attention! all who eat back your exercise calories

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  • SandyQ229
    SandyQ229 Posts: 153 Member
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    bump to read later!!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    I eat them so as I lose weight I don't lose as much muscle as I would only netting less than 1800. Netting too low will result in a loss of a large % of lean muscle. 1200 cals isn't enough for most people on days they don't exercise, when you add exercise you need even more.

    As an example say MFP gives you 1450 calories to lose 1 lb/week, and you plan on exercising 5x/week for an average of 400 cals per workout. well MFP will tell you to eat 1450 on the days you don't workout and 1850 on the days you do whereas a "professional" may tell you to eat 1700 everyday regardless if you workout.

    So for the week MFP will have you eat 12,150 (1450*2+1850*5) whereas doing it the other way will have you eat 11,900 (1700*7) almost the same number of cals for the week (250 dif). The issue in not following MFP is if you don't workout the full 5 days or burn more or less than planned. If that is the case you may lose more or less than your goal, whereas MFP will have you lose your goal amount regardless how much you actually workout.

    What many MFPers do is take the low 1450 and not eat back exercise calories which is wrong, if you are not eating them back then your daily activity level should reflect the higher burn with would be covered in the 1700/day above.

    FYI: My 17 month old son eats about 1200 cals/day, and he weighs 24lbs.
  • Cindym82
    Cindym82 Posts: 1,245 Member
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    to OP I actually lost a lb this week from upping my calories and pushing a little less hard at the gym. I guess I wasn't fueling my body enough for my intense work outs. I eat back some exercise calories but not all for the simple fact that I do not have a exact number of calories burned since I don't own a HRM. But I would say to try upping your calories but with maybe high calories foods. Like avocado, nuts, things of that nature
  • herownkindofwonderfull
    herownkindofwonderfull Posts: 307 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/539912-why-eating-exercise-calories-is-so-important?error_user_id=17725808&error_username=lovemissheather

    this also might help :)
  • trababes1971
    trababes1971 Posts: 173 Member
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    Hya im only new to the site but i know sometimes i will deff eat back my exercise cals lol..as i too LOVE my food, and i hate being hungry, as that just makes me want to binge. Do whats best for your body hun..maybe you arnt eating enough at times etc xxxxx
  • jenkinsdeb
    jenkinsdeb Posts: 44
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    same, i usually eat my earned points, however my trainer tells me I shouldn't. Otherwise I'm too tired and hungry. Is this the norm I wonder??
  • JACKYGETNMYBODYBACK
    JACKYGETNMYBODYBACK Posts: 91 Member
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    bump
  • darkmouzy
    darkmouzy Posts: 227 Member
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    simply put if I don't eat them back. I'm hungry lol plus post work out after tearing at my muscles and body they need the nutrients to repair :)
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    same, i usually eat my earned points, however my trainer tells me I shouldn't. Otherwise I'm too tired and hungry. Is this the norm I wonder??

    See my earlier post. Most likely the trainer wants you to eat more then what MFP gives you, as he/she includes exercise as part of the intake. MFP may give you 1200 and say eat what you burn, but your trainer may say eat 1500 everyday, well if you burn 400 cals 5 days/week MFP would have you eat 10,000/ week (1200*3+1600*4) and your trainer says 10,500 (1500*7), only 500 cals difference for the week.
  • jlshaw77
    jlshaw77 Posts: 23
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    BumP
  • OutiR
    OutiR Posts: 93 Member
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    I ALWAYS eat all my calories burnt in exercise since I am genuinely hungry after - my body SCREAMS for food. Even if I wouldn't feel so hungry i still eat them since i prefer fuelling my body with real food than letting it drag what it needs from muscles which are already too tiny.
    I want to look slim and healthy instead of just skinny and pale. I don't care if it takes a little more time to get where i want, just as long as i'll get there.
    AND knowing myself if i let my blood sugar drop, 1) i have no energy to enjoy or even do exercises, 2) i will become an awful person and 2) finally i'll binge and give a damn of my goals.
    Easier to continue in right path when just eat all cals that MFP recommends. Easier for me, easier for others. :-)
  • jarredondo
    jarredondo Posts: 297 Member
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    I don't eat all of my exercise calories back because I don't know how accurate the numbers that show up. I started using a heart rate monitor that calculates my calories burned based on my HR, Age, and Gender (gender is a big one because men burn a lot more calories than women). I found that my HRM consistently shows me burning far less calories than MFP default for an activity. I now change the calorie burn to what my HRM says.
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
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    I eat them all because:

    I like food
    I am not on a diet, I am on a lifestyle change, so I don't do anything that i can't maintain for a lifetime.
    If I don't eat them, then I won't have the energy to work out like I do.
    I'm not in a rush to drop however many sizes
    I want to change my body composition
    I like food
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
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    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<, Proof of what eating more plus my exercise calories will do. Hit my goal weight on March 23rd, after weeks of trying the whole 1200 thing, I tried the eating more to weigh less idea, well it worked for me.

    43 years old
    5'3.5"
    SW 120
    CW113.8

    Seriously, most women in their 40s do not lose that last 5 lbs that easily. I will say that I feel fantastic and will NEVER eat 1200 calories on purpose again. There are days that I may net 1200, simply because of how much exercise I get, but I try like heck to eat as much as I can. I look at pictures from last year when I was so skinny and I look bad from not enough nutrition. Now I am eating very nutritious foods that keep me happy and healthy. Please feel free to look at my diary.

    L
  • flutternfly
    flutternfly Posts: 123
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    This may help.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/395881-people-who-lost-weight-eating-more?

    This had some great comments. Thanks for reposting.
  • flutternfly
    flutternfly Posts: 123
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/539912-why-eating-exercise-calories-is-so-important?error_user_id=17725808&error_username=lovemissheather

    this also might help :)

    This is also helpful. I was trying to figure out if eating back would help. I've been doing net under 1200 if I exercise. I want to experiment and see what happens if I eat back more of my calories.

    I'm using a Fitbit in conjunction with MFP. Fitbit has a little gauge much like a oil gauge on your car that tells you the optimal calories to have. I need to try to listen to Fitbit's psuggestions for what to eat.
  • tabi26
    tabi26 Posts: 535 Member
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    FYI: My 17 month old son eats about 1200 cals/day, and he weighs 24lbs.

    Hahahaha! That right there is why I increased my calorie goal. I have two kids (boys, ages seven and two and a half) and they were eating more than I was on a 1200 calorie day allowance lol. When I noticed that I was all "WTF?!? This can't be right!" so I upped to 1450 (my BMR) and with exercise calories I eat usually between 1600-1700 a day. It's not a huge jump, and I haven't lost any weight since upping (about four weeks ago) BUT it's not my calorie allowance that's hindering my progress! It's my binge drinking/eating! Gotta find a balance there lol ;).
  • jennifermcornett
    jennifermcornett Posts: 159 Member
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    After I did P90X and then ran everyday for 3 months straight, my metabolism was so awesome that it carried me for 6 months! I had to stop working out for various reasons, and I slacked on my calories, and I didn't gain any weight until about 6 months later. I wouldn't worry about gaining weight from eating more. Your BMR is certainly higher than it was before! Your body is a fat-burning machine now, so it needs more fuel! :)
  • ashley_d78
    ashley_d78 Posts: 39 Member
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    I eat them so as I lose weight I don't lose as much muscle as I would only netting less than 1800. Netting too low will result in a loss of a large % of lean muscle. 1200 cals isn't enough for most people on days they don't exercise, when you add exercise you need even more.

    As an example say MFP gives you 1450 calories to lose 1 lb/week, and you plan on exercising 5x/week for an average of 400 cals per workout. well MFP will tell you to eat 1450 on the days you don't workout and 1850 on the days you do whereas a "professional" may tell you to eat 1700 everyday regardless if you workout.

    So for the week MFP will have you eat 12,150 (1450*2+1850*5) whereas doing it the other way will have you eat 11,900 (1700*7) almost the same number of cals for the week (250 dif). The issue in not following MFP is if you don't workout the full 5 days or burn more or less than planned. If that is the case you may lose more or less than your goal, whereas MFP will have you lose your goal amount regardless how much you actually workout.

    What many MFPers do is take the low 1450 and not eat back exercise calories which is wrong, if you are not eating them back then your daily activity level should reflect the higher burn with would be covered in the 1700/day above.

    FYI: My 17 month old son eats about 1200 cals/day, and he weighs 24lbs.
    wow, ok. i'm a pre-school teacher and I had six children between ages 16-24months today. thank you for putting this in perspective for me.
  • ashley_d78
    ashley_d78 Posts: 39 Member
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    to everyone who commented, thank you.
    your words are all so kind and helpful!
    I have made an appointment with a good friend who is a hardcore trainer, he's going to bring me body up to speed.
    thank you again!!
    Ashley

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