I am confused

katrinavw

I know there's many topics about this already but... as a 19 year old who is bad at math, i'm still confused...


Eating your exercise calories.


Here's my scenario:

I weigh 188. I have my calorie intake set to 1,200, loose 2 pounds per week. I have my exercise goal set to 35 minutes a day, 4 days a week.

After 35 minutes of exercising, I burn about 300-350 calories. Now, my daily calorie goal is 1,430 something like that.

Should I eat my extra calories so that i've eaten a total of 1,430 calories that day?

I'm TOTALLY new at this and just really confused. I've been on this site for a week and have been eating 1,200 exact give or take a few calories.

sallyLunn

Eat them.

KaeChelle

The 1200 calorie setting you have already includes a deficit in order for you to lose 2 pounds a week, so yes, according to how this site is set up, you are supposed to eat your exercise calories. Some people do not eat them. You have to find what works for you.

h_eloise86

Eat at least a portion of them, if you are not hungry enough to eat them all.

Jay_83

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6556-the-answers-to-the-questions

Atmosa

Yes, you are supposed to eat the extra calories. The "daily allowance" of 1200 if based on the fact that you do no exercise that day. If you do exercise, you will burn more calories, and hence need to eat a little more. It's recommended that you eat the extra calories so that you don't lose weight too quickly, which can be unhealthy.

Angiepackmom4

I don't always eat all of my exercise calories but love that they are available when I get hungry. So yes if you are hungry I would use them.

ninja250

I had the same question last week when i started on MFP. I think its mostly up to you.

The calories you are supposed to eat without exercise (1200) is for your daily activities including walking around school, work, etc.
if you exercise, your calories go up because you are burning the calories that were supposed to be for your daily activities. U know what i mean?
if you eat those extra calories, you are making up for the calories you took away from daily activities and you will still get the amount of calories you need to keep your body healthy and still lose weight.
does this make sense? lol. i did my best to explain (english is my 2nd language)

so I would eat them. just make sure you don't go over your calories. i usually try to have like 100 calories left at the end of the day.

katrinavw

Thanks for the help everyone! :D I appreciate it. Don't wanna wander off into starvation mode, I wanna do this right haha

4lafz

We are pretty close in weight - although I am older! I exercise about 90+ mins a day and burn anywhere from 425-800. I usually eat some of my exercise calories which is why I work out - 1200 is just too little for me to live on! I always leave some on the table - just for error rate. How many you leave behind is up to you. Seems to work for me - I am 27 lbs down now! Good luck

sallyLunn

Not to sound like your mother or anything, I think that, since your deficit is set so that you loose 2 pounds per week, you should eat them.

sgcamarillo

Yes, eat up to your calorie allowance. That allowance changes based on exercise - the point being you don't want to have too much of a calorie deficit. If you limit your calorie intake and then exercise, you are not getting enough food to support healthy weight loss.

Example: My BMR is 1500 calories a day - that is the amount I need to take in to maintain my current weight. I want to lose a pound per week, so I am cutting to 1200 calories a day. So I eat 1200 calories today. But then I exercise away 300 calories. Now my body really only has 900 calories to work with for the day. So I am 600 calories down for my BMR of 1500. I need to eat that extra 300 to get back up to 1200 calories for the day and maintain a healthy rate of weight loss. Then my "Net" caloric intake will be at 1200. [eaten calories-exercise calories=1200)

If you eat to your Net calories, you will not be starving yourself and will increase your chance of success. Good luck!

TabiHerbalifeCoach

There are those that say eat them always, they are some that say no. But everyone I have come across agrees if you are already eating the bare min of 1200 then eat your work out cal's back. I take in 1577 cals a day, and unless I have an insane work out day and burn a ton of calories i don't eat mine back, but eating at 1200 you're already soooo low that it would be unhealthy not to eat them back so yes eat the 1430 or whatever it adds up to be.

HealthyChanges2010

Thanks for the help everyone! :D I appreciate it. Don't wanna wander off into starvation mode, I wanna do this right haha

Good for you for asking!! ...and listening to the wise comments! :drinker: Yea you definitely wanna start out right and not eat too little, it can be just as bad as someone eating too much.

Balance is the key in success.

Btw...welcome to the site:flowerforyou:

Steelytop

This question is asked often. Some say yes and some say no. I like the link above. However, I don't usually eat my extra calories. I think the most I've ever done is eat 200 - 300 of them. It's nice to know I can eat them if I want to. I feel healthy as a horse compared to just 2 1/2 months ago. I don't feel like I can do ANY exercise without much effort yet. That'll come when I hit my target weight. It always has before. Eventually, you're walking up hills and stairs like they're going out of style. I'm not training for any upcoming events other than fitting into smaller sizes and all the healthy benefits that come from being your ideal weight vs. morbidly obese as I was before.

I don't feel tired every day. I almost always hit 1500 calories though. Every once in awhile when I'm not feeling hungry I'll hover about 1250 or 1350 or so. And sometimes I'll go 200 - 300 over on a big meal. But only on days where I've exercised and have a deficit going. A real one. My day is considered sedentary until I add the hour of exercise. I'm not burning much outside of my exercise is what I mean, certainly not what the average person does. I feel great. In many ways I feel like I've already hit my total goal but I'm not even close yet.