For those confused or questioning "Eating your exercise calo

Csitri

bump

MariG2

bump

cmriverside

I wish there was a way to favourite posts so that they were easy to refer to!

This one and dozens of others are listed at the top of the "General Diet & Weight Loss Help" tab

Go to the sticky post called "Links you want to read again"

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again

I started that one years ago, and if you scroll through it, you'll see many many helpful things through the pages.

septembergurl

Thanks for all the great info, Banks!

I've been reading through the thread, and just want to clarify one question I've had. Before reading this thread, I thought that as long as my calories for the week averaged out to the recommended amount, I was doing okay. But now I'm concerned that having one day with a larger deficit and a few days slightly over my goal is not an effective way to go - is this true?

The reason this happens for me is that I run about 5-6 days per week with one longer run on the weekend (1-2 hours), that burns a lot of extra calories. I find that it's easier to "spend" those extra calories throughout the week, so that I don't feel as hungry on rest days. This way I end up eating a similar amount most days regardless of whether I exercise, rather than struggling to restrain myself on rest days and then struggling to meet my calorie goal on heavier exercise days. Is this misguided?

SHBoss1673

Thanks for all the great info, Banks!

I've been reading through the thread, and just want to clarify one question I've had. Before reading this thread, I thought that as long as my calories for the week averaged out to the recommended amount, I was doing okay. But now I'm concerned that having one day with a larger deficit and a few days slightly over my goal is not an effective way to go - is this true?

The reason this happens for me is that I run about 5-6 days per week with one longer run on the weekend (1-2 hours), that burns a lot of extra calories. I find that it's easier to "spend" those extra calories throughout the week, so that I don't feel as hungry on rest days. This way I end up eating a similar amount most days regardless of whether I exercise, rather than struggling to restrain myself on rest days and then struggling to meet my calorie goal on heavier exercise days. Is this misguided?

it's a slippery slope, difficult to maintain an unbalanced calorie intake (but it can be done, it's done quite often as a matter of fact). But I can't say with any certainty whether it will work for you or not. it's completely true that the body won't "store" unused calories, rather it will convert them to fat, then store them that way. The extra carbs don't sit around waiting to be used (most of it doesn't, some does in the form of glycogen and free glucose, but not that much). And as we've all read already, fat is more difficult to burn than ready carbs. The question becomes, how much time are you letting in between big deficits and no(or smaller) deficits (or even excess)? Couple that with what kind of calories are you consuming (because not all calories are processed at the same rate, and many take a lot longer to process therefore allowing a more even distribution of energy) and the obvious factor of genetics and current metabolic rate and you have a very difficult question.

so all that said, I can't answer this easily for you. What I can tell you is that while trying to keep a static deficit is more difficult day to day (maybe), it's a more predictable path towards fat loss.

septembergurl

Thank you for the reply, Banks. I think this could explain why I've reached a bit of a plateau when I increased my running mileage - I'd been doing more of the balancing calories over the course of each week, rather than maintaining a static deficit. I appreciate your comment that it's certainly a less predictable way to go about things. I'll try to experiment with the more predictable static deficit for a few weeks.

2essie

Bump and thanks

janemem

I'd never seen this before! Thanks so much Banks for taking the time to post it for us, I actually think I may understand eating back exercise calories now. Thanks again! :happy:

SHBoss1673

I'd never seen this before! Thanks so much Banks for taking the time to post it for us, I actually think I may understand eating back exercise calories now. Thanks again! :happy:

that's my goal. :drinker:

mileah67

Where is Part 1?

This looks like something I want/need to read! HELP!

janemem

Where is Part 1?

This looks like something I want/need to read! HELP!

Go to page 1 of this thread and the first post has the directions to the OP.

I'd recommend that everybody reads it, then reads it again and again.

janemem

I'd never seen this before! Thanks so much Banks for taking the time to post it for us, I actually think I may understand eating back exercise calories now. Thanks again! :happy:

that's my goal. :drinker:

I decided a couple of months ago to eat back some of my exercise calories and I feel much better for it. I'm still losing weight but I have more energy, I find it easier to concentrate and am sleeping sounder.

I don't eat them all back though, only 50% as I've been told so many times that MFP vastly over estimates the calories burned.
Although after reading your post I have decided to treat myself to 75% of my exercise calories from now on. :happy:

ash32384

New Gal here! Still figuring out how all this works. What is BUMP?

katevarner

bump (ash32834--this is how you add yourself to the conversation--moves the topic to "My topics" so that you can go back to it if/when you want to)

ash32384

Bump
Thanks Kate Varner.

TKelly06

bump

dexfatpants

Bump!!

buffanne

where do you read the answer to the questions?

healthyformeanMona

This IS good information. How do I save it, is that a 'bump'? I dont see a bump button. thanks.

SHBoss1673

This IS good information. How do I save it, is that a 'bump'? I dont see a bump button. thanks.

you have it now. bump is just a reply.