Eat back all of your exercise calories or you WILL DIE.

Other people can do whatever they like, but I use MFP because it works for me and it's a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. I always try to eat back as many exercise calories as possible because I want to net the correct amount for my maintenance. It has worked perfectly for me for over a year now so I'm sticking with it. I wouldn't bother to use this site if I thought I had a better way, you know? I'd use something else instead.

I have seen this debate in nearly all weight loss communities I've visited lol.

I think a factor that I've havent seen mentioned (I like to emphasize 'I haven't seen!' not that no one here has mentioned it) is differences in VO2 max.

Example. A friend and I went and got our BMR and VO2 rates tested. Went to a facility that had the equipment and measures your oxygen/co2 ratio on your exhales or something. Anyhow, one of us had a very high BMR, the other a low BMR. When we did the VO2 max, one of us had a pretty high VO2 max the other, quite a low VO2 max. VO2 max results will tell you how many calories you burn at various heart rates, we got these wonderful graphs that gave us our Cals burned per minute vs a range of heart rates. Well, found out the person who had a high VO2 max, her heart rate monitor was drastically under estimating her calories burned and the person with the low VO2 max, her hrm was drastically over estimated her calories burned. Luckily we had the model of polar hrm's that we could input our VO2 max and get correct estimates.

So anyway, this would explain why some people gain weight when they eat back their exercise calories, perhaps they have a low vo2 max. And what their hrm tells them is really way too high. And perhaps they have a lower BMR than what websites tell them as well. Who knows. Unless your tested these things are all unknown and why people will be equally vocal about opposing views on this.

As for my friend and I, the one with the low BMR had a high vo2 max and vice versa for the other.

Also these tests aren't perfect either lol. There are variables that can affect the results and cause inaccuracies.

Sorry for typos or nonsensical sentences. On my phone and very hard to proofread and edit.

you're gonna die either way. no one gets out alive.

in other news, TDEE, BMR, and "calorie deficit". look up these terms and it will all make sense.

LOL:laugh:

I have seen this debate in nearly all weight loss communities I've visited lol.

I think a factor that I've havent seen mentioned (I like to emphasize 'I haven't seen!' not that no one here has mentioned it) is differences in VO2 max.

Example. A friend and I went and got our BMR and VO2 rates tested. Went to a facility that had the equipment and measures your oxygen/co2 ratio on your exhales or something. Anyhow, one of us had a very high BMR, the other a low BMR. When we did the VO2 max, one of us had a pretty high VO2 max the other, quite a low VO2 max. VO2 max results will tell you how many calories you burn at various heart rates, we got these wonderful graphs that gave us our Cals burned vs a range of heart rates. Well, found out the person who had a high VO2 max, her heart rate monitor was drastically under estimating hr calories burned and he person with the low VO2 max, her hrm was drastically over estimated her calories burned. Luckily we had the model of polar hrm's that we could input our VO2 max and get correct estimates.

So anyway, this would explain why some people gain weight when they eat back their exercise calories, perhaps they have a low vo2 max. And what their hrm tells them is really way too high. And perhaps they have a lower BMR than what websites tell them as well. Who knows. Unless your tested these things are all unknown and why people will be equally vocal about opposing views on this.

As for my friend and I, the one with the low BMR had a high vo2 max and vice versa for the other.

Also these tests aren't perfect either lol. There are variables that can affect the results and cause inaccuracies.

That's definitely a piece of it. And the other debate being MFP is incorrect with its calories burned estimates. Yes. Yes it is. Or it isn't. Depends on you.

I wanna go get my V02 Max tested. Just cuz.

MFP is just a tool, there are lots of members that only use it for the food/exercise journal or heck some even use it primarily for the specialized support groups. I don't eat my exercise calories back and I've found that when I do I stall or gain, so I don't and in the end we all have to make the choice to do what works for us.

Thank you. Someone understands.

If i'm hungry I eat them back. If I'm not hungry I don't. Listen to your body.

Agree with this. I don't think I could eat all of them back!

Now if one eats all their exercise calories back than how is someone loosing weight?
I am doing Jamie Easons lifefit plan and I sure a daisy don't eat all my exercise calories.
Lost 9 pounds so far, and with her eating plan, even with less calories your body does not have time to get starving.

Not to be rude, but if you are following another plan, why are you here? This is a plan. It's called MFP and is designed differently from other plans. I try to stick to it like the bible. Just like someone would treat Weight Watchers. Do what works for you! But don't bash what works for others.

This is a site to track calories and food intake, not a plan for some people. some people use diet books to go along with this site and log their food. some people have surgeries for their weight loss to track their food. This site is a TOOL not "A PLAN". She wasn't bashing anyone. You're the one bashing her. Basically saying she doesn't need to be here b/c she's using another plan! and when someone starts a sentence with "Not to be rude" is just politely saying, I'm being rude, but please forgive me. Get your panties out of a wad and let people do what they wanna do.

The Topic title speaks for itself.

What is this business about starvation mode? I find myself wrapped up in these "debates" with people telling me that eating 1200 and not eating back my calories from exercise will make me starve. Not everybody eats their calories back, and they are fine. Is this just another example of people thinking they know everything and they know it best, or is this a legitimate concern?

MFP has a system in place where you eat them back.
Do it their way or do whatever works for you.
The problem is when ignorant people crash diet.
If you raise your deficit too high by creating your net calories too low, you stifle your metabolism.
FACT!
Anyway, set up your weight loss any way you want, but when your goals are more than a few pounds per week, you are setting yourself up for failure. This is exactly why most people drop out and die fat.
Good Luck to you:flowerforyou:

you're gonna die either way. no one gets out alive.

LOL too true

What is this business about starvation mode? I find myself wrapped up in these "debates" with people telling me that eating 1200 and not eating back my calories from exercise will make me starve. Not everybody eats their calories back, and they are fine. Is this just another example of people thinking they know everything and they know it best, or is this a legitimate concern?

It seems pretty arrogant and self-centered of you to come to this website and rag on the plan.....which has helped an awful lot of people safely achieve their goals. The testimonies and pictures don't lie. Why are you so wrapped up in "these debates" when you know the type of diet and calorie monitoring that this site supports? If you don't like it, start your own website and plan. Do other methods work? Sure they do, for some people. So does binging and purging. But there are many other people that follow a "net less than your BMR" plan and run into trouble. That's why a lot of people come here. The methods on this site prevent that from happening.

Consider Anger Management classes. Or decaff.

Now if one eats all their exercise calories back than how is someone loosing weight?
I am doing Jamie Easons lifefit plan and I sure a daisy don't eat all my exercise calories.
Lost 9 pounds so far, and with her eating plan, even with less calories your body does not have time to get starving.

Haha that's what I was thinking!! Just seems like an excuse to eat more and not gain weight-- which would happen, but I want to lose!! I eat every two hours a day. I just get some "tiffs" sometimes. HATAS GON HATE.

You still lose weight because you are still netting under 1200 a day (ie. eat 1200 - 300 burned +300 eaten = still only 1200 total, which is a big calorie deficit than the 2000+ your body burns naturally in a day) . I personally only eat back if I earn more than 600 in a day, and then I only eat back half.

What is this business about starvation mode? I find myself wrapped up in these "debates" with people telling me that eating 1200 and not eating back my calories from exercise will make me starve. Not everybody eats their calories back, and they are fine. Is this just another example of people thinking they know everything and they know it best, or is this a legitimate concern?

It seems pretty arrogant and self-centered of you to come to this website and rag on the plan.....which has helped an awful lot of people safely achieve their goals. The testimonies and pictures don't lie. Why are you so wrapped up in "these debates" when you know the type of diet and calorie monitoring that this site supports? If you don't like it, start your own website and plan. Do other methods work? Sure they do, for some people. So does binging and purging. But there are many other people that follow a "net less than your BMR" plan and run into trouble. That's why a lot of people come here. The methods on this site prevent that from happening.

Consider Anger Management classes. Or decaff.

I did.....and I looked like your profile pic.

Now if one eats all their exercise calories back than how is someone loosing weight?
I am doing Jamie Easons lifefit plan and I sure a daisy don't eat all my exercise calories.
Lost 9 pounds so far, and with her eating plan, even with less calories your body does not have time to get starving.

Not to be rude, but if you are following another plan, why are you here? This is a plan. It's called MFP and is designed differently from other plans. I try to stick to it like the bible. Just like someone would treat Weight Watchers. Do what works for you! But don't bash what works for others.

Now where in the world do you read me bashing anything????
I just do something for a while that has worked for some people I know.
I did not know it was forbidden to talk about another weight loss approach.

Ok, well the first 3 posters talking about how they don't follow MFP the way it is designed. Which is fine, but you're on MFP. That would be like going to a weight watchers meeting and arguing that MFP does it better.
You are already in a deficit when you start MFP. So if you eat those cals back, or at least most of them, then you will still lose weight. If not, then either something wrong, or plan not for you, which is fine. But, If you believe in MFP, then you follow it, right?. If not, then, you either 1.don't understand it, or 2. you do, but disagree with it.

And you ragging on the original poster is like going to a Weight Watchers Meeting and telling someone at a support group that they're stupid for their thinking and questions. I am appalled, APPALLED by some of the awful, hateful posts I've found on this "community" forum. This forum is here to help, encourage and support each other. That includes answering questions when others have them, not talking to them with a disgusted tone and telling them that they're doing it wrong. I started using MFP as an app to track my calorie intake, because it worked well with my iPad -- and thats it. I didn't use it to follow its "plan" or to use the deficit that it creates for me. I use it to log food and exercise-- what it's designed for. So, someone using the app or website with their own plan isn't a crime, and shouldn't be treated as or talked upon as one. If you're here to tell others that they have taken a wrong turn on their weight loss journey -- a very difficult and personal journey (as I'm sure you know...)-- then keep it to yourself, no one wants to hear it.

Yep. Lots of opinions. Few qualified. I rarely eat back my exercise calories and I'm alive and kickin'.

And did you retain your lean body mass? NOPE!

What is this business about starvation mode? I find myself wrapped up in these "debates" with people telling me that eating 1200 and not eating back my calories from exercise will make me starve. Not everybody eats their calories back, and they are fine. Is this just another example of people thinking they know everything and they know it best, or is this a legitimate concern?

It seems pretty arrogant and self-centered of you to come to this website and rag on the plan.....which has helped an awful lot of people safely achieve their goals. The testimonies and pictures don't lie. Why are you so wrapped up in "these debates" when you know the type of diet and calorie monitoring that this site supports? If you don't like it, start your own website and plan. Do other methods work? Sure they do, for some people. So does binging and purging. But there are many other people that follow a "net less than your BMR" plan and run into trouble. That's why a lot of people come here. The methods on this site prevent that from happening.

Consider Anger Management classes. Or decaff.

I did.....and I looked like your profile pic.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: