Should you really eat your exercise calories??

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keeleysmummy
keeleysmummy Posts: 5
in Introduce Yourself
Hi everyone, Im new here, and just wondering if its best to eat the calories you get back from your exercises? It confuses me why you would? Sorry I probably sound dumb. Just need it explained please :) thanks.

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  • MissCaraElaine
    MissCaraElaine Posts: 3 Member
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    I think the original calories it gives you would allow you to loose weight. I believe it gives you the extra calories to eat, because your body requires more enegy when you work out. I am not an expert, so I could be wrong.
  • birgithooker
    birgithooker Posts: 68
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    The way I understand it is that the 1400 calories calculated when you start out are the calories needed for your body to function if you sat around and did noting all day. If you run and burn 300 calories, you need to eat those calories to make up the difference. If you don't you may have results in the beginning but eventually your body is going to think food is scarce and you are starving it so it will readjust your metabolism to accomodate for the scarcity. Your metabolism will slow down to burn the calories slower. That's the way I understand it.
  • KariM
    KariM Posts: 53
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    YES! Eat those calories you have earned them! :drinker:

    Your body will go into survival mode if you fall below 1200 cals a day (i.e. it will try to hold onto everything) so if say you are trying to lose 2lbs a week and eating 1200 cals, then you burn 200 exercising, you will be below 1200. I don’t eat mine back every day, but I always make sure I am at least at 1200 NET cals (total eaten - burnt cals). I made this mistake early on and had trouble losing anything ... as soon as I added the food back I lost -- sounds counterintuitive at firs,t but it works!
  • kristie874
    kristie874 Posts: 774 Member
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    There is a post somewhere around here that gives the full explanation. I'll try to find it and post it unless someone else gets to it first. I can tell you that when I first started I wasn't eating my exercise calories and I wasn't losing very quickly. As soon as I added at least 70% of those calories into my daily food consumption I started losing steadily and regularly. Your body needs fuel to function. Without it your metabolism will slow, holding onto fat as it thinks it is starving. I strongly urge you to eat them. Now...off to find that link...
  • kristie874
    kristie874 Posts: 774 Member
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    Okay, found em!

    The first one is a list of different links to read to help you through this. The second is specifically about the breakdown of why you should eat them. I hope this helps!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • Shamen
    Shamen Posts: 8 Member
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    i believe you should exercise your eaten calories!
    you eat calories + you don't burn them = no getting thinner.
    here it is: if you eat more calories than the ones you burn, then you get fatter; if you eat the same calories you burn, you keep in shape and same weight; and if you burn more calories than the ones you eat, you'll lose weight.
  • Jennplus2
    Jennplus2 Posts: 984 Member
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    The way I understand it is that the 1400 calories calculated when you start out are the calories needed for your body to function if you sat around and did noting all day. If you run and burn 300 calories, you need to eat those calories to make up the difference. If you don't you may have results in the beginning but eventually your body is going to think food is scarce and you are starving it so it will readjust your metabolism to accomodate for the scarcity. Your metabolism will slow down to burn the calories slower. That's the way I understand it.

    Right! For me I start with 1200. 1200-650 burned on workout=550 If I only eat 1200 that day my body is only getting the 550 because 650 was burned off.
  • kristie874
    kristie874 Posts: 774 Member
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    The way I understand it is that the 1400 calories calculated when you start out are the calories needed for your body to function if you sat around and did noting all day. If you run and burn 300 calories, you need to eat those calories to make up the difference. If you don't you may have results in the beginning but eventually your body is going to think food is scarce and you are starving it so it will readjust your metabolism to accomodate for the scarcity. Your metabolism will slow down to burn the calories slower. That's the way I understand it.

    Right! For me I start with 1200. 1200-650 burned on workout=550 If I only eat 1200 that day my body is only getting the 550 because 650 was burned off.

    But, just to function, your body burns a certain number of calories each day. This is your BMR. There is a calculator on her that you can use to determine this. The BMR is based on if you were entirely sedentary all day. If we cut out too many calories our bodies get scared and store fat. It's important to eat the exercise calories, or at least a good portion of them.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    good thread was started a few days ago. I bumped it to the top............good arguments.


    I love the "exercise your eaten calories" line:happy:

    What ppl forget is it takes calories just to run your bodily systems. I mean even going to the bathroom uses up calories as fuel.

    If you are eating 2500 calories a day, and bump down to 1200..........then you exercise 500 away.......you WILL be tired, hungry, grumpy and for me any way, can end up in the ER on an IV drip.

    Losing weight needs to be a lifelong endeaver. Like it or not, you will always fight the fat........and if you change you eating habits, you will never have to lose 50 pounds again!!:wink:
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    Hi everyone, Im new here, and just wondering if its best to eat the calories you get back from your exercises? It confuses me why you would? Sorry I probably sound dumb. Just need it explained please :) thanks.

    Welcome to MFP Keelys mum!
  • angelwings2000
    angelwings2000 Posts: 357 Member
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    I am still trying to make sens of it myself, so appreciate the help everyone!
  • RandysHottie
    RandysHottie Posts: 18
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    You don't sound "dumb" at all. I was wondering the same thing, just never asked :happy: . I kept thinking...I can eat 1/2 that candy bar if I work out an additional 10 minutes.....DUH!!!! I don't want to work out any more than I really need to, so maybe I just won't eat that candy bar at all! Interersting how this website really puts things into perspective. I am NOT a fitness/diet/calorie counting guru, so I need ALL THE HELP I can get from other members! SO THANK YOU for asking!
  • keeleysmummy
    keeleysmummy Posts: 5
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    Thank you all so much, especially kristie874, that second link was really helpful! I think I just about get it! Nice to know there's people to help :) And thanks for the welcome! Hi! :) x
  • kristie874
    kristie874 Posts: 774 Member
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    No problem! It's hard to understand until you actually feel and see it working for you. You'll learn the things that you need to tweak to fit you. We're all a little different. Good luck and don't forget to post if you need support, encouragement, answers, or just want to tell about your successes! :flowerforyou:
  • kcdrake
    kcdrake Posts: 512
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    I agree with KariM.
    My problem is that after working out it is actually really hard for me to keep eating as much as I should for the rest of the day - its almost like I lose my appetite. However, I always make sure I'm over 1200 calories so my body doesn't go into starvation mode. When this happens you won't lose weight - might actually gain weight - because your body thinks you aren't getting enough energy as is and will hold onto all the fat since fat is such a good energy provider. I believe you actually lose your muscle before fat when this happens.
    So, I may not meet my 1450 net calories every day, but I always make sure that my net calories are over 1200.

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