Do any of you save the calories that you get from exercise?

anneeb

Do any of you save the calories that you get from exercise (like for the weekend, as an example)? Sort of the way that Weight Watchers allows?

bcattoes

Yes, I do that sometimes. I always eat and drink more on the weekends and don't really want to change that so it only makes sense to plan for it.

BernadetteChurch

Not usualy. I like to treat each day in isolation. The only time I don't eat them back is if I'm really not hungry for them, in which case I just make sure I've eaten my 1200 for the day.

UnoDrea3732

I try to think of it as a "use it or lose it" type of deal. If I know that Friday & Saturday are usually the days that I eat bad then I workout extra hard those mornings.

mlclarke22

i don't save them..but the plan im following does not allow it..i also like to look at each day individually that way i can really keep track of everything!

mitch16

Yes, I do that sometimes. I always eat and drink more on the weekends and don't really want to change that so it only makes sense to plan for it.

This is what I do, more or less--but I still try to run at a deficit overall. (And I'm really bad about tracking on the weekends, but I try not to go TOO crazy.)

karint74

I *always* move some of my exercise calories during the week over to Sunday's log (my rest day). That way I'll actually use the day to rest. I hate seeing my calorie total go into the red, even for one day, and I just can't function on less than, say, 1500 calories a day. Just because I didn't exercise that day doesn't mean I only need 1200 calories. It's been working for me so far--I've lost every single week since I started 8 weeks ago.

Velum_cado

Yeah, I guess I do. I use the whole weekend as my "cheat day" and I keep track of my calories over the week so I know about how much I can loosen the reins and still be within my weekly goal. Since I've been keeping track, I've been at a deficit every week and my weight loss has stayed consistent, so it's really been working for me.

markpmc

Not really. But I do carb load on the weekends, then it's back to <50 carbs for the week.

Yes I'll have a milkshake if I want, but I still log it and try to hit my cals (with a high carb angle).

TeachTheGirl

If it's somewhere I know I'm going to eat a lot, which isn't often, then yes. I will usually push myself harder that week and bank calories and then eat little during the day that I'm having the meal.

I have to do this for Fogo De Chao. So much meat...

JanaCanada

I still don't think I totally get the "eat back your exercise calories" thing, so I don't concern myself with it. If I exercise and don't eat them back, I'm not going to starve.

Lee716

No rollover calories in my plan. Each day is done on an individual basis.

gayje

I eat at 20% below TDEE so my daily calorie goal is a static number, no matter if I exercise or not. So, no, I do not eat them back nor do I adjust for daily activity.

Arrabindi

Yes. I like to look at the week as a whole.

WolfPackFan13

No rollover calories in my plan. Each day is done on an individual basis.

I try do this. I might extend that to a day on either side (so 2 days total). I think I read somewhere that 2 days is about how long it takes your body to make or burn fat. Not sure if that is true, though.

LorinaLynn

In a way... I'm looking to maintain, but I'm eating a little tiny bit below my TDEE Monday through Friday to give myself wiggle room on weekends.

Capt_Apollo

your body works more on a weekly basis, rather then day-to-day. it's happened to many of us. we work out, and have a balanced day of eating, but the next day we're just not that hungry, so we less, and the day after that we're super hungry and EAT ALL THE THINGS!!

while i don't necessarily recommend to bank tons of calories for a weekend of food and alcohol binging, to be concious of the whole week works well.

like a friend of mine says "don't miss the forest for the trees."

wifealiciousness

I used to keep every day separate in my head, and got down on myself when I messed up and went badly over. I then did the maths and worked out that over the last few months, when I evened it all out, I was about 3-6,000 calories under my limit per month! Nice! So I stopped giving myself such a hard time. I always try to do a good job, but I know there are some days I'll be doing better than others!

meerkat70

I still don't think I totally get the "eat back your exercise calories" thing, so I don't concern myself with it. If I exercise and don't eat them back, I'm not going to starve.

if you do two hours of exercise, burn 1200 cals, and only ear 1200 cals, it's not hard to see how that adds up to starving...?

jcfromny

I thought when you worked out, you were supposed to eat back those calories b/c your body needs them; is this not the case? I'm so confused! lol

Capt_Apollo

I thought when you worked out, you were supposed to eat back those calories b/c your body needs them; is this not the case? I'm so confused! lol

yes, your body needs them. keep eating them. or drink them.


did i say drink your exercise calories??? WAIT, NO PUT DOWN THAT MARGARITA!!! i mean to get yourself some protein powder, and start using it to make post work out/recovery shakes. use 1-2 scoops of powder, 6-8 ounces of orange juice, and then a half a cup or two of frozen berries and throw it in the blender. its a great way to replenish your body with a lot of good stuff that it needs, and taken after a work out it refreshes you, and helps put off that OMG I WANT TO EAT EVERYTHING feeling ppl get an hour or two after a work out.

mistadj

I just treat each day as a seperate day. No carry overs. I was told its best not to re-eat those calories. Then again, i guess everyone is different. if im having balanced meals and snacks, i dont eat to fill up the calories anyway..you just need to make sure you arent starving and eat something every few hours

rlmadrid

I guess I kind of use those guidelines. I like to stay under my weekly goal. That means if I have a long day of work at the bar and can't stomach dinner, I accept the 450-650 calorie defecit. In the same respect, sometimes when I work out I am insatiably hungry and can afford to go over calorie goals. I try to look at it on a larger scale. It took a long time to get to this state of mind, but I've realized that being over today is okay. Being over everyday is not. The same goes for being under. If I take my net calorie values from Sunday through Saturday and divide by 7, I should be under 2040 (net) per day.

When I first started this though, it was a day to day thing. Down to pumping out 50 jumping jacks if my calories were too high. At the time I was also eating 1460 and working out hard. You just have to feel out what works for you. Your health, energy levels and activity levels are quite unique. Find a system that is sustainable for you in the long run.

JanaCanada

I still don't think I totally get the "eat back your exercise calories" thing, so I don't concern myself with it. If I exercise and don't eat them back, I'm not going to starve.

if you do two hours of exercise, burn 1200 cals, and only ear 1200 cals, it's not hard to see how that adds up to starving...?

Gawd, I am so confused.

I guess I'm from the "old school" of dieting where we were taught that, if you eat 1200 cals. then burn 1200, that's what MAINTENANCE is, whereas LOSING weight is burning MORE than you consume. In other words, you fill your gas tank with fuel, then go for a drive. When youl;re on empty, you refuel again, and so on.

NJL13500

I look at my week as a whole usually. It's one of the options on MFP. I don't indulge every weekend, but won't beat myself for one or two days of going over in a week if I'm still under for the week overall. I try to have a specific purpose for going over though. A special night out, on vacation, etc. I don't think to myself-oh I've had a good week so I can go crazy this weekend. (I'm not saying that is what anyone is doing. I know that there are people for and against "cheat days"). I try to look at this as a lifestyle change and I want to enjoy my life and sometimes that includes more than 1500 calories per day. :-)

cbrrabbit25

I still don't think I totally get the "eat back your exercise calories" thing, so I don't concern myself with it. If I exercise and don't eat them back, I'm not going to starve.

if you do two hours of exercise, burn 1200 cals, and only ear 1200 cals, it's not hard to see how that adds up to starving...?

Gawd, I am so confused.

I guess I'm from the "old school" of dieting where we were taught that, if you eat 1200 cals. then burn 1200, that's what MAINTENANCE is, whereas LOSING weight is burning MORE than you consume. In other words, you fill your gas tank with fuel, then go for a drive. When youl;re on empty, you refuel again, and so on.

my mom believes this also. i think it may be too old school because eating my calories back has actually helped me lose weight. i am not sure why this happens but it does. when i would not "eat back" my calories i wasnt losing weight. just maintaining it or gaining it if i didnt exercise enough.

JanaCanada

I still don't think I totally get the "eat back your exercise calories" thing, so I don't concern myself with it. If I exercise and don't eat them back, I'm not going to starve.

if you do two hours of exercise, burn 1200 cals, and only ear 1200 cals, it's not hard to see how that adds up to starving...?

Gawd, I am so confused.

I guess I'm from the "old school" of dieting where we were taught that, if you eat 1200 cals. then burn 1200, that's what MAINTENANCE is, whereas LOSING weight is burning MORE than you consume. In other words, you fill your gas tank with fuel, then go for a drive. When youl;re on empty, you refuel again, and so on.

my mom believes this also. i think it may be too old school because eating my calories back has actually helped me lose weight. i am not sure why this happens but it does. when i would not "eat back" my calories i wasnt losing weight. just maintaining it or gaining it if i didnt exercise enough.

Perhaps I should mention the fact that there is no way in Hades that I am burning every calorie I consume..not even close. Thus, I have leftover calories each day to live on. Doesn;t that count?