Eating Exercise Calories

If you know you are working out that night, eat more during the day.

Or have a smoothie with protein powder before bed.

This exactly.

I also each back my calories and workout in the late afternoon. I usually pre-log all my food (planning has been essential to my weight loss, even cheat meals) and then make sure I have enough for the day. If I go over, then I know my minimum calorie goal for the evening.

If I was going eat back calories after a pre-bed workout, I would just eat them back the following day.

If you know you are going to workout why not eat the calories first?

This is a great idea if you know for sure you will work out. I just know it wouldnt work for me.

If you know you are going to workout why not eat the calories first?

I just started doing this last week and it really seems to be working for me. I put in all the food I plan on eating that day and then see how much exercise I will have to do in order to even it out. I used to work out 1-2 hours a day and am now down to only 30-40 minutes. (More on days that I eat more) and with last week alone I lose almost 3 lbs!

Either plan ahead, or log them the following day instead. IE, if you run 5 miles tonight, log it for tomorrow, then log tomorrow's on Thursday, etc.

I try to eat a substantial snack beforehand so I'm not starving when I get home, and I try to prepare as much of my dinner as I can before I exercise so I'm not up late cooking.

For example: yesterday I got home from work, fed and walked the dogs, and then immediately started chopping up vegetables for a casserole-type thing that I planned on having for dinner. While I was prepping the casserole I whipped up a small omelette and ate that with a plum as a snack. Then I ran off to spinning and barre class. When I got home I immediately preheated the oven and started baking the casserole a few minutes later. I wasn't starving because I'd eaten earlier, so I didn't need to eat a huge amount when it came out of the oven. And because I'd done most of the work ahead of time I wasn't eating immediately before bed.

You don't have to eat them back that exact evening or that exact day. As someone has already suggested, spread them over the next day (or days)

Trying adding things like a handful of mixed (unbleached / unsalted) nuts, an avocado, a small baked potato, a chunk of cheddar cheese, a banana or a half cup of pasta to a meal you were going to eat anyway. This will easily and healthily get your calorie numbers up.

Have a search - there are plenty of threads on the MPF forums about how to add healthy clean foods to your diet which will compliment the exercise you are doing and give you the energy you need.

I've tried eating them back pre-workout. There are some days that I burn a lot. Wednesdays for example, I take three classes at the gym - Kickboxing, Body Pump, then a "Dancer's Sculpt" class. I enjoy all of these classes and they only happen to be offered on that day so I make sure I make them. However, if I eat a large lunch before going to the gym (or if I eat lunch too close to the time I go to the gym), I feel rather ill.

You don't need to eat a "large" lunch ... it's not really the meal "just before" that fuels your workout. On Wednesday, work in some extra calories at breaskfast, maybe have a healthy snack (or 2) on your gym days. Calorie dense foods (nut butters, nuts, avacado) will help you bump up your calories.

Eating calories back is about "preserving" existing muscle mass ... very important.

One thing to think about ....
Someone pointed out that the body doesn't really "know" what time it is and to think about getting your calories in every 24 hours - so if you work out later in the day, eat something light, if you like, otherwise, load up for breakfast!


That way, on any given 24 hours period, you've eaten back your calories and the body is properly fueled