Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 10-13-2009, 09:02 PM   #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Amba Dawn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Ohio
Posts: 219

S/C/G: 206/ticker/150

Height: 5'4

Question Eating back calories burned?????

I've been pondering on this all day...its driving me crazy and I need an answer!!

Am I supposed to eat back the calories I burn?? That sounds weird, but here is an example: I am supposed to eat around 1,300 calories in order to lose about 2lbs per week. If I burn about 300 calories during a workout ( making my net calories 1,000), am I supposed to eat an extra 300 calories to stay at my 1,300 cal/per day diet???

I'm so confused with this I want to make sure I'm eating the calories my body needs, but I don't want to have to force myself to eat when I don't feel hungry just to make up the calories. I think my body would tell me if I needed more calories (i.e. feeling hungry)....which when it does, I eat.

If I am supposed to "eat back" the calories I burn during a workout, how the heck to I REALLY know how many calories I've burned? I know there are tools/calculators on the internet, but I've heard that sometimes those things are WAY off....and that each person burns calories differently. And if we are talking about JUST losing weight (not toning or building muscle), if you just eat back the calories you burn, what in the world is the point of exercising?? (not intending to stop exercising--just curious! )

Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated!
Amba Dawn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2009, 09:36 PM   #2  
Resident Pixie
 
Onederchic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 14,658

S/C/G: Pant Size - 28/12/8

Height: 5'2"

Default

I do not know what the "correct" way is but FOR ME, I eat an average of 1350 calories a day, I work out 90 minutes 5 days a week and I do not add food for calories on the days I workout. Again, this is just what I do.
Onederchic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2009, 09:54 PM   #3  
Member
 
kiakaha's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 35

S/C/G: 135/135/110

Height: 5'3

Default

Here's how I figure it!

The most you should try to lose a week to sustain weight is 2lbs.
1 lb of fat is roughly equivalent to 3500 calories.
Therefore, to lose 1lbs of fat, you need to create a deficit of 3500 cals a week. To lose 2, you need a 7000 cal deficit.
That means each day, on average, you need to burn 1000 cals (including those burned by just living) more than you consume.

For me, my BMR is calculated to be around 1450 cals per day. Using the Harris Benedict equation, I times that by 1.2 ('Sedentary') to see how many calories I burn just by living plus incidental movement (i.e. walking to bathroom etc). That is about 1740 calories.

So, to lose two pounds a week, I need to average a net intake of 1740 - 1000 = 740 calories.

Obviously, eating 740 is neither enjoyable nor healthy.
So, I eat around 1200 calories a day, which means I need to burn 460 additional calories through exercise to ensure I have a 1000 cal deficit.
I can eat more, but then I need to exercise more.

So, for me the point of exercising is so that I can eat more. If I didn't exercise, there's no way I could keep to the calorie intake required to lose 2lbs a week.

(In fact, as it is, a deficit of 1000 a day is probably too much for me as I am not that overweight so I don't have a high BMR. I am actually aiming for 1 lb a week - a 500 cal deficit a day).

Hope that helps!
kiakaha is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2009, 09:56 PM   #4  
Junior Member
 
guarchie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 12

S/C/G: 218/133/135

Height: 5 feet 5 inches

Default

I typically try to eat half the calories that I burn working out. Makes me feel like the workout is helping me lose weight and also letting me eat a bit more at the same time.

Good luck with your weight loss.
guarchie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2009, 10:52 PM   #5  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Amba Dawn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Ohio
Posts: 219

S/C/G: 206/ticker/150

Height: 5'4

Default

kiakaha--your explanation made a lot of sense. I think I get it now. Thanks!
Amba Dawn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2009, 11:29 PM   #6  
Ironman in Training
 
Idealmuse's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,780

S/C/G: 302/205/150

Height: 5'5

Default

She explained it fairly well. Some people eat partial back some don't eat any of them... there is no right answer.

I also focus on a deficit, and I exercise a lot so while I try to not eat exercise calories back... on the days I have heavier workouts or I feel I need them I don't worry too much about going a few hundred over my target calorie intake for the day, because I'm still running a good deficit.
Idealmuse is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:47 AM.


We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.