Eating exercise cals...

msblondy16

I also posted this under the newbies post but I am hoping for more responses by making it a new topic. I apologize profusely for going over this again. I have read the other posts numerous times, but I am at my whits end... :blushing:

If I do not eat my exercise calories, will it be harder for me to lose weight? I spend about 2 hours at the gym every day and have a really hard time eating all of my cals. Plus I have it set in my head that I cannot cannot cannot go over 1200 a day, not including exercise. I have access to literature sites and everything but do not have time to do all the research because I need to spend my time on PubMed looking for research for what I do! Banks, could I have the names/authors of some of the best articles you read?

Does anyone have advice for me? I am terrified to gain weight and just want to lose what I have. At the same time, I do not want to wreck my body. I know that eating your exercise cals must work because so many people have had success on this site, but I have struggled with eating disorders in the past so I kind of have a warped mentality about food and calories.

Thank you, and sorry for asking this dumb question. I just need some direct answers and some scientific research to back everything up! :flowerforyou:

msblondy16

I also posted this under the newbies post but I am hoping for more responses by making it a new topic. I apologize profusely for going over this again. I have read the other posts numerous times, but I am at my whits end... :blushing:

If I do not eat my exercise calories, will it be harder for me to lose weight? I spend about 2 hours at the gym every day and have a really hard time eating all of my cals. Plus I have it set in my head that I cannot cannot cannot go over 1200 a day, not including exercise. I have access to literature sites and everything but do not have time to do all the research because I need to spend my time on PubMed looking for research for what I do! Banks, could I have the names/authors of some of the best articles you read?

Does anyone have advice for me? I am terrified to gain weight and just want to lose what I have. At the same time, I do not want to wreck my body. I know that eating your exercise cals must work because so many people have had success on this site, but I have struggled with eating disorders in the past so I kind of have a warped mentality about food and calories.

Thank you, and sorry for asking this dumb question. I just need some direct answers and some scientific research to back everything up! :flowerforyou:

Fab140

It's a pretty general question around here and here's your answer:

YES YES YES!! Go here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6556-the-answers-to-the-questions

Poison5119

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

Read this and then decide for yourself. There are a few (and I do mean a few) people who don't eat their exercise cals because it really does make them GAIN. But the majority of us are in the other column.

I didn't know if I was eating enough cals or over-exercising it until I plateaued and stopped losing. The moment I started going a little OVER my cals, I began losing again.

ChubbyBunny

Okay, first....don't take this wrong....

You kinda need to chill....relax....if you gain a smidge here and there...you'll be okay. As a matter of fact, it's kinda expected for some when they start to mess around with their calories, workouts, etc.

Also, are you SURE you are only supposed to be eating 1200 calories? That is extremely low for how little you have to lose. I mean, I have a ton to lose and I am not supposed to be below 1500 for my body to function correctly. You HAVE to eat what your body needs to KNOW it's not starving or it will hold onto EVERYTHING you consume.

You need to re-evaluate your minset. That is a huge factor with MFP and will help you not....obsess so much about it.

Sorry if that seems harsh... I hope you reach your goals....in a healthy way.

allaboutme

try to remember slow and steady wins the race. I took me a while to realize I had to stop looking for instant overnight results and do this the right way, calories in, exercise out. When you go below your BMR calories, whether with exercise or just restricting your food, you are hurting your efforts to make yourself healty and slim. It is one more day that your body has to try to straighten out your metabolism. Your body needs to know it will get enough food through calories every day consistently to survive, before it will start letting go of your stored fat, when calories are all over the place, it never knows when it will need its reserve fuel. This takes a while. If you keep feeding it less than it needs to live, it will keep holding on to your fat stores in case you stop feeding it all together. It is like your metabolism has a mind of its own.

Besides all that, it is really nice to be able to eat all day and not feel hungry and know, slowly but surely you are doing it the right way and it is coming off for good. Even if you can't see it immediately it is happening and you are losing, keep repeating that

Fab140

Banks, could I have the names/authors of some of the best articles you read?

I'm sorry, sweetie, but Banks left.....

DjBliss05

Are you working with anyone to deal with your past eatting disorder issues?

If you have your mind set on not eatting above 1200 cals, and it sounds like you do, then you are going to have a hard time eatting in a healthy way without changing that mindset.

How much are you looking to lose and what weight are you at right now?

You may only need to be working to maintain your weight if you are at a healthy weight right now. It definitely sounds like you will need to eat more than you are allowing yourself to eat right now in order to keep your body out of starvation mode.