Exercise Calories...

Twylla

Ok so my calorie intake is 1200/day before exercise. Now my question is the calories that I burn off while exercising, do I have to eat them back. What happens if I don't. Because often times I am not hungry after exercise.

chanstriste13

i'm no health guru by any means, but i would say that as long as you are getting enough food and calories to keep you full and sustained, then no, you wouldn't need to eat back the calories you burn with exercise. as long as you aren't starving yourself, then it will be fine to let those burnt calories be a part of the deficit you need to maintain weight loss. good luck with your marathon!

lisa811

According to LOTS of information I've seen here, you SHOULD eat your exercise calories. And, 1200 is the minimum number of NET calories you should eat. That means 1200 plus exercise calories. Eating less than that can slow down your metabolism, cause your weight loss to come to a halt, and discourage you.

That being said, it seems wrong to eat when you're not hungry. But, have some fruit, or a healthy low-fat snack. You shouldn't go below 1200 net.

Twylla

Alright thank you! I wasn't sure so now maybe when i'm under and still not hungry i'll just have a little container of yogurt and a fruit or something!

amymeenieminymo

It's widely debated here, but if your only eating 1200 calories, then I think you definitely should eat your exercise calories. Say you work out and burn 400 calories, if you don't eat them back, your only netting 800 calories for the day, which isn't enough for most people. Not being hungry isn't always a definite indicator that your body doesn't need food, especially if you put yourself into starvation mode. If you work out in the morning and know you have these exercise calories to eat, you don't have to eat them all at once. Break them up into four 100 calorie snacks, and 100 calories isn't that much, that's like a banana. Eating a banana when you're not necessarily feeling hungry won't make you feel sickly full.

Rainster

I've been working with a trainer for the last 6 months and have gone from 1500 to 1200 calories slowly throughout that time. Never has he told me that I should add the calories I've burned off to my daily allotment. I've lost 30 pounds without doing so. To me, it seems counter-productive; I'd almost rather not work out and eat less, because it seems to me like it gets you to the same place. Even with Weight Watchers you have the option to eat your workout points or just bank them for later.

Iceprincessk25

If you search exercise calories you'll find a TON of threads that cover this and will help you understand it better.

Livi_Loves_Pink

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

That link will explain why to eat your exercise calories.

lisa811

Excellent! Thank you!