Eat or Not Eat????

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lisamaria63
lisamaria63 Posts: 49
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm confused! I just finished reading that if you leave your exercise calories that is HOW you lose the weight! Now I read to eat them.. HMMMM... Help for another frustrated person!
Could use friends for support and advise please add me if you want to help!

Replies

  • dragonbug300
    dragonbug300 Posts: 760 Member
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    Don't stress too much over it. Calories are just energy. If you workout and earn a deficit, listen to your body. Are you hungry? If so, have a snack and move on. If not hungry, then don't eat--that'd just be forcing your body to adjust to more food than it's asking for, which won't help you in the end.
  • amuhlou
    amuhlou Posts: 693 Member
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    you shouldn't need to leave your exercise calories. your weekly goal (1lb per week etc) is assuming you don't exercise at all. so even if you didn't exercise once but still met your calorie goal each day you'd lose the goal amount per week.

    as long as you're eating at least 1200 calories, my advice would be if you're hungry, eat the exercise calories. if not, don't
  • bonnienm
    bonnienm Posts: 329 Member
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    You'll get lots of advice on this. I ate all or at least part of mine when I was dieting so that my body didn't go into starvation mode and it worked great for me. Also, that's sometimes the only way you can eat supper if you've eaten a higher calorie lunch or treat:).
  • exacerbe
    exacerbe Posts: 447 Member
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    If you are already cutting back on calories, eat your earned exercise calories.
  • sallyLunn
    sallyLunn Posts: 381
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    The only reason I exercise is so I CAN eat. (ok, that's not the only reason.)
  • Bzbear2
    Bzbear2 Posts: 109
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    The only reason I exercise is so I CAN eat. (ok, that's not the only reason.)

    haha! Yes, that is also one of my biggest motivations

    cause let's be honest - 1300 calories so so liiiiiiitle. Even when eating healthy stuff!!
  • hotpickles
    hotpickles Posts: 639 Member
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    My theory is if you are hungry, eat. If you are not, don't.

    L.
  • polo571
    polo571 Posts: 708 Member
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    What works for me is I drink 16 ounes of water if im hungry. After 20 minutes if im still hungry I eat. Lots of times we mistake thirst with hunger.
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
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    I'm confused! I just finished reading that if you leave your exercise calories that is HOW you lose the weight! Now I read to eat them.. HMMMM... Help for another frustrated person!
    Could use friends for support and advise please add me if you want to help!
    The site is based on the fact you eat them to lose weight some have success with it some dont..most pretty much figure out what works for them for me its been 1200-1400 cals walk/jog 4miles a day ...and not eating them back....Ive lost a good amount of weight that way..some also eat just a portion of them....listen to your body and make wise choices...im a firm believer whichever you choose you can have success but try not to make it a "workout to eat" thing ..i think it may lead to bad choices...we dont earn food ..we need it to survive and should try to eat accordingly and enjoy a few good things along the way without having the guilt or stress of having to jog 30min to "earn"it. good luck! If your hungry EAT! and feel good about it...
  • cheriefes
    cheriefes Posts: 8 Member
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    Myastyme, I agree with your comments, and love your quotes at the end.. Be kinder than necessary,for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle" I have not figured out my balance yet with calories, but with all of your help, I hope to make progress. I watched what I ate all week and worked out, I have gone up and down, still looking for the weight I started, okay, I would like to move below that!
  • Bzbear2
    Bzbear2 Posts: 109
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    but try not to make it a "workout to eat" thing ..i think it may lead to bad choices...we dont earn food ..we need it to survive and should try to eat accordingly and enjoy a few good things along the way without having the guilt or stress of having to jog 30min to "earn"it.

    I think this is much easier said than done. I think it's a really healthy strategy to know that, hey, if I want to have some more indulgent stuff tonight - I better hit the gym! Then It's OK, ya know? At least for me personally, I know that will lead to a healthier lifestyle.

    But as you say - everyone needs to figure out what works for them.
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
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    Myastyme, I agree with your comments, and love your quotes at the end.. Be kinder than necessary,for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle" I have not figured out my balance yet with calories, but with all of your help, I hope to make progress. I watched what I ate all week and worked out, I have gone up and down, still looking for the weight I started, okay, I would like to move below that!
    You can do it just really pay attention to those portions and for me it was the sodium in the beginning. I wasnt watching it much and I had to stop eating after 8pm..Good Luck ion 2011
  • jennylynn84
    jennylynn84 Posts: 659
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    You should eat them. Especially if you, like most people, are set on the minimum 1200 calories.

    1200 NET calories is the minimum suggested. Now, if you're like me and don't have a heart rate monitor to judge exactly how many calories you're burning working out, you can maybe keep it to around 2/3 of the calories you eat back.

    The thing is, whether you consider it exercise or higher activity level lifestyle your body needs fuel to burn. MFP has already allotted a deficit for you in your calorie goal so you don't have to avoid your exercise calories to have more calories out than in.

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