Proof to eat exercise calories?

mimstero

Hello! Over the last two days, I have worked out like a fiend because I knew I was going to want to eat more on Thanksgiving. On Wednesay, I finished the day with 1100 calories to spare due to working out more and eating normally, and on Thanksgiving day I ran 7 miles and biked for over an hour. I ate a lot of food but still had almost 500 calories to spare at the end of the day.
Then, this morning I actually gained 1.8 from yesterday! Is this proof that I should have eaten all of my given calories? This is so frustrating!!!!!!!!!!

vjrose

Well, keep in mind it takes awhile for your body to process out all that food you ate yesterday and since thanksgiving likely had quite a bit of salt (Ours did) then you have some water weight too. It took me a bit to get on the eat the exercise calorie bandwagon but I am on it now but I usually miss it by a bit.

reeldancer

I don't think it is that cut and dry. What foods did you eat? How dense were the carbs? I ran yesterday for extra calories but in the end didn't eat them and was down 1.4 today from yesterday.

melanie_J

I guess it depends on you. Everyone hollars to eat your exercise calories back, but for me it doesn't work. I've been trying it for going on 3 weeks now and all it has done is make my pants tighter. So no, it does not work for me!

auticus

Food weighs something. All of that food you packed in is sitting in your stomach waiting to be ejected. Wait until you go to the bathroom next, then weigh yourself

mimstero

Good for you for being down from yesterday! I really just ate nornal Thanksgiving foods, but the sodium could definitely have been up. Hopefully, it if I drink a lot of water today, the scale will be better tomorrow.

kaetra

People have to do what works for them. Eating all your excersice calories works for some people, for other people it doesn't. Some people eat a portion of their excercise calories, whatever portion works for them. Some people don't eat any back and do just fine.

There's no way to "prove" one theory or another is the one-and-only-way to do something because it's just not that simple.

It's the long term that counts, not the "OMG I weighed X one day and 2 pounds more the next". Weight fluctuates from day to day depending on many different factors. Fat does not burn or accumulate in a day or two's time. Water does, but fat does not.

reeldancer

/\ /\ what Keatra said

Your muscles will take on water in the rebuilding process (about 36 hrs after tear-down) and the scales will momentarily bounce up.

But please don't get discouraged - more muscle, more metabolism (who coudn't use a bigger burn?) and you'll ultimately gain a more lean and sculpted appearance!

I did a weekend ride over the summer (200 miles) and gained 6 lbs. it was gone a week later.

neanderthin

I wouldn't call that proof, it just confims weight loss isn't linear. working out and eating certains food while someone has been in a deficit will effect body weight, but not necessarily fat or lean mass, that doesn't happen overnight.

dakitten2

This is why I dont weigh but once a week, on Thursday mornings. Our bodies can fluctuate from day to day but I get a better reading from week to week. I know me and if I did weigh everyday and it showed a gain, I would stress!

I'm 5 weeks in and certainly no expert on eating or not eating your calories. Some of you are heavy exercises and I could see where you would always be in the deficit if you didnt eat your calories.

For my lifestyle (sedentary) and limited exercise ability (acquatics twice a week) my nutritionist did not recommend eating my exercise calories. So I follow her advice for me. I'm hoping to add another exercise day next week if my doctor approves because I am still under recovery for a knee replacement this year.

So I guess I'm probably not much help here but I'm trying to pretty much stick to my nutrionist and doctor's advice.

I do agree with others that it takes a while for ingested food to travel through our bodies, so weighing day to day it could go up or down.

BerryH

Don't panic, it's just food in your digestive system from yesterday, it'll be gone in a couple of days then all your hard work will have paid off!

I usually advise to eat most of your exercise calories back, but in this instance you were saving them up for a special occasion. It's not the behaviour of one week that makes the difference, it's the sum total of your lifestyle over time.

Peep_chic

you cant loose all the weight in one day neither can you gain it in one day. After a binge episode I noticed I had 3 pounds the next day but after drinking lots of water and continuing my healthy eating habits my weight was back to normal after a couple of days. Dont sweat it.

Marig0ld

It's not the behaviour of one week that makes the difference, it's the sum total of your lifestyle over time.

THIS!!!

mimstero

Thanks, everyone, for your great advice! It's nice to hear about your daily struggles and what you do to stay on track. And, definitely, it's the sum of the total. I know that I have changed my body, my mind, and my life, and it's all for the better!

kellyjamespro

I can guarantee you that you have not gained 1.8 real lbs in one day. That would mean that you have consumed 3500 calories more than you burned. Based on your exercise its just not possible. Today focus on digestion and water retention. Cut the simple carbs, drink lots of water, increase the fiber... over the next couple days you will see your real weight....