So I've been sticking to around 1500 cals a day. I usually do a 1 hour class at the gym daily. I have been eating these calories I burned off so at the end of the day, I've still consumed around 1500 cals.... am I not supposed to do that??

Someone told me yesterday that I need to eat 2000 cals a day and not eat my workout cals....doesn't that workout to be the same thing?

Not sure what to do, advice appreciated.

I think that as long as you don't venture below the 1200 mark too long you're fine. I would think that eating 2000 would be a great way to maintain, but not to lose.

What this person seems to be saying is thath you should have all your weight loss come from exercise, not from diet. That's completely contrary to everything I've heard and experienced.

My understanding has always been 80% diet/20% exercise. I cycle between 1200-1500 per day and don't eat my excercise calories.


I'd say keep doing what you're doing. Sounds like a good plan to me!! Good luck!!

That's my two cents...

I didn't 'eat back' exercise calories. I tracked how many calories I ate and that was my total for the day. I set a range of 1200-1500 during weight loss as consumed from food, any exercise calories were just extra deficit. I had no faith in my exercise calorie numbers so didn't want to bank on them.

My advice is that all these numbers are theorhetical. So continue to do what you're doing if it's working. (Give it at least two weeks, preferrably a month). If you're not loosing at a rate of 1-2 lbs/week, then adjust your calories. Numbers are just guesses until you know whether it works or not for you.

So at the end of the day, even after eating exercise calories, it's ok to still be around 1500, right?? I'm thinking that if I eat 1500 but burn 300-500 (depending on the exercise) then I could end up too low.

I think it is important to remember that the calories burned on exercise equipment are only estimates and usually high.

If my work out said I burned 500 calories, I might add in another 100 calories snack (ONLY if I was hungry). I would not eat all 500. I look at it as a bonus to exercise, exercise makes me healthy - I don't exercise to eat more.

So you are really eating around 1800-2000 calories per day based on exercise, if I am reading this right. How is your weight loss with that level? If you are losing at a comfortable pace then keep up what you doing. If you stall then move the calories down. 2000 seems like a high number of calories for weight loss in my opinion, but if it is working then go for it.

I will tell you that I had a number of days where I ate 1500 calories and then burned an additional 300-700 in supposed exercise burn. I worried about it at the time, too, but never really saw any negative impact from it. I have some days now where I do a long run and I might find that I eat 2000 cals and my HRM shows a 1650 calorie burn, so a net of 350 for that day. Hasn't hurt me.

How are you determining your exercise burn? A personal heart rate monitor is the most effective, and even then can still be off. The calculators on websites and the monitors on machines are notorious for giving high numbers.

ETA - I'm maintaining my weight on 1850-1950 per day, and most days I still don't eat back exercise calories.

Thanks, this is helping to put it in perspective. For some reason I was feeling like my exercise calories were kind of like "free" calories. Wt is coming off, but pretty slowly. I'm probably off on my exercise calories too, but I don't have a HR monitor. I usually do a Zumba or Kick class for an hour, but not sure what the calorie burn is on that. On really busy days I do 30 day Shred w/Jillian Michaels, but again, not sure of the calories. I need to just stick to my calorie goal and not worry how much I'm burning!

I eat 1300-1500 calories a day even though I'm really counting carbs. On days I work out if I feel I need more I'll eat a bit more- but usually I'm fine

This was a perfect thread for me to read! Thanks for posting it. I too have been doing an hour class each day and my "Lose It" app has me eating back the exercise calories (it calculates 300-600cals per class). I'm thinking it is slowing up my progress after three weeks but I'll wait until weigh-in Monday to decide for sure.

I'd hate to think of exercising every day and only eating 1250 cals it has me on at my weight but I am admittedly pretty sedentary otherwise. It doesn't seem to stop my hunger. grrr!

yep, only lost a pound so I'm going to try not entering my exercise into my calorie counter this week and see how it goes.

Zoe - I have that same app and the first day I started using it was the only day I ate back calories I burned. I don't even log my exercise calories. It seemed counterproductive to me.

Since I have so much to loose, I want to maximize my progress.

Ok, my plan too is to stop eating exercise cals. I've falled a bit off the wagon with sick kids and visitors. I found that if I skip one day at the gym, it keeps getting easier not to go, so I really need to get back at it. Planning to go this eve with a friend or will just go and watch Biggest Loser while I work out, that's always good motivation. Oh and I need to get back to making my lunches at home!!

Zoe~ we are close to the same height (I'm actually between 5'2" and 5'3") we could really motivate each other if you are interested! This site has been such a good help to me

Great thread! I also use the "Lose It" app, and I find that I eat my exercise calories, but try to over estimate what I eat when I can't measure precisely and underestimate my running, either by putting in a slower pace or a shorter time. (Running is my major exercise. I don't put in slow pitch softball, walking or sexual activity - cracks me up that they have that!)

I am training for a half marathon, so on days I run long, I really want to eat more. My plan is to lose about a pound a week, and I've been maintaining that rate or a little better.

I also zig zag, saving up my exercise calories on Tuesday and Wednesday for a beer on Friday with friends. Time will tell if this continues to work.