Exercise Calories??

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DSteele83
DSteele83 Posts: 7
in Health and Weight Loss
My exercise calories are going to be through the roof today, as I have already worked out once this morning and I'm getting ready to take my little one swimming, and I still have Zumba tonight. I normally try to eat dinner before I go and have a small snack when I get home. Do I need to eat all of my exercise calories back? I am having a hard time finding a balance.

Any advice help is greatly appreciated!!!!:smile:
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Replies

  • Purplebunnysarah
    Purplebunnysarah Posts: 3,252 Member
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    On huuuge burn days try to eat as many as you can and try to net at least 1200. Don't eat low fat stuff... go for the full fat variety but make sure it's still unprocessed (or minimally processed) good, healthy food. Add in some nuts, some avocado, some cheese. Use oil when cooking. Every little bit adds up!
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
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    If you still have 86 pounds to go, then I wouldn't worry to much about it. Maybe try and net 1200, but I lost the bulk of my weight with huge deficits. It wasn't until I got closer to my goal that eating them back became vital. HTH!
  • stanvoodoo
    stanvoodoo Posts: 1,023 Member
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    Agree, just try stay close to 1200 net, alittle low is ok if only 1 day.

    Aim for high protein foods, stay away from sodium and simple carbs.

    Make sure you get in LOTS of water to rehydrate!

    Congrats on such a great burn!
  • earthnut
    earthnut Posts: 216 Member
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    I try not to eat any exercise calories.
  • momcindy
    momcindy Posts: 194 Member
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    The exercise calories confuse me. I thought the idea was to burn more calories through exercise to lose weight, not so I can eat more.
  • joanieizme
    joanieizme Posts: 38 Member
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    Can you please explain to me what you mean about "net" 1200 calories? This is all new to me as well, and I want to get a good start. Thank you! :)

    Joanie
  • lcarter25
    lcarter25 Posts: 286 Member
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    You are meant to net at least 1200 so if you exercise and burn 400 then you are only taking in 1200.

    This isn't good if you are near goal weight but as your not you should be fine.

    But from what I read its very important to eat at least some of your exercise calories if you do not have that much to lose or are near goal weight, you don't want you body to get used to surviving on very little calories
  • Lparr88
    Lparr88 Posts: 6 Member
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    im having the same problem ok so heres my diary today:

    GOAL: 1200

    FOOD:1284

    EXCERSISE: 1129

    NET: 155

    WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!?!!
  • em1976
    em1976 Posts: 119 Member
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    Bumping banks post back to the top,please read it.
  • lcarter25
    lcarter25 Posts: 286 Member
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    LParr 88 you need to eat alot more!

    It means your body has taken in 120!!

    Your n should be at least 1200

    I am no expert but if you keep doing that you could risk your weightloss slowing down - try and do a search on exercise calories and you will find lots of info
  • alyssamiller77
    alyssamiller77 Posts: 891 Member
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    There are two reasons not to go too low on your net calories. First is just from a simple energy perspective. Calorires are fuel and you can really run yourself into the ground quickly if you don't replace the calories you burn off. The second reason that is discussed on this forum quite frequently is the concept of your body going into "starvation mode". When you don't get enough net calories (actual calories eaten - calories burned in exercise) your body actually slows your metabolism and stores as much fat as possible.

    That said, as long as you get enough calories to keep your energy levels up (you'll definitely feel it if you're not getting enough) one day with a bigger than normal deficit isn't going to send your body into starvation. In fact as someone else noted sometimes a day like that sprinkled in among regular days can really boost your weight loss (or at least that's been my experience).
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
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    im having the same problem ok so heres my diary today:

    GOAL: 1200

    FOOD:1284

    EXCERSISE: 1129

    NET: 155

    WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!?!!
    That means you have over 1000 calories to consume. LOL. With all that exercise it is now as if you have only eaten 155 calories. All day. And just for the body to function it needs 1200. Just to FUNCTION. You need to eat enough until your net says at least 1200. This has been repeated MANY times, but to those who don't understand why people eat their calories, it's because MFP has ALREADY factored in a 500 calorie deficit. It treats this program as if you aren't going to exercise...so if you don't eat them back your deficit will be too big and the weight loss can stall...like mine did....for almost TWO YEARS! The exercise is crucial though for metabolism and for muscle building. :-) HTH!
  • Lparr88
    Lparr88 Posts: 6 Member
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    ok thanks very much!

    i am still losing the weight though ive lost 9lbs in 4 weeks and i dont do that kind of excersise often
  • stephyy4632
    stephyy4632 Posts: 947 Member
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    you should have the fallowing info on your main page at the top this is currently what I have showing :) and in order to Net 1200 cals I need to eat alittle over 900 more today between dinner and evening snacks. But I am planning to work out again tonight and will burn around 200-300 more cal`s and knowing this I will need to eat 1200 more between dinner and evening snacks. dose that make sence

    also love the post that Bank made you all should really take the time to read it if you don`t understand why we should eat back our exercise cals.



    961-Calories Remaining



    Goal-1230

    Food-1206

    Exercise-937

    = Net =269
  • Lparr88
    Lparr88 Posts: 6 Member
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    so basically eat back what you have burned off?

    will this still lose the wieght?
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    It's really all about you and your body. If you can don't feel hungry not eating them, then don't eat them. If you feel hungry, then go ahead and eat them.

    I plan out my day without exercise so that I can pretty close to my goal and then add exercise. I then use those calories for something like ice cream or a few cookies after dinner.. not exactly what a lot of people would recommend, but it works for me.
  • lcarter25
    lcarter25 Posts: 286 Member
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    so basically eat back what you have burned off?

    will this still lose the wieght?
    Yes.

    And I know you said you have lost 9lbs - but that's now! If you carry on burning loads (I know you said this was a one of so this Si just hypothetical) and not eating enough you will plateau
  • Bamacraft
    Bamacraft Posts: 175 Member
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    Lparr88 - also be sure you are burning that many calories in exercise. thats a lot. how do you mesure? I'm not calling you out...just making sure thats accurate. if so, then resort to the cal intake Qs.
  • Lparr88
    Lparr88 Posts: 6 Member
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    walking fast pace: 120 mins 517 cals

    swimming, general 90 mins 612 cals
  • alyssamiller77
    alyssamiller77 Posts: 891 Member
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    Those look like pretty reasonable numbers to me.

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