Exercice calories - do they help?

milliondays

I'm 52, 5'5, about 130 pounds. Stopped weighing myself for a while.

I've been exercising for a very long time, but only recently joined a gym, and now I exercice harder.

I used to never count exercice calories. Now that I do (I cheat, and use less than the luxurious numbers from MFP) I'm less hungry, and the occasional overeating doesn't faze me as much. Don't think I've gained, but it's hard to tell.

Here's my question : has anyone notice that using exercice calories help on a physical and emotional level, as opposed to exercising without using the extra exercice calories?

ana3067

You're supposed to eat back 50-75% of logged cals if you use MFP net method. If you use TDEE method then that number includes your average weekly exercise in there so yu'd not log exercise.

It's a good idea to eat them back. This will be much better for your body and probably for your mind and emotions. I am crankier now in my mild/moderate deficit, it's worse when I am hungry. I can't imagine how I'd feel if I had just estimated my non-exercise activity and didn't eat more to compensate for exercise!

Liftng4Lis

If you're hungry, then you're not productive. Most people eat back half their calories from exercise, (I haven't yet but they're there if I need them). For me, the exercising itself helps on an emotional level, as it helps eliminate stress.

RobinvdM

I have always been a huge fan of eating back 75% of my workout calories. I would prefer to eat more, but since the calorie burn is an estimate, I may as well not eat 100%. Lately I have been not eating enough and it shows. I find myself snapping more than I usually do. Besides - look into your TDEE. Your body needs fuel if you are making it work harder, why deny it what it needs? It will improve your mood and your body.

rosebette

Because I'm at 1200 a day, I eat all of mine back. If I don't, I get very hungry and irritable, sometimes even have a migraine like headache. Some folks don't eat them back or eat only half back. I use the MFP estimates, which I don't find excessively high -- 90 calories for a 30 minute walk is like what -- a lowfat yogurt or a large apple -- not a big deal.

onefortyone

I only exercise so I can eat more. Sure, there's side effects like cardiovascular fitness, reaching athletic goals & getting stronger and faster. But I'm mainly in it for the eating.

milliondays

Thanks for the answers! I do feel better when I eat back at least some of those calories. I'll just have to wait & see what kind of results I can get that way.

Kalikel

Eating up and down to the number is not for me. It makes me go hungry some days and stuff in food that I don't want on other days.

When I'm hungrier, I eat more. When I'm less hungry, I eat less.

Walking and the gym never made me hungrier, but loads of swimming will do it every time!

Do what you want, see how it works. If it works, yay! If not, switch it up a bit.

It's all about you and your happiness!

stackhsc

when i first started i exercised mainly so i could eat more, now that i am not cutting back as hard i tend to not need them to feel full. i eat some of them back but rarely all of them. i suspect its different for everyone based on how much they are restricted to begin with.

kristydi

I only exercise so I can eat more. Sure, there's side effects like cardiovascular fitness, reaching athletic goals & getting stronger and faster. But I'm mainly in it for the eating.

This, so so much this.