calories from exercise,

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anacortes
anacortes Posts: 1
in Fitness and Exercise
I have a slow metaboism accourding to testing my drs have done, if I were to eat all the extra calories i get from exercise I will gain weight, but this keeps saying I am eating too less, do you all eat the extra calories that you get from exercise?
thanks
Becky

Replies

  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
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    You have a deficit built in already with the MFP, if you dont eat your exercise calories it could put you below the threshold and actual slow you body down more by starving it

    Your metabolism isnt set in stone, as you exercise and do more it will speed up
  • sassiebritches
    sassiebritches Posts: 1,861 Member
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    No, my doctor told me not to. But I eat Low Carb now so really the carbs are more important. But........no I was told not to. you are gonna have to find what works for you.
    Good luck
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    The doctors may not know how MFP is setup to work. It takes the number of calories you burn on a *normal* day (NO EXERCISE) - this is based on height/weight/age/gender/activity level that you set. It then looks at your goal and determines what deficit you need daily to lose your goal weight per week.

    Because MFP builds in the deficit BEFORE any exercise is considered, you are supposed to eat back exercise calories. Here are some detailed posts about why (two of the best, in my opinion):

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/108362-eating-to-fuel-your-body-very-long

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    The only catch is that if your normal calories that you burn on a daily basis are low enough, it won't let you eat the deficit you are looking for, since it won't go below 1200 calories/day - but you shouldn't really eat less that that, anyways. If you're set at 1200 cal/day and you eat all your exercise calories, you may not lose the 2 lbs/week that you want, but you'll still lose, just more slowly.

    If you exercise a lot, you definitely need to be eating a lot of your exercise calories to fuel your body. If you're only working out a few times a week, not burning too many, then you can probably get away with only eating 25-50% and still feeling okay.
  • Lissa170
    Lissa170 Posts: 15
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    Becky, I too would gain weight if I ate what the calories on here said I could eat. I have learned how many calories I can eat, lose, gain and stay the same through alot of time spent dieting. SO I now know what I need to do..just need to do it. I think the calories listed on this site are a general reference based on basic info you put in..but you need to find out what your amounts are in reality by keeping track of the most you can eat and still lose and go from there. I hope this helps.
    Lissa
  • sk_letsdothis
    sk_letsdothis Posts: 44 Member
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    I usually don't just in case some of the foods I log aren't the correct calories. And when I do, I try not to use more than half of it.
  • freehold1979
    freehold1979 Posts: 27
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    I had the same question for my dr this week when I went to go see her. She told me it was fine for me to eat them but i generally try to eat only half of them.
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,022 Member
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    No I dont eat them. I think if you are working out strenuously you need to eat back at least 1/2 of them. but I have fibromyalgia and cant work out strenuously. I am doing what I can . there fore dont feel I need to eat them back but I think you need to find what works for you
  • kelly_a
    kelly_a Posts: 2,010 Member
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    I have tried it all....eat them all, eat none, eat 1/2,1/4, 3/4...even gone over. It's different for everyone. Just gonna have to see what works for you. I tend to eat ALL of my calories on the days I have an aerobic workout....and days I do strength, I up my protein. But I have kinda noticed if I eat about 1/2 of the exercise cals...I keep losing. Make sure you are drinking plenty, plenty of water. I increased that from 8 glasses to 12 and it seemed to help with losing too. GOOD LUCK! :flowerforyou:

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