Can you have "too much exercise" ?

_EndGame_

OK, so I was thinking, since I have been losing weight, my appetite has decreased, not in a bad way, but in a sense that I don't get that hungry feeling unless I am genuinely hungry, which is a good thing, right? Also, my exercise has picked up, I'm working both the punch bag and using the treadmill (daily) and I actually want to do more, but at the same time, I don't want to eat nowhere near as much as I did 2 months ago. Sometimes my deficit leaves me with between 600 - 1000 calories left over, and I just end up leaving them. So, is this bad for me? Am I going to go into some kind of starvation mode, without actually feeling hungry? Or is it a good thing that I have such a large deficit at the end of the day? I drink water all day, I have completely cut out soda, sweets, junk - everything. I feel I eat all the right things now, including fruit, veg, fresh food, lean meat, etc.

Like today for example, I've exercised, had breakfast and lunch, I still have dinner to go and I have 1600 calories left. If dinner is 900 calories, and before bed I eat a bowl of strawberries and grapes with 0% fat Greek yogurt, which is about 60 calories, I still have 600+ calories left over I'm not going to eat. Should I leave them? Or eat them back, despite not being hungry?

dogo187

you can eat more if you want...

or you can eat foods that are higher in calories...nuts and nut butters are a good high calorie snack...

as far as there being too much exercise...I think that its totally possible to over do it...

exercising too much can cause you to burn out and go from all to nothing really quickly due to injury or just by not giving your body time to heal and rest....

everyone is different...the key is doing things regularly that will help you lose the weight and at the same time have those changes be changes that you can realistically keep up for the rest of your life....

balance is important...find what works for you....

_EndGame_

I know what you're saying.

I guess my question simplified is this - Can I have a large amount of calories left over at the end of the day, and do plenty of exercise without it stunting my weight loss?!

SJVZEE

I know what you're saying.

I guess my question simplified is this - Can I have a large amount of calories left over at the end of the day, and do plenty of exercise without it stunting my weight loss?!

From what I've read through various posts here on the the forum, eventually that's going to bite you in the bum. Easy ways to get in more calories-nuts, butter and evoo (saute your veggies in it), cheese, and whole milk Greek yogurt (one serving is almost 200 calories, before you add in stuff-I can easily get in 500 calories with a serving of plain whole milk Greek yogurt, nuts, a sliced banana and honey mixed in). Or what about a spoon of peanut butter or a couple extra glasses of milk? All these things are pretty calorie dense, without being overly filling

ladynocturne

The main problem you're going to have is that your body will start to use your lean muscle mass to feed your brain. Unfortunately the brain cannot function off of fat stores, and it uses A LOT more calories that you realize. Eating less that your BMR greatly increases the lean muscle mass to fat lost ratio. Your need to net at least your BMR to your body can function properly.

Hunger isn't not a good indicator of having enough calories. There are a lot of different chemicals that can increase or decrease hunger depending on situations.

taunto

Can you have "too much exercise"? yes. You absolutely can.

I was burning 2,000+ calories on nearly a daily bases when I was boxing. Many times went over 3,000 calories too. The result, I got burned out. I couldn't physically eat all the calories I was eating without getting decent macros (pizza is nutritious, right?). And overall, I wasn't happy. Now i burn a decent amount and I think I'm happier and on a healthy track.

On the other hand, even in terms of athletes, yes, you can have "too much exercise". My coach who have trained olympic medalists boxers and world champions (Joe Byrd) have told me "pushing yourself is good, but be careful. If you push too hard, you ain't pushing nothing besides a wheel chair". Another gold medalist and her coach Clarissa Shields. I asked her and her coach whats the best thing I can do to become a better athlete. The answer at the same time was "rest". Rest is very VERY important.

Give it the best you got. But don't push too much and rest. You will be happy with the results

_EndGame_

Can you have "too much exercise"? yes. You absolutely can.

I was burning 2,000+ calories on nearly a daily bases when I was boxing. Many times went over 3,000 calories too. The result, I got burned out. I couldn't physically eat all the calories I was eating without getting decent macros (pizza is nutritious, right?). And overall, I wasn't happy. Now i burn a decent amount and I think I'm happier and on a healthy track.

On the other hand, even in terms of athletes, yes, you can have "too much exercise". My coach who have trained olympic medalists boxers and world champions (Joe Byrd) have told me "pushing yourself is good, but be careful. If you push too hard, you ain't pushing nothing besides a wheel chair". Another gold medalist and her coach Clarissa Shields. I asked her and her coach whats the best thing I can do to become a better athlete. The answer at the same time was "rest". Rest is very VERY important.

Give it the best you got. But don't push too much and rest. You will be happy with the results

I like boxing. Well, I say boxing, I'm not a boxer by no standards, I did it for about a year when I was 14, but I have always liked hitting the punch bag. I do the punch bag usually 3 times a week, in amongst the treadmill and lifting weights. See, I was under the impression that if I lift weights whilst eating on a deficit, I would maintain muscle, and lose body fat, but my overall concern is not getting enough calories at the end of the day and delaying the weight loss.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, I will start to eat back the calories I burn from exercise, I guess I'm just trying to speed up my weight loss, any suggestions on how to healthily increase weight loss will be muchos appreciated!

taunto

Can you have "too much exercise"? yes. You absolutely can.

I was burning 2,000+ calories on nearly a daily bases when I was boxing. Many times went over 3,000 calories too. The result, I got burned out. I couldn't physically eat all the calories I was eating without getting decent macros (pizza is nutritious, right?). And overall, I wasn't happy. Now i burn a decent amount and I think I'm happier and on a healthy track.

On the other hand, even in terms of athletes, yes, you can have "too much exercise". My coach who have trained olympic medalists boxers and world champions (Joe Byrd) have told me "pushing yourself is good, but be careful. If you push too hard, you ain't pushing nothing besides a wheel chair". Another gold medalist and her coach Clarissa Shields. I asked her and her coach whats the best thing I can do to become a better athlete. The answer at the same time was "rest". Rest is very VERY important.

Give it the best you got. But don't push too much and rest. You will be happy with the results

I like boxing. Well, I say boxing, I'm not a boxer by no standards, I did it for about a year when I was 14, but I have always liked hitting the punch bag. I do the punch bag usually 3 times a week, in amongst the treadmill and lifting weights. See, I was under the impression that if I lift weights whilst eating on a deficit, I would maintain muscle, and lose body fat, but my overall concern is not getting enough calories at the end of the day and delaying the weight loss.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, I will start to eat back the calories I burn from exercise, I guess I'm just trying to speed up my weight loss, any suggestions on how to healthily increase weight loss will be muchos appreciated!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

checkout this thread. Check your TDEE and eat the average rather than eating back the burned calories (enter 1 calorie burned for your workout on MFP). This way you will have a set average daily intake versus fluctuating daily which can messup appetite. Just something to try and see if it suits you

PS. You will lose muscle on a deficit. ALWAYS. But with lifting and eating appropriate amount of protein you will lose less versus not lifting and not eating enough protein.