Eating back exercise calories; what if I'm not hungry ?

donyellemoniquex3

I love burning 1000 cals a day but I'm usually not hungry after my workout...

arcticmonkeygirl

How do you manage to burn 1000 calories?!??! You are superwoman! please tell me how you do that!

MaryBowen27

It's really important to eat promptly after a work out (within an hour) for proper muscle recovery. Recovered muscles build muscle mass. The more muscle mass you have, the easier it is to burn fat.

I generally don't feel particularly hungry after work out either, but I always grab a high protein snack. Hardboiled egg whites, protein shake, greek yogurt and cliff bars to name a few. I will say after doing it for a few weeks, it is easier to eat afterwards. Previously I wasn't eating until 3-4 hours after my mega morning workout (often around 800 cals) and it was showing in my progress, but not in a good way.

You don't need to eat a ton, but you should eat something!

Magoo89

I have the same problem. I am having trouble eating my total calories when I dont work out...when I do, it's nearly impossible to eat that much!

susannamarie

I don't when I'm genuinely not hungry, but by genuinely not hungry I mean 'meh I don't even feel hungry for steak'.

DesignGuy

I find eating after a workout to be pretty easy since I go hard when I exercise. But trying to eat back all those cals is tough. Think I will have to look into drinking 2-3 protein shakes on my big workout days (1700 cals via working out) and maybe 1 on regular days.

katgirl985

I try to eat something, even if only a few hundred calories after my workouts, but I have the same problem. If you have trouble with "solid" food, try a post-workout smoothie or a protein drink -- I am especially fond of GNC Lean Shakes.

engineman312

try drinking them!! protein shakes are great post work out. two scoops of powder, mixed with 8-10 ounces of fruit juice (i use orange) some frozen berries, and some plain fat free yogurt, and you have a great recover drink.

PunkyRachel

I eat when I'm hungry, I usually eat back my exercise calories. I don't sweat it if I don't. No biggie in my opinion. If I'm not hungry then I'm not going to force myself to eat simple as that

CADF

I have the same problem! Its so hard to eat that much but it is very important to get some protein in after your workout.

HonkyTonks

1000 calories is a lot - are you sure you're burning this many?

Not sure what your calorie goal is, but you should be wary of large deficits - might seem okay now, but can hurt your weight loss efforts in the long run.

Michellerawrrr

try drinking them!! protein shakes are great post work out. two scoops of powder, mixed with 8-10 ounces of fruit juice (i use orange) some frozen berries, and some plain fat free yogurt, and you have a great recover drink.

This...lol...brilliant :drinker:

Becky_Boodle

try drinking them!! protein shakes are great post work out. two scoops of powder, mixed with 8-10 ounces of fruit juice (i use orange) some frozen berries, and some plain fat free yogurt, and you have a great recover drink.

YEP!!!!
my post workout protein smoothie consists of:
2 cups frozen berries
2 scoops protein powder
2 cups spinach
1 frozen banana
1/6 cup sunflower seeds
2 cups water
Blend
easy way to add 800 yummy calories back after an 8km run

AKSmothers

I personally don't eat back my calories burned from exercise. I do try to eat smart and healthy. but don't want that much food in me any more. I stick to my 1300-1500 caloreis of food, period. The trick is to spread the calories out throughout the day to avoid hunger later.....

jayeve1

I'm new to the site, I'm confused what is eating back your workout calories? I all was thought you wanted the calorie defecit?

CalJur

Search the topics on this subject. There is a wealth of information! In short (my view), if you are not hungry don't eat. I burn a lot as well and sometimes I eat them back and more often I do not. I listen to my body.

soon2b_1fitmama

holy moly! 1k calories O_O
but anyways, i wish i had that problem lol i usually look forward to burning those calories to eat more haha

kazzari

You guys are depressing me. I'm pretty sure I've never burned more than 300 or 400 calories doing any activity. Maybe 600 doing a sprint triathlon, if I figure 200 for each leg. I guess this is why I never have trouble making up the calories.

DaughterOfTheMostHighKing

peanut butter!!!!!

bluetigger86

im confused......am I supposed to be eating back all the calories I burn off when I work out? I thought that to loose weight you had to burn more than you eat. I'm eating the 1200 that Im suposed to get but I dont' worry as much about trying to eat what i burn off. I don't stop at 1200 everyday that i work out though.
As for not being able to eat after work out. No problem here. I jsut make sure I at least eat something small. Usually it's a hard boiled egg or my favorite....a clif bars.

zionsmommii

Hi I'm new too but what it means is that you get extra calories when you exercise to add to your total of calories to eat during the day and you have the option to eat the extra calories from the workout or not. The problem sometimes is that the more you workout the more calories you get extra and sometimes it's a lot to eat those extras if you're not hungry I never have that problem because I'm always hungry LOL but I can see how some people have that issue but that's what all that means. I hope I helped! Good luck!

zionsmommii

I'm new to the site, I'm confused what is eating back your workout calories? I all was thought you wanted the calorie defecit?

Hi I'm new too but what it means is that you get extra calories when you exercise to add to your total of calories to eat during the day and you have the option to eat the extra calories from the workout or not. The problem sometimes is that the more you workout the more calories you get extra and sometimes it's a lot to eat those extras if you're not hungry I never have that problem because I'm always hungry LOL but I can see how some people have that issue but that's what all that means. I hope I helped! Good luck!

LFiestan

im confused......am I supposed to be eating back all the calories I burn off when I work out? I thought that to loose weight you had to burn more than you eat. I'm eating the 1200 that Im suposed to get but I dont' worry as much about trying to eat what i burn off. I don't stop at 1200 everyday that i work out though.
As for not being able to eat after work out. No problem here. I jsut make sure I at least eat something small. Usually it's a hard boiled egg or my favorite....a clif bars.

I though i was the only one confused. coz thats what i thought too. We dont have to eat all the calories we burned off, we have to have a calorie deficit if we want to lose weight, thats what i know. Anyway, if im hungry after a workout (which i usually am not) either i drink water or spoonful of peanut butter/yogurt or apple or almond...but really, drink loads of water.

susannamarie

im confused......am I supposed to be eating back all the calories I burn off when I work out? I thought that to loose weight you had to burn more than you eat. I'm eating the 1200 that Im suposed to get but I dont' worry as much about trying to eat what i burn off. I don't stop at 1200 everyday that i work out though.
As for not being able to eat after work out. No problem here. I jsut make sure I at least eat something small. Usually it's a hard boiled egg or my favorite....a clif bars.

I though i was the only one confused. coz thats what i thought too. We dont have to eat all the calories we burned off, we have to have a calorie deficit if we want to lose weight, thats what i know. Anyway, if im hungry after a workout (which i usually am not) either i drink water or spoonful of peanut butter/yogurt or apple or almond...but really, drink loads of water.

MFP has already assigned you a calorie deficit based on the weight you said you wanted to lose. So IF your calculation of exercise calories is correct (a large assumption) you could eat them all and still lose. Many people eat only part of them because calculations are quite often high.

meerkat70

How are you measuring your burn? If you're using a HRM, rely on those cals. If you're using the mfp calculator, be a bit wary (lop about 100 off that figure).

I don't burn 1000 + quite so regularly as I used to, but I do still do it several times a week. If you've got a fair bit to lose, and you're working out more than an hour in a day, you'll burn that much easily.

In terms of eating - engineman's suggestion is a good one. Post workout, the protein thing is important. If you can't fancy a shake, have a handful of nuts or some yoghurt or a milky drink.

Another tip is to perhaps view your calories in and out in a week long pattern, rather than day by day. If you have heavy workout days, and quieter days, you may find it's the quieter days when you actually feel the hunger.

ladyraven68

For the new members

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6556-the-answers-to-the-questions?page=1

nas30

Thank you. Really useful.

ffddff

If you don't feel hungry sometime after an exercise it means you kinda stressed yourself out too much.
If you do way too much you even will feel nausea.
Normally if you do exercises regularly your body should adjust itself and you will feel hunger back.
That was I hear from my instructor when I did mounting hiking.
According to MFP I burn about 800 doing almost 2 hours of high impact aerobics.
And I definitely can't repeat such an exercise every day...

bluetigger86

im confused......am I supposed to be eating back all the calories I burn off when I work out? I thought that to loose weight you had to burn more than you eat. I'm eating the 1200 that Im suposed to get but I dont' worry as much about trying to eat what i burn off. I don't stop at 1200 everyday that i work out though.
As for not being able to eat after work out. No problem here. I jsut make sure I at least eat something small. Usually it's a hard boiled egg or my favorite....a clif bars.

I though i was the only one confused. coz thats what i thought too. We dont have to eat all the calories we burned off, we have to have a calorie deficit if we want to lose weight, thats what i know. Anyway, if im hungry after a workout (which i usually am not) either i drink water or spoonful of peanut butter/yogurt or apple or almond...but really, drink loads of water.

I think we're doing it a good way. I love working out and having those extra calories just in case but I don't feel like I have to eat them all to keep my body out of starvation mode. That why I at least stick to my 1200 that I'm supposed to get. Also, I know it's good to eat after a workout so you're body/muscles have "fuel" to recover so thats why I have a snack and some water right after.

HonkyTonks

im confused......am I supposed to be eating back all the calories I burn off when I work out? I thought that to loose weight you had to burn more than you eat. I'm eating the 1200 that Im suposed to get but I dont' worry as much about trying to eat what i burn off. I don't stop at 1200 everyday that i work out though.
As for not being able to eat after work out. No problem here. I jsut make sure I at least eat something small. Usually it's a hard boiled egg or my favorite....a clif bars.

I though i was the only one confused. coz thats what i thought too. We dont have to eat all the calories we burned off, we have to have a calorie deficit if we want to lose weight, thats what i know. Anyway, if im hungry after a workout (which i usually am not) either i drink water or spoonful of peanut butter/yogurt or apple or almond...but really, drink loads of water.

I think we're doing it a good way. I love working out and having those extra calories just in case but I don't feel like I have to eat them all to keep my body out of starvation mode. That why I at least stick to my 1200 that I'm supposed to get. Also, I know it's good to eat after a workout so you're body/muscles have "fuel" to recover so thats why I have a snack and some water right after.

Unless you have set up an activity level beyond sedentary, MFP is designed to calculate a deficit for you WITHOUT exercise. The exercise you do is added to your calorie goal, so if you don't eat them back, you create a larger deficit than the one you setup initially with MFP.

HappilyLifts

try drinking them!! protein shakes are great post work out. two scoops of powder, mixed with 8-10 ounces of fruit juice (i use orange) some frozen berries, and some plain fat free yogurt, and you have a great recover drink.

LOL! I like your style...less washing up :drinker: