“Exercise Calories” A POLL

candican

I generally do not eat the exercise calories, but if I'm hungery I will. I listen to my body and decide from there.

I love this answer and fall into this category. I think listening to your body is important. I usually don't eat mine either but if they are there as a bonus and I'm hungry...I GO FOR IT!

I'm the same. I only eat them if I'm hungry.

h_eloise86

There are days that I could easily eat 2,000 calories.
Then there are days that I have only had 1,000 and i'm wondering how I can get across the 1,200 mark.
I have noticed when I eat 1/2 to 2/3 of my exercise calories back I see more weight loss then when I don't eat my exercise calories back.

ron2282

I generally do not eat the exercise calories, but if I'm hungery I will. I listen to my body and decide from there.

same here

jrich1

what are you guys eating that you can easily stay under 1200 cals? im always hungry and mine is set 1500!

(i try not to eat my exercise calories but somedays im to hungry)

When I do it (mine is at 2000), its because I have a huge workout that day, for example on Wednesday I do a spin class and a water aerobics I may have well over 1000cals in exercise cals in one day, if I eat what I normally do that would only put me at 1000cals and needing to eat more than I usually do to get above 1200

janelleross

I totally cannot relate to not being able to make it to 1200 calories a day. That seems like not enough food to me! My calories are 1400 and some days that doesn't seem like enough!

ucaminax

Yeah, I would like to know also what the people are eating who find it difficult to get to 1200 calories! I feel like it is very hard to stay under 1200, and would like to know examples of daily diets for people who can't eat 1200-maybe I am eating the wrong foods! I exercise so I can eat more, and also exercise kills my appetite some, too.

lsand

I eat every single exercise calorie. I love food, and I enjoy eating as many calories as I possibly can while still losing fat. Why wouldn't I? Working out makes me feel strong and fit, but another huge bonus is that I get to eat more. I don't disbelieve those who say they struggle to eat all their calories, but I certainly can't relate.

I'm with ya on that!

1harleygal

I do eat some of my excercise calories for my body to not go into starvation mode. I also watch Biggest Loser and they always have the contestants eat their excercise calores. It goes like this:

Say your daily allowance of calories is 1200, then you excercise and burn 300 calories. You subtract the 300 from 1200 and you are now at 900 calories or a deficent and your body may lose weight for a while but will continue to slow down or stop losing because it doesn't have enough food to keep it doing and thinks it is starving.

My calorie intake is 1200
If I burn 400 or more then that takes my 1200 to starvation mode so I eat at least half of my excercise calories.

One good way of eating enough calories is planning ahead, with lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, dairy (low fat) and lean protein.

For snacks and my sweet tooth I will have a Atkins bar which one is Caramel Nut Chew and the other is like a chocolate payday, man they are great! Also popcorn with out the butter is a great snack!

I always thought this was nuts and found it very hard to do but believe it or not it does help you lose more weight! You are feeding your body in stead of starving it and it storing fat because it thinks it won't get any more food! So if you can't force yourself to eat all your excercise calories try to eat at least half of them, and eat small meals through the day to keep your body full!!

LotusF1ower

Just curious to see what the ratio is for people who use this site as to:

how many of you find it a necessity to eat all your exercise calories and that is the only way you can lose weight or you just feel that is THE LAW….VS.

how many of you do NOT eat your exercise calories and lose weight just fine or feel that being told that you MUST eat your exercise calories is a crock of mmm hmmm

and how many of you eat half of your exercise calories because you are just confused

I do not find it necessary to eat all my exercise calories, I stick to or just under 1200 calories per day - any left over at the end of the week means I can have a wine or three. I lose roughly 2lb per week and I take no notice of anybody who insists I MUST eat my exercise calories. The main reason being is that I have done all this before and did just fine, my only downfall being that I was greedy once I lost all my weight in the past and pigged out on crap. I have never gone with any starvation mode either, that is reserved for those unfortunates who have less than 5% fat on their body and that certainly does not include me.

This time it is a permanent lifestyle change, so I will not pig out again and hopefully I will just keep maintaining my new weight (once I get there) :flowerforyou:

megamom

At first I wasn't eating them and then I stalled big time. Started eating half to all of them and the weight is coming off. So it depends on if I am hungry or not. If I am hungry I do. I still try to stay in that magic ratio, more calories out then in. so far it's working.

funkyspunky871

Yeah, I would like to know also what the people are eating who find it difficult to get to 1200 calories! I feel like it is very hard to stay under 1200, and would like to know examples of daily diets for people who can't eat 1200-maybe I am eating the wrong foods! I exercise so I can eat more, and also exercise kills my appetite some, too.

I eat anything I want, really. I eat pizza and burritos and everything. I eat sandwiches with avocados and grilled cheese and burgers. And of course I eat plenty of veggies and lean meats and fruits, but I essentially eat whatever I feel like eating, and I still can't get over 1200 half the time.

And exercise totally kills my appetite too!

I'll make my diary public for you guys. It may not look like much, but I really am not hungry. It really is a struggle most of the time.

EDIT: As for today, I'm eating the leftovers from my burrito and black beans for dinner. I just didn't have the appetite to eat it all for lunch. (And then there's that lunchable, lol. I've been missing breakfast ever since summer break started. I'm not a breakfast person, so even though I wake up at 9:00 in the morning, I just don't feel like eating. I made myself eat something for breakfast when school was in session. I just grabbed that lunchable from the fridge before I left for the orthodontist because I knew I needed to eat something, anything even though I wasn't hungry.)

tcac

I do not eat my exercise calories and I am not losing. Since April 14 I have only lost 12 pounds. I am frustrated, but one day I ate more and I gained weight. I have had trouble losing weight since I had my first child 30 years ago. Always, I loose so slow and give up. This time I am just sticking with it and believing at some point I will lose.
linda

junebug523

I started here at the end of April. Like many of you, I had my calories set at around 1200, and most days I didn't eat my calories back. I was often starving. By the end of May, I hadn't lost any weight.

I reset my calories to aim for a net of around 1500 calories per day. I eat almost all of my exercise calories, and some days I even go over a little. I've been doing this for 3 weeks. I've lost 3 pounds.:happy:

Seems to me, if I can continue eating MORE food and still lose weight, why mess with that? I know I'll actually stick with it once I reach my goal weight! No complaints here!

Caralyn

i agree 100%

sarahenagy

I do tend to eat most of my exercise calories, as others have mentioned if not the body goes into starvation mode. This is especially important for those who very vigorously exercise and burn thousands of calories. For a while I did not eat my exercise calories and I not only did not loose weight, but felt awful. I am a cyclist and burn over 2000 calories on longer rides and if I do not eat those calories I am not strong enough to complete rides later in the week. Also, if I haven't eaten enough leading up to a ride then I "bonk" (like hitting the wall in a marathon...your body just runs out of usable fuel and you feel weak, sick to your stomach, shaky, and just flat out gross). After one or two bonks and phone calls to my husband to come pick me and the bike up I started eating up most of the calories!

jasonweinberg

i don't eat my exercise calories, but my nutritionist has me on a 1500-1700 range per day anywyay, which i find fairly generous. i certainly don't think my body is going to think i am "starving" at that range.

whyflysouth

I generally do not eat the exercise calories, but if I'm hungery I will. I listen to my body and decide from there.

Same. I don't eat them usually but it's b/c I'm usually taken care of and they would only serve to give me dessert or some non-nutritional food product.

With that said, my calories are at roughly 1700 a day and yeah, you can eat all 1200 if you put a good mix of foods in your mouth. I used to be unable to eat the 1200 min back when I first started but it was b/c I was so self-conscious I what's "good" for me, that I basically only ate salad and grilled chicken.

Eat some sourdough bread, have some rice, you'll get your 1200 in... ahhh bread does taste good.

aippolito1

I eat all of my exercise calories because I know it works for me. When I don't eat them, I maintain... so I know that's the sweet spot for me once I'm done losing weight.

I personally think everyone is different and if it works for you, great, but if not, don't sweat it!

LotusF1ower

I do not eat my exercise calories and I am not losing. Since April 14 I have only lost 12 pounds. I am frustrated, but one day I ate more and I gained weight. I have had trouble losing weight since I had my first child 30 years ago. Always, I loose so slow and give up. This time I am just sticking with it and believing at some point I will lose.
linda

Hi Linda, April 14th is 10 weeks ago therefore, that is just over 1lb per week, so you have lost weight, or do you mean you lost those 12lbs and then the weight loss stopped, if that is the case, how many weeks ago did it stop?

misslizz6958

I think eating those earned calories is counter productive

skysilver

Each to his own, I say this simply because, each and everyone of us is an individium.
You must work by trial and error-listen to your own body, once you realise what works,
feels good and healthy, then this is your way ahead.
LISTEN, to your own body within-it does know best!!!!

gamecock

I also find it odd that people who are overweight have a hard time eating more than 1200 calories - I mean, how did they GET overweight if they can't eat that much??? LOL

I was thinking the same thing......lol:devil: if I had a hard time eating only 1200 cal a day, I wouldnt be overweight.

sandara

I rarely eat any of my exercise calories and I'm happy with the rate I'm losing.

Is it a crock? I don't know since I've never tried upping my calories to see if it increased my loss. But I'm sure so many people wouldn't be insisting it worked if there wasn't some validity to it.

sandara

I also find it odd that people who are overweight have a hard time eating more than 1200 calories - I mean, how did they GET overweight if they can't eat that much??? LOL

I was thinking the same thing......lol:devil: if I had a hard time eating only 1200 cal a day, I wouldnt be overweight.

I sometimes have a hard time eating all my calories IF I have not eaten much throughout the day (which is not good I know). Then I can't make it all up in the evening. So mainly due to poor planning in my case. :embarassed:

mclark1588

I want to know what you guys eating that you can easily stay under 1200 calories as well? Mine is set at 1470 and I sometime eat my exercise calories and have my wine at night.