I have two questions
 

1) I hear all different opinions but should people eat back calories burned from exercise to keep you closer to your daily caloric allowance, or is it better to end the day being a little under?

Today's example: My allowance 1,430. I ate 1,595, burned approx 550 at the gym = net 1,045 with 385 left over. I'm not hungry so I'm leaving it alone. Am I eating too much, or not enough? Just right? I honestly get a little confused about this subject. I know calories are everything so I want to make sure I am doing this right. I'm probably not. :/

2) Does your body really get "used to" the same exercises? My exercise consists mainly of rotating between the treadmill, elliptical and weights. Will my body eventually stop responding to the same routine? If so, why?

Thanks. :)

Whatever you do don't go over to myfitnesspal and ask this!

I've done both. I subscribe to the thinking that if you're hungry and need extra from your workouts -- eat! And if not -- don't.

I don't know if your body gets used to things, but I get bored and change things up a lot so I've never found that out.

I agree with LockItUp in that if you're truly hungry, you should eat. If not, don't. Keeping in mind, of course, your daily allotment of calories.

Personally, I cannot workout without eating first. If I don't eat, I get lightheaded and I don't go "all in" with my workout. In that sense, I *may* eat more because I'm working out. But, it's not that I'm trying to eat up my expended calories.

In an ideal world, my workout is timed with my regular meal. In this case, I enjoy the full calorie deficit from my workout.

I really like what LockItUp had to say... I think if you are hungry after a work out or later in the day then you should eat... Obviously within in reason and staying within your plan... which for me is key, because in the past I would use a workout as an excuse to go out and have half a pizza or eat a pint of Haagen-Daz or something like that... And also the one thing I've learned is if I really force myself to not replace some of those calories after creating really big deficit (I can easily burn a 1000 calories or more on some of my runs) then I really pay for it with increased fatigue and delayed recovery and generally feeling like crap, so it's just overall counterproductive in the end...

As far as if your body gets "used to" the same exercises... Sure it does... But that's not necessarily a bad thing... It just paves the way for running faster and longer and getting stronger...

As I understand it, your body does get "used to" the same exercise in that it gets more efficient with energy when doing them. Thus, you burn somewhat fewer calories, but that certainly doesn't mean you don't burn any at all. You still benefit by doing them.

I have read that you should mix them up after 4 to 6 weeks. But that doesn't necessarily mean you need to do something other than lifting, the elliptical or the treadmill. It means you change the lifts you're doing. Change the intensity with which you run. If you typically do steady state then try out some intervals, that sort of thing.

Great question novangel -

I liked reading all the replies it helped me too, Thanks

Thanks ladies! I'm still wondering though if I am eating too much. I ate over my limit even though I exercised. Should I eat closer to 1,430 allowance and then burn off 500 rather than eating almost 1,600 or will that leave too much of a defecit?

Johnp, are you out there? :lol:

This is why I don't use some of the modern net calorie apps, although they are quite good and not meaning anything against anyone who does.

For me, although I theoretically believe the fundamental thing in weight management is calories in/calories out, it is the calories out part that is often misunderstood, in my opinion.

The apps & sites using a theoretical "net calorie" figure to tell me how much I can theoretically eat are theoretically right lol. If I burn my RMR at a certain rate and I burn my added activity calories not accounted for in the RMR, then I can theoretically eat the RMR and the added activity calories and not lose or gain weight. The more calories I can burn above that amount the more weight I can lose and vice versa if I eat more calories than I burn.

I do believe that is true, but it is too hard in my opinion to arrive at a correct number of calories burned. You can estimate fairly closely and some of the apps are marvelous at doing that, as is the old-fashioned PC diet software I use that does figure all that but doesn't tell me to eat the extra calories, which is good of it because many things factor into that metabolic rate and how many exercise calories one is burning and whether one's RMR is correctly figured in the software.

It took me years to lose more than 100 pounds and further years to teach me where I had to be calorie and exercise wise to keep it off.

So shall just stop talking and say no I don't eat those calories because I can't be sure they are accurate.

As to getting used to exercise, I do think the body does that but it is related to fitness level and not how much I should eat.

I never eat back my calories when I exercise (unless I truly am very hungry - like last night. I ate about 1700 calories where I have been eating about 1400. I listened to my body.)

What I have found (as I got closer to goal) is that eating around 1500 a day about has me at equilibrium. I "probably" still lose a bit at that rate, but so slowly that it's hard to see it on the scale unless viewing it long term.

Now, if I eat 1500 and exercise 5-6 times a week for an hour (or so - rarely more) then I lose about 1 to 1.5 pounds a week because I am burning all those calories without eating them back.

So while it is true that losing weight is mostly about diet (because if I didn't keep at 1500, I would definitely not lose as rapidly or at all depending on how much I ate), at this point, it's the exercise that is creating my daily deficits for the most part.

I had great success eating back 200 calories when I worked out, during my weight loss phase. If I burned 200, then I about broke even. If I turned more, then I ha a little deficit. I've never used exercise as a way to lose the weight, but rather something important to be healthier overall. Now, if I don't eat back most of what I burned, I get ravenous and lightheaded.

Sure am.

1) A deficit is a deficit. Your body will have it's energy needs met. The more fat you have to lose the more your body can pull from fat storage to make up the deficit. The question you're asking is context specific because the less you have to lose, the slower you need to lose it or your body will start to fight it. This is why biggest loser contestants can do hours and hours of low intensity cardio ... because they have massive energy stores.

What you need to be careful of is when you have little to lose. You can screw yourself up by doing too much exercise + eating too little. Ultimately, things are variable to the individual but in general when you're pushing too hard, too fast, there will be warning signs. Massive fatigue, or insatiable hunger, or fixating on food are the good warning signs. Loss of TOM, hair falling out, no sex drive are less good.

Specific to your situation - sounds like about an hour of exercise. Depending on intensity this is not a big deal. You may be at a total deficit of 1,000 calories but it's hard to say - not a big deal unless you try to keep this kind of deficit going for too long. How long is too long? Watch for warning signs.

As you get leaner and leaner you need to start doing more tricky things to keep your fat loss moving along such as calorie cycling, depletion workouts, refeeds, etc. However as long as simple things are working there is no need to complicate matters.

Cliff notes: It doesn't matter until you have very few lbs to lose and then you need to worry about it.

2) This is a complicated question on a detailed level but the simple matter is - your body makes adaptations to the inputs it gets. For cardio this means your system will become more efficient and your resting and exercising heart rate will be lower, your recovery time will be faster, and you will burn a little bit less calories while exercising. For lifting weights this means you'll be come stronger, and depending on the circumstances maybe build some muscle too.

The simple rule is the further away you are from your genetic potential the greater and faster your body will adapt. In otherwords, a person who can't walk a mile without massive struggle will quickly be able to walk it but a person who massively struggles to run a 5:00 minute mile will have difficulty improving that time significantly and it will take lots of training over time.

In general thought there is no such thing as muscle confusion. Changing exercise routines doesn't speed up fat loss. If you're not bored and you're only exercising for health and fat loss ... there is no reason to change one's routine. If you're trying to improve your 5K time or want to dead lift 300 lbs then it's a different story.

I think it's important to pay attention to hunger. Sometimes I eat back my exercise calories, sometimes I don't, and sometimes only part. Sometimes I don't eat them back because I'm not hungry, but the next day I'm "over hungry."

Also, I think a lot of people forget to subtract their "normal" calories from their workout calories. So if I work out for an hour, and burn 500 calories, I don't need 500 calories to "break even." If my normal calorie burn is 1440 per day, that's 60 calories per hour that I already get "credit" for. So I subtract that from my workout calories.

Yay, i love this:carrot:

i have CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and becoming able to even walk 1/2 hour on the treadmill w/out feeling like i wanted to die (literally like jelly inside) was a huge feat and i still a year later cannot do more than a very brisk 1/2 hour walk on it and only maybe 10 minutes of weights and i doubt i will be able to adapt to much more, even this daily amount gives me flu like symptoms that i just live with and all i've heard on fitness and diet sites says i must change up my routine every few weeks or months and i'm thinking i'm lucky just to maintain what i'm ABLE TO DO (doesn't mean i still don't try to push myself). So...this is a gold nugget for me!

:bravo: I'm 3 pounds till goal so I'm really struggling but this is all priceless information. I always love reading your posts, you're so well informed. Thank you!

I use a bodyfit media device; I don't "eat back my calories" or anything deliberate like that. I look to have a 500 calorie deficit average for the week. Sometimes I do eat a little more when the deficit is larger, but that's purely based on how hungry I am; if I'm not hungrier, I won't eat more (although it can happen for other reasons - like TOM :-) )

I don't like to look at it in such a transactional way...

You know, we don't often agree on things- purely based on oppinion, but these two gems, are absolutely valid.

From a personal perspective- (mind you, i have a very naturally athletic build, and start struggling anywhere under 170 right now). About 8 months ago- I got really close to the 160's. I was sitting at about 173-174 and decided to "Starve out" the last couple of lbs. Obviously that's an exaggeration- but I am VERY active, and was eating about 1500 calories a day, with a approximately 1700 BMR and approximately a 900 calorie burn on top of that or more, DAILY. Guess what that lead to? Other issues, like severe binging. Not the "i want to eat 6 big macs and roll around" kind of binging, but the "i want to eat 3 lbs of cottage cheese, 4 handfuls of almonds, a quart of strawberries and 4 cucumbers" kind of binging- simply because i was draining nutrients out of my body. This obviously didn't end well. I over analyzed, which lead to further issues.

Moral of the story? If you're working out- I would suggest to eat at the high range of your calories at a minimum, and eat back maybe 100-200 if you're hungry. Weightloss is in the kitchen- exercise is just a little perk!

I count calories (and use MyFitnessPal), but I have to remind myself that the calories eaten are approximate as are the calories exercised.

I don't see a difference between netting 1260 by eating 1600 and exercising 240 and just going for a 1600 goal. I think MFP overestimates calories burned and I think it lowballs net calorie goals.

I figure that as long as I'm losing 1-2 lbs/week, the system is working. If/when that changes, I'll reassess.

FWIW, I saw my PCP today and asked him what he thought my calorie goal should be and he said "about 1600" given that's maintenance for a 150 lb woman (and I've got a ways to go before I get there!)

The only thing I'm absolutely sure of is that everyone's body has its own peculiarities. The best we can do is select a reasonable baseline and then adjust if we're not getting the results we want.

I don't eat back my exercise burn.

I believe that weight loss and maintenance are done in the kitchen and fitness is done via working out.

Two different concepts, with two different goals and outcomes.

That being said, my job, working for a veterinarian does require that I'm strong, no matter what I weigh. And living on a farm, also requires being strong. Pounding fence posts is not a good time, and less so if I'm out of shape.

So, just for me, my loss and maintaining are done in the kitchen and my fitness is done in the gym. I do incorporate gym moves that are relevant to my lifestyle. Some may seem a bit weird, however, for me, it's functional fitness.:D

Agree. I normally go by what the elliptical/treadmill at the gym tells me over MFP.

I try to make exercise as part of my daily life (like brushing my teeth or washing the dishes) that I try not to consider whether I should "eat back my calories burned." If I feel I am losing too much weight (I'm in maintenance) or feel lethargic, then I up my caloric intake. To me, it sounds like when people eat too much and then exercise the excess calories off. I really avoid that.

But when I up my caloric intake, it's like eating an extra apple or banana. I would be careful relying on certain gadgets to give you an exact reading of calories burned after doing a specific type of exercise.

I also never bought the idea that doing the same exercise over and over again is some evil thing to do. If you enjoy doing it, great! I find that most people will naturally increase the intensity of a workout--it's just more fun and time flies faster. For instance, I can't see myself moving on a treadmill at a "slow" pace (slow for me) just because I would be bored out of my mind and would not complete my allotted time of activity. I would have to increase the speed. I think most people know whether they are truly pushing themselves or just going through the motions.

I think it's more that the exercises make you stronger and fitter, so you're expending less energy to do the same thing. To keep your energy output constant, just ramp up the intensity (e.g., heavier weights or a faster pace on the treadmill).

Freelance

This is true but after the initial period of rapid adaptation things don't change much unless you really push it.

I agree with you, John P! ;) Good post!

The only I really have to add is that I use mfp also and have some complaints related to this. The biggest is that when you put in your strength training, they don't calculate calories for that. So, if I run for 10 minutes and lift for an hour, it gives me the same exercise calories as if I ran for 10 minutes and left the gym. But if I run for half an hour and record the 350 calories (or whatever) of exercise and don't eat it back, it fusses at me and tells me I'm not eating enough. Honestly, I think it's a convenient tool to track my eaten calories and record my daily weight, but it's not about being compliant to mfp - it's my app and my tool and I'll use it my way that helps me. If you feel good, you're not starving, and you're losing weight - keep doing it. If you're hungry, figure out a way to solve that without going over your calories. If you're not feeling well, maybe you need more calories. If you not losing weight, maybe you need less. It's really that simple in my opinion.

(1.) I'm on Team Listen To Your Body. You can only go to bed white-knuckle-hungry so many nights before you snap and binge.

(2.) I don't think it will stop responding to those exercises as long as you add weight to the weights and sometimes incorporate intervals/hills to the cardio. But obviously if you're trying to achieve fitness goals you have to eat maintenance calories or higher.