Is regular exercise boosting my metabolism?

AishaPhantasma

I have been exercising nearly daily (even if I don't do a workout, I walk at least 20mins at least 5 times a week) along with dieting. When I first started using MFP I was eating as low as 800 calories a day and feeling satisfied or even full from it, and any time I'd get to the 1000 mark it would be from junk food. Since I've started working out more, I notice myself being a lot hungrier and eating more.
I know that more exercise means you burn more calories, even when resting, which increases your appetite...does it mean my metabolism has increased too as a result? Will I gain weight by adjusting my intake?
I'm asking because I am frustrated of being hungry so often, but keep feeling guilty or bingey for eating more, and am afraid that by eating more I'll make all the previous weight loss effort go to waste...

l_dubb

I have the same problem. Hope someone will answer! I was fine with eating 1200 calories a day and now that I'm working out I'll eat about an extra 100 calories because I dont really know how many calories I'm burning but still I could probably eat a whole entire extra meal to feel satisfied lol

christenwypy

The same thing happened to me. I started off slowly only working out 20-30 minutes. I too was not hungry. When I increased both the time and the intensity of my workouts I was VERY hungry. I increased my calories and I am still losing. You are hungry because your body needs fuel. You are hugry because you need the food. So eat it! (not junk though- protein!)

tigerlilly24

Upping my protein intake has definitley helped me control how much I eat and I work out pretty intensley (to me anyways I'm dripping sweat at the end!) at least 4 times a week. But for me if I feel hungry I eat!

christenwypy

I have the same problem. Hope someone will answer! I was fine with eating 1200 calories a day and now that I'm working out I'll eat about an extra 100 calories because I dont really know how many calories I'm burning but still I could probably eat a whole entire extra meal to feel satisfied lol

Are you logging your exercise? Log it so you can see how much more you can eat!

If you are eating well (not addicted to sugar) and exercising and you are hungry then you need to eat. I make salads with either hard boiled egg whites or chicken for protein and then I will put almonds, sunflower seeds, or trail mix in there, plus the veggies. This usually only comes to about 200 calories and it keeps me satisifed for a long time. And you can always have protein shakes or protein bars or brown rice with salsa and beans. None of that is very much in calories and it will give you what you need. You probably, truthfully, CAN eat more than 1200 calories per day. There are other calculators out there that will tell you you can have a whole lot more. I increased to 1300. I am still scared to go any higher. I am still losing with 1300 though and that is 1300 after exercise so if I burn 200 working out I eat 1500.

l_dubb

I do log but I don't trust the accuracy of any of it because I get like 5 different numbers! I think I'm going to get a heart monitor to get a better idea. I'm going to add you as a friend you can look at what I'm eating!

AishaPhantasma

my workouts are not super intense, I mostly exercise with brisk walking, more advanced pilates & intense yogas like vinyasa, plus a few aerobic and sculpting exercises here and there. I wasn't overweight to begin with, but I pretty much went like 2 years without any exercise plus a terrible diet (as in, I'd eat a whole large pizza myself x_x)...so I gained weight which to me was a lot since I've always been a little underweight. Now I'm trying to get back to being fit and eating well >.<

Pebble321

Probably and that sounds like a really good thing to me.
Our bodies are designed to be active, and eating a healthy amount and exercising is a great way to be.

leopard_barbie

I have the same problem. Hope someone will answer! I was fine with eating 1200 calories a day and now that I'm working out I'll eat about an extra 100 calories because I dont really know how many calories I'm burning but still I could probably eat a whole entire extra meal to feel satisfied lol

Are you logging your exercise? Log it so you can see how much more you can eat!

If you are eating well (not addicted to sugar) and exercising and you are hungry then you need to eat. I make salads with either hard boiled egg whites or chicken for protein and then I will put almonds, sunflower seeds, or trail mix in there, plus the veggies. This usually only comes to about 200 calories and it keeps me satisifed for a long time. And you can always have protein shakes or protein bars or brown rice with salsa and beans. None of that is very much in calories and it will give you what you need. You probably, truthfully, CAN eat more than 1200 calories per day. There are other calculators out there that will tell you you can have a whole lot more. I increased to 1300. I am still scared to go any higher. I am still losing with 1300 though and that is 1300 after exercise so if I burn 200 working out I eat 1500.

I was doing Jillian Michaels workouts (30 Day Shred and 6 Week 6 Pack) and it didnt affect my appetite, however this week Ive started doing Zumba nightly and Im constantly starving! I know I need to up my protein, just a shame its the end of the month and I need to eat whats in my cupboards Gonna buy lots of yummy chicken and fish and maybe even protein shakes when I get paid! Thanks for the protein meal tips

texastango

I have been exercising nearly daily (even if I don't do a workout, I walk at least 20mins at least 5 times a week) along with dieting. When I first started using MFP I was eating as low as 800 calories a day and feeling satisfied or even full from it, and any time I'd get to the 1000 mark it would be from junk food. Since I've started working out more, I notice myself being a lot hungrier and eating more.
I know that more exercise means you burn more calories, even when resting, which increases your appetite...does it mean my metabolism has increased too as a result? Will I gain weight by adjusting my intake?
I'm asking because I am frustrated of being hungry so often, but keep feeling guilty or bingey for eating more, and am afraid that by eating more I'll make all the previous weight loss effort go to waste...

The problem you have is a common one. Don't feel frustrated. I'm sure most of us go through exactly what you are experiencing.

Exercising does increase the energy you burn and the number of calories you can consume and also increases the protein requirements, fiber, etc. There are several ways to calculate out how much, but before we even go there let me bring this back down to basic and the question you asked.

Should you eat more...yes, if you are hungry.

How much more? Good question. MFP estimates calorie burns. The accuracy is questionable. Ask anyone with a Body Media device or Heart rate monitor or (as they are advertising on MFP - Nike Fuelband. MFP uses guestimates....so eat less than you burn.....how much less? You'll figure that out by watching your weight fluctuations.

I always ate less than my initial calories + calories burned and kept my weight loss consistent at 2.5 lbs per week.

IF the system were perfect and every calorie you ate was logged correctly and every calorie you burned was figured correctly then you could eat back most of your burned plus recommended calories....but truth is even in the best of hands, the numbers are mostly estimates. In addition, what MFP calculates out as your BMR (Basal metabolic rate) - calories burned while doing nothing x an activity factor....likely uses the Harris Benedict equation. I'm not going to post that again here, however, this equation says, basically, if you weigh "X" lbs then you need "X" amount of calories to sustain that weight. When you are active, depending on how active, it multiplies that number by a percentage to increase your caloire allotment. Again, an estimate of your activity.

However, when you lose weight...what I don't believe this equation accounts for (as the finding is fairly new) is that your brain sends out hormones, proteins, etc to 1) make you hungry and 2) slow your metabolic rate....like a thermostat...and trys to make you come back to your prior set point weight.

So, for example....if you were 140 lbs...and used the Harris Benedict equation to figure out your BMR x activity it would give you a number of calories to maintain 140 lbs.

However, if you previously weighed 210 lbs..and had lost to 140 lbs...and wanted to maintain there....your BMR would likely be lower than what Harris Benedict would predict for you to maintain 140 lbs had you always been 140 lbs. That's because your brain, being the dieter, would have slowed your BMR down so that if you eat the correct amount of calories you'd still start to gain weight back to the 210 set point....Nasty isn't it?

Studies show this over and over again...people regain the weight. Even three years out they are still gaining...so when does your set point "Reset"? We don't know.

All this is to say, that eating a bit less calories then MFP recommends.....including your burn will probably be right...so if you exercise eat a bit more...but replacing exactly the amount burned might be too much. Eating more fiber and protein will help you feel fuller. Lower your carb intake to 45 percent of calories instead of the MFPs 55 percent has also been shown to make people feel more full.

Short answer: Eat a bit more...lower your carbs to 45 percent of calories instead of 55 percent..and fiber, water, and protein.

If you have questions...feel free to ask.

texastango

I have been exercising nearly daily (even if I don't do a workout, I walk at least 20mins at least 5 times a week) along with dieting. When I first started using MFP I was eating as low as 800 calories a day and feeling satisfied or even full from it, and any time I'd get to the 1000 mark it would be from junk food. Since I've started working out more, I notice myself being a lot hungrier and eating more.
I know that more exercise means you burn more calories, even when resting, which increases your appetite...does it mean my metabolism has increased too as a result? Will I gain weight by adjusting my intake?
I'm asking because I am frustrated of being hungry so often, but keep feeling guilty or bingey for eating more, and am afraid that by eating more I'll make all the previous weight loss effort go to waste...

The problem you have is a common one. Don't feel frustrated. I'm sure most of us go through exactly what you are experiencing.

Exercising does increase the energy you burn and the number of calories you can consume and also increases the protein requirements, fiber, etc. There are several ways to calculate out how much, but before we even go there let me bring this back down to basic and the question you asked.

Should you eat more...yes, if you are hungry.

How much more? Good question. MFP estimates calorie burns. The accuracy is questionable. Ask anyone with a Body Media device or Heart rate monitor or (as they are advertising on MFP - Nike Fuelband. MFP uses guestimates....so eat less than you burn.....how much less? You'll figure that out by watching your weight fluctuations.

I always ate less than my initial calories + calories burned and kept my weight loss consistent at 2.5 lbs per week.

IF the system were perfect and every calorie you ate was logged correctly and every calorie you burned was figured correctly then you could eat back most of your burned plus recommended calories....but truth is even in the best of hands, the numbers are mostly estimates. In addition, what MFP calculates out as your BMR (Basal metabolic rate) - calories burned while doing nothing x an activity factor....likely uses the Harris Benedict equation. I'm not going to post that again here, however, this equation says, basically, if you weigh "X" lbs then you need "X" amount of calories to sustain that weight. When you are active, depending on how active, it multiplies that number by a percentage to increase your caloire allotment. Again, an estimate of your activity.

However, when you lose weight...what I don't believe this equation accounts for (as the finding is fairly new) is that your brain sends out hormones, proteins, etc to 1) make you hungry and 2) slow your metabolic rate....like a thermostat...and trys to make you come back to your prior set point weight.

So, for example....if you were 140 lbs...and used the Harris Benedict equation to figure out your BMR x activity it would give you a number of calories to maintain 140 lbs.

However, if you previously weighed 210 lbs..and had lost to 140 lbs...and wanted to maintain there....your BMR would likely be lower than what Harris Benedict would predict for you to maintain 140 lbs had you always been 140 lbs. That's because your brain, being the dieter, would have slowed your BMR down so that if you eat the correct amount of calories you'd still start to gain weight back to the 210 set point....Nasty isn't it?

Studies show this over and over again...people regain the weight. Even three years out they are still gaining...so when does your set point "Reset"? We don't know.

All this is to say, that eating a bit less calories then MFP recommends.....including your burn will probably be right...so if you exercise eat a bit more...but replacing exactly the amount burned might be too much. Eating more fiber and protein will help you feel fuller. Lower your carb intake to 45 percent of calories instead of the MFPs 55 percent has also been shown to make people feel more full.

Short answer: Eat a bit more...lower your carbs to 45 percent of calories instead of 55 percent..and fiber, water, and protein.

If you have questions...feel free to ask.



Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Weight Loss Tools

yarwell

" It appears that the combination of a large quantity of aerobic exercise with a very low calorie diet resulting in substantial loss of bodyweight may actually accelerate the decline in resting metabolic rate. These findings may cause us to re-examine the quantity of exercise and diet needed to achieve optimal fat loss and preservation of resting metabolic rate."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2017606

VMarkV

Simple answer - calories burned does not raise BMR.
To find out whether cardio raises your metabolism (BMR) you need to see how your body temperature changes as a result of exercise. Also, if exercising increases your LBM, then it is raising your metabolism.

AishaPhantasma

Ok...so I started at 50kg (110lbs) and have lost 2kg since I started using MFP.
I know I probably screwed up my metabolism when I started eating like a maniac and stopped doing any exercise. I don't know how many calories I averaged a day, but I wouldn't be surprised if some days I was at over 3000 calories or would eat over 1000 in one sitting!! (I guess I should thank my genes to some extent, because I could've gotten a LOT bigger from that!!)

My intake today, including a junk food binge today (forgive me, I'm doing an all-nighter for finals!) has totalled to a little over 1400 calories, which including today's general walking exercise only puts me at about 50 calories over my recommended amount (1200).
I rarely make up for my burnt calories on MFP... am I expected to?? I've had days where I'm running around all over the place doing errands then do a workout and end up halving my calorie intake because I had such a full-on day...

I'm vegan so a lot of my calories (when I'm being good...) are from vegetables, beans, legumes, soy and other alternatives. I treat fruit as a snack or breakfast food usually, and I'm not as big on carbs as some vegans are.

Cruz2Fit

You should get a Heart Rate Monitor to know EXACTLY how many calories you are burning during exercise.