I have a ? for people who eat their exercise calories??

binabodu

I am not opposed to eating my exercise calories but I am having a hard time most days. Some days I do because I really feel better when I can keep my net over 1200 calories but some days it is really hard. If I am eating super healthy I can almost never hit it. I know (for me) I feel better if I do but I also am having issues eating when I am not hungry because I feel like that is what got me here in the first place.

Any advice? I know there are small things that add calories like nuts but I am even finding that when I try to sneak that extra snack in, I am eating less of my meals. Are eating more fattening meals like lean ground beef instead of chicken or adding more cheese in good options?

Another thing is, last week I had a really hard time eating them, and I know I lost an extra pound than I did when I ate my exercise calories the week before BUT I felt like I had less energy. I am trying to convince myself that that extra pound wasn't worth the feeling of exhaustion but when I have so far to go it did make me a little happy to lose and extra lb.

Thanks for any advice.

QueenofCups

I go back and forth. I eat my exercise calories some days and not other days. My body seems to respond better to the zig-zag method so I never eat the same amt of calories every day. Some days I net 1100, some days I net 1600.

GooBeGone

u could try somethin like adding healthy peanut butter 2 somethin. it's pretty much 200calories a serving. or just eat a servin by itself instead of adding it 2 a piece of bread. if u eat an apple u can add it onto that.

maybe that'll help? :flowerforyou:

i don't always eat my exercise calories. 2day it's just a struggle 2 get to 1200calories b/c i'm eatin so clean. even when i add a bag of chips 2 it i still didn't net over 1200 til i added fruit. & this isn't even a workout day. lol

Jizes318

I just want to say to you that you should not think of a calorie as a BAD thing. There is a common misconception that calories are the devil etc. Eat what MFP tells you and feel free to eat your workout calories. You need the fuel and don't feel guilty. You are doing the right thing by getting in shape and eating right... I wish you so much luck.

RNewton4269

Sometimes I eat them...sometimes I don't. Calories are the fuel that keep us going...so if you are hungry I say eat them!

erickirb

Like you said eat higher fat/calorie versions of food you are eating already such as Milk, cheese, yogurt, salad dressings. Add olive oil to soups and sauces, add avocado to sandwiches and salads. Eat nut butters with you regular snacks etc.

JaneOAnderson

I feel that if I am hungry and I have the extra calories available, I will eat them. I also exercise some days just so I can eat more--especially if I am going out to a restaurant or to a house party or something. If I don't eat enough and I exercise, I can't sleep at night. Then I feel lousy the next day and end up eating in an attempt to make myself feel better. So, my recommendation is to eat to where you feel good. If you don't feel like eating, then don't. If you are hungry, then eat--Just make sure you keep eating healthy foods!

rc630

This summer when I fist started cooking for myself, I had trouble eating all of my calories because I ate a lot of "light" foods and not doing a lot of real cooking, and was eating around 800 a day, not to mention going to the gym for about 2 hours at a time and burning 400 or more calories. I lost weight, which felt great, but it wasn't healthy. I was sleepy all the time, I took a 2 hour nap each day and was going to bed early. I've found that eating enough calories is definitely more beneficial both physically and emotionally than losing weight by not eating enough.

One way I get calories and nutrition is peanut butter. Since a small amount has a lot of calories, you can eat a serving with something like an apple and not be stuffed, but still satisfied, and you get nutrition from it in the form of protein.
Cooking with olive oil also provides calories, makes food taste more flavorful, and is better for you than other cooking substances like butter. Try sauteeing veggies with olive oil and spices.

EDIT: wow in the time I took to type this, someone else made the same suggestion! haha

mama_mia3

I kinda look at my "post workout snack" as an energy filler rather than a calorie filler...for me it's a mind game. I've been struggling myself eating all of my calories even without my workout cals added back in. I'm not eating junk during my meals by any means and what I have been eating is conciderable low calorie meals. Friends and MFP are telling me to eat more, but I know exactly what you mean by some days you just can't!! But if I try to think of it as an energy intake rather than a calorie intake I can always muster to eat a handful of almonds or a cup of yogurt inbetween meals or after a workout. Who doesn't want extra energy?! So that's what I've been doing lately. Mind over matter.

dlaplume2

I think you need to listen to your body. If you are feeling tired and sluggish that means you need them. I go through the same thing. I think I need to get better about eating earlier in the day. I hold off in case I don't work out but then I have too many calories left in the evening. I was slacking and let myself go under 1200 and I saw my weight loss slow down. Yesterday afternoon I did have some almonds and I did ok with calories. I also think I need to stop worrying so much about the extra little calories. I was eating my breakfast sandwich w/o butter, why?? At the end of the day I needed more calories. Look for things like that, that you may be omitting unncessarily.

Best of luck.

polo571

How often do you weigh yourself and how often do you think about this stressing you out? If its daily on both accounts its too much. Its about getting healthy and yes the scale is a awesome tool but doesnt always be the main indicator. Do you do measurements? Are you always over on sodium and short on water? Weight is a funny thing.

LorinaLynn

I do better when I eat bigger meals for breakfast and lunch, so I'm not trying to cram all my extra calories at the end of the day. And I like to have a glass of chocolate milk at bedtime, so there's 150-ish calories.

ethel64

I go back and forth. I eat my exercise calories some days and not other days. My body seems to respond better to the zig-zag method so I never eat the same amt of calories every day. Some days I net 1100, some days I net 1600.

im exactly the same, i know the extra calories are there if i want them but i dont always use them, i really think its whatever works for you personally, only you know the way your body reacts with them or not......just my opinion..

binabodu

How often do you weigh yourself and how often do you think about this stressing you out? If its daily on both accounts its too much. Its about getting healthy and yes the scale is a awesome tool but doesnt always be the main indicator. Do you do measurements? Are you always over on sodium and short on water? Weight is a funny thing.

I usually only weigh once a week (Wednesday) but I hopped on the scale on Saturday and was down 3lbs since the prior Wednesday. It is stressing me out daily to "reach" 1200 net calories. I have read so many posts on here about the "debate" and "starvation mode" and horror stories that is has me freaked out. Then on top of that I was feeling less energetic that the previous week so I put two and two together. I do measure every 15 days, and am doing great on measurements. I drink 96+ ounces of water a day, I do go over sodium some days, but not most. I am still learning, it's been a little less than 6 weeks. I know I am thinking about this to much, but I can't stop!!

binabodu

Like you said eat higher fat/calorie versions of food you are eating already such as Milk, cheese, yogurt, salad dressings. Add olive oil to soups and sauces, add avocado to sandwiches and salads. Eat nut butters with you regular snacks etc.

Ok thanks, I wasn't sure if this was a healthy option. I can add olive oil to veggies or sauces instead of trying not to have it. I just didn't know if this was still "healthy" or if I needed to just have more fruit & veggies that seems impossible to me.

Thank you everybody. I know everyone is different! I think eating a net of 1200 is best for me but just having a hard time doing it. I am still working out 7 days a week so it seems like a daily battle!

DHalaby73

I usually eat a little more then my 1200 calories on my exercise days but never eat the whole amount..I find that I feel better when I do also...but then there's times when I can't...I never force myself to eat more I just make sure I eat 5-6 small meals a day and that's it..

erickirb

Like you said eat higher fat/calorie versions of food you are eating already such as Milk, cheese, yogurt, salad dressings. Add olive oil to soups and sauces, add avocado to sandwiches and salads. Eat nut butters with you regular snacks etc.

Ok thanks, I wasn't sure if this was a healthy option. I can add olive oil to veggies or sauces instead of trying not to have it. I just didn't know if this was still "healthy" or if I needed to just have more fruit & veggies that seems impossible to me.

Thank you everybody. I know everyone is different! I think eating a net of 1200 is best for me but just having a hard time doing it. I am still working out 7 days a week so it seems like a daily battle!

For some reason in the 1950's or 60's fat got a bad rap. But if fat comes from the right sources it is healthy and essential. A balanced diet consist of fat ranging from 20-35% of total calories

jewelzz

Ugggg,for me its so hard to eat back calories burned i would have to eat 2,000plus on most days and I cant do it.Im more hungry on the days I dont work out than on the days I do.Such a tricky thing.

givprayz

I find all it usually takes to add in calories is a serving of grains, brown rice in quinoa, and the numbers are there. I am sometimes under 1200 net calories, but not often. I don't stress over those low days, and I try not to stress over the days that I go over some, but that is harder for some people than others. This is a learning journey, so like someone else said, try to think about calories as fuel, a neutral concept, and then do as your body tells you to do regarding them.
Good luck.

stormieweather

Your body needs fat! The problem with modern diets of fast food, restaurant and processed foods is that there are unhealthy levels in them.

But if you add a small amount of healthy fat to your diet, thats a good thing (and adds necessary calories). Healthy fats are things like olive oil, coconut oil, almonds, peanut butter, dairy products, lean beef, yogurts, etc.

ShrinkinMel

Isn't it weird the days you eat super healthy you don't feel as hungry or like you can't reach your target? Just shows how much more filling REAL food is over processed or junk foods.

GURLEY_GIRL3

Isn't it weird the days you eat super healthy you don't feel as hungry or like you can't reach your target? Just shows how much more filling REAL food is over processed or junk foods.

THIS IS TRUE FOR ME...U COULDNT SIT DOWN AND EAT A WHOLE BAG OF CARROTS OR APPLES BUT U CAN A BAG OF CHIPS OR COOKIES!!

Vixxta

I am so glad to know I'm not the only one who thinks about all these things too much. I'm struggling with a 2-week plateau right now and am freaking out about it. I'm starting to think maybe I should work out less, so I don't have so many calories to worry about. I changed my goals yesterday to try to shake things up...but I know that I am leading with my anxiety and nothing else. OK, as soon as I finish this I'm going to go back and change my goal again. See what I'm talking about?!!! I do like the idea of using more olive oil and such. Dieters are brainwashed into thinking that low-fat is the only way.

Denziee

pint of milk!!! takes up some calories and ensures you get your calcium intake too. I have a half a pint with my dinner everyday and some throughout in teas and coffees.

taletreader

I think of it more as eating slightly more on days I'm very active, and slightly less when I'm sedentary. Adaptation, if you will.

It's so easy to misestimate exercise calories, so precise adherence isn't necessary if you aren't a bodybuilder. What are warning signs for me is the entire "eating while not hungry" thing. I eat 1300-1500 cals/day (I don't want to go for too restrictive deficits and have been losing close to 2 lbs/week nonetheless) and while I'm not hungry as a rule, I *am* hungry before mealtime! Not ravenous, except if I have a very small lunch & am saving calories for a special occasion dinner, but noticeably "I should and could eat a good meal now". If you're eating real food (not tricking yourself with empty, low-cal special versions of food, but regular (whole) bread, rice, pasta, vegetables, meat, dairy (2% milk or whatever)) then you should experience hunger for a little while before mealtime.

This weight loss has also taught me the difference between hunger and cravings, which I consider a great plus.

heatherfrancis

Oh my gosh I think it is crazy that there are people struggling to eat their exercise calories. I am hungry all the time and usually ready to eat something every 2-3 hours. I hardly ever am able to not eat my exercise calories. In fact I try to do extra stuff during the day just so I can eat more food at night.( my hungriest time of day) Example: last night I was still hungry an hour after supper and knew I only had 200 calories left before bed (10:30pm) and it was only 6:30, so I cleaned and rearranged furniture in 2 rooms of my house, just to get a few more calories and to get my mind off snacking. it worked I guess, but I did end up eating all my exercise calories before bed. If I dont eat enough I wake at night and need to eat something.
I usually burn 500-700 calories 6 days a week training for my half marathon and usually eat them all and sometimes go over a bit. I am probably awake too long in 1 day and that is why it is so hard for me.
I am glad that I found MFP though because I am much more aware of what I have put into my body and think twice about eating a couple servings of pizza when we order out.