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    too many calories remaining

    Posts: 101 Member
    edited January 8 in Food and Nutrition
    Hi Guys,

    Just interested in peoples thoughts. On days when I cycle I often have circa 3000 calories remaining. I eat as much as I can comfortably eat on these days. Just wondering if I should eat more, or not worry too much about it. I've only a few kgs left to go so i dont need to loose loads.

    Cheers in advance

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    Replies

    • Posts: 101 Member
      bump
    • Posts: 11 Member
      There are many discussions on MFP in regard to 'eating back calories'. Some do, some don't. I usually eat back some of the calories if I feel like it and other times I don't. Personally, I don't worry about it much.
    • Posts: 3,400 Member
      I don't believe in eating back exercise calories, but if you want to up your calories get a spoon and a jar of peanut butter.
    • Posts: 6,890 Member
      Depends on how often you do it (have the big deficit after cycling), and how big your calorie deficit is on the other days. Once in awhile probably not a big deal, especially if you're not hungry.

      Can't see your diary, so not sure what sort of foods you're eating - I'd assume you eat well to fuel the cycling, but you could try eating more calorie dense foods (if you're not already) that pack more calories in small portions - avocados, olive and coconut oils, nuts and nut butters, full fat dairy, etc.
    • Posts: 101 Member
      Hello, thank you for your replies. I have opened my diary so you can look at it
    • Posts: 101 Member
      Bump
    • Posts: 28 Member
      Hi mate how often do you cycle a week your food choices aren't great you could make a lot of improvement by adding things like oats ,sweet potato lean meats chicken ,mince ,fish . almonds etc don't forget if your out on your bike for a few hours you need to up your carbs abit more to fuel your cycling
    • Posts: 246 Member
      Hi mate how often do you cycle a week your food choices aren't great you could make a lot of improvement by adding things like oats ,sweet potato lean meats chicken ,mince ,fish . almonds etc don't forget if your out on your bike for a few hours you need to up your carbs abit more to fuel your cycling

      This is good advice, carb load before excercise and eat lighter in the evenings. You can eat nuts (almonds etc) and get your daily quota. Looking at your diary you need more of the above and less empty sugars (simple carbs)

      Just my opinion.

      I run and bike and although I dont always eat all my excercise cals back I need to make sure I'm getting enough otherwise I feel washed out and tired. 3000 cals is a lot to burn on a bike unless you are doing 40 miles plus.

      PS If you are using a Garmin etc they aren't that accurate for cycling. Try running for half an hour and biking and look at the difference against how much energy you've expended.

      Cheers Weathers
    • Posts: 568 Member
      Last night I had about 750 left. I fixed that with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich topped off with some honey roasted peanuts :)

      Im not going to force myself to eat if im not hungry.
    • Posts: 286 Member
      If you are hungry, eat a snack or a meal (depending on hunger)

      If you do not feel hungry, do not eat

      Honestly, just because you have some calories remaining doesn't mean you should eat them, unless you want to of course :) Xx
    • Posts: 101 Member
      show previous quotes

      This is good advice, carb load before excercise and eat lighter in the evenings. You can eat nuts (almonds etc) and get your daily quota. Looking at your diary you need more of the above and less empty sugars (simple carbs)

      Just my opinion.

      I run and bike and although I dont always eat all my excercise cals back I need to make sure I'm getting enough otherwise I feel washed out and tired. 3000 cals is a lot to burn on a bike unless you are doing 40 miles plus.

      PS If you are using a Garmin etc they aren't that accurate for cycling. Try running for half an hour and biking and look at the difference against how much energy you've expended.

      Cheers Weathers

      I cycled 45 miles on Saturday then a dog walk and general house cleaning and then 75 miles on Sunday. Any diet tips greatfully recieved
    • Posts: 1,897 Member
      Ice cream always helps me reach my calorie goal.
    • Posts: 772 Member
      94898280.gif
    • Posts: 208 Member
      There are many discussions on MFP in regard to 'eating back calories'. Some do, some don't. I usually eat back some of the calories if I feel like it and other times I don't. Personally, I don't worry about it much.

      THIS ^^^^^^^
    • Posts: 345 Member
      3000 calories?! What do you do to workout and how much do you eat?
    • Posts: 12,294 Member
      spread the cals out during the week instead. If you are set to sedentary, change it to active or very active and eat more everyday, but don't eat back what you burn, as it should average out for the week. (eat the same calories everyday)
    • Posts: 10,413 Member
      Worry more about where you're at at the end of the week, not at the end of the day. If you're way under on a given day, but in good shape at the end of the week, then I wouldn't worry about it. If you're way under on a given day, and also way under over the course of the week, then I'd be more concerned. It's about the big picture.

      And as for those who say it doesn't matter or it's personal preference or whatever else along those lines. Wrong. There actually is science to it, and there are reasons why you should or shouldn't be eating back calories. Very little about heath is as arbitrary as many people think. Everything happens for a reason, even if you don't understand the reason.

      On a side note, I saw one of your logs... 240 minutes for 4000 cals. How are you estimating cals burned? That's almost 17 cals/minute, which is REALLY high. Few people can hit that for any length of time, and even fewer can maintain it over 4 hours.
    • Posts: 241 Member
      94898280.gif

      Yeah....This will do it...LOL
    • Posts: 2,066 Member
      When I do big workouts, I tend to spread excess calories over the week or just subsequent days.
    • Posts: 634 Member
      Change up what you eat, rather than eat more. Incorporating nuts like walnuts or almonds eats up calories while providing a lot of positive benefits (good cholesterol, healthy fats, etc) The day I have 3000 calories excess to eat back will be the day I weep for joy :P Great job you!
    • Posts: 601
      I usually stop for fish and chips and 8 pints of beer on the way home :drinker:
    • Posts: 101 Member
      3000 calories?! What do you do to workout and how much do you eat?

      To have 3000 calories left I would go for a 60+ mile bike ride and a walk with the dogs. Usually does it...
    • Posts: 345 Member
      show previous quotes

      To have 3000 calories left I would go for a 60+ mile bike ride and a walk with the dogs. Usually does it...

      Well I know I couldn't do another 3000 calories on top of what I already eat. I would say spread it out equally through out the week. Good luck!
    • Posts: 91 Member
      Ice cream always helps me reach my calorie goal.

      The girl has a point there.
    • Posts: 91 Member
      show previous quotes

      Yeah....This will do it...LOL

      That's a lot of bacon to be eating to fill 3000 calories :P A relatively good sized strip is only around 100 calories.
    • Posts: 12,294 Member
      On a side note, I saw one of your logs... 240 minutes for 4000 cals. How are you estimating cals burned? That's almost 17 cals/minute, which is REALLY high. Few people can hit that for any length of time, and even fewer can maintain it over 4 hours.

      OP if you can sustain burns that are 17 cals/min you must either weight 300+ lbs, or are one of the fittest people on the planet. To push that hard for that long to get that type of burn is not "normal", are you sure your cals burned are an accurate calculation, and are you backing out the cals you would have burned had you not worked out as caloric burns are total burns, some of which you would burn anyway, and are already taken into account with your caloric intake on MFP.

      Say you burn 1.5 cals/min at rest, so in 240 mins of biking 360 would already be included in your "maintenance" calories, and therefore should be backed out of cals burned before entering them into MFP. This is only really an issue if you workout for 60+ minutes, otherwise the amount is so small won't make a difference.
    • Posts: 10,413 Member
      Just for comparison's sake... I'm a fairly accomplished rider and I can do about 12 cals/minute for an hour and I'm gassed. I haven't been on my road bike in a couple of months, so I don't remember my typical burn on the roadie, but mountain biking is usually 12-12.5 cals/minute on really though trails. But again, I can only sustain that for about an hour.
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