Exercise Calories

jennslosingit
jennslosingit Posts: 8
in Health and Weight Loss
I walked during my lunch and burned 400 calories. It was add to my available total for the day. I'm really hungry tonight after eating a healthy, filling meal. I'm holding back to see if it's emotional hunger first. I want to break that cycle. If I eat anything else (assuming it's physical and not emotional hunger), I'll be over my daily allowance. Eating those calories would feel like wasting the exercise. How do others handle this situation? Am I looking at this the wrong way? I would appreciate any insights you might have.

Replies

  • GmeB
    GmeB Posts: 70 Member
    I'm relatively new to MFP,but I understand that they say it's just fine to eat those calories,or half of them ,IF you are sure you're hungry,hungry,or as you say,emotionally hungry. I'm the same way,and I try not to eat those calories,but if I really,really want something else,I have it. The way I understand it,MFP has figured in your daily calorie allowance to get you a weight loss without exercise,the exercise is a bonus. Please,correct me if I'm wrong people.
    :drinker:
  • neonflowers
    neonflowers Posts: 20 Member
    I had the same question. Everyone on MFP seems to have a different opinion. I started out not eating my exercise back and I felt fine at first. But then I started being hungry and feeling sick after dinner. So I started eating most of my back and I'm still losing weight. So I say listen to your body if it's physical hunger eat. Your body knows what it needs. Besides one day over your allowance isn't going to hurt you.
  • jennslosingit
    jennslosingit Posts: 8
    That makes sense then because it would be the way you prepare for a special occasion when you will be eating more than your allowance. I'm going to wait until 8. If I'm still hungry, then I'll eat a small snack. Thank you so much for your thoughts.
  • jennslosingit
    jennslosingit Posts: 8
    Thank you for sharing your experience. It's important to learn to listen to your body. I want to make sure that I'm not eating for the wrong reasons. You're right about it being okay to go over every once in a while. For whatever reason, when I'm dieting I expect nothing less from myself than perfection and that often does me in. It's good to keep in mind that it is normal to have fluctuation in what you eat. It's about moderation.
  • rsellersCST
    rsellersCST Posts: 333 Member
    It's my understanding that it's calculated in so that you are still at a deficit if you use their guidance.

    I agree though... I hate eating those calories back because I feel like I'm undoing my "work" when I exercised. That said... if you are honestly hungry and NOT eating emotionally... your body does need fuel and you don't want to deprive it... and you want it to eat fat and not muscle.

    So... compromise at eating no more than half of your exercise calories? That way you are still adding to your deficit with exercise.

    I also look at it like the exercise does counter balance the days where there's a higher intake due to events... or whatever... certainly beats not exercising and loading up on the calories!

    It's taken me a bit to get into the groove with MFP... I realize that their estimates on the exercise calorie burn tended to be too generous as well... I trust my heart rate monitor and/ my tracking app or the machines at the gym over their estimates... so that's something to consider as well if you are solely relying on their estimates for calorie burn.

    Also... measuring food... I was shorting myself in the meat department... I was underestimating... which is just as bad as over estimating. Got me a food scale... helps to have that!

    Also... water... water... water... helps with fullness... :-)

    Good luck and keep at it!!! Overall if you are FEELING healthier... use that as an additional gauge. You are doing great! I know I have a long ways to go, but I do find this to be the most helpful tool ever :-)
  • rsellersCST
    rsellersCST Posts: 333 Member
    Thank you for sharing your experience. It's important to learn to listen to your body. I want to make sure that I'm not eating for the wrong reasons. You're right about it being okay to go over every once in a while. For whatever reason, when I'm dieting I expect nothing less from myself than perfection and that often does me in. It's good to keep in mind that it is normal to have fluctuation in what you eat. It's about moderation.

    I can be like this too expecting perfection and it's taken me a LONG time to learn to be flexible in this area... I'm also a very emotional eater... or I would like to say that I WAS... still have to analyze my feelings when the cravings come on... am I stressed, upset, celebrating, frustrated, or am I ACTUALLY hungry??? It can be very frustrating.

    You can do this though... and I LOVE how this sight DOES track... and you know what... it's OK... days do fluctuate... hunger fluctuates as well, but relearning those differences can be a challenge. I get frustrated when I don't see movement on the scale for a few days... but then I think... well... I'm still down from last week or two weeks ago... it's STILL a success. BIG PICTURE. I try to remember that when I'm caught up in this ONE snack... or this ONE weigh in.
  • jennslosingit
    jennslosingit Posts: 8
    Splitting the difference does sound like a good idea. That way you get two benefits - extra toward weight loss and a little treat.

    The exercise calculation is interesting. It's hard to get it right. I wasn't walking as fast as the one I picked, but I spent that time going uphill on an outside trail. It got my heart rate up and my sweat pouring. I am saving the FitBit as a treat for my birthday for sticking with this plan until then (October). That gives me the time to learn this program and incorporate healthier habits first.

    Thanks so much for your encouragement and sharing your experiences!
  • christi921
    christi921 Posts: 21
    I am new to MFP and am trying to follow what they recommend for my calorie intake for the day and I do eat the exercise calories they add for me. I am finding that some days I am perfectly fine and other nights I am ravenous by the time I go to bed even though I have had a decent dinner. I didn't want to fall back to my old habits of just giving into that hunger and blow my diet for the day, so what I have been doing is having some protien, like two or three ounces of chicken breast. Or I will make some chicken broth and cut up tons of veggies and make a veggie soup. It is really filling and low in calories and I can eat tons of it :). Other nights, if it is early enough, i might eat a little more but use my wii fit to burn off what I ate.
  • jennslosingit
    jennslosingit Posts: 8
    When you focus on the one thing, it makes it that much easier to let that one slip get you completely off track. The goal is to get healthy and stay healthy for the rest of our lives. There can be no one about this, right?
  • jennslosingit
    jennslosingit Posts: 8
    Christi, that's another good point. Every other night this week I was under my allowance and felt full. You have to look back over time to see how things are going. Great point!
  • fastforlife1
    fastforlife1 Posts: 459 Member
    I notice my mfp friends losing the most weight pick a calorie goal (usually about 1400) and don't count their exercise calories. I only count my exercise calories when I've eaten too much lol.
  • jennslosingit
    jennslosingit Posts: 8
    That seems about right. LOL! I have gone under my balance every other day this week, so if I did eat something, I'd still be under for the week. No matter what, I've eaten so healthfully this week, I am proud of myself..
  • tanyaslosingit
    tanyaslosingit Posts: 178 Member
    I want to make sure that my weight loss is at a sustainable rate (-500 cal = -1 lb; -1000 = -2 lbs) and I don't want to lose at a less safe rate than that, so I make sure my calorie deficit is between 500 (MFP calorie budget) & 1000 (MFP calories + exercise calories burned.) Anything that puts me outside of that range I make sure I'm eating back.
  • Louiyen
    Louiyen Posts: 69
    Ask yourself how bad you want it? it all comes down to discipline. The mirror is your friend. If you don't like what you see than take action on it. also, the eating part. Treat everyday as if it's a new day.

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