Does eating ruin my exercise?

Claairey1992
Claairey1992 Posts: 90 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi :)

I literally started my calorie counting yesterday, I'm 6 stone over weight, 5ft 2, 21 year old female. i have been eating 1200 calories per day and burning 100 calories in walking. First question - is this enough exercise? Second question - when I enter in my exercise in to the myfitnesspal app it tells me I have to eat the calories which I burn but would this not maintain my weight and stop me losing any?

Thanks!
Claire

Replies

  • staceypunk
    staceypunk Posts: 924 Member
    When you set up MFP it has already taken a deficit into account to give you the 1200, so yes you should eat back your exercise calories. You should NET 1200. Good luck!
  • juliekins64
    juliekins64 Posts: 125 Member
    amount of exercise depends on your goals.
    If you want to just lose weight you can do it with diet alone.
    If you want to be able to eat a little more you can walk off some the calories so you can eat 1300 cal/day.

    If you want to sculp your body so once the weight is off you have a firm round shape than yes exercise is good.
    Cardio burns calories, cardio intervals burns more calories (walk run walk run repeat) and builds some muscle from the sprinting and weight lifting shapes you. Lifting does burn calories but the biggest advantage is that by building your lean muscle mass so that you just naturally need more calories to live, so you burn long after you've finished exercising. I prefer lifting while calorie restricting because I get leaner while also getting firmer at the same time.

    Good luck!
  • Heather032190
    Heather032190 Posts: 138 Member
    You should always eat a light meal approximatly 30-45mins before your workout to keep you energized. Try a little more of other exercises like circut training to do a "all over" workout. Then make sure you eat plenty of protien after your workout seeing as your body still burns calories after the work out and to replenish the muscles.

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