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

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  • TheFitHooker
    TheFitHooker Posts: 3,358 Member
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    Pretty much! Everyone has an opinion, I get that but some people make it seem like it's their way or it can't work. I have lost 110lbs and only eat 1200 calories even still. I don't eat back my calories. It works for me. I have tried to eat them back, don't work for me I gain weight doing that. Everyone's body works differently.
    you will lose weight faster if you eat back those cals

    What part of I've tried that and it don't work for me, did you not read there? I tried it for 2 months and gained 10lbs. I have 15-20 more pounds to lose, I'm not interested in losing weight fast, I'm interested in losing weight period. I lose 2-3lbs a week and I have been doing it this way sense September of 2011, I've lost 110lbs over the course of 2 years but since September is when I got really serious. Losing more then 3lbs a week is not healthy, I'm under doctor care and he told me not to eat them back so take it up with him. I'm using MFP for the calorie tracker and the support. I am not bothered with the "Starvation mode" thing, my body is not in starvation mode, it gets what it needs.
    The only reason that wouldn't "work" is A) over estimating your calorie burns/exercise B) under estimating your food intake C) both A and B.

    Your doctor probably does not understand the context of the question "Should I eat back my exercise calories?" unless they are intimately familiar with how MFP works.

    Wanted to also add, my doctor isn't the only one who gave me this advice. He knew exactly what I meant by that. I asked him "If I eat 1200 like you told me to, then say I burn 800 calories, do I add an extra 800 calories to make up for the calories I just burned?" He replied with "There is no reason to do that, you can try it if you want, it works for some not for others." I tried it for 2 months, it didn't work for me. BUT I don't have a properly working HRM Like I said above, which could be the cause of it. However like I also said, I'm not about to "Fix" something that isn't broken. I eat when I'm hungry and I have days when I do go over my limit, and more times then none when I do go over because (Oh lord let the scale bashing begin) I weigh myself every day, and my scale is always up when I go over my calories, even if it's just by 100 calories when I burned I know at least 300.
  • Nerdy_Rose
    Nerdy_Rose Posts: 1,277 Member
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    This thread isn't even a facepalm. It's a head-wall.

    I eat 1800-2000 calories per day and I am a hot b*tch.
  • WestCoastPhoenix
    WestCoastPhoenix Posts: 802 Member
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    Pretty much! Everyone has an opinion, I get that but some people make it seem like it's their way or it can't work. I have lost 110lbs and only eat 1200 calories even still. I don't eat back my calories. It works for me. I have tried to eat them back, don't work for me I gain weight doing that. Everyone's body works differently.
    you will lose weight faster if you eat back those cals

    What part of I've tried that and it don't work for me, did you not read there? I tried it for 2 months and gained 10lbs. I have 15-20 more pounds to lose, I'm not interested in losing weight fast, I'm interested in losing weight period. I lose 2-3lbs a week and I have been doing it this way sense September of 2011, I've lost 110lbs over the course of 2 years but since September is when I got really serious. Losing more then 3lbs a week is not healthy, I'm under doctor care and he told me not to eat them back so take it up with him. I'm using MFP for the calorie tracker and the support. I am not bothered with the "Starvation mode" thing, my body is not in starvation mode, it gets what it needs.
    The only reason that wouldn't "work" is A) over estimating your calorie burns/exercise B) under estimating your food intake C) both A and B.

    Your doctor probably does not understand the context of the question "Should I eat back my exercise calories?" unless they are intimately familiar with how MFP works.

    Well until I get a HRM that properly works because the POS I have says I burn 60 calories in 1 hour of zumba so yeah lol, that thing is screwed up. I can't properly count my workout calories so that could be it, but why would I fix something that isn't broken? I'm satisfied on 1200 calories, I eat till I'm full, and that is that. I'm still losing 2-3lbs a week so why would I change it?
    I'm not suggesting you change a thing, we're all adults here and can make those decisions ourselves. If you eat back your exercise calories you should definitely either have a device that can count that with some sort of accuracy or only eat back a portion of them if you're estimating your burns, so that you're sure you aren't over counting burns and eating too much.
  • dvisser1
    dvisser1 Posts: 788 Member
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    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?

    I'm not going to read through 4 pages of responses, so maybe this has already been said.

    1...there are NO hard and fast rules. Everyone is different. Everyone's body works different. Some people act like this is an exact science and that what worked for them must be what works for everyone else. Wrong.
    2. There is nothing magical about the 1200 calorie mark. MFP set that as a lower boundary for calories on this website because at some point, eating to few calories will negatively impact everyone. Where that mark is for each person is different.
    3. When you set up a weight loss goal on MFP, the calorie deficit to lose weight is built into your net calorie goal. That deficit is based from TDEE (as in TDEE - deficit = net calorie goal). You eat at a calorie deficit to lose weight. You exercise to improve fitness and build lean muscle mass.
    4. Because of #3, you can eat your exercise calories back and continue losing weight. When you exercise you have increased TDEE by your exercise calories burned. When you eat to hit the net calorie, you are maintaining your necessary deficit to lose weight. TDEE + exercise - deficit = Net calorie goal + exercise. The deficit is still there, end of story. Eat you exercise calorie back, don't eat them back...that's up to you. My advice, try it both ways and see how your body feels.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    Ok, I'm really new here and don't understand this whole eat back your calories thing. I eat 1200 a day and most days I try to exercise. One day I burned 180 cal (i know, not much but I'm new to exercise too:) ) ,does that mean I have some of those to eat back? This is really confusing...Oh and I just joined new 5 days ago.

    Here's what I recommend... set your goal to lose 1 lb/week, not 2. Then, don't worry so much about the exercise calories for now. The "eat your exercise calories back" thing is more an argument for when people have their targets set to 1200 but then they burn 600 or 800 or more calories from exercise too and don't eat any more than 1200.

    If your burns are under 200, I'd set your goal to lose 1 lb weekly, just log the exercise to see where you're at but consider it a bonus burn and only eat them back if you are hungry or want to (i.e. at a party or event or want dessert or whatever). Get used to eating a reduced calorie diet before trying to restrict right back to 1200. I am assuming, of course, that your target is 1200 because your goal is set to lose 2 lbs/week. I could be wrong...
  • MsQt
    MsQt Posts: 793 Member
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    If i'm hungry I eat them back. If I'm not hungry I don't. Listen to your body.

    This^ ^ ^
  • txbutterfly69
    txbutterfly69 Posts: 115 Member
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    Huh. Well I eat 1640 daily plus all my exercise calories (~3500/week) and I lose about 1.5 lbs/week doing that. So I'll keep doing it so that I can eat a burger and a couple of beers at a summer BBQ.

    Those of us who advocate eating more are trying to help those of you who advocate fairly significant restriction (given the amount of exercise most are achieving) to see that you can enjoy more food and still lose... if you want to.

    But if you don't mind eating so little... keep it up!

    It's so refreshing to see somebody here that EATS for a change :-) not to mention, dare I say eat a burger! lol Saw your diary and your pictures and that is proof that eating is the best thing to do. Thanks for posting that, so inspirational.
  • WestCoastPhoenix
    WestCoastPhoenix Posts: 802 Member
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    Pretty much! Everyone has an opinion, I get that but some people make it seem like it's their way or it can't work. I have lost 110lbs and only eat 1200 calories even still. I don't eat back my calories. It works for me. I have tried to eat them back, don't work for me I gain weight doing that. Everyone's body works differently.
    you will lose weight faster if you eat back those cals

    What part of I've tried that and it don't work for me, did you not read there? I tried it for 2 months and gained 10lbs. I have 15-20 more pounds to lose, I'm not interested in losing weight fast, I'm interested in losing weight period. I lose 2-3lbs a week and I have been doing it this way sense September of 2011, I've lost 110lbs over the course of 2 years but since September is when I got really serious. Losing more then 3lbs a week is not healthy, I'm under doctor care and he told me not to eat them back so take it up with him. I'm using MFP for the calorie tracker and the support. I am not bothered with the "Starvation mode" thing, my body is not in starvation mode, it gets what it needs.
    The only reason that wouldn't "work" is A) over estimating your calorie burns/exercise B) under estimating your food intake C) both A and B.

    Your doctor probably does not understand the context of the question "Should I eat back my exercise calories?" unless they are intimately familiar with how MFP works.

    Wanted to also add, my doctor isn't the only one who gave me this advice. He knew exactly what I meant by that. I asked him "If I eat 1200 like you told me to, then say I burn 800 calories, do I add an extra 800 calories to make up for the calories I just burned?" He replied with "There is no reason to do that, you can try it if you want, it works for some not for others." I tried it for 2 months, it didn't work for me. BUT I don't have a properly working HRM Like I said above, which could be the cause of it. However like I also said, I'm not about to "Fix" something that isn't broken. I eat when I'm hungry and I have days when I do go over my limit, and more times then none when I do go over because (Oh lord let the scale bashing begin) I weigh myself every day, and my scale is always up when I go over my calories, even if it's just by 100 calories when I burned I know at least 300.
    You're really trying to tell me that you can tell a weight gain by going over 100 calories in one day, the next morning? I'd hope you're aware of the effects of exercise and sodium with relation to water retention in your body(which is meaningless...most people want to lose fat weight...not water).
  • WestCoastPhoenix
    WestCoastPhoenix Posts: 802 Member
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    Huh. Well I eat 1640 daily plus all my exercise calories (~3500/week) and I lose about 1.5 lbs/week doing that. So I'll keep doing it so that I can eat a burger and a couple of beers at a summer BBQ.

    Those of us who advocate eating more are trying to help those of you who advocate fairly significant restriction (given the amount of exercise most are achieving) to see that you can enjoy more food and still lose... if you want to.

    But if you don't mind eating so little... keep it up!

    It's so refreshing to see somebody here that EATS for a change :-) not to mention, dare I say eat a burger! lol Saw your diary and your pictures and that is proof that eating is the best thing to do. Thanks for posting that, so inspirational.
    Granted I am maintaining now...but I tend to eat between 2400-3000 calories a day :drinker: :bigsmile: My tummy is still flat...
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
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    I am sure that not eating back all your exercise calories is no cause for alarm. There is a margin of error in everybody's diary to begin with so putting a buffer there is probably a good thing. My issue comes when lets say somebody is set for 1200 calories, burns 800 calories and eats none of it back... This severe deficit is not a good idea. However, if you are set for 1600 burn 800 and eat back 400, it should not be a big deal.. Depends on the person and the accuracy of the information. Most of the time if I am under what I should eat... My body tells me and I eat.
  • fitsebtownmama
    fitsebtownmama Posts: 14 Member
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    Great job!
  • TheFitHooker
    TheFitHooker Posts: 3,358 Member
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    Pretty much! Everyone has an opinion, I get that but some people make it seem like it's their way or it can't work. I have lost 110lbs and only eat 1200 calories even still. I don't eat back my calories. It works for me. I have tried to eat them back, don't work for me I gain weight doing that. Everyone's body works differently.
    you will lose weight faster if you eat back those cals

    What part of I've tried that and it don't work for me, did you not read there? I tried it for 2 months and gained 10lbs. I have 15-20 more pounds to lose, I'm not interested in losing weight fast, I'm interested in losing weight period. I lose 2-3lbs a week and I have been doing it this way sense September of 2011, I've lost 110lbs over the course of 2 years but since September is when I got really serious. Losing more then 3lbs a week is not healthy, I'm under doctor care and he told me not to eat them back so take it up with him. I'm using MFP for the calorie tracker and the support. I am not bothered with the "Starvation mode" thing, my body is not in starvation mode, it gets what it needs.
    The only reason that wouldn't "work" is A) over estimating your calorie burns/exercise B) under estimating your food intake C) both A and B.

    Your doctor probably does not understand the context of the question "Should I eat back my exercise calories?" unless they are intimately familiar with how MFP works.

    Wanted to also add, my doctor isn't the only one who gave me this advice. He knew exactly what I meant by that. I asked him "If I eat 1200 like you told me to, then say I burn 800 calories, do I add an extra 800 calories to make up for the calories I just burned?" He replied with "There is no reason to do that, you can try it if you want, it works for some not for others." I tried it for 2 months, it didn't work for me. BUT I don't have a properly working HRM Like I said above, which could be the cause of it. However like I also said, I'm not about to "Fix" something that isn't broken. I eat when I'm hungry and I have days when I do go over my limit, and more times then none when I do go over because (Oh lord let the scale bashing begin) I weigh myself every day, and my scale is always up when I go over my calories, even if it's just by 100 calories when I burned I know at least 300.
    You're really trying to tell me that you can tell a weight gain by going over 100 calories in one day, the next morning? I'd hope you're aware of the effects of exercise and sodium with relation to water retention in your body(which is meaningless...most people want to lose fat weight...not water).

    It's not a real gain I know that, its a fluctuation I'm sure, I do weigh the same time every day. I'm aware of muscle retaining water and sodium and I'm always pretty good with my sodium, I'm not a fan of salt for starters but for the most part I'm really good with all my sodium, and I'm not stupid I know that sodium is more then just salt. I never count the little fluctuation on the scale, it's usually no more then an ounce or 2, but yes I do see it on the scale. Then again I just found out that my bathroom scale is totally effed up, so I'm going back to my wii fitness board, it's in-sync with my doctor's scale anyway. So it could just be a mess up there in that stupid POS scale of mine. Funny story though, my mom has the same one and her's says what my doctor's and wii scale says. Crazy that mine is so off.
  • mtcHavingItAll
    mtcHavingItAll Posts: 69 Member
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    BUMP
  • boppy57
    boppy57 Posts: 5
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    I just assumed my 1200 cal for the day was because I don't move around much and am 4' 11", 160#. I picked 1 lb a week as what I thought would be reasonable, given the amount I have to lose and my age, 57. Thank you for your reply, it helps a lot to have some input from someone.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    I just assumed my 1200 cal for the day was because I don't move around much and am 4' 11", 160#. I picked 1 lb a week as what I thought would be reasonable, given the amount I have to lose and my age, 57. Thank you for your reply, it helps a lot to have some input from someone.

    If that's your 1 lb/week goal, stick with that. If you're hungry and want to eat your exercise calories, eat them. If you don't need them, don't eat them... the MFP calculations may not be exactly right. So when the amounts are relatively small there's less room for error.
  • stupidloser
    stupidloser Posts: 300 Member
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    I think eating back your calories mean that if you are already lean and still exercise than u can afford to eat back the calories u burn thru exercise. But if u are trying to lose weight how would u ever create a calorie deficit if u eat back the calories u burn thru exercise. I'm puzzled on that one.
  • boppy57
    boppy57 Posts: 5
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    I just assumed my 1200 cal for the day was because I don't move around much and am 4' 11", 160#. I picked 1 lb a week as what I thought would be reasonable, given the amount I have to lose and my age, 57. Thank you for your reply, it helps a lot to have some input from someone.

    If that's your 1 lb/week goal, stick with that. If you're hungry and want to eat your exercise calories, eat them. If you don't need them, don't eat them... the MFP calculations may not be exactly right. So when the amounts are relatively small there's less room for error.
  • boppy57
    boppy57 Posts: 5
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    Ok, Thanks!!
  • fmbomzo
    fmbomzo Posts: 382 Member
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    I try to net my BMR based on a weekly average, not daily. I tend to eat out on weekends and consume more calories. As long as I hit a weekly total that averages out to my daily BMR, I don't sweat it.

    Trying to figure and eat a cut from my TDEE was not working for me. I bounced the same 3 lbs for 2 months. Luckily I was doing strength training so I was able to keep lean muscle mass and lose fat.

    If I haven't netted my BMR at days'e end, I will eat more if my body says it is hungry. But I don't worry about eating a certain amount. I eat until I feel satisfied, but not stuffed (either a protein shake or a spoon of peanut butter or a half glass of kefir).
  • Anayalata
    Anayalata Posts: 391 Member
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    Seriously? Why is something like this still debated? Do you people not understand anything about Human Physiology?

    How long have you people been here and you still haven't learned anything?

    "Oh I'm different and unique. My body doesn't follow the laws of Thermodynamics because I say it doesn't."