How much exercise is too much?
O2BNWA
Posts: 18 Member
I have a history of over exercising and undereating- 1200 cals a day and 4 and 1/2 hour workouts in the past. Now when I workout I am starving after, I do an hour or 90 minutes 6 days a week. I have a HRM which i know isnt perfect but gives me 800-1000 burned per session. I am eating 1400 to 1600 per day average which includes one high cal cheat day. I am reading I should be eating half of that back. But if i workout after dinner, does that mean i have to have another meal. or do i need to workout before dinner so the meal will compensate? I want to do this right this time and have consistent losses. I enjoy working out and use it to relieve stress. Advice or suggestions are appreciated.
0
Replies
-
Timing isn't so important - do whatever makes you feel good. If you get a better workout by eating before, do that. If you feel sick and heavy eating before or feel very hungry afterwards - eat after.0
-
Timing doesn't matter. It's all about deficit. Also, be careful when using calories burned during any workout. In your example, you give 800 - 1000 calories burned per session, and unless you are fighting off the Taliban I'm not sure what you could do to burn that many.
To answer the thread title; yes you can exercise too much. If you over extend your physical capabilities you have exercised too much.0 -
How much is too much? Basically when you do more than your body or mind can handle.
For a sedentary person that has never exercised before 30 mins a day could in some cases be overwhelming, especially with an exercise like running. For an experienced endurance athlete, 2-5 hours a day of cycling/swimming or 10-20 miles a day of running, could be totally comfortable level of exercise.
The maximum 'right' amount is the most you can do without breaking down physically and while being able to properly recovery for your next session and not burn out mentally.0 -
ncboiler89 wrote: »In your example, you give 800 - 1000 calories burned per session, and unless you are fighting off the Taliban I'm not sure what you could do to burn that many.
Ehm...a cruising bike ride of 2 hours burns between 1600-2000 kcal for me depending on how I'm feeling. A particularly salty two hours racing could approach 2500 kcal for me.
On longer rides I've done as much as 6000kcal.
0 -
Fuel your body with the correct amount of calories. The timing of your meals and snacks is irrelevant.
Make this easy for yourself:
- set a goal to lose 1 lb/week on MFP with a sedentary activity level. This will give you the number of calories you need to eat each day without any exercise.
- when you exercise, eat back half the calories that MFP says you burned. These calories are on top of your daily calories.
- be patient. You will lose on an average of 1 lb/week.
Doing it this way will allow you to lose the weight in a sustainable manner.0 -
ncboiler89 wrote: »Timing doesn't matter. It's all about deficit. Also, be careful when using calories burned during any workout. In your example, you give 800 - 1000 calories burned per session, and unless you are fighting off the Taliban I'm not sure what you could do to burn that many.
Running, fell running, spinning ....0 -
Never work out more than 45 mins max at a time. Cortisol kicks in at that time and becomes counterproductive. Two times/week weights, one or two times 20 min max cardio high intensity intervals.0
-
I have a history of over exercising and undereating- 1200 cals a day and 4 and 1/2 hour workouts in the past. Now when I workout I am starving after, I do an hour or 90 minutes 6 days a week. I have a HRM which i know isnt perfect but gives me 800-1000 burned per session. I am eating 1400 to 1600 per day average which includes one high cal cheat day. I am reading I should be eating half of that back. But if i workout after dinner, does that mean i have to have another meal. or do i need to workout before dinner so the meal will compensate? I want to do this right this time and have consistent losses. I enjoy working out and use it to relieve stress. Advice or suggestions are appreciated.
There's a lot for us to digest and understand in your post.
Previous history: 4 1/2 hour workouts and only eating 1200 calories
Current history: 60-90 minutes x 6 days a week = 6 to 9 hours of exercise per week eating 1400 - 1600 calories per day + one "cheat day" per week of eating higher calories
You enjoy working out to relieve stress.
The timing issue has been addressed above. I would only suggest that if you are working out 90 minutes, some sort of recovery snack, drink or some food would be nice following that session to help with recovery so you can bounce back and exercise the next day. It all depends on the intensity and what you are doing in those sessions, but we don't know so it is hard to offer advice or suggestions.
What kind of exercise are you currently doing for your 6 - 9 hours per week?
What is your current body weight/height and goal weight? (Your profile is not filled out.)
What got you out of the unhealthy routine of your previous history of over-exercising and under-eating?
Too much information is missing for any of us to really offer targeted advice or suggestions.
0 -
ncboiler89 wrote: »In your example, you give 800 - 1000 calories burned per session, and unless you are fighting off the Taliban I'm not sure what you could do to burn that many.
Ehm...a cruising bike ride of 2 hours burns between 1600-2000 kcal for me depending on how I'm feeling. A particularly salty two hours racing could approach 2500 kcal for me.
On longer rides I've done as much as 6000kcal.
Ok that doesn't sound right at all...0 -
I have a history of over exercising and undereating- 1200 cals a day and 4 and 1/2 hour workouts in the past. Now when I workout I am starving after, I do an hour or 90 minutes 6 days a week. I have a HRM which i know isnt perfect but gives me 800-1000 burned per session. I am eating 1400 to 1600 per day average which includes one high cal cheat day. I am reading I should be eating half of that back. But if i workout after dinner, does that mean i have to have another meal. or do i need to workout before dinner so the meal will compensate? I want to do this right this time and have consistent losses. I enjoy working out and use it to relieve stress. Advice or suggestions are appreciated.
Other than not having a high calorie meal right before you lie down, which can be hard to digest, meal timing doesn't matter.
I make bad choices when I allow myself to get too hungry - what about having a smoothie with you while you workout so you are not starving afterwards?
I'm concerned by your history of over exercising and undereating - did you ever seek professional help for this? Are you familiar with exercise bulimia?
Is there such a thing as too much exercise?
...Activity disorders, like eating disorders, are expressions of and defenses against feelings and emotions and are used to soothe, organize, and maintain self-esteem. Individuals with the eating disorders (anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa) and those with activity disorders are similar to one another in many respects. Both groups attempt to control the body through exercise and/or diet and are overly conscious of input versus output equations. They are extremely committed individuals and pride themselves on putting mind over matter, valuing self-discipline, self-sacrifice, and the ability to persevere.
They are generally hard-working, task-oriented, high-achieving individuals who have a tendency to be dissatisfied with themselves as if nothing is ever good enough. The emotional investment these individuals place on exercise and/or diet becomes more intense and significant than work, family, relationships, and, ironically, even health. Those with activity disorders lose control over exercise just as those with an eating disorder lose control over eating and dieting, and both experience withdrawal when prevented from engaging in their behaviors.
Individuals with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa and those with activity disorders usually score high on the EDI subscales of perfectionism and asceticism and have similar distortions in their cognitive (thinking) styles. The following list includes examples of the thinking patterns of people with activity disorders that are similar to the mental distortions in those with eating disorders.
Read more: http://abide.ucdavis.edu/overexercise.html0 -
ncboiler89 wrote: »In your example, you give 800 - 1000 calories burned per session, and unless you are fighting off the Taliban I'm not sure what you could do to burn that many.
Ehm...a cruising bike ride of 2 hours burns between 1600-2000 kcal for me depending on how I'm feeling. A particularly salty two hours racing could approach 2500 kcal for me.
On longer rides I've done as much as 6000kcal.
Ok that doesn't sound right at all...
When cycling if you have a powermeter energy expenditure can be measured directly. In my case riding around somewhere in the low to mid 200w range I'll burn roughly 900-1000 kj/hr.
1000kj = 239 kcal (4.186kj per kcal), however human efficiency is between 21-27%; so using median of 23% you get 239/0.23 = 1039 kcal/hr for riding at 250w. Which for me is a comfortable but slightly uptempo effort level.
6000kcal ride came from a solid 7 hours on the bike, good 110 mile ride in the mountains here in CO.
0 -
kshama2001 wrote: »
...Activity disorders, like eating disorders, are expressions of and defenses against feelings and emotions and are used to soothe, organize, and maintain self-esteem. Individuals with the eating disorders (anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa) and those with activity disorders are similar to one another in many respects. Both groups attempt to control the body through exercise and/or diet and are overly conscious of input versus output equations. They are extremely committed individuals and pride themselves on putting mind over matter, valuing self-discipline, self-sacrifice, and the ability to persevere.
They are generally hard-working, task-oriented, high-achieving individuals who have a tendency to be dissatisfied with themselves as if nothing is ever good enough. The emotional investment these individuals place on exercise and/or diet becomes more intense and significant than work, family, relationships, and, ironically, even health. Those with activity disorders lose control over exercise just as those with an eating disorder lose control over eating and dieting, and both experience withdrawal when prevented from engaging in their behaviors.
....
Read more: http://abide.ucdavis.edu/overexercise.html
Okay. That sounds like me, although I've added moderation to my list of things to be a perfectionist about, because I don't want to break my leg again, or die alone because I've ignored my friends and family.
0 -
I am 180 and 5'8 female. My HRM matches closely with the MFP calculations, sometimes the MFP is calculating higher, in which case i use the lower result from my HRM. I use the HRM because I have Asthma and so the RPE doesnt work since i am short of breath easily.
I always use the elliptical or arc trainer for the majority of my workouts. 2x a week is cardio for 70 minutes approx. then spend 20 minutes left on strength. The other 4 workouts are all cardio. I am working out at 85% of my max heart rate for the entire workout, I have to be honest , i have cut my warm up and cool down below the 5 minute preset because i want to burn more calories. I have a really hard time with moderation.
When I workout for 90 minutes cardio+ strength I do it weekends, after breakfast before lunch, so I am eating back the cals for lunch and dinner. The other 4 days are really the problem, I get home hungry, i have tried every snack combo to prevent hunger not working. So i eat first, rest for 30 -45 minutes and then do a 60 minute cardio workout on my eliptical at home w my HRM. BUt after i finish i feel very hungry, and craving carbs. I feel like i end up snacking back what i burned which is making me feel like i should stop workouts the 4 weekdays and only do the 90 minutes on the weekend until i get into a rhythm.
Oh and I totally had exercise bulimia, I will own that . It was bad. I would workout 10 extra minutes instead of showering before class, show up late to class and then leave early to go back to the gym. It was hell.
I have been reading some articles that say to focus on just the food for a few months and then focus on incorporating exercise. I read that alot of people have this problem of eating back the burned off calories and that leading to quitting the diet efforts all together.
I am just really upset and confused because when i was exercising 4 1/2 hours a day I NEVER EVER got hungrier, in fact it suppressed my appetite. So i don't know whats going on . Any ideas? Suggestions? Been there??0 -
You are still engaging in unhealthy deficits.
Contrary to ncboiler with your history I can see you fully achieving the majority of these burns and contrary to popular belief MFP estimates are NOT always absurdly high. Especially when it comes to activities such as walking or running.
So it could well be, from your description, that you are netting in the 500 Cal range.... instead of netting your BMR++. It all depends on your non exercise activity level too, of course.
Honestly you should not be cutting more than 20% off of your TDEE. And yes, this could mean eating a heck of a lot more... possibly too much for you unless you cut down on the exercise.
Have in my friends list someone who would over exercise and severely under-eat.
After passing out a few too many times... they got some help.
Slowly they got to eating a good 1700 calories while doing no exercise whatsoever.
Now the person is doing a good 600-700 cal of exercise, eating 2300 Cal (while netting 1700 which is about 100 Cal above her BMR)... and losing at about 1lb a week.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 392.9K Introduce Yourself
- 43.7K Getting Started
- 260.1K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.8K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 415 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.9K Motivation and Support
- 7.9K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.6K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.5K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions