Do you exercise because you enjoy it or so you can eat more?

PAV8888

You don't **HAVE** to exercise, OR to be active, to lose weight.

Arguably your count of calories out and ability to estimate your deficit would be more **accurate** if you are not very active and do not exercise.

It is **extremely** desirable to be active and to exercise. You will be much healthier if you do.

If your TDEE is increased because of activity and exercise you can accommodate, in a healthy manner, a larger absolute sized deficit than if your TDEE is lower.

On MFP your goal is a goal, not something you have to come under.

You ADD to your goal the true net calories burned by your exercise because your goal already includes your deficit.

It is NOT always desirable to lose at a faster rate!

In fact is you're in the low overweight or in the normal weight range a 20% deficit is probably the upper limit you should be aiming for. This increases to ~25% for people whose energy reserves are such that they are often categorised as obese.

And a 20% deficit for people with a TDEE of 2500 Cal or less, is in the 500 Cal/1lb a week range.

Oh, and I started with a goal of "no day less than 5000 steps" when I was morbidly obese, because "everyone knows that people cannot lose weight and keep it off, so at least I should try to be a bit healthier, maybe eat less fries and more salads and move a bit more"

This was in January 2014. ~9 stone / ~127lbs / ~57kg ago. I now eat both less fries and less salads than I used to!!!

zyxst

I exercise because it's become a habit. I like what I do, I just don't enjoy it most of the time.

For me, exercising just to eat more is tipping into ED territory.

workinonit1956

Both, I find exercise helps me a lot with my anxiety and makes me feel better in general. I look forward to it now. I also really, really appreciate the extra calories. I’m older and short-‘nuff said;)

Lounmoun

Do you exercise because you enjoy it or so you can eat more?

I don't love exercise. I don't hate it I guess but I gravitate toward sedentary hobbies and activities. Walking is what I do most because it is easy to fit in my day and I feel more relaxed.
I exercise for the health benefits and to increase my calories.

MFP gives you a calorie deficit goal without exercise. If you stick to that amount you do not actually have to exercise to lose weight. If you have trouble sticking to it you can add exercise to get more calories, plan and prelog your food better for the day or maybe change to a slower rate of loss. If you have 20 lbs or less to lose set your goal for .5 lb a week or a 250 calorie daily deficit and you might find it more comfortable. You don't have to make massive changes to your diet or exercise a ton if you are not very overweight.

AnnPT77

AnnPT77 wrote: »

There are more than those two possible reasons. There are a million possible reasons. OK, I'm exaggerating . . . but at least a dozen

After many adult decades being sedentary, I became an athlete while obese and not even trying to lose weight. (I'm a rower, though that's not all I do.) It was for fun, camaraderie, and health - for starting alone, even. (I'm a cancer survivor).

I'm just as active now. It's still fun. Since I'm a lazy hedonist, I rarely do things that aren't fun.

Nowadays, age 62, I have the added motivation of keeping future Ann healthy, strong, independent, and out of an assisted living facility as long as possible. That leads me to do more strength training than I would otherwise, though I don't find that as fun as many other people do.

Eating more is just a bonus.

Ugh, autocorrect . . . and too late to edit. "staying alive", of course.

kimny72

Emmmie37 wrote: »

I was an avid runner until injury stopped that. Kinda lost all my motivation to exercise in way, carried on eating like I WAS exercising... and now I’m back logging calories. Gained just under a stone in weight...

I’ve had 3 healthy meals, a few bits of fruit and some nuts today. I went to the gym (circuits class) and have walked around 5 miles.... but I’m only 50 calories under my allowance...

How much do I need to do to have a decent calorie deficit? I’ll never lose the weight at this rate!

I definitely need to exercise more but I’m just not enjoying it...

As others have touched on, if you told MFP you want to lose weight, then your calorie goal already includes your deficit. You don't need to be under your calorie goal by a specific amount, you need to be AT your calorie goal.

collectingblues

For me, it's definitely both. I feel marginally competent when I run, and very competent when I spin, swim, lift, and go to barre.

But, I also like that being active means that I can pursue a decent deficit and still get to eat 1400 calories a day, and still lose weight. My insulin sensitivity is very high (I'm a type 1 diabetic), and I attribute that to being active.

Running_and_Coffee

I am also a runner and as a busy mom, running is my only real me time and it’s also a social gathering as most of my friends are people I run with or take other fitness classes with. Do I love every second of it? Ha! No, but I feel that way about everything in life, including parenting, working and marriage. Sometimes it’s amazing and you have that runner’s high....other times you just want it to be over. But I wouldn’t be me without it.

I’m not sure it impacts my weight. My body looks much better than it did 2 decades ago, when I was in my 20s and hadn’t yet caught the running bug. I don’t have cellulite! i don’t jiggle or have love handles! But I have been running as long as I have been a mom (15 years) and pretty consistently.... the only thing that seems to impact the scale is what I eat and how much of it. I hit my highest weight last year right after a half marathon.

ladyhusker39

I started so I could eat more, now I feel yucky if I don't move around enough in some way every day. It might be a lot of walking or a class or playing with my kids, but I'd have trouble going back to being a couch potato.

lorib642

I walk my dog because he insists I only get a few extra calories, but it is a nice bonus

GOT_Obsessed

ladyhusker39 wrote: »

I started so I could eat more, now I feel yucky if I don't move around enough in some way every day. It might be a lot of walking or a class or playing with my kids, but I'd have trouble going back to being a couch potato.

True dat! I was away visiting family recently and all that sitting around got on my nerves. I went for walks by myself. Before, that sitting around was right up my alley.

kds10

I love exercise...I love that sweaty, wet hair, stinky feeling I get after a great workout...seriously! That is when I feel my best and my most confident. I love kickboxing, hiking, stair climbing, etc.

saires_au

I’ve had to seperate them. Mentally if I look at exercise as a way to have more calories I start resenting exercise

So I’ve now reframed it that I’m exercising for health and so I can be active and participate in things I enjoy/ hiking, playing games with the kids etc. I enjoy the exercise I do, weights, hiking and boot camp. Well I enjoy the social side of boot camp

I also exercise to protect myself from a work related injury. As a nurse a strong back and core along with proper technique are important to protect from back injury

I exercise because i prefer the way I look when I’m exercising than when I’m not

I sleep better when I’m active. My stress is better controlled and I’m happier.

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lorrpb

I exercise for health and fitness and stress relief. 4 years ago I could barely walk 1/4 mile and I simply do not want to ever be in that place again.

beachbody4l

I never seem to really burn enough to eat a whole lot back (woo an extra 84-117 calories? what a buffet!). So I guess I do it because I don't want to look like a deflated balloon lol.

doittoitgirl

I exercise because it makes me look hotter! And because I like having the strength and stamina to do whatever I want. I hate getting winded walking up two flights of stairs!

amusedmonkey

I exercise for food, but really like the other benefits. I also do activities I enjoy because I want to be able to eat more food more consistently - I find it hard to be consistent with activities that I don't enjoy without some serious mental tricks.

Orphia

Hugs and sympathy for your running injury.

Do I exercise because I enjoy it, or so I can eat more?

I run and walk a lot because:

• I enjoy being outside in the different seasons.
• I see all sorts of interesting things outside.
• I can pursue my photographic talents when I see interesting things.
• I can set, pursue, and achieve personal goals.
• It's let me meet people and make good friends.
• It gives me Runner's High.
• I get to go places I've never been.
• It's cured my back problems.
• It makes me happy.

I've never purposely gone for a run or a walk to earn more to eat.

It's rather the reverse... the exercise makes me want to eat more, as a biological fact.

Earning calories is a bonus result of the exercise, but not a reason for it.


Make sure you're not trying to lose too much too quickly, which is the main reason people here complain about hunger.

If you only have 15 lbs to lose, you should set your weekly goal at 0.5 lbs per week.

Then read the thread, "Relatively Light People Trying to Get Leaner":

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/113609/relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner/p1

tatatato586

for both.

zyxst

zyxst wrote: »

I exercise because it's become a habit. I like what I do, I just don't enjoy it most of the time.

For me, exercising just to eat more is tipping into ED territory.

Loling over the woos. How is it woo (aka bull shizzle) that, for me, exercising just to eat more can tip me into eating disorder territory? Did I say that's what happens for everyone? Nope. MFP needs to change the woo to BS.

nickssweetheart

Frankly, for me, it's neither. I exercise because I feel like crap when I don't. I don't particularly enjoy it, although sometimes I do. It's like preventative medicine for me: I sleep better, I am less sore, and I have more energy throughout my day. It's also good for my depression.

ETA: except when it's swimming. I swim just because I love it and it makes me incredibly happy. If I could swim outdoors year round for exercise I would.

ashxtasticness

Sometimes I enjoy it, just depends on the day and what I'm doing. I never enjoy weight/resistance training, but usually enjoy walking, biking and zumba! I don't eat more on days that I exercise more, I just use it as a way to see quicker results and feel healthier. I've only been exercising regularly since the end of March and it's amazing how much better I feel and how much easier things are now that would have/did kick my butt in the beginning. As for the deficit, I'm usually far below because of the calories burned during exercise and I sometimes wonder if it is hindering my weight loss, but it has been pretty steady lately so I think I've found a happy medium.

como_agua

BinaryPulsar wrote: »

I can understand this. I'm a dancer. So, I love to dance. I love being active. I love being fit. But, I also struggle with injuries, and that can definitely be a drain and take the fun out of it. I have to rest when I don't want to. I have to choose different exercise from what I want at times. So, sometimes I exercise because I enjoy it, sometimes I pay the price, I do it for fitness, and because (like you said) I need to have a higher energy expenditure to eat the way I'm accustomed to eating for both my health & enjoyment. I have tried to reduce my calories a bit. And I am more active when I can be. Healing injuries is important. What about exploring different activities/exercise. Maybe you can find stuff you like that's gentle on your injuries.

i relate to what you say with regard to injuries. i ran for 30 years and danced flamenco for 20 and knee injuries have forced me to stop because of arthritis and bone on bone issues *sigh*. now i have to walk or recumbent bike - and even that can be tricky! i love being active and like you - i've over done things for the pleasure of movement and suffered the consequences. i hear you! now i do things like qi gong which are still beneficial for movement on a daily basis.

standout00

A bit of both. Exercise helps me feel good and to get rid of stress, the upset feeling or even anger. It can also calm me down if it's a nice, slow walk.

brenn24179

gives me something to do in retirement, I also love the social part of it and I am hyper so I need to keep busy and it makes me feel better, aerobics and Zumba with the ladies. Also like biking and walking with hubby, I love doing physical stuff which helps if I only didn't want to eat a lot. At least I am busy.

Francl27

Depends on the day. I like being active, but some days I really have to force myself to do it so I can afford to eat more. I just CAN'T eat at a deficit without exercise, I'm just too hungry to live on 1300 calories!

Again though, MFP already has a built-in deficit.

Candyspun

I do it so I can eat more, because I love it, and because it drastically reduces my endo and joint pain.

Johnd2000

I wouldn’t say I enjoyed exercising, but I enjoy being able to do it, after not being able for a few years. The fear of not being able to in future, is quite a motivator.

tswkelbris

both, Zombies Run is a GREAT motivator for exercise