Eating exercise calories

emmascott

hey there...

Does anyone know if we are supposed to eat our gained calories from exercise?

Xxx

KarenBorter

In a word; Yes.

If you have 1200 calories given here (as an example) and you BURN (use) 600 calories exercising (as an example) that's 1200 - 600 = 600 calories consumed. If you need to consume 1200 calories to lose weight you have to replenish.

Eat a portion of your exercise calories. I eat 85%-90% depending on the day and I have lost 35 lbs since starting September 1.

Now, you are going to have people throw a bunch of stuff at you for asking this question including NO don't eat them but how can you drive a car with no gas? Your body is the same way, how can it run without fuel.

LaurenRose2011

MFP calculates in your deficit based on your height, age, weight, gender, and goal weight. That deficit is what their calculations say will lead to your desired goal weight in whichever loss increment you selected. Let's say they set you up with a 1,200 calorie deficit. That means that they are recommending that you eat 1,200 calories less than what is needed to maintain your current weight. It's also already adjusted to your calculated Basal Metabolic Rate (how much your body burns through normal daily activity). If, with a 1,200 calorie deficit, you were to eat 1,200 calories with 0 burned from exercise then you would be right on track, but if you burn, say, 800 in exercise, and only eat 1,200 then your net intake is only 400 calories. A prolonged period of eating at that level can trigger survival mode. Survival mode is the point at which your body begins to eat away at it's fat reserves, metabolism is decreased, certain organ functions are decreased, and it becomes harder to lose weight. This also is the beginning of malnourishment, and can lead to serious illness or death.
So, when MFP shows that you have, say, 300 calories remaining it's telling you that in order to reach your net caloric intake goal you need to consume that amount, or you are actually increasing your deficit and running the risk of malnourishment. I can see why people think that it's ok for them not to eat the "exercise" calories, and some people will do just fine in not doing so, but it's recommended that you eat them for good reason. The people here that are eating less than bare minimum calories may lose weight, yes, but they are walking a path as equally unhealthy as overeating. Eating less is good. Not eating enough is bad.
A calorie is a label of energy; specifically the energy required to heat 1g of H20 by 1°C. We are about 60% water on average. Let's analyse what happens to 1g of frozen H20 when we add just 35 calories. It's enough energy to take that 1g of ice and increase its temperature to 35°C which is essentially a hot summer day. That may not seem like much, but it's very important inside the body considering that we generally maintain a core temperature of 37°C. It takes A LOT of energy (calories) to maintain our body systems. That's why it is very important throughout the weight loss process to make sure your getting enough energy. If you're not then you are setting yourself up for failure.

Simple answer: Eat your "exercise calories".

emmascott

Thank you ever so much for that. It just seems odd to be eating so much! Had watched Biggest Loser UK tonight and the fitness guy was telling one team off for not eating enough which made me think. Xxx

MrOswife

I want to thank you also for clearing that up. But I have another question maybe silly but I want to be successful and make sure I'm doing the right thing. When you say eat "your exercise calories" Does that mean *You've earned 119 extra calories from exercise today? or the Net?

namcintosh

I cannot pack away that much extra food. I exercised today, had breakfast, had lunch, and i still have 905 left for the day. Am I really supposed to eat that much food today! Part of my plan is not eating after 7. No way I'm knocking down 900 calories in 3.5 hours...unless I go the cake route which is probably a bad idea.

KarenBorter

I want to thank you also for clearing that up. But I have another question maybe silly but I want to be successful and make sure I'm doing the right thing. When you say eat "your exercise calories" Does that mean *You've earned 119 extra calories from exercise today? or the Net?

If you've earned 119 calories yes, those are the ones you eat back because you've used them from your calorie bank.

EVERYONE and I do mean EVERYONE should purchase a heart rate monitor...it has been the key to my success and others here. Also a food scale but that's for another topic. For the purpose of exercise calories to consume you should be rather exact ... the estimates on this site (and gym machines) are often inflated.

LaurenRose2011

@aliceo: Yes, that's exactly what I mean. I wish that MFP would change its wording on that to "you've burned 119 extra calories that need to be replenished". The way it's worded now is quite misleading for people.

MrOswife

Thanks Guys.. That really really helped!!!

KarenBorter

I cannot pack away that much extra food. I exercised today, had breakfast, had lunch, and i still have 905 left for the day. Am I really supposed to eat that much food today! Part of my plan is not eating after 7. No way I'm knocking down 900 calories in 3.5 hours...unless I go the cake route which is probably a bad idea.

When you are exercising at a higher intensity, over time your metabolism speeds up then it doesn't matter when you eat. I normally dont' have dinner until 8:30 or sometimes 9:00 at night and go to bed about 10:30 or 11:00 ...

jkestens63

I cannot pack away that much extra food. I exercised today, had breakfast, had lunch, and i still have 905 left for the day. Am I really supposed to eat that much food today! Part of my plan is not eating after 7. No way I'm knocking down 900 calories in 3.5 hours...unless I go the cake route which is probably a bad idea.

When you are exercising at a higher intensity, over time your metabolism speeds up then it doesn't matter when you eat. I normally dont' have dinner until 8:30 or sometimes 9:00 at night and go to bed about 10:30 or 11:00 ...

I am the same, dinner is usually around 9 pm and I have a betime snack at 11:15 pm. As long as I burn more than I eat in a given day, I will lose.

emmascott

Oh my god, good job I'm only burning 200-300 off with exercise or I'd be stuffing my face all day! Lol. What sort of higher cal but low fat foods are you eating then to make up the deficit?

KarenBorter

Oh my god, good job I'm only burning 200-300 off with exercise or I'd be stuffing my face all day! Lol. What sort of higher cal but low fat foods are you eating then to make up the deficit?

You can try almond butter or peanut butter, avocado,almonds all pack high calories and are full of protein

emmascott

Thanks again... think I'll go down the almonds route as a jar of peanut butter in the house really wouldn't last 5 minutes with me ... had to put a half eaten jar in the sink with washing up liquid because I kept spooning it out !!! Thank you xxx

Ambrogio1

Wait. If you eat 1800 cals to lose 1 lb per week which is what I am and I workout and burn 400 cals I get to eat 2200 cals for that day not 1400. I just read a couple posts.

Exercise allows you to consume more for that day, the days you don't work out you have to eat at or under your recom. cals in one day
Just got a little confusing and really didn't have to

ShellzLo

TO my knowledge it's NOT good that you eat your calories earned from exercising b/c if you eat those calories your weight will continue to remain the same you would NOT have lost anything. However, when I kno I'm going to go over my allotted calories for the day I always make sure I exercise just to have those extra calories so that I have a surplus for the day. But if you ate your gained calories from exercising your gonna remain the same weight b/c it's like checks and balances they will cancel each other out. You want to be left with a credit at the end not a zero balance. I hope this has helped and I hope it makes sense. I know how I want to put it across but sometimes it doesn't come out the same way. LOL

Anana11

That would be true if your MFP calories were set to "no weight loss," but not true if you've told MFP you want to lose X lbs. per week. I know because right now, I CAN'T do aerobic exercise. I've got a sports injury that is keeping me from my normal amount of exercise (and strength training the other parts of my body is just not the same as an aerobic exercise). Per your description, I wouldn't be losing weight -- but I am. If I eat less than 1400 calories, but more than 1200, I lose weight because my body expends more than that just from living. If I eat less than 1200, my metabolism slows way down and it gets harder to lose weight. If I could exercise, I would be able to eat those calories I expended through exercise + my "just because I'm alive" calories and still lose weight. Lord willin' and the creek don't rise, I WILL be getting back to that scenario, but in the meantime, eating light is my method.

I'm not saying you have to eat back every calorie, but DO make sure to take care of your body and don't let it start thinking you're starving it. Eating calories for living (let's say 1200 calories) and eating calories for aerobic activity (however much you burn during your activity) = a happy and strong body.

nsquire67

This has really cleared up some confusion for me I have been having anywhere from 300 to 700 calories at the end of a day and now I realize why I am not losing like I should and have even picked up half of the pounds that I lost. I work out everyday and have been eating right. I was beginning to become frustrated.

carolinegeorgia

I don't eat my exercise calories, I have 1200 a day, I have lost weight every week since the beginning of Jan when I started, I won't eat for the sake of it just so I can say I've eaten the exercise calories, if I wasn't losing weight then I would get nutritional advice.
I really don't understand how it can be the same for everyone, as we are all different and have different needs!

mummum2

MFP calculates in your deficit based on your height, age, weight, gender, and goal weight. That deficit is what their calculations say will lead to your desired goal weight in whichever loss increment you selected. Let's say they set you up with a 1,200 calorie deficit. That means that they are recommending that you eat 1,200 calories less than what is needed to maintain your current weight. It's also already adjusted to your calculated Basal Metabolic Rate (how much your body burns through normal daily activity). If, with a 1,200 calorie deficit, you were to eat 1,200 calories with 0 burned from exercise then you would be right on track, but if you burn, say, 800 in exercise, and only eat 1,200 then your net intake is only 400 calories. A prolonged period of eating at that level can trigger survival mode. Survival mode is the point at which your body begins to eat away at it's fat reserves, metabolism is decreased, certain organ functions are decreased, and it becomes harder to lose weight. This also is the beginning of malnourishment, and can lead to serious illness or death.
So, when MFP shows that you have, say, 300 calories remaining it's telling you that in order to reach your net caloric intake goal you need to consume that amount, or you are actually increasing your deficit and running the risk of malnourishment. I can see why people think that it's ok for them not to eat the "exercise" calories, and some people will do just fine in not doing so, but it's recommended that you eat them for good reason. The people here that are eating less than bare minimum calories may lose weight, yes, but they are walking a path as equally unhealthy as overeating. Eating less is good. Not eating enough is bad.
A calorie is a label of energy; specifically the energy required to heat 1g of H20 by 1°C. We are about 60% water on average. Let's analyse what happens to 1g of frozen H20 when we add just 35 calories. It's enough energy to take that 1g of ice and increase its temperature to 35°C which is essentially a hot summer day. That may not seem like much, but it's very important inside the body considering that we generally maintain a core temperature of 37°C. It takes A LOT of energy (calories) to maintain our body systems. That's why it is very important throughout the weight loss process to make sure your getting enough energy. If you're not then you are setting yourself up for failure.

Simple answer: Eat your "exercise calories".

Love your reply.....thanks for sharing, giving such an excellent, clear and consist explanation that's not full of jargon! :flowerforyou:

mayburcm

I would have to say it's a case by case situation. If you exercise and feel like you don't have enough energy, then you should definitely eat the calories you have gained from your workout. I sometimes find though that 1200 calories for me is the perfect amount and if I try and make up for calories I have burned off from exercise I am just eating for the sake of eating. I would judge it on how you feel. I have been not eating the extra calories and I have managed to lose 10 lbs in January.

dragnet

OK- so I feel compelled to chime in here. The best answer is 'IT DEPENDS'

MFP calculates the energy (calories) you require based upon your current weight and activity level you enter. You tell it your weight loss goals (probably best to target 1-2 pounds/week, not more) and it deducts them from the amount required to keep you weight-stable. That is the amount of calories you are meant to eat to achieve your goals. It also (wisely, in my opinion) suggest you do not drop below 1200 calories/day.

So- if you entered a weight loss goal of 1 pound/week and it calculates you need 1500 calories to achieve this goal, and you perform about 250 calories of exercise, you DO NOT NEED to 'eat your exercise calories. You will still meet your caloric requirement, and lose an additional 1/2 pound of fat/week for your exercise effort.

On the other hand, if you set it to lose 2 pounds/week, most would recommend you not lose weight faster than that, so eating your exercise calories (or at least a reasonable percentage of them) might be appropriate. If your weight loss goal results in an estimated intake of 1200 calories before exercise, it would also be reasonable to eat at least a percentage of your exercise calories, so that you are taking in sufficient calories.

As for consuming less that 1200 calories in a day- it CAN be a very effective way to lose weight quickly, but really should be done under medical supervision (i.e. a Medifast program). Dropping below 1000-1200 calories tends to shift your metabolism towards starvation. Since getting energy from muscle is easier than getting it from fat, short-term starvation isn't usually the way you want to go, and can be dangerous. Very low calorie diets done under medical supervision usually involve laboratory monitoring and last for weeks so that your body adapts to burning fat (and preserving at least some muscle stores). In addition, it really doesn't teach you how to eat healthy and live life better, which means a high risk for rapid weight regain when you stop...

My advice- don't worry too much about it, and certainly don't force feed calories you don't need or want. I you are keeping to your calories and exercising to boot, you should be very proud of yourself!