Should you REALLY eat those exercise calories?

ugogirl1234

Give the girl a break, you guys. She didin't write the article. Keep in mind, everyone is different and their approaches to weight loss may not be the same. My goal is 1200 per day. I ran on the treadmill at the highest incline. This brought my HR up to the Max (165). There are formulas you can use to calculate your HR, your age, and the duration of your activity to give you a pretty decent number. When I run 40 minutes on the treadmill at max HR I burn over 400 calories. I DO NOT USE THE EXERCISE TOOL!


Now looking at my numbers, I have to eat 800 calories. I can't do that, I have not done that and I am losing 1.2 lbs a week.

cupcakelover103

As a general rule i eat my exercise calories back, and i've lost almost 10 lbs in a month. This is what works for me not only physically but mentally. Some, well most days I find it hard to eat only 1,200 cals a day. But, if i exercise and burn around 300 I can have 1,500 and this is what keeps me in the game. I find it so much more sustainable, and this is why i've been able to keep with it.
But, i'd say do what works for you. I feel like this issue has been so overcomplicated. Days here and there of not eating your exercise calories is fine, days when you do eat them, that's fine too. If your NOT hungry and have 500 exercise calories left DONT sit there trying to eat 500 calories! It takes a while for your body to go into 'starvation mode'.

runningneo122

I have eaten all my exercise cals (based on my HRM) and am steadily losing 2 pounds a week like clockwork. Joined MFP 01/03/11 and have lost 8 pounds in the first 4 weeks. Not all trainers are as well versed in the body chemistry as they have you believe. I worked with a personal trainer in the past and didn't lose very much at all. She pushed me, even if she was my girlfriend. Workout time all bets were off.

Read these:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/9433-expectations

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/777-why-is-starvation-mode-so-bad

I joined this site on January 11th and I have lost 8 pounds and I havent been eating my exercise calories back!! and Im not losing muscle Im gaining it!!

Good for you. Every eating/exercise strategy has a limit to it's viability. I dropped my first 45 pounds just cooking my own meals and watching my portions. Then I plateaued. I started running and built up to 4 miles a day. Eating the same things(pizza, B & G, waffles w/ maple syrup, etc.) I was dropping 2 pounds a week. I was not counting calories or eating anything clean... hardly any veggies or fruit. Injuries sidelined me and now I'm back and losing 2 a week again eating clean. This will lead to a plateau when I reach 18 - 20% BF. I'll have to adjust my strategy again to go leaner. Just b/c it is working for you now doesn't mean it will get you to your goal. Expect to make changes is what I'm trying to say. You might see bigger losses if you ate more exer cals. All the books I have read say to eat at least a portion of the exer cals if not all of them.

Can anyone reading this cite a reliable source that says eat NONE of your exer cals? I have yet to hear of one. I am open-minded enough to at least consider it rather than dismiss it out of hand.

rosita76

I just want to know what ever happened to the simple fact that you have to burn more calories than you take in, in order to lose weight?? I'm thinking that I need to be in a deficit of 3500 calories to lose One pound....I'll stick to that since its been working thus far.

Best of luck everyone!

Mrs_McFadden

Hmm. My bodymedia monitor says I burned 400 something calories when I jogged earlier...I'm going with that~
Half the people say "nooo don't eat exercise calories" "yes eat them!".
I think I'll split the difference. I'm already at a calorie deficit just from my calorie logging..I will not be consuming all of my 'extra' calories but I won't completely leave them alone all of the time either.

poisongirl6485

If you're eating your maintenance calories and exercising on top, don't eat your exercise calories. If you're calculating your weight loss before adding in exercise, i.e. you're in a calorie deficit and will lose weight even if you don't exercise, you can eat your exercise calories.

This makes sense to me. The goal MFP creates already includes a deficit calculated based off your BMR so, based on the math, you'd lose weight just by sticking to that calorie goal. Burning off more while exercising is in addition to the deficit already established.

FaeFae

I have eaten all my exercise cals (based on my HRM) and am steadily losing 2 pounds a week like clockwork. Joined MFP 01/03/11 and have lost 8 pounds in the first 4 weeks. Not all trainers are as well versed in the body chemistry as they have you believe. I worked with a personal trainer in the past and didn't lose very much at all. She pushed me, even if she was my girlfriend. Workout time all bets were off.

Read these:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/9433-expectations

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/777-why-is-starvation-mode-so-bad

I joined this site on January 11th and I have lost 8 pounds and I havent been eating my exercise calories back!! and Im not losing muscle Im gaining it!!

Good for you. Every eating/exercise strategy has a limit to it's viability. I dropped my first 45 pounds just cooking my own meals and watching my portions. Then I plateaued. I started running and built up to 4 miles a day. Eating the same things(pizza, B & G, waffles w/ maple syrup, etc.) I was dropping 2 pounds a week. I was not counting calories or eating anything clean... hardly any veggies or fruit. Injuries sidelined me and now I'm back and losing 2 a week again eating clean. This will lead to a plateau when I reach 18 - 20% BF. I'll have to adjust my strategy again to go leaner. Just b/c it is working for you now doesn't mean it will get you to your goal. Expect to make changes is what I'm trying to say. You might see bigger losses if you ate more exer cals. All the books I have read say to eat at least a portion of the exer cals if not all of them.

Can anyone reading this cite a reliable source that says eat NONE of your exer cals? I have yet to hear of one. I am open-minded enough to at least consider it rather than dismiss it out of hand.

to each their own!!! I think whatever everyone is comfortable with as long as they are not starving is what they should be doing!! I do realize that things will have to change eventually for me, its not my first time trying to lose weight. Ive tried the wrong ways the right ways and everything in between. I know often you have to trick your body. So if you are eating a lot of the same foods and doing the same workouts at some point its good to switch it up!!

ColeyCannoli

Thank you for this!

Everyone's body is different. I have a pretty low metabolism anyway and eating my exercise calories never helped me lose anything. I find I'm just as full and satisfied if I don't force extra food down cause the chart says so.

I also agree the MFP really over-estimates calories burned sometimes.

runningneo122

Thank you for this!

Everyone's body is different. I have a pretty low metabolism anyway and eating my exercise calories never helped me lose anything. I find I'm just as full and satisfied if I don't force extra food down cause the chart says so.

I also agree the MFP really over-estimates calories burned sometimes.

Did you read the 700 cals a day and not losing? That is all about SLOW metabolism. Good luck with your journey!!

Laceylala

Who knows what is "right and wrong" in regards to exercise cals and eating them back. It sure seems as though may people on MFP have lost weight eating them all back. And there are some on here who also seem to lose not eating them.


For myself, this just reiterates the need to get a bodybugg or one of the other ones that estimates total cals burned, etc for the whole day.

halobender

no. you burnt 300. it was just done by working out and not sitting on your *kitten*. its that simple

No.