Do you eat your exercise calories?

No way. That obviously will slow down your weight loss.

It will actually aid your weight loss. MFP puts you on a calorie deficit when you join. When you exercise you're creating more of a deficit. If you don't eat back at least most of your exercise calories your body could go into starvation mode,which could slow your weight loss or stop it all together.

I disagree with this. It is proven that the only way you will lose weight is if you burn more calories than you eat so it will ultimately slow down your weight loss. You will still lose but I don't believe it aids your weight loss.

Did you see the amount of weight lost by the people above who do eat their exercise calories?

Imagine what their weight loss would be if the hadn't eaten back their calories. I'm not arguing it doesn't work. I just think it slows down the process.

...and maintains a safe, healthy sustainable weight loss? If they hadn't eaten their exercise calories, they probably wouldn't still be on their plans.

Like I said earlier. When I do go over my calories I try to work off the extra calories by exercising; however, I do believe it will slow down the weight loss if you eat back your exercise calories everyday. Finish logging your calories without eating back your exercise calories and on your home page there will be a greater weight loss in 5 weeks if you do. Someone asked for input and I gave mine. I didn't mean to start a MFP argument, but if I wanted input I would want to hear what everyone's thoughts were. I would also seriously consider the people's input that aren't 150 lbs overweight.

As far as I know, those people aren't 150 pounds overweight any longer, or are you just referring to me? I would want opinions of people who had lost large amounts of weight, and were successfully keeping it off over those who have lost 10 pounds or so in the last year +. Just sayin.

Well actually I didn't start my ticker until I got to 150, but I started at 155. Does 15 lbs make my advice any better? And just so you know when you actually get down to a healthy weight range, it is EXTREMELY hard to lose so my 10 lbs is a pretty great accomplishment.

No way. That obviously will slow down your weight loss.

It will actually aid your weight loss. MFP puts you on a calorie deficit when you join. When you exercise you're creating more of a deficit. If you don't eat back at least most of your exercise calories your body could go into starvation mode,which could slow your weight loss or stop it all together.

I disagree with this. It is proven that the only way you will lose weight is if you burn more calories than you eat so it will ultimately slow down your weight loss. You will still lose but I don't believe it aids your weight loss.

Did you see the amount of weight lost by the people above who do eat their exercise calories?

Imagine what their weight loss would be if the hadn't eaten back their calories. I'm not arguing it doesn't work. I just think it slows down the process.

...and maintains a safe, healthy sustainable weight loss? If they hadn't eaten their exercise calories, they probably wouldn't still be on their plans.

Like I said earlier. When I do go over my calories I try to work off the extra calories by exercising; however, I do believe it will slow down the weight loss if you eat back your exercise calories everyday. Finish logging your calories without eating back your exercise calories and on your home page there will be a greater weight loss in 5 weeks if you do. Someone asked for input and I gave mine. I didn't mean to start a MFP argument, but if I wanted input I would want to hear what everyone's thoughts were. I would also seriously consider the people's input that aren't 150 lbs overweight.

I find your last statement very disrespectful. You should not try to discredit advice based on weight. Why not look at progress? I lost 110 pounds eating exercise calories. I did not have as much trouble keeping a steady weightloss.

If you were to take your MAINTENANCE calories (which are no where NEAR 1200 for ANYONE) and then do exercises to help you lose weight...then no, obviously you would not eat them back.

But, the way the MFP program works is that the goal set for you already includes a healthy deficit. You are trying to maintain this deficit, not increase it to an unhealthy range. So MFP has already deducted the proper amount of calories from maintenance to get you to your goal. By eating your exercise calories, you are keeping to that precise deficit of 500 or 1000 to lose the weight. Where many people mess up is 1) being truthful about what they eat, 2) portion sizes, 3) inaccurately estimating activity levels, 4) overestimating calories burned through exercise and 5) not using the proper nutrient balance for their particular body.

No way. That obviously will slow down your weight loss.

It will actually aid your weight loss. MFP puts you on a calorie deficit when you join. When you exercise you're creating more of a deficit. If you don't eat back at least most of your exercise calories your body could go into starvation mode,which could slow your weight loss or stop it all together.

I disagree with this. It is proven that the only way you will lose weight is if you burn more calories than you eat so it will ultimately slow down your weight loss. You will still lose but I don't believe it aids your weight loss.

Did you see the amount of weight lost by the people above who do eat their exercise calories?

Imagine what their weight loss would be if the hadn't eaten back their calories. I'm not arguing it doesn't work. I just think it slows down the process.

...and maintains a safe, healthy sustainable weight loss? If they hadn't eaten their exercise calories, they probably wouldn't still be on their plans.

Like I said earlier. When I do go over my calories I try to work off the extra calories by exercising; however, I do believe it will slow down the weight loss if you eat back your exercise calories everyday. Finish logging your calories without eating back your exercise calories and on your home page there will be a greater weight loss in 5 weeks if you do. Someone asked for input and I gave mine. I didn't mean to start a MFP argument, but if I wanted input I would want to hear what everyone's thoughts were. I would also seriously consider the people's input that aren't 150 lbs overweight.

I find your last statement very disrespectful. You should not try to discredit advice based on weight. Why not look at progress? I lost 110 pounds eating exercise calories. I did not have as much trouble keeping a steady weightloss.

I agree, her statement was disrespectful, and actually downright rude.

I think every single body is different. We can ask for advice but when it comes down to it we can only go by what works for our body. I gain weight when I eat all of mine, so I don't eat all of mine. Some people lose weight when they eat theirs so they eat theirs... the only person who can decide is that person...

:glasses: I always get so confused with this question- should I use them or not. well we all know that MFP adds them in- but many times I try not use them- since I have quite a bit of weight to lose

Ladies!!!... I agree, but sometimes it just doesn't work that way. I've been struggling for so long to get out of my rut, I've hired trainers, nutritionists, spent too much on figuring it out but nothing seems to work. ALong with following a doctor & nutritionist appointed plan and eating at least half my exercise cals, I managed to GAIN weight.
Today I'm back to doing what I know best. I'll let you know in 2 months.
I don't think Loren means to humiliate, or discredit anyone. I think she's just following what she knows and works for her. Everyone has their own recipe.

So, let's just step back and look where it's all coming from.

Thank you very much! And I've been struggling for a very long time also. I just started with a personal trainer and he has me on a 1200 cal diet eating 100g of protein and 25g of fiber a day and I think I can see a difference! He says it will lean me up fairly quick. Maybe you can try and it will work for you! I just started this last Wednesday, so we will see if it works for me!