"Hidden" benefit of exercise

chezjuan

I was bored at work today and started looking at my health and fitness progress since I started using MFP last October. I discovered what, to me, was a hidden benefit of exercising... I can eat more!

I don't mean that I can eat more calories while losing weight by doing more cardio, rather I mean that, now that I am at maintenance, my TDEE is more calories than it was 75 lbs. ago! I am eating almost 100 more calories a day to maintain 175 with exercise than I needed to maintain my 250 lbs. with no exercise. Plus, I have more energy, need less sleep, and have eliminated the "afternoon slump" when I would really feel like a nap would be nice.

Edited for clarity.

cuddlechimp12

Congrats on finding all this out! It feels good huh?

MelodyandBarbells

Eliminate the afternoon slump, wow, I need some of what you're having!!

2wheelman

Ah, something to look forward too!

Capt_Apollo

CSJAN12014

I was bored at work today and started looking at my health and fitness progress since I started using MFP last October. I discovered what, to me, was a hidden benefit of exercising... I can eat more!

I don't mean that I can eat more calories while losing weight by doing more cardio, rather I mean that, now that I am at maintenance, my TDEE is more calories than it was 75 lbs. ago! I am eating almost 100 more calories a day to maintain 175 with exercise than I needed to maintain my 250 lbs. with no exercise. Plus, I have more energy, need less sleep, and have eliminated the "afternoon slump" when I would really feel like a nap would be nice.


I'm liking the sound of this... there's hope for us all :happy:

I agree... I've only been at it properly for 5 weeks and difference in how i feel is remarkable!!!
And i'm not getting as much sleep since i go to the gym so early, but i now sleep so well it doesn't seem to matter

It's great isn't it... should have done it years ago!!!!

chezjuan

Like!

It's funny that I never thought about it this way until now. One of my excuses before I got started was along the lines of "you only live once, so you might as well enjoy it," never thinking that I could enjoy MORE of it by exercising.

ShadeyC

Nice one