I am eating ALL my exercise calories, 7/7/12

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Replies

  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
    I really, really appreciate this right now. I have a gal studying to be an LPN living with me and she didn't like the way MFP calculates and how they put "you have "earned" 400 extra calories" etc. She said that the only way to lose weight is to eat less then you burn. Now I am all mixed up about "deficit" and what it means and wonder if I have been doing the wrong thing. I want someone to look at my food diary and tell me if they think I am crazy to eat that way or not.

    Denise:sad:

    Well, she's right in that you have to eat less than you burn, but that's the only thing she's right about. I guess you're confused about why you're trying this whole eating exercise calories thing.

    When you set up MFP with your weekly weight loss goal, it gives you your deficit already, based on the activity level you chose (sedentary, lightly active, etc - WITHOUT exercise). So let's say you set it up to lose 1lb/week. It then tells you eat x amount of calories a day (let's say 1500). So if you eat that 1500 every day you ALREADY have your deficit to lose 1lb/wk. Then you exercise. You enter that into MFP. MFP says - hey, you exercised, now you need to eat some more to fuel your body for that energy expenditure. Let's say you burn 300 calories. So you eat those 300 calories and you're back at your deficit to lose 1lb/wk.

    Yes, you could try to be the crazy person who tries daily to create the biggest possible deficit, thinking "the bigger the deficit the faster I'll lose weight," but in the end you're risking harm to your health and hindrance to your weight loss (and retention of muscle mass). A bigger deficit is not necessarily a good thing.

    Does that make sense? Now, there are some who only eat 50-75% or so of calories back to account for inaccuracies in the number and not end up eating a little more than they should, that's an option. MFP is just set up differently from methods that use your TDEE (which INCLUDES exercise) as your starting point. Most people are more familiar with that method (or with the typical women must eat 1200 calories and men must eat 1500 or 1800 or whatever it is), but they don't really understand it, so they think you shouldn't eat back your exercise calories on MFP. Without getting into TDEE I hope that helps you, and could help you explain it to your housemate.
  • NWCountryGal
    NWCountryGal Posts: 1,992 Member
    Gals, I am convinced I have been on the right track but I learned sooooooooooo much more today from this link:

    http://www.acaloriecounter.com/diet/how-many-calories-should-i-eat-per-day-to-lose-weight/

    I believe by following this sites easy-to-read directions, I will be losing from .5 - 2 lbs per week. I will be setting an amount of calories to eat each day and my activity level will be set for Light Activity as I do an hour usually of walking or now kayaking. But I do not do any weight lifting so you may need to put in moderate or higher even on the activity level.

    I promise, if I can understand this instruction on the link above, anyone can!!

    write me anytime if you have specific questions. I do get it, and will be eating all my calories but they will be the same amount each day, so, I will be eating the right amount to lose fat in a healthy manner. Per the instruction on the link(the whole website)you can adjust your caloric intake if you aren't losing and/or you are gaining as well. That way, you actually find your OWN caloric intake need for YOUR body to lose fat in a healthy manner. It's easy to customize it to your body;)

    ttys, denise:drinker: :drinker:
  • braves1girl
    braves1girl Posts: 189 Member
    Ok. This is blowing my mind! I'm so glad that I found this post! It is totally frustrating to me that I have been on this website for 275 days and am JUST now realizing that I don't think I'm eating enough calories! I was doing good at first, but it has taken me 5 mos to lose 5 lbs! That just shouldn't be! I was blaming it on hormones (having to go back on the pill, and having 2 small periods/mo). But after logging in my food tonight and my calories burned, when it showed what I'd weigh, it was the same, or almost, as when I was working out like a mad woman and netting 700-1000 calories! THEN I started reading this post and it all clicked! I'm not eating enough!

    This is something I have had trouble "wrapping my head around" for almost a year. And as you have said on this post, I learn so much from MFP! I went to the website that you reccommended and it totally makes sense! I've been working my butt off, only to put myself on a plateau! I'm gonna start eating more tomorrow and see how it works!

    Thank you so much for starting this post!:flowerforyou:
  • deb1962
    deb1962 Posts: 36 Member
    :wink:
    Awesome advice..Thank you sooooooo much for that information..Now i feel that i am well informed YAY
    I really, really appreciate this right now. I have a gal studying to be an LPN living with me and she didn't like the way MFP calculates and how they put "you have "earned" 400 extra calories" etc. She said that the only way to lose weight is to eat less then you burn. Now I am all mixed up about "deficit" and what it means and wonder if I have been doing the wrong thing. I want someone to look at my food diary and tell me if they think I am crazy to eat that way or not.

    Denise:sad:

    Well, she's right in that you have to eat less than you burn, but that's the only thing she's right about. I guess you're confused about why you're trying this whole eating exercise calories thing.

    When you set up MFP with your weekly weight loss goal, it gives you your deficit already, based on the activity level you chose (sedentary, lightly active, etc - WITHOUT exercise). So let's say you set it up to lose 1lb/week. It then tells you eat x amount of calories a day (let's say 1500). So if you eat that 1500 every day you ALREADY have your deficit to lose 1lb/wk. Then you exercise. You enter that into MFP. MFP says - hey, you exercised, now you need to eat some more to fuel your body for that energy expenditure. Let's say you burn 300 calories. So you eat those 300 calories and you're back at your deficit to lose 1lb/wk.

    Yes, you could try to be the crazy person who tries daily to create the biggest possible deficit, thinking "the bigger the deficit the faster I'll lose weight," but in the end you're risking harm to your health and hindrance to your weight loss (and retention of muscle mass). A bigger deficit is not necessarily a good thing.

    Does that make sense? Now, there are some who only eat 50-75% or so of calories back to account for inaccuracies in the number and not end up eating a little more than they should, that's an option. MFP is just set up differently from methods that use your TDEE (which INCLUDES exercise) as your starting point. Most people are more familiar with that method (or with the typical women must eat 1200 calories and men must eat 1500 or 1800 or whatever it is), but they don't really understand it, so they think you shouldn't eat back your exercise calories on MFP. Without getting into TDEE I hope that helps you, and could help you explain it to your housemate.
  • deb1962
    deb1962 Posts: 36 Member
    veganbaum I was thanking you in my last post...As you can tell im not used to this posting bit :)
  • NWCountryGal
    NWCountryGal Posts: 1,992 Member
    You welcome, and just remember, this is all like an "experiment" for every individual. Everyone has to find their correct caloric intake in order to lose, gain or maintain, whatever the need may be. Also, as I mentioned in another post, a doctor is wise to consult with before you do anything drastic as far as caloric intake or lack thereof. These are all others opinions and although they may work fine for one individual, they may not work the same for another. But you can regulate the calculations you get from the link to find your very, own healthy fat-loss-zone;) It's really logical that if the calculations don't start to allow you to lose say .5 to 2 lbs(that's considered a healthy amount to lose per week)per week, then the article/site suggests you adjust the caloric intake by a couple 100 calories, or I think they said 250.

    It's one of those things I am finding to be very "personal" and it's up to you to find your own figure;) No pun intended :laugh:
    denise


    Ok. This is blowing my mind! I'm so glad that I found this post! It is totally frustrating to me that I have been on this website for 275 days and am JUST now realizing that I don't think I'm eating enough calories! I was doing good at first, but it has taken me 5 mos to lose 5 lbs! That just shouldn't be! I was blaming it on hormones (having to go back on the pill, and having 2 small periods/mo). But after logging in my food tonight and my calories burned, when it showed what I'd weigh, it was the same, or almost, as when I was working out like a mad woman and netting 700-1000 calories! THEN I started reading this post and it all clicked! I'm not eating enough!

    This is something I have had trouble "wrapping my head around" for almost a year. And as you have said on this post, I learn so much from MFP! I went to the website that you reccommended and it totally makes sense! I've been working my butt off, only to put myself on a plateau! I'm gonna start eating more tomorrow and see how it works!

    Thank you so much for starting this post!:flowerforyou:
  • moss11
    moss11 Posts: 236 Member
    "Well, she's right in that you have to eat less than you burn, but that's the only thing she's right about."


    Veganbaum
    I don't understand this statement which comes across as really critical of my actual experience, which I posted to support Denise! Could you just clarify veganbaum how the rest of my post can possibly be incorrect? I'm assuming you will be able to point out what I said that was wrong.
  • NWCountryGal
    NWCountryGal Posts: 1,992 Member
    Hi Vegan, I am sorry I didn't even see your post earlier. My latest discovery being this site..http://www.acaloriecounter.com/diet/calorie-deficit-to-lose-weight/.. has changed my whole attitude overnight! I am totally excited and understood every word of it! MFP put me at the 1200 calories and what I calculated using the harrison-benedict or whatever that is, gave me 1349 after taking out the 20% deficit so I am feeling much more secure customizing my own goals now. More will be revealed as the "site" I found tells me that I can lower my calorie intake if I am maintaining the same weight or gaining. Or, visa versa. I just feel more in control having the understanding of how much protein I need, how much omega 3 fats and fill up the rest with carbs. So I'm doing 30 protein, 30 fats(good fats)and 40% carbs. At last I understand the TDEE thing.

    I know Mfp can work for people, I've seen it, but I liked learning how it all works and for me, realized I wanted to follow my own findings for my body(numbers)

    Thank you much for your post and I am not going to try to convince or even share this with the roomie unless she asks because she already "knows everything" if you get my meaning, :laugh: I have no greater goal ini my life then to remain teachable, ALWAYS;) denise:drinker: :drinker:
    I really, really appreciate this right now. I have a gal studying to be an LPN living with me and she didn't like the way MFP calculates and how they put "you have "earned" 400 extra calories" etc. She said that the only way to lose weight is to eat less then you burn. Now I am all mixed up about "deficit" and what it means and wonder if I have been doing the wrong thing. I want someone to look at my food diary and tell me if they think I am crazy to eat that way or not.

    Denise:sad:

    Well, she's right in that you have to eat less than you burn, but that's the only thing she's right about. I guess you're confused about why you're trying this whole eating exercise calories thing.

    When you set up MFP with your weekly weight loss goal, it gives you your deficit already, based on the activity level you chose (sedentary, lightly active, etc - WITHOUT exercise). So let's say you set it up to lose 1lb/week. It then tells you eat x amount of calories a day (let's say 1500). So if you eat that 1500 every day you ALREADY have your deficit to lose 1lb/wk. Then you exercise. You enter that into MFP. MFP says - hey, you exercised, now you need to eat some more to fuel your body for that energy expenditure. Let's say you burn 300 calories. So you eat those 300 calories and you're back at your deficit to lose 1lb/wk.

    Yes, you could try to be the crazy person who tries daily to create the biggest possible deficit, thinking "the bigger the deficit the faster I'll lose weight," but in the end you're risking harm to your health and hindrance to your weight loss (and retention of muscle mass). A bigger deficit is not necessarily a good thing.

    Does that make sense? Now, there are some who only eat 50-75% or so of calories back to account for inaccuracies in the number and not end up eating a little more than they should, that's an option. MFP is just set up differently from methods that use your TDEE (which INCLUDES exercise) as your starting point. Most people are more familiar with that method (or with the typical women must eat 1200 calories and men must eat 1500 or 1800 or whatever it is), but they don't really understand it, so they think you shouldn't eat back your exercise calories on MFP. Without getting into TDEE I hope that helps you, and could help you explain it to your housemate.
  • cristeberga
    cristeberga Posts: 251 Member
    My latest discovery being this site..http://www.acaloriecounter.com/diet/calorie-deficit-to-lose-weight/.. has changed my whole attitude overnight!
    [/quote]

    What a great discovery!! Love it!
  • NWCountryGal
    NWCountryGal Posts: 1,992 Member
    I do too! I now have my MFP diary all set up just for me. MFP is super awesome with their calcs. but they also allow for us to customize. This is a real bonus, I love this site. Like I mentioned earlier, I am really excited about seeing what proteins, fats and carbs I actually need to be healthy and lose fat. Maybe I am a little too inquisitive sometimes but this is fun to me! I love learning and that is one reason I went back to school even though I am 59. And I love Math so that is probably why the "number" thing is interesting to me;)

    denise:drinker: :drinker:
    My latest discovery being this site..http://www.acaloriecounter.com/diet/calorie-deficit-to-lose-weight/.. has changed my whole attitude overnight!

    What a great discovery!! Love it!
    [/quote]
  • bahsukh
    bahsukh Posts: 19
    Great post.. Definitely be following..Good luck
  • MummaSue
    MummaSue Posts: 242 Member
    I am so interested to follow this thread. Anything that helps us to each understand what works for us and the whole eating back exercise cals thing, has to be good. Thank you so much :0) x
  • NWCountryGal
    NWCountryGal Posts: 1,992 Member
    Hi All,

    I have changed into an "average amount per day" to eat, and still doing the same basic exercise. Nothings changed with the walking, kayaking, etc. Ok, so this a.m. decided to weight and I have dropped a lb over the last week. I have increased my nutritious foods and stuck to eating all, my daily recommend calories.

    I don't think I even once went under but anyone is welcome to check my diary. Also, I went over once a week, maybe two times.

    This is working for me and I pray that this helps anyone who feels they need to eat more, and more nutritiously to lose quality weight!!

    denise:heart::drinker: :drinker: :drinker: PS I have also started drinking more water and two glasses right off in the a.m. On days I don't exercise I eat the same amount of calories and I still lost a lb!!
  • Believeth64
    Believeth64 Posts: 471 Member
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