Why Eating Exercise Calories is so important.

Sarauk2sf · April 2012

Somebody quote a legitimate nutritionist, preferably PhD that isn't a hot over-marketed model, that supports this and HRM's that indicates eating exercise calories is so important.

It's basically math - if you do not eat your calories back (and assuming that you have a deficit already baked into your base) then not eating your exercise calories back, increases you deficit. Not sure why you need a PhD for that. Where the nutritional infomation comes in is what the impact is from a 2000 calorie deficit v a 500 calorie deficit -the difference being created by exercise (and yes I know 1,500 is on the high side for exercise - its just an example)..

How do you know what you burn? HRM's only show the initial burn, if it's even accurate, but they don't account for the increased calorie burn that extends for hours after your exercise. If it's SO important don't you need to account for that somehow?

That does not negate the comment. I agree knowing how much to eat is problematic - and so, as I stated in my previous points, you should be conservative in how much you eat back.

kwehrheim · April 2012

I never eat back my exercise calories... and I think my ticker speaks for itself. I'm just sayin....

boggsmeister · April 2012

Bump

Great thread. Great explanation.

Sarauk2sf · April 2012

I never eat back my exercise calories... and I think my ticker speaks for itself. I'm just sayin....

People are not saying that you won't lose weight (well most are not) - tickers do not show how much body fat v lean muscle mass you lose and it does not indicate how much you would have lost if you had eaten them back.....just sayin.....

EDIT: sorry - forgot to add: well done on your weight loss

Jen8np · April 2012

why should my body start burning muscle when I still have 40% fat? it buffles me. since i have just joined, i will try not to consume my exercise calories and see how it goes!

Your brain is smart and knows your muscles are much more nutritious to feed your body with than fat, so that's why they say muscle starts to go. Just like a pregnant woman who doesnt eat so well... The baby will get first dibs and takes what it needs and the moms body gets whats left. The body doesn't know we want to look hott in a bikini, it just is trying to survive bottom line and when it feels threatened it does what it has to do

jassyjan1 · April 2012

This is the first time I read a clear explanation of why I should eat back my calorie burns never made sense before does now, THANKS!!

mogriff1 · April 2012

The best explanation I've heard yet...Thanks

I totally agree....this confuses alot of people on MFP, your explanation makes perfect sense. Thanks!

Healthy_4_Life2 · April 2012

Bumping for later. Thanks

SexyCook · April 2012

LOVE IT!

Rollingstone74 · April 2012

My personal experience and opinion is everybody is individual. I do not believe all fiqures and techniques suit all persons, way too many variables. Previously I lost 110kg in 16 months and kept it off for 9 yrs. Yes , I'm back, poor choices and career is the reason. When I lost my weight I only had 1 figure to work with, my fat burning zone heart rate. I can remember I ate very little and walked between 6km, and 12 km a day on treadmill hitting my target heart rate. Metabloic rates sourced from online calculators and programs can be highly misleading and as that is 1 of the main figures we base programs on, it can cause even more confusion.I also see huge discrepancies with calories burnt, this also effects the final outcome. I embrace all information and opinions I get from MFP, even when it,s provided as a "fact". I understand "eating exercise calories" and it may work for a large percentage, It may not work for all due to varying metabolic rates. I do not encourage anybody to do as I have In the past and even I am trying a varied approach this time around thanks in general to the information and opinions I have found on MFP.