How Can I Make Up Exercise Calories When I Am Not Hungry?

Jesusinme4life

I am struggling with eating more.....Who would have thought I would have that issue...LOL! When I exercise I usually end up with at lest 700 calories added to my daily allowance and can never make them up. I may make up about 100 but that's it. I just am full and can't eat any more for the day. Is it vitally important I eat these added calories, or at least most of them? Or is it alright if I don't eat these added calories? If I should then how do you all do it if you just aren't hungry? Thanks in advance
Stephanie

sporter5

I wouldn't worry too much about the exercise cals,, they are there and if your hungry, use them ( with something healthy of course But if your not,, and you've gotten your daily recommendation of cals in then I wouldn't worry too much about it! I'm not a professional by any means but, this is what I do. Others might have a different view

harleigh67

I agree with above answer, they are there if you need them, eat recommended if you feel tired/weak and need the additional you can always try a protein drink after your workout which will give you some additional calories and protein and nutrients needed.,
they say to eat 500 less calories than needed to lose weight, if recommended is 1200 calories and you gain additional 700 exercising your daily goal would be 1400 calories to eat as a way to make sure you are feeding body what it needs but if you you have 1200 recommended you do not ever subtract from that, you exercise to burn 500 calories....best of luck

Jesusinme4life

Thanks because it is hard. I am eating and eating healthy. I think all those veggies are filling me up. As long as I am getting the recommended I won't sweat it so much. I was thinking about the protein shake if I need after a workout. There have been a couple times I felt a little lightheaded after a workout but wasn't hungry so I'll try a protein shake if needed.

justle

i had to invest in some protein shake because i have the same issue - i infact dont eat my exercise cals unless im hungry but i have a higher calorie allowance than i can eat every day so i tend to have a shake in the morning anyways to bump my cals and protein.

protein shakes are really great to have either before (good for fueling you during your workout meaning you wouldnt get that lightheadedness) which i'll do if i've not eaten for a while before working out (i HAVE to have something in my stomach to workout) or within 20 mins after your workout to help your muscles and your recovery.

clean115

You don't have to eat them at all.

gtwin

Get some protein powder and have that with you for times when you aren't hungry but you need to get more protein and calories in.

bcampbell54

When I feel the need to eat them, I choose nuts.

CMmrsfloyd

Do you exercise and earn those 700 calories every single day, or just a few days out of the week? If it's just a few days a week, you could tweak your calorie goal so that basically those exercise calories are spread out over the course of the week instead of you having to feel like you need to eat that much extra all in one day. There are some different ways to set up your calorie goals to make eating the exercise calories a little more manageable. Also, if you are getting your calorie burn from anything other than a HRM with a chest strap (and also one that lets you program in your height/weight/sex/age) you might be getting an overestimation of your burn anyway, so you might not really have 700 calories to make up for.

If you want to try looking into different ways to set up your calorie goals to see if it might seem more manageable for you, there are a few different options. 1 is you could bump up your activity level on MFP and stop worrying about exercise calories. That would give you a slightly higher goal each day. Another is you could check out a site with a calorie calculator where you can put in how often you exercise - I know there's one on freedieting.com (also gives a zig-zag option if you're interested in that) and then switch up your goal on MFP to match that recommendation and not worry about eating your specific exercise calories each day, since it would already be factored in over the course of the week. Or there is also the 'Olivia Method' which a member here came up with - if you search it there is a whole long thread where they explain all the math and will help you out with it if you're interested.

ETA: Here's that 'Olivia Method' thread if you're interested:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/408674-the-olivia-method-the-cool-new-way-to-set-up-your-mfp-go

cicadagirl

You can always eat something that packs a large number of calories into a relatively small space...nuts or peanut butter, maybe. You can get 200 calories out of just 2 tablespoons of PB!

CMmrsfloyd

You can always eat something that packs a large number of calories into a relatively small space...nuts or peanut butter, maybe. You can get 200 calories out of just 2 tablespoons of PB!

Yeah and that's 2 *level* tablespoons of PB, not 2 heaping ones. Lots of calories for just a small amount of food. Yummy. :-)

michellyn

I think it can make a difference how much you have to lose. If you're close to your ideal weight, eating them back would be more important. But where I am right now (and it looks like about where you are right now, I think I'd aim to eat 50% of them back. If you are hungrier than that, eat as many back as you feel like, but don't force yourself to eat back more than 50%.

Jesusinme4life

Thanks everyone for all the advice. I do exercise everyday. I am going to not be thinking about it knowing I am eating what MFP put as my calories for each day. The days I am having trouble meeting them I'll try the protein shakes.