Calorie ALERT: How Clueless Are We?!

zenmama

Just some interesting calorie-related tidbits we've gathered here over at the HG HQ...

1. According to exercise physiologists, people WILDLY overestimate how many calories they burn during exercise. Many people don't pay attention to the information that's often provided on the machines in front of them at the gym. You must input your weight to get the accurate amount of calories burned -- and to be fair, you really should subtract the number of calories you'd burn doing nothing for that same period of time (about 50 - 100 calories per hour, depending on your weight and other factors).

2. Exercise makes people HUNGRY. And since people often think they've burned more calories than they really have, they can end up consuming more calories than they've burned! So don't use a workout as an excuse to pig out. Bad idea. BTW, studies have shown that exercisers overeat the most after a swimming workout. Interesting.

3. Most people grossly underestimate how many calories their meals contain, especially when dining out. Couple that with them overestimating how many calories they're BURNING, and there's a recipe for disaster!

Be careful out there, people!

***Taken from Hungry Girl

:ohwell:

zenmama

Just some interesting calorie-related tidbits we've gathered here over at the HG HQ...

1. According to exercise physiologists, people WILDLY overestimate how many calories they burn during exercise. Many people don't pay attention to the information that's often provided on the machines in front of them at the gym. You must input your weight to get the accurate amount of calories burned -- and to be fair, you really should subtract the number of calories you'd burn doing nothing for that same period of time (about 50 - 100 calories per hour, depending on your weight and other factors).

2. Exercise makes people HUNGRY. And since people often think they've burned more calories than they really have, they can end up consuming more calories than they've burned! So don't use a workout as an excuse to pig out. Bad idea. BTW, studies have shown that exercisers overeat the most after a swimming workout. Interesting.

3. Most people grossly underestimate how many calories their meals contain, especially when dining out. Couple that with them overestimating how many calories they're BURNING, and there's a recipe for disaster!

Be careful out there, people!

***Taken from Hungry Girl

:ohwell:

flachix

you are so right about the overestimates. :grumble: I figure if I walk to the mail box and back I burned at least a hundred calories.!!! not so. I use the machine numbers and honestly think they are high too. I don't add them to my calories available either. I stay between 1000 and 1200, for 2 days then jump to13-1400 for a day. I believe I am outhinking my body.:bigsmile: and it won't ge into starvation mode. it works for me. I don't count housework as exercise, or any extra walking. unless I designate it as exercise and do it for 10 mins minimum. I wonder if there is a correct way to count the calories burned? something effecient. like a math formula? anyone know?

zenmama

I think songbyrdsweet had posted the right way to calculate somewhere? Maybe she will read this and send us the info...

dd

diannholland1965

This is so true, I do not know why people do not add in their REAL RIGHT NOW WEIGHT!
I heard one girl at the gym say she was going to enter her GOAL weight so she would be working out like she WEIGHED that much.
Hmmm, :ohwell:
Which I guess is alright because it would register lower. Whne over weight, we carry around more weight then when we are thinner. So a work out burns more calories then normal.
However, I NEVER thought working out was a reason to pig out.
I HAVE read somewhere however that you need to eat carbs before the workout to keep going through the workout. And then Protien after the workout to help your muscles burn more fat.
I can see where this MIGHT be true. But I do not know if it is fact or not.
--Diann...

yoginimary

I so underestimate cheese and olive oil. Sometimes I measure, sometimes I don't. Never bought a diet scale, so I'm using measuring cups.

hanging head in shame...

Do great on the exercise though.


Ok, here's a question for anyone: when you cook in oil, most of it stays in the pan - what do you count it as? For example: I toss veggies in olive oil and thyme and bake them. I can see a lot the olive oil in the pan - it's also mixed with water from the veggies (from washing and naturally occurring), so I can't measure before and after. How would you count it?

dulceluva

eat some protein after a workout but don't over due in calories.