Help!! Are we supposed to eat exercise calories??? Help!!

Plantpot

Hi,

I have been using this site for a while and really like it, however since Christmas I have been sticking to cals and doing British Military Training twice a week (think running round a park with an ex army instructor shouting at you). I have been really pleased with how I have been doing although am planning to up the exercise to a min of 3 times a week. However, I am not seeing results!!

I have lost circa 6 lbs since November ish, which is really disapointing!! I am 5 ft 4 in and was 11 stone 2 lb this morning!!

I tend to stick the cals and try not to eat the extra exercise cals. Is this where I am going wrong? For example, I have changed my goal today to loose 1 1/2 lbs a week, which has reduced my cals to 1,200. I have been to the gym and earned and extra 300 cals. I dont plan to eat these extra..... is this wrong of me?

I am deteremined to stay on the wagon, and would be grateful of any advise.... as I say am really pleased with how I have been doing.... just wish I could see the reward on those scales!!

Many thanks for reading this and thanks for you help!!

kingnatalie

You should eat your exercise calories. This site is designed to give you a calorie intake at a deficit before exercise, so exercise is a bonus for your body and allows you to eat a few extra calories. Your body needs the nutrition from the extra calories to function and keep your energy levels higher.

LittleSpy

Read:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again
and
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition

CurlySue

Thank you kingnatalie! I didn't realize that you were suppose to eat your exercise caloires.

dragonfly74

Hi!

I have to say that I do NOT eat my exercise calories. I am on a 1200 calorie diet through Jenny Craig and asked them about it. I was told to NOT eat back the calories you have burned off. If I hit a plateau for a few weeks they will add 100 calories to my diet per day. I never understood this site for saying you need to eat them. This site always used to say I was at too few calories when I didn't eat my exercise calories. This is what it used to say: "*Based on your total calories consumed for today, you are eating too few calories. Not only is it difficult to receive adequate nutrition at these calorie levels, but you could also be putting your body into starvation mode. Starvation mode lowers your metabolism and makes weight loss more difficult."

Happy to say that today was the first day it didn't say that after completing food intake entry and my intake will be 1208 calories. So I was happy to see they have removed that (and I hope it stays that way). I normally burn 500 + calories a day and if I were to eat those back I would be getting nowhere. That is just how my body works. I am 5' 5" and 139 lbs. Trying to lose 15 more lbs.

Just my opinion, hope this helps.

kwardklinck

Try eating half of your exercise cals and see if you lose. Sometimes you have to play with different things until you get results. Since you aren't eating them now and aren't losing, go for it. See if it makes a difference.

LittleSpy

Hi!

I have to say that I do NOT eat my exercise calories. I am on a 1200 calorie diet through Jenny Craig and asked them about it. I was told to NOT eat back the calories you have burned off. If I hit a plateau for a few weeks they will add 100 calories to my diet per day. I never understood this site for saying you need to eat them. This site always used to say I was at too few calories when I didn't eat my exercise calories. This is what it used to say: "*Based on your total calories consumed for today, you are eating too few calories. Not only is it difficult to receive adequate nutrition at these calorie levels, but you could also be putting your body into starvation mode. Starvation mode lowers your metabolism and makes weight loss more difficult."

They didn't remove the warning. It says that when you don't hit 1200 calories -- it's unrelated to whether or not you don't eat your exercise calories. 1200 is a number developed from averages. Some people (smaller framed very short people) can get away eating less. For some people, 1200 is entirely too low.

Some people can get away with not eating their exercise calories. From what I've seen here, most people do need to eat some of them to be very successful. I didn't eat any of my exercise calories until I hit a plateau at 53 pounds lost. I started eating half of them 2 weeks ago and I've started losing weight again. I had just reached a point where my body was uncomfortable with such large calorie deficits (well over 1000 calorie deficit most days). Now that I'm feeding my body more, it's more comfortable letting go of the extra fat.

Plantpot

Thank you so much for all you help and tips, I have had a read of the info, its very helpful! I think my body may be in survival mode, as for example today, I have had 1,200 cals, and burnt 300 at the gym. So in theory only had 900 cals net. Have just treated myself to an Options hot chocolate (40 cals) and 4 Cadburys fingers (30 cals each) in an attempt to eat the extra.

I will aim to eat half the extra calories I earn, and see how I get on. Got military training tomorrow which is circa 500 cals so will try and spread the extra throughout the day.

Fingers crossed I start seeing results!

Thanks again everyone and good luck!!

:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

LittleSpy

Have just treated myself to an Options hot chocolate (40 cals) and 4 Cadburys fingers (30 cals each) in an attempt to eat the extra.

Just to clarify -- the extra calories should be nutritious. :laugh:
(I mean, it's okay to treat yourself occasionally, but don't go shoving bon bons down your throat just because you burned 400 calories at the gym that day. ).

Plantpot

Ha ha!!! Bon bons now you are talking!!! I will try to use them wisely in future!!! :laugh: :laugh:

taz1978

Wow if i ate all my exercise cals i'd be eating twice as much! I like to exercise almost everyday and do spinning which apparently blows sumit like 600 cals. It somehow doesnt seem right to eat them all back again.. I need to get reading up on how this work - maybe i'm making this weight loss thing to hard on myself and the secret is eat more :laugh:

lisawest

Check out this topic:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/62929-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

kwardklinck

I actually found myself exercising extra so I could eat my fruit last week. I'm having a heck of a time getting a balanced diet in. I did increase my cals as of yesterday though so I think it will be a little easier.

lwebsmfp

Depending on how much exercise I do, I may eat some of my exercise calories but I don't eat them all.

dragonfly74

Jlb ~ you might not have had a warning but I always did. If I ate over 1200 and did NOT then eat back my exercise calories I DID have a warning. Also you said exactly what I was saying in my post. If you hit a plateau it is important to start adding SOME calories from exercise a little at a time. So it sounds like we are on the same page :happy:

sdirks

You need to eat your exercise calories. MFP has already programmed a calorie deficit into your daily goals. Exercising and then not eating back those calories only further starves your body. It's like asking your car to coast on fumes: a disaster waiting to happen.

Look at the "Goals" tab under "My Home." It will show you what deficit it has programmed in (should be between 200 and 600 calories, depending on how much you weigh, how much you need to lose, your personal health, metabolism, doctor's recommendation, etc.)

If you're still confused, read the post I keep in my signature. Loads of good information there!

x98peterson

I eat half of them back. Remember, when you exercise, 80% of the time you are not actually burning as much as the machine or your watch says....

Iceprincessk25

Jlb ~ you might not have had a warning but I always did. If I ate over 1200 and did NOT then eat back my exercise calories I DID have a warning. Also you said exactly what I was saying in my post. If you hit a plateau it is important to start adding SOME calories from exercise a little at a time. So it sounds like we are on the same page :happy:

I think you are misunderstanding what she is saying. If you eat NET calories that are under 1200 you will see that messages. It doesn't matter if you eat your calories from exercising or not. If you didn't exercise but only ate 1100 calories that day you will see that message. If you exercised for 300 calories and ate 1200 calories that day you will still see that message because you are under the 1200 NET calories for the day.

Iceprincessk25

I eat half of them back. Remember, when you exercise, 80% of the time you are not actually burning as much as the machine or your watch says....

I think it's such a miniscule number that it won't make a difference. For me it's about a 50 calorie difference.

dragonfly74

If you exercised for 300 calories and ate 1200 calories that day you will still see that message because you are under the 1200 NET calories for the day.

iceprincess ~ no I did not misunderstand her, if you closely read my posts you would see what I am saying. I will try to explain again, using your example above you will NO longer see that warning you used to (yes it used to be there, not anymore). That is my whole point. Yesterday was the first day I noticed the warning is NO longer there. My real life example: I burned 701 calories yesterday and ate only 1204 calories. When I completed my entry there was NO warning like there used to be. IN THE PAST I DID HAVE A WARNING. It must have just recently changed. The only time I now see that warning is when I eat less than 1200 calories in a day.

LittleSpy

I think you are misunderstanding what she is saying. If you eat NET calories that are under 1200 you will see that messages. It doesn't matter if you eat your calories from exercising or not. If you didn't exercise but only ate 1100 calories that day you will see that message. If you exercised for 300 calories and ate 1200 calories that day you will still see that message because you are under the 1200 NET calories for the day.

No, I understand exactly what she's saying.
What I'M saying is that I'm under 1200 NET calories (disclaimer: I'm obese -- the "rules" are different) almost every single day and I don't ever receive that message. Only if I'm under 1200 gross calories do I see the message. I have been here for 6 months and it has been the same.

This is a ridiculous argument. Apparently you get the message and I don't. It's as simple as that!