Eating the exercise points...

Ree_Chatelain
Ree_Chatelain Posts: 229 Member
edited September 26 in Health and Weight Loss
I have not yet done this and the thought of eating what I just worked so hard to burn scares me. But after reading so many posts about why you should eat them. I'm going to give it a try. I've been dieting for a few years now and i've lost 120lbs, after a few month plateau a friend convinced me to start counting calories instead of WW. It was amazing at first since Jan I've lost 17lbs but the past few weigh in it has gone from the 1-2 lbs a week to just a 1/2 if that. When I started using MFP I realized that I had been staying to far under the 1200 I was supposed to eat and once I upped that I started losing a little better. I'm hoping to see a difference if I start eating the exercise points too. But i'm still nervous..

Replies

  • I hear you! It's almost compulsive, but I keep searching for someone to argue in the negative rather than the affirmative in that one! :P I mean, it all makes sense, but you're right; why do I want to eat everything I just work so hard to work away? Anywho, I'm glad you've found it better to count calories and that you're seeing results! I've only been at this for a little over a week, now. Haven't had the opportunity to weigh in again, but am looking forward to it the Sunday after next! I'm hoping I start seeing the results you've enjoyed!

    Best of luck on this journey and enjoy those calories! You've earned them! *^_^*
  • menchi
    menchi Posts: 297 Member
    I've eaten all my exercise cals back and it works fine. Think of the hard workout as a means to lose fat rather than to lose weight. Plus, you want to exchange the fat for muscle which will burn more calories for you all day long, not just during your workout. The main reason you eat the exercise cals is to make sure you are building those muscles. Hope that helps!
  • Ree_Chatelain
    Ree_Chatelain Posts: 229 Member
    That's a very good way to look at it. Thanks =)
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    Thank you for posting this!!! I was just thinking how I am scared to eat my exercise calories. I have been pretty stagnant for a couple of weeks now and am not sure if this is a plateau or what, but whatever I was doing is not working now. I am so afraid to eat MORE for fear of gaining. I have worked so hard and will be devastated if I gain! To make matters worse, I am stuck traveling for work and will have no access to a scale until the end of the week when I get home to see what eating more did to my weight.

    I just wanted you to know I feel your pain!
  • Daisy_May
    Daisy_May Posts: 505 Member
    I decided to try this starting today as well, I am so scared that I'm going to step on the scale tomorrow and have gained!
  • MaryW1962
    MaryW1962 Posts: 23
    Hi, I know what you mean. I just started Friday on MFP and I haven't been eating my workout calories either. It just seems that would be an awful lot of calories. I'm going to finish this week out like I've been doing and see what happens. I might up my calories if it looks like I'm not loosing weight. Good Luck!
  • amysambora
    amysambora Posts: 219
    You guys are thinking about this all wrong. Had you not made any changes to your diet beforehand, then yes, if you ate your exercise calories you would be undoing your hard work and putting yourself back at square one. But you're already restricting your calories to 1200 - that on it's own is all you need to do to lose weight. However, exercise is important for a strong, healthy body - therefore if you exercise, you take your net calorie intake to BELOW 1200, which is not recommended. That's why you eat back what you burned, so that your net intake is as close to 1200 as possible. Remember, you are already eating less! Even with eating exercise calories, you're still eating less. You've just gotta get your mind around it.
  • Ree_Chatelain
    Ree_Chatelain Posts: 229 Member
    You guys are thinking about this all wrong. Had you not made any changes to your diet beforehand, then yes, if you ate your exercise calories you would be undoing your hard work and putting yourself back at square one. But you're already restricting your calories to 1200 - that on it's own is all you need to do to lose weight. However, exercise is important for a strong, healthy body - therefore if you exercise, you take your net calorie intake to BELOW 1200, which is not recommended. That's why you eat back what you burned, so that your net intake is as close to 1200 as possible. Remember, you are already eating less! Even with eating exercise calories, you're still eating less. You've just gotta get your mind around it.

    Amy you are exactly right, it's the wrapping my mind around it that i've been having a problem with. But one of the posts I read this weekend made it click. When it was broken down very simply: if you eat 1200 and work off 600 then your body only has 600 calories to work with and that isn't enough. Put that simply it clicked for me.
  • amysambora
    amysambora Posts: 219
    That's a great way to think of it! Good luck :)
This discussion has been closed.