Do I need to eat the exercise calories?

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Naomi91
Naomi91 Posts: 892 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello All,

I run almost every day, play rugby, and am very active.

However, I can never seem to eat all my calories! I am a vegetarian that does not eat a lot of wheat products due to a sensitive body.

So how bad is it if I only ate the 1200? and not the extra calories I get, because I just cant seem to eat all of that on what I normally eat.

Thanks :]

Replies

  • qwho
    qwho Posts: 157
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    others will tell you differently, but I never ate any exercise calories, and it worked for me
  • missyhse
    missyhse Posts: 189
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    there is a lot of controversy on this sight about this. Generally though, it is not healthy to eat less than 1200 net calories...
  • Naomi91
    Naomi91 Posts: 892 Member
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    See thats what I thought too! I just cant figure it out haha xD
  • xarrium
    xarrium Posts: 432 Member
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    Try and eat as many of the exercise cals as you can... you need the nutrients that those calories carry, especially in the form of protein (repair muscle tissue) and some carbs (restore muscle glycogen). I know it's sometimes tough to get enough cals without feeling like you're force-feeding (which is never a good thing to do), but a few nuts and maybe some rice crackers would help you recover from activity.
  • Naomi91
    Naomi91 Posts: 892 Member
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    I do a lot of protien, especially before and after a workout. Just never seems to be enough! Can check out my diary if you would like.

    Thanks for all the help by the way :D
  • helloiloveukitty
    helloiloveukitty Posts: 448 Member
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    others will tell you differently, but I never ate any exercise calories, and it worked for me

    I agree with this. but if you start getting super hungry, shaky, mean or lightheaded then you may want to eat some of them because that stuff is bad.
  • qwho
    qwho Posts: 157
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    I agree with the poster before me, if you are starving or displaying any symptoms, eat a little more, but if you are full and satisfied, don't,
  • butterflyfaerie
    butterflyfaerie Posts: 94 Member
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    I barely manage to eat my 1200 as I just have a small appetite, so I've never eaten my exercise calories. It always seems pointless to me - surely if you eat your exercise calories, you might as well have not exercised at all, as anything you lost working out you're putting back on again.
  • Naomi91
    Naomi91 Posts: 892 Member
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    I also have a small appetite, although i definately see what you mean about the point of exercising if you just eat all the calories.

    My point of running isnt to lose weight actually xD its so I can lean and build up better endurance for my sport! :D

    I just worry because my doctor said that I wasnt eating enough. She told me to eat 2500 calories! yeah right..... never could do that and be healthy haha
  • gatedialer
    gatedialer Posts: 149 Member
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    I always try to have a deficit of 800-1000 calories (it's normally 900/1000) when I have my 2-3 hr workouts. I usually eat fish or chicken with veggies after my workouts and just have smaller meals for dinner and snack.
  • Madre2
    Madre2 Posts: 35 Member
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    I barely manage to eat my 1200 as I just have a small appetite, so I've never eaten my exercise calories. It always seems pointless to me - surely if you eat your exercise calories, you might as well have not exercised at all, as anything you lost working out you're putting back on again.

    I agree 100 percent with you on this. The whole point of exercising is to create a calorie deficit. However, having said that, the calories we do eat should be packed with nutrients.

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