THE answers to THE questions

why should i eat my exercise calories? I have lost 70lbs over the last two years - i want to ideally lose another 20-28 lbs..... i exercise a lot, I play ladies football (soccer) once a week and we train twice a week. I walk my two dogs for at least an hour a day, and I manage to hit the gym at least three times a week.

The weight should surely be flooding off me but isn't. I have now joined MFP as it was recommended by a friend - i am cutting down on carbs (not completely out) as i feel my diet is too carb heavy.

Not sure what else I have to do, but one thing i know is I can't exercise any more than I am doing.............................. can anyone offer any sound advice?

Here is my dilemma. I gained 3 lbs while being under my daily calorie goal nearly every day, in he past 7 days, due to exercise calories. Some days I was under even without exercising (walking at a fast pace).
The conundrum is this, if i eat the calories i gain through exercise what kind of foods should I be eating. Just more of the low fat foods on my diet or something else. I have been at this yo yo diet for most of my life. i am tryng to change my life style eating and am confused by all the data I read, as much of it conflicts with eachother.

We all know metabolism is a real enemy to wieght loss and is not really understood well, by the science I read let alone us lay people.

FYI
1270 calories alowed daily for 2 lbs per week weight loss
Walking at a fast pace 5-6 times a weeky 40-70 minutes =300-550 calories burned.

i have been using MFP since mid March and lost 26lbs then gained back 3 lbs last week Gained weight was not a result of increased food consumtpion, acutally the reverse is true.

Okay someone please help I get the whole eat your exercise calories and everything but I am still confused so my question is your BMR is the basic calories you need to normally function on a day to day basis and maintain well if I didn't work out I would subtract 500 from that number and create the deficit I need to lose weight right?

Well I am asking because on MFP mines was 1432 cal and I subtract 500 I would get 932 okay then if I go and workout and burn 500 calories then I should eat 1432 and I should still see the loss because I have a deficit in there right?

So I am wondering why MFP starts me off at 1200 calories each day if my BMR was 1432 it didn't give me the full deficit or am I doing it wrong?

Your BMR is the number of calories your body needs to lie still and do "nothing" except keep your organs functioning. So if you were to lay in bed allll day, exerting ZERO energy, your body would use 1432 calories just to keep your lungs going, your kidneys working, your eyes blinking, your blood circulating, etc. So the second you sit up and get out of that bed, you are burning calories. By the time youve walked to the bathroom, washed your face, brushed your teeth, and stepped on the scale, you've already burned calories and eaten away at that 1432 your body needed to be still in bed.

So if you are burning 500 calories while exercising, then you need to eat those back in order to give your body the nourishment it needs to continue functioning and burning fat. If your body needs those 1432 calories, and then you go an burn 500 of them, you are only giving your body 932 calories...and it needs 1432 just to keep your blood going!

I didnt understand this entirely either, and was frustrated that MFP would start my caloires at 1200, but as ViviaKay and so many other patient, experienced MFPers have explained over and over again, 1200 cals is just like "an industry standard" that does have some scientific merit, but is certainly not THE magic number.

I hope this helped explain a little bit. I was eating 1200 cals, exercising, and not losing ANY weight. Then I read this thread and seen results. Good Luck!

Thanks for the info and sorry for the double post!!

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this is such a great thread. i think it's been burned in all of our brains that to lose weight we need to cut calories (sometimes drastic) and like everyone else, i've tried it in the past and seen little results. i will be eating the calories MFP tells me from now on (including exercise calories)! thanks for all of the info!

also, i can't believe how much i am able to eat. i feel like i'm cheating everyday, but i've lost 6lbs so far!

tag