exercising so I can eat

LisaH1231
LisaH1231 Posts: 18 Member
edited November 11 in Health and Weight Loss
Okay, I have been using MFP for over 2 weeks and what I have found is that I have to do about 45 minutes of cardio a day so that I keep under my calorie goal. I have lost about 2.5 pounds so far so it seems okay. Just wanting to check out there to see if there is anyone else like me out there.

My concern is that as I am not going to keep losing if I eat my additional calories.
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Replies

  • HonkyTonks
    HonkyTonks Posts: 1,193 Member
    You should eat those calories yes, the deficit is built in without exercise. When you exercise you burn more calories than you would have otherwise, so eating them back will give you the exact same deficit.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    Oh hell, I do that all the time. It's amazing how motivating "I can have a grilled cheese sandwich which I REALLY WANT if I burn 500 more calories" is.

    As long as you're telling the truth about how many calories you're burning (guess low if there's any possibility of error), you'll have the same deficit.
  • yankeedownsouth
    yankeedownsouth Posts: 717 Member
    I do this ALL THE TIME!! :)
  • MrsCon40
    MrsCon40 Posts: 2,351 Member
    Okay, I have been using MFP for over 2 weeks and what I have found is that I have to do about 45 minutes of cardio a day so that I keep under my calorie goal. I have lost about 2.5 pounds so far so it seems okay. Just wanting to check out there to see if there is anyone else like me out there.

    My concern is that as I am not going to keep losing if I eat my additional calories.

    The whole point of MFP is to do exactly what you're doing. Well done! :flowerforyou:
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    Oh hell, I do that all the time. It's amazing how motivating "I can have a grilled cheese sandwich which I REALLY WANT if I burn 500 more calories" is.

    As long as you're telling the truth about how many calories you're burning (guess low if there's any possibility of error), you'll have the same deficit.

    Exactly. I love watching those numbers rack up and I think of all the deliciousness I can have because of it.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Absolutely. I need a T-shirt that says "I do cardio for ice cream".
  • Brandie1029
    Brandie1029 Posts: 183 Member
    Absolutely. I need a T-shirt that says "I do cardio for ice cream".


    Meeeee too! :laugh: I thought that was why you work out????
  • If I know I am eating out or meeting friends for drinks I increase my cardio and use the extra calories so that I don't feel guilty.
  • My third week in I didn't lose my lb so the next week I did not eat back my exercise calories and ended up losing 2 lbs that week! The key is just to eat less than you are buring off to keep the scale going down, :smile:
  • MisdemeanorM
    MisdemeanorM Posts: 3,493 Member
    Pretty much the only reason I work out is so I can eat :laugh:
  • aksunshine
    aksunshine Posts: 62 Member
    Yep! Do this Every single day! In fact, must go get on my bike to burn off the grilled cheese I just ate :)
  • scrappy25
    scrappy25 Posts: 77 Member
    Yup I make it a rule to not eat it until I've earned it. Most of my exercise calories go to sweet stuff so not ideal but I have a sweet tooth and this is working for me . I am set to lose 1/2lb per week and only allowed 1250cals without exercise so I would feel deprived without the ability to eat more by exercising.
  • Absolutely. I need a T-shirt that says "I do cardio for ice cream".
    I Love it!
  • tuffytuffy1
    tuffytuffy1 Posts: 920 Member
    Oh, yes, like today for example. I was working at home all day even though I had the day off (federal holiday), but decided I wanted to have something good for dinner - so I jumped on the treadmill for a half hour. Yup, I pretty much need to work out every day if I want to not feel deprived in the food department :)
  • HonkyTonks
    HonkyTonks Posts: 1,193 Member
    Absolutely. I need a T-shirt that says "I do cardio for ice cream".
    I Love it!

    Haha, that's great. If I know that I have a big dinner or going out, I definitely amp up the cardio to earn some extra calories :)
  • Punkedpoetess
    Punkedpoetess Posts: 633 Member
    Okay, I have been using MFP for over 2 weeks and what I have found is that I have to do about 45 minutes of cardio a day so that I keep under my calorie goal. I have lost about 2.5 pounds so far so it seems okay. Just wanting to check out there to see if there is anyone else like me out there.

    My concern is that as I am not going to keep losing if I eat my additional calories.

    Definately a big motivator for me to workout is the fact I can eat more food. Most of my exercise calories are spent on treats or higher calorie healthy foods. Helps keep this a sane lifestyle for me and not merely a "diet". Keep doing what you are doing. :smile:
  • ldalal
    ldalal Posts: 7 Member
    I do cardio for caramel crunch cake... my fave!!
  • Yes. Especially if I want to get drunk I'll walk to school and home (which i do every day), go to the gym to use the elliptical, come home and do a video, then take my dog for a jog............. then smash out a fifth of Jose.
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    Absolutely. I need a T-shirt that says "I do cardio for ice cream".

    I have one that says "Will run for chocolate." :laugh:
  • Heidi64
    Heidi64 Posts: 211 Member
    I just rode my stationary bike for 30 mins and added some strength training so I could have pizza! Yay and I'm off to pick it up!
  • i usually exercise so i can reward myself with dinner...no exercise no dinner... dinner motivates me <drool>
  • chloe42
    chloe42 Posts: 10 Member
    I just was explaining this to a friend earlier today. If you do a little more then you can have a little more than you normally would. Without this I would have a heck of a time meeting my goals. I cant wait until the weather breaks and cycling season starts. There were days I couldn't make the difference up.
  • perdie7
    perdie7 Posts: 266 Member
    With out exercise I get 1200 calories a day...no way I can do that, so I exercise to eat. Other than a plateau around christmas, I've been averaging a lose of about 2 lbs a week.
  • Vanilladays
    Vanilladays Posts: 155 Member
    Absolutely. I need a T-shirt that says "I do cardio for ice cream".


    Meeeee too! :laugh: I thought that was why you work out????

    YES!!!!
  • I exercise so that I earn a minimum of 1000 calories a day so I can EAT. I enjoy food and bigger portion sizes. I have no idea how people eat 1200 calories a day and some still find it hard to meet that. I wish I was one of them!
  • RoanneRed
    RoanneRed Posts: 429 Member
    Absolutely. I need a T-shirt that says "I do cardio for ice cream".


    Meeeee too! :laugh: I thought that was why you work out????

    YES!!!!
    Absolutely - my (naturally slim) sister would always comment that if I didn't eat so much I wouldn't need to workout so hard. Noooo, I workout so I CAN eat this stuff!
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    What happens if you get stuck in traffic or something happens to the kids and you dont get a workout in?
    Then you are under BMR for the day?

    You could just eat 20% below TDEE and lose fat.
    Maybe create a deficit by running instead of running to eat.

    Oh the flaws of MFP...
  • spectralmoon
    spectralmoon Posts: 1,179 Member
    I definitely eat most of my calories back; at max I leave 170 if there's no way I can shove anything else down or if I'm too tired to care. For reference, I started on January 9th of this year and have lost 12 lbs with intermittent exercise to start (i.e. lazy but getting better). And I definitely find myself squeezing in longer workouts so I can have my fruit punch or last piece of Laughing Cow cheese before bed. :P
  • fallenangelloves
    fallenangelloves Posts: 601 Member
    I purposely plan to go over in calories so I am forced to work out.... I always have it in the red 50 or so calories so I have to do something to make up for it!
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
    I have no idea how people eat 1200 calories a day and some still find it hard to meet that. I wish I was one of them!

    It is baffling until you do actually eat 1200 calories a day...your body just get's accustomed to it. I was doing that for a bit, some days I just wasn't hungry enough to make 1200, but when I upped my calories from that I found that my hunger level adjusted, and 1200 did not cut it anymore. Call that the starvation mode at work if you want, but I don't really know why it is
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