but I am 249 lbs, 5ft 6 inches and 27 yrs old and mfp gives me about 1890 cals per day to eat to lose one lb per week with the sedenentary setting ( I so spelled that wrong)

    Up at the top, there's a Tools tab. Under that there is a BMR calculator if you ever want to play around with it. I plugged in your numbers and got your BMR as 1881 calories/day. That means that if you were to lay in bed all day doing nothing, your body requires and burns 1881 calories just keeping itself alive doing all its basic functions. That comes down to 1.31 calories per minute. If you were to use your heart rate monitor to measure yourself laying in bed doing nothing, it would probably say you're burning 1.31 calories per minute.

    Scenario 1: You exercise for 120 minutes and burn 1000 calories.
    Scenario 2: You lay in bed completely motionless for 120 minutes and burn (1.31*120) = 157.2 calories.

    Considering the difference between these two scenarios, you're only burning 1000-157.2 = 842.8 calories that you wouldn't have otherwise been burning. Therefore, you should eat back 842.8 exercise calories. Or put more simply, eat back all but 157.2 calories.

    Disclaimer: I've been told I'm "overthinking it" when I suggest this, but 157.2 calories is substantial. I think you'll find that it solves your problem.
  • MMarvelous
    MMarvelous Posts: 1,067 Member
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    Bump
  • JanieVi
    JanieVi Posts: 6
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    I'm sending you a friend request right now, let's motivated us together.
  • skinnyjeansdiva
    skinnyjeansdiva Posts: 119
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    I usually exercise about 45 mins average and burn anywhere from 300 (if walking) to 650 (if doing zumba/dancing/ elliptical high intensity) if I burn 1000 it's usually b/c I go to body pump class and a zumba class and it's more like 2 hours of exercise non-stop. I have no idea of what my bmr is, but I am 249 lbs, 5ft 6 inches and 27 yrs old and mfp gives me about 1890 cals per day to eat to lose one lb per week with the sedenentary setting ( I so spelled that wrong)

    Up at the top, there's a Tools tab. Under that there is a BMR calculator if you ever want to play around with it. I plugged in your numbers and got your BMR as 1881 calories/day. That means that if you were to lay in bed all day doing nothing, your body requires and burns 1881 calories just keeping itself alive doing all its basic functions. That comes down to 1.31 calories per minute. If you were to use your heart rate monitor to measure yourself laying in bed doing nothing, it would probably say you're burning 1.31 calories per minute.

    Scenario 1: You exercise for 120 minutes and burn 1000 calories.
    Scenario 2: You lay in bed completely motionless for 120 minutes and burn (1.31*120) = 157.2 calories.

    Considering the difference between these two scenarios, you're only burning 1000-157.2 = 842.8 calories that you wouldn't have otherwise been burning. Therefore, you should eat back 842.8 exercise calories. Or put more simply, eat back all but 157.2 calories.

    Disclaimer: I've been told I'm "overthinking it" when I suggest this, but 157.2 calories is substantial. I think you'll find that it solves your problem.


    OMG I never even considered the calories "while doing nothing" that we eat back!!! umm, yes, that can seriously be an issue to not losing weight! thank you sooooooooooooooooooooooooo much for breaking it all the way down for me!!
  • skinnyjeansdiva
    skinnyjeansdiva Posts: 119
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    I'm sending you a friend request right now, let's motivated us together.

    Yay!!!!! thanks!!
  • Tourney3p0
    Tourney3p0 Posts: 290 Member
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    OMG I never even considered the calories "while doing nothing" that we eat back!!! umm, yes, that can seriously be an issue to not losing weight! thank you sooooooooooooooooooooooooo much for breaking it all the way down for me!!

    For shorter workout sessions, the number is probably pretty insubstantial. But for the longer time periods required to get up to 1000 calories burned, it really adds up.

    The big downside is that as your weight changes, you'll have to recalculate your BMR and break it down into calories per minute so you can continue the calculation. It's a pain, but it's been successful for me so far.
  • bits4226
    bits4226 Posts: 101 Member
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    I don't eat back at all. I use those calories for days when.I know I'm gonna go over (Friday night wit the girls
    .ect). Did you selected the correct activity level. I realized I was calculated for a more active person and therefore had.more calories beforehand.
  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
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    1890 is a lot... what did you set your activity level at? If you set it to active and it already includes the fact that you are exercising often (if that's why you set it to active), then maybe you shouldn't be eating back any exercise calories?

    I am sedentary or however you say it.. that's what I get to lose 1 lb per week. I weigh 250 lbs, should I lower my calories more then?

    No. That is probably about right then. I had a higher allowance at first (I started around 200, 5'3'').

    I would recommend maybe going to half the exercise calories as others have suggested--this leaves some wiggle room for error in calorie counting and exercise calories burned.

    Good luck! Don't give up!!
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    (This does not apply to those who are near their idea weight--that is a different scenario. I am referring to those who have a lot of weight to lose and who are in the beginning/middle of the journey).


    Would you mind explaining what you mean by this "not applying to those who are near their ideal weight"? For example, my BMI is 21, with BF% of 18.6-19.5% estimates and trying to lose around 5-8 more lbs. Why would my scenario be different? Must I eat back my exercise cals all the time?

    Because when you are far away from your goal weight, your body has loads of fat to eat. When you are getting closer, your body has less of a reserve available, so it is more important to not dip too deeply into the reserves to preserve muscle.

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