Eating exercise calories?

cad39too

This may sound like a silly questions but when does everyone else eat their exercise calories???

The reason I ask is that I usually exercise in the evening after work, which means there are times I don't finish until 7/7:30ish sometimes 8 depending on the workout and the time I get home; so if I do a 6 mile run and earn back around 600 calories I don't find that I have time to eat them that evening, sometimes I am not hungry and can't even manage to eat back half of them. So....

Can I carry them over to the next day?

Can I store them up and eat them as and when I choose over the week, by going over my calories? Although given I work out at least 5 times a week this can be quite a chunk of extra calories.

What do you guys do?

Oh, and sorry if this is has already been asked and answered somewhere else.

LadyIvysMom

I eat when I am hungry. If I am not hungry, I don't eat them back.

psuLemon

I workout at 8pm at night. My suggestion is if you consistently workout, change your setting to include exercise. So if you workout 5 days a week, set your account to moderately active. This way you spread out your exercise calories. The other option is if you know you are going to workout and average 600 calories, than eat an extra 300-400 calories that day prior to your workout. Additionally, if MFP is estimating the calories burnt, then eat 50% of them. Below is a good link to review information on eating exercise calorie.s


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/729141-exercise-calories-to-eat-or-not-to-eat-results?hl=exercise+calories+psulemon&page=1#posts-10742097

cad39too

Thanks, I will check out the link and look to update my settings.

I guess eating them back or not is a individual thing as well, so I need to find out which works best for me.

psuLemon

Thanks, I will check out the link and look to update my settings.

I guess eating them back or not is a individual thing as well, so I need to find out which works best for me.

Actually it's really not individualized. Some people have variables (pcos, POTS, gluten intolerance, etc..) but every loses weight the same.. Calories in vs calories out. The issue is, not many people understand the type of weight they are losing and how it will affect your long term results.

If you look at overall body composition, the people who eat at a smaller deficit are less prone to muscle loss which is crucial in long term success. The more muscle, the better you will look, the better your immune system, insulin control, a higher metabolism, etc...


The issue is most people don't track body composition (weight and body fat) and feel that weight loss will make them look better, where it's really fat loss. Below is what I mean by body composition.


http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/392784-skinny-fat-vs-fit-photo?hl=skinny+fat

psuLemon

I will note, even if you run the calculations on your optimal calories, it does take a little adjusting.. For example, I started at 1800 calories and couldn't figure out why i couldn't lose weight, body fat or inches. I research and found I was under eating. I bumped it to 2600 calories. Since then I lost 11 lbs (then bulked back up) and cut 6% body fat (as of 60 days ago).


Food is energy and if your body doesn't get fuel from food, it gets it from your muscle... It's your choice if you want to lose fat or muscle.

cad39too

Thanks, I will check out the link and look to update my settings.

I guess eating them back or not is a individual thing as well, so I need to find out which works best for me.

Actually it's really not individualized. Some people have variables (pcos, POTS, gluten intolerance, etc..) but every loses weight the same.. Calories in vs calories out. The issue is, not many people understand the type of weight they are losing and how it will affect your long term results.

If you look at overall body composition, the people who eat at a smaller deficit are less prone to muscle loss which is crucial in long term success. The more muscle, the better you will look, the better your immune system, insulin control, a higher metabolism, etc...


The issue is most people don't track body composition (weight and body fat) and feel that weight loss will make them look better, where it's really fat loss. Below is what I mean by body composition.


http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/392784-skinny-fat-vs-fit-photo?hl=skinny+fat

Edit for responding before checking your link , which will probably answer my question.

Ta.

cad39too

Thanks so much psulemon for the information.

My weight loss target here at MFP is pretty low, mainly here to get myself to eat better (I suppose that should be cleaner really cause I do eat alot of junk) and exercise more effectively so the links in your posts are really useful.

Off to look at some others posts to see what else I can use, seeing as you seem to have done alot of the hard work for me.

;-)