Maybe a stupid question

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innocenceportrayed
innocenceportrayed Posts: 569 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm on a 1200 calorie day but when you exercise you gain calories...should you eat the calories you gained or should you stick to the 1200 no matter how many calories you have extra to spare?

Does that make sense?

Replies

  • xowyomingox
    xowyomingox Posts: 17 Member
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    A lot of people have different opinions on it. Advice from my friend who works at a gym and has lost over 100 pounds himself, he advised me that I eat them, because first of all it slows your metabolism if you don't, and second you're creating a bigger deficit when you don't eat them. Further, when you eat food, calories are used as fuel. When you diet, the point is to burn more calories than you eat. When you're on a 1200 calorie diet, MFP has already created a big enough deficit for you to lose weight based on the calories you take in. When you exercise you burn more calories, and if you burn too many and don't eat them back, the body has no more calories to use as fuel, it takes from elsewhere. You want to create just enough of a deficit for it to take from your fat, but not enough of a deficit for it to take from your muscle, which is the next place it goes, so I eat most of them back if I can, eating mostly healthy foods along the way. Hope that helps.
  • mhuch110
    mhuch110 Posts: 130 Member
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    You'll get a lot of different responses here and if you do a search, you'll see others who have asked the same question. It seems to be a hot topic for some reason. Check that out for more answers, too.

    Personally, I eat mine back. Seems silly to eat what you just worked off, but 1200 is a pretty low amount anyway. A lot of people will also tell you this is way too low. I'm at 1200....and it works for me. But I'm also 4'11 and only 120 lbs.

    So, IMO, eat back what you've earned...your body needs the fuel!

    Good luck!
  • SandyF320
    SandyF320 Posts: 7
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    Thank you for you answer!!! Not a stupid question!! I was wondering the same thing!!! Hope you don't mind if i friend you... i'm new here and i am loving the great feed back and support of this website!!!!!
  • innocenceportrayed
    innocenceportrayed Posts: 569 Member
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    I'm going to try to eat them back but in all honesty, i'm not hungry. I drink anywhere between 10-15 glasses of water a day so I really don't get hungry except usually around lunch(which is my biggest meal--controversy because I know people say breakfast should be)

    Also, I exercise at night mainly instead of in the morning so I feel I shouldn't eat them back right before I go to bed.

    All opinions are appreciated. (=
  • mhuch110
    mhuch110 Posts: 130 Member
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    I'm the same way....when I take my Zumba class at night, I'm often left with a net of like 800. And sometimes, I'm just not that hungry and don't want to force feed myself just for the sake of eating calories. I like to look at it weekly instead of daily because I know there will be days I will go over. It all evens out in the end. As long as you are eating a healthy, well balanced diet and getting all your nutrients in, you'll be fine. Learn to listen to your body.

    :flowerforyou:

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