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

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  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    Both!
  • 1houndgal
    1houndgal Posts: 558 Member
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    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...

    BOTH. I exercise for weight loss (health and fitness). And for some reason I only get 1200 kcals a day. . But alas I swim a lot, so I am not deprived or starved due to eating back some of my exercise calories.
  • JBApplebee
    JBApplebee Posts: 481 Member
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    Both. I can't wait to get back to 9Round in the morning. It's fun & it's therapy.
  • 1houndgal
    1houndgal Posts: 558 Member
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    Find excercises you enjoy doing. Maybe start out on recumbent bike and recumbent elliptical if you go to a gym and they have them.

    Try water activities like water walking/water jogging, water zumba, water fitness, or lap swimming (ymcas often have pools and various nice cardio equipment?) Try low impact fitness classes.
  • PaperDoll_
    PaperDoll_ Posts: 32,845 Member
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    I do it because I enjoy it. Depending on the workout, I might hate every minute of it during, but the feeling I get afterwards is worth it.
  • Fitnessmom82
    Fitnessmom82 Posts: 376 Member
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    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...

    I do it for both reasons. I generally feel better when I work out. I also enjoy it most of the time. There are days when I don't want to, but do it anyways. Those days are usually food motivated. Today I did not want to workout, it's my rest day (but I had skipped another day this week so I was using today as a make up of sorts). I was going to talk myself out if it until I remembered that it's pizza night and I have left over cake in the fridge. I really wanted some extra calories to work with. I like that I can "earn" some extra food without the guilt!
  • Danp
    Danp Posts: 1,561 Member
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    If there's one thing I've learned about myself is that no particular food or extra serving of food feels worth having to force myself to do an exercise I hate.

    I now choose to only do exercises and activities that I enjoy. I've tended to keep losing weight and getting fit as two separate goals/endeavours that have a small amount of cross over.

    So I exercise to get fitter and for enjoyment which means I have a couple of more calories wiggle room in my diet and I eat to lose weight which means I might be able to enjoy my activities a little longer/better.
  • beachbody4l
    beachbody4l Posts: 208 Member
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    I don't do it because I love it or to eat back calories. I mean I do feel a sense of satisfaction when I meet a new fitness goal but honestly, I do it so I don't look like crap after losing so much weight. Also I rarely eat back my calories anyways.
  • missh1967
    missh1967 Posts: 661 Member
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    I work out (cardio) because I love working my heart and lungs really hard. Endorphin high.

    I work out (lift weights) because I need to preserve and try to build muscle as I age; plus, I like looking in the mirror naked at age 51 and thinking, "Damn, I look hot. Look at those abs."

    I work out because I get depressed when I can't/don't. (Like my t-shirt says, "Working out is cheaper than therapy.")

    I work out because, yes, I enjoy eating more food.

    I work out because I almost always enjoy it.

    I work out because I want to stay as independent as possible as I age.

    I work out because I like hearing, "Wow, you don't look old enough to have grown children."

    I work out because I hate being fat.
  • anothermfpuser
    anothermfpuser Posts: 84 Member
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    I exercise because I must. I love doing the activities I do and love how I feel when I'm doing it. I also love how it conditions me to do tasks in daily life with greater ease than if I didn't exercise at all.

    Lastly, it provides the offset I need to a stressful working situation.

    The calorie bank it provides is a secondary benefit to me.
  • LiftHeavyThings27105
    LiftHeavyThings27105 Posts: 2,086 Member
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    So, I looked at a lot of the posts in reply to your question.....I did not see this so I will be the one to put it:

    I enjoy my training sessions. I love the smell of iron on my hands after a set of dead lifts. I love the feeling after completing a kick *kitten* set of heavy squats. But mostly, I enjoy training because I love looking amazing naked!

    Hey, someone had to say it. We are all thinking it. I have the mojo to say it......
  • SabAteNine
    SabAteNine Posts: 1,866 Member
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    When I run, sometimes I do it because I love it. Other times, because I have to. You can't love exercise *all* the time. The endorphin surge hits the same afterwards though :smiley:

    When I train, I train so I can love myself. So that I can be better, fitter, more confident.

    Food doesn't factor in much here. I even keep my allowance the same on training and non-training days so that I don't fall into eating more than I think I burned (which with weight training is really a teeny-tiny amount).
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    both. some days i love my fitness stuff and other days not so much
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    Both
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
    edited June 2018
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    I wouldn’t say I’m having a super awesome fun time when I do cardio but I feel good after I do it and I know it’s good for my health. I’ve seen the benefits of exercise over the long term from my grandparents. For example my grandma is in pretty bad health as of the last few years and my mom says she’s always been fairly unhealthy. Never exercised, smoked a lot. Her identical twin sister always made exercise a priority and is in much better health and just looks healthier in general. Also my grandpa has always woken up early every morning to go to the gym and he is so healthy and full of energy and looks great. He is a great example. I do it more for health than calories..
  • ashleyrebekah392
    ashleyrebekah392 Posts: 50 Member
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    Personally I enjoy it, it's a stress reliever for me. I'm not in a great mood till I've had my workout. Also some days it does help to have some extra calories and I'll eat something I wouldn't have eaten if I didn't work out.
  • GrumpyHeadmistress
    GrumpyHeadmistress Posts: 666 Member
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    A bit of both plus it’s a habit now. I’ve also found that my chronic migraines are much better when I exercise regularly but no idea why.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
    edited June 2018
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    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...

    If your "allowance" was given to you by MFP, it is your weight loss calorie target...the deficit is built in...you don't need to eat under it to create a deficit.

    I exercise because I think fitness is important and regular exercise is pretty much crucial for general health and well being when you have a desk job.

    The fact that I can eat more is a bonus, but not why I do it.

    I mostly cycle and lift and enjoy both...little hiking here and there and some rock climbing.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,979 Member
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    kimny72 wrote: »
    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.

    Unless you set your activity level at "sedentary" and aren't really "sedentary" but just want to account for your food and exercise cals yourself, which is what I do.
  • pinksunnyrose
    pinksunnyrose Posts: 453 Member
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    I exercise because I want to tighten my body up and lose weight faster.

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