Exercise earned calories?

kimdommerc
kimdommerc Posts: 63
edited September 18 in Health and Weight Loss
I am new to this site this week and I am confused. Do I have to eat the extra calories I've earned through exercising or can I leave them? It's 8:00 pm and I have over 400 calories left and I am not hungry.

Replies

  • kimdommerc
    kimdommerc Posts: 63
    I am new to this site this week and I am confused. Do I have to eat the extra calories I've earned through exercising or can I leave them? It's 8:00 pm and I have over 400 calories left and I am not hungry.
  • dulceluva
    dulceluva Posts: 728 Member
    I say, if you are NOT hungry, then please do not eat them. I always treat my exercise calories as a 'bonus treat' to me. If I happen to be hungry, those exercise calories gives me a little extra.

    They ask you to eat them so that you don't run the risk of going into starvation mode but realistically, I am sure you are eating enough food, you'd only go into that mode if you were eating 400-500 calories per day PLUS exercising.

    Eat when you are hungry.
  • kimdommerc
    kimdommerc Posts: 63
    Thanks, thats kind of how I look at it too. Eating when I am not hungry would not be good for me! That is how I got here in the first place:smile:
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
    Um, well, this isn't really what most people recommend. If you set your goals here, you should stick to them (as close as you can), otherwise the goals set on this site are useless. Their is a good reason why you eat your exercise calories, the body can be trained not to feel hungry, even when you aren't getting enough food. It isn't something that needs to happen conciously, your body can turn off that mechanism after a while. But it won't be able to speed up your metiabolism or stop itself from feeding on your lean tissue if you eat too few. I'm not saying stuff yourself, but you should slowly increase your intake until you are at your goal calories. Otherwise, why even have them. You should read a few other posts on here, ill link to them, all the research on caloric intake and exercise has already been posted:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6556-the-answers-to-the-questions

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6737-true-confessions-from-a-slow-learner?hl=Starvation+mode#posts-46991

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/7611-starvation-mode?hl=Starvation+mode#posts-53778
  • kerrilucko
    kerrilucko Posts: 3,852 Member
    I agree with Banks. Your body can go into starvation mode if you are taking in fewer than the necessary calories. I have been told anything less than 1200 is dangerous. Have some extra fruit or veggies, it won't do any damage. If you're REALLY not hungry, then go for some juice or milk to make up those lost calories.
  • kimdommerc
    kimdommerc Posts: 63
    ok thanks i will read more and try to educate myself on this subject!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,413 Member
    ok thanks i will read more and try to educate myself on this subject!

    Please DO read and educate yourself. Many of us, myself included, have lost significant amounts of weight by doing exactly what the website recommends - eat small meals 5-6 times daily. Eat the calories given to you by exercise. Go to mayoclinic.com, or WebMD in addition to the posts here.

    With all due respect, dulceluva has not had a long history here on this website, and she has been "stalled" for a very long time and not losing weight. I don't agree with her "eat when you are hungry" belief, for the same reasons that banks1850 stated.

    More reading material for you (and dulceluva):

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing?page=1#posts-19051

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6832-eating-all-of-your-calories-bmr?page=1#posts-47129

    You have to EAT to LOSE. I know it seems counter-intuitive. But try it for six weeks, you'll feel great, and see what happens. :flowerforyou:
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