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Hunger and exercise... why does this happen???

NuggetLovesEdie
NuggetLovesEdie Posts: 477 Member
edited January 1 in Health and Weight Loss
Alright, so here's a thing that's annoying me.

Yesterday I made the choice to not exercise, which means I had fewer calories to consume. But I was *****in' hungry.

Today I did some physical activity and I can't eat back all my exercise calories.

What gives, body???

(also I'm shy about my food logs because I have TMJ pain that makes eating anything harder than toast incredibly painful... so lots of smoothies... but I desperately miss broccoli and kale and can't wait to heal!)

Replies

  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    Well for me it's not hunger (I don't think) but just the fact that I don't go take the time to work out I have an extra hour or so to think about food and want to eat haha... then I have less calories to consume.

    I actually recently switched to a daily amount that doesn't fluctuate even on rest days. I'm finding it easier to live with. I used to net 1700 calories. Now I eat 2100/day instead and don't eat back exercise calories. Then I never have a day I have to go as low as 1700.

    You might find it easier to average your calories over a week...
  • SJCon
    SJCon Posts: 224
    Well I think exercise is an appetite suppressant. If you feeling a little hunger walk a bit and see if that makes a difference. As a PP said you can go for a balance to bridge easy days versus hard exercise wise.
  • PamelaKuz
    PamelaKuz Posts: 191 Member
    I don't know why, but I have the opposite reaction. The days I exercise hard, I can't stop eating. Weird!
    Well I think exercise is an appetite suppressant. If you feeling a little hunger walk a bit and see if that makes a difference. As a PP said you can go for a balance to bridge easy days versus hard exercise wise.
  • NuggetLovesEdie
    NuggetLovesEdie Posts: 477 Member
    Thanks for the thoughts, all.

    I wonder if it wasn't because I was subjectively feeling more stress yesterday.
  • Kaiukas
    Kaiukas Posts: 111 Member
    For me exercise is an excellent way to curb my appetite.

    On days when I exercise (which is most days), I have no problem at all to be within my calorie goal, but when I don't exercise, I have to use all my will-power not to give into the weirdest cravings. I expected to be hungry after exercise, but the opposite is true.

    Everyone is different :flowerforyou:
  • blacklaceroses
    blacklaceroses Posts: 48 Member
    it goes away. and i eat way less on heavy days i go at it hard now. but it does go away
  • BlackmetalCoffee79
    BlackmetalCoffee79 Posts: 108 Member
    I don't know why, but I have the opposite reaction. The days I exercise hard, I can't stop eating. Weird!
    Well I think exercise is an appetite suppressant. If you feeling a little hunger walk a bit and see if that makes a difference. As a PP said you can go for a balance to bridge easy days versus hard exercise wise.

    Same for me. Days i run, i just want to eat everything in sight. LoL.
  • atjays
    atjays Posts: 797 Member
    Obviously everyone is different and finds things that work best for themselves and their body. For me I eat approximately the same amount of calories each day, somewhere between 1700-2000 and I just don't log my exercise at all. I know that with that much food I'm certainly not going to gain weight, I never feel hungry and I don't have to worry about over estimating how many calories I'm actually burning and accidentally over eat because I tried to match the two. I break my calories up into about 4 separate meals with one of those meals being specific to my preworkout and post workout. I also typically only drink water past 8pm.
  • chubbygirl253
    chubbygirl253 Posts: 1,309 Member
    exercise definitely suppresses my appetite. Except swimming has always made me hungry.
  • Ofaatu
    Ofaatu Posts: 42 Member
    I noticed that today too. Chose not to exercise today, its Friday, crap day at work and just needed a rest. Well I have had to just about lock myself out of the kitchen as I could eat everything in it! Had a big drink of water that helped somewhat. Can't believe what a difference exercise makes to my appetite!
  • SJCon
    SJCon Posts: 224
    I noticed that today too. Chose not to exercise today, its Friday, crap day at work and just needed a rest. Well I have had to just about lock myself out of the kitchen as I could eat everything in it! Had a big drink of water that helped somewhat. Can't believe what a difference exercise makes to my appetite!

    "Crap" day at work probably didn't help either. stress makes me hungry.
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