Eating only what you burn?

emailcrystalo
emailcrystalo Posts: 250 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been thinking about trying to eat only as many calories as I burn while working out. What do you think or know about that? I wear a heart rate monitor when I work out and use that as my guide for calorie burn.
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Replies

  • sgthaggard
    sgthaggard Posts: 581 Member
    How is your BMR going to fit into that equation?
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    That sounds like a bad idea to me.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    You do realize your body requires calories/energy to fuel organ function and normal daily activities (aka getting dressed, walking to your car, bathing, walking into the gym).

    This sounds extremely dangerous, and dare I say stupid. :(
  • steph1278
    steph1278 Posts: 483 Member
    Doesn't sound very healthy to me. Your body requires calories just for basic functions and when you add exercise into that mix, you need more fuel. Why are you contemplating this?
  • HealthyGinny
    HealthyGinny Posts: 821 Member
    How is your BMR going to fit into that equation?

    Um, yes. This.

    Doesn't sound very healthy to me. Also, I hope you don't have a job that requires a lot of thinking, etc. because this also consumes energy (calories). Just saying.
  • Martucha123
    Martucha123 Posts: 1,089 Member
    the worst idea ever
  • breasonable
    breasonable Posts: 115 Member
    I would do anything like that without talking to a Dr. I am under a Drs supervision and eating very low calories. It can be done but I wouldn't start it on your own...
  • ladybarometer
    ladybarometer Posts: 205 Member
    You'll destroy your metabolism, and your body will start to burn muscle for energy while holding onto fat for storage since it thinks your in famine. Maybe use that as a method of Intermittent fasting, and do it only a few days a week, with higher calorie days in between? Keep your body on it's toes.
  • SteffieMark
    SteffieMark Posts: 1,719 Member
    Two words. Bad idea.
  • laurasimmons
    laurasimmons Posts: 575 Member
    Oh my gosh I really hope you are not serious. That would not be nearly enough calories for you to be healthy.
  • stupidloser
    stupidloser Posts: 300 Member
    I wouldn't eat all of it back. you just need to eat back the carbs. If you do hi intensity, I believe it is 75% carbs & 25%fat you are burning. If you are doing low insity it is like 25%carbs and 75%fat. I would only eat back the carb calories I burned instead of eating all the calories back and I would eat only carbs and very little fat and maybe some protein. but it also depends on your overall diet too.
  • Keltinator
    Keltinator Posts: 265
    Possibly one of the worst ideas ever, next to not eating at all.
  • sugarlips1980
    sugarlips1980 Posts: 361 Member
    If this is a serious question...

    If your calories in equals your calories out, then that's like never eating at all, isn't it?! And you need calories for your organs and body to stay alive. Take a sensible approach to eating and exercising or it will never work.
  • emailcrystalo
    emailcrystalo Posts: 250 Member
    Thanks for the feedback - it was just a random thought I had this morning after working out. No worries - I'm not up for self destruction or anything like that. :-) Thanks for the feedback!
  • JohnMessmer
    JohnMessmer Posts: 536
    Yeah, I can't think of any way this could be a good idea, Unless I am just not understanding the question.
  • stupidloser
    stupidloser Posts: 300 Member
    rememmber that when you eat too little, you'll be in a ctabolic state. When you eat more than you bmr, you'll be in a anabolic state, given that you train, otherwise the extra calories will manifest itself as fat instead of muscle.
  • cad39too
    cad39too Posts: 874 Member
    er....No. Not a very good idea.
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    What about the calories you burn just being alive? That's at least 1,000 right there.
  • angeeishere
    angeeishere Posts: 89 Member
    the worst idea ever

    ^^this^^
  • dsmpunk
    dsmpunk Posts: 262 Member
    Why? I think you will eventually collapse =/
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    This is probably the worst idea I've ever read on the forums.

    Honestly, I'm impressed.
  • LeidaPrimal
    LeidaPrimal Posts: 198 Member
    Luckily, you won't be able to do it for longer than 3-4 days. After which you will binge yourself out of your mind, and calories will balance out if you have a very healthy satiety switch; if you do not, you will eat more than you 'saved' and will gain weight. If you have a willpower of a robot and persist, you will collapse in about 1-3 weeks, depending on how much fat you store. By the end, you will be eating nothing, really, because you will be too lethargic to move.

    If you go ahead, you will see how your body works. It's a good learning thing. But it will be dearly bought, because climbing out of a binge is hard.
  • cbeutler
    cbeutler Posts: 667 Member
    Wouldn't do it.
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
    I think this is an awesome idea..Just burn 2,200 calories on any day you expect to eat.
  • marinebiologist_girl
    marinebiologist_girl Posts: 300
    I've been thinking about trying to eat only as many calories as I burn while working out. What do you think or know about that? I wear a heart rate monitor when I work out and use that as my guide for calorie burn.
    The simplest way to explain this: If you eat ONLY what you burn, then your net consumption is 0. As a result, you're more or less eating NOTHING.
  • dcat4563
    dcat4563 Posts: 33 Member
    I have to agree with everyone else - bad idea. the point of mfp is to keep your intake lower than what your body burns off daily.

    it calculates an average of calories burned daily doing your daily routine. if you eat the number of calories the mfp tells you to you are already burning off everything you eat plus some and you don't have to take it to extremes.

    If you are exercising, I would suggest eating back at least part of those calories as well, or you will not be able to fuel your body and sustain your workouts.
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
    Sense. Your idea makes none.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Glad you're not planning to actually do this. :smile:

    If you're looking for some direction on how many calories you should be eating, check out this topic: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Food is fuel!
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    Let us know what hospital to send the cards to. If you keep that up for long that's where you'll be.
  • Meaganandcheese
    Meaganandcheese Posts: 525 Member
    This is great. Eat only what you burn ... including what you burn living, breathing, etc. It's called your BMR.
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