Eating your exercise calories!!
collettemrk
Posts: 271
People are telling me that eating your exercise calories is a good thing.I understand their reasoning but I have a question.If my calorie allotment for the day is 1500 and I have 1000 exercise calories & I eat 2500 calories how can I keep the other numbers down ?Sodium is my main concern.That number doesn't change if I add exercise calories.My sodium number 2500 is hard enough to stay under when I eat 1500 calories.Any suggestions would be appreciated..Thanks
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Replies
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That's a good question! Personally I don't eat my exercise calories, but if I go a bit over my allowed cal's then I just say; well I didn't count my exercise.0
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Do you eat a lot of processed foods? Those will really raise your sodium levels.0
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I am SOOO battling this too
How can we be sure the accuracy of allotted exercise free to eat calories ?
I've been steadily losing weight for months, on average 2 pounds per week and I do NOT eat my exercise calories
No matter what I do in the day in terms of exercise I always stay within the 1500 calorie zone.
I realize everyone is different but I seriously look at a cookie and gain weight.
I had a really bad day yesterday and ate nearly 2000 calories OVER my already consumed 1500 and I gained 2 pounds today
Back on track today
I hope someone can help you ... I tend to just listen to my body ... how I am going about things seem to be working
out okay so I'm sticking with it. I suggest perhaps testing the water ?0 -
i do not eat my exercise calories either!!! if i go over a lil bit then i am relieved to have them but if i dont then i think its good!! why would i wanna eat what ive worked so hard to burn off...defeats the purpose if you ask me!! thats when it becomes a thought of...are you working out to get healthy or are you just working out so you can eat more?!?!?! i wanna be healthy!People are telling me that eating your exercise calories is a good thing.I understand their reasoning but I have a question.If my calorie allotment for the day is 1500 and I have 1000 exercise calories & I eat 2500 calories how can I keep the other numbers down ?Sodium is my main concern.That number doesn't change if I add exercise calories.My sodium number 2500 is hard enough to stay under when I eat 1500 calories.Any suggestions would be appreciated..Thanks0
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i exercise my eating calories most of the time! lol if i do have some cals left from exercise i TRY not to eat them0
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You only really need to eat enough exercise calories to net 1200 calories. Going under 1200 risks sending your body into starvation mode.
And as far as your sodium goes, try eating less processed foods. Eating more fruits and vegetables and cooking for yourself (without adding salt, use herbs and spices for flavor) will keep your sodium under control.0 -
do not eat your exercise cals.... its not good for you... if you want to lose weight
if you want to gain muscle yes eat them
if your Michael Phelps and you need it for energy yes eat all your exercise ... look what he eats ... its crazy but he workout like a machine....
but i want to stress much as possible ... if you want to lose weight do not eat your exercise cals
it like your didnt even workout .... how would i put it so you can understand .... ok ok ... you mom ask you to fill the car up with gas ... so you put 10 gallons of gas in and then you drive 3 hours around town with your buddy and bring the car home on Empty... thats like eating your exercise cals
i hope that helps 0 -
I'm pretty sure MFP sets these numbers by percentage of your calories, not a set number.0
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I think it totally depends on the person, My cals are set at 1200, I am hardly going to be able to eat EXACTLY that without going under (into starvation) or over my calorie allowance. So I eat some of my exercise calories normally, also if I don't tend to feel faint!
But if you are safely over 1200 calories and don't feel hungry or want to be building muscle by all means don't eat them - its a personal thing 0 -
do not eat your exercise cals.... its not good for you... if you want to lose weight
if you want to gain muscle yes eat them
if your Michael Phelps and you need it for energy yes eat all your exercise ... look what he eats ... its crazy but he workout like a machine....
but i want to stress much as possible ... if you want to lose weight do not eat your exercise cals
it like your didnt even workout .... how would i put it so you can understand .... ok ok ... you mom ask you to fill the car up with gas ... so you put 10 gallons of gas in and then you drive 3 hours around town with your buddy and bring the car home on Empty... thats like eating your exercise cals
i hope that helps
But MFP has already set you calories to deficit from your maintenance, so you will be losing weight regardless, not eating your exercise cals will help you loose FASTER but eating them won't prevent you from loosing weight if you don't eat over! The system isn't hinged on whether or not you workout...0 -
Read this thread on Exercise calories ... It explains why you SHOULD eat them. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/117726-eating-exercise-cals-slowing-your-weight-loss-read-this
It's kinda simple math ...
1500 calories base less (example) 1000 exercise calories = 500 net calories.
If you think you can survive on 500 calories / day then by all means, keep at it. I started this program in September 1, 2010. I have lost 24 lbs so far and I eat about 75% of my exercise calories. I think what people fail to realize is that this site builds in a DEFICIT to your daily calorie goal. I don't know ANYONE who can survive on 500 calories a day. In fact, on your news feed page it will show you what your net is minus exercise calories. That is the NET YOU HAVE CONSUMED MINUS CALORIES BURNED IN EXERCISE. You should eat enough so that NET number equals your calorie goal/day.
I really REALLY urge you all to read that link I posted. It may be the difference and may explain why you aren't losing the way you should be.0 -
do not eat your exercise cals.... its not good for you... if you want to lose weight
if you want to gain muscle yes eat them
if your Michael Phelps and you need it for energy yes eat all your exercise ... look what he eats ... its crazy but he workout like a machine....
but i want to stress much as possible ... if you want to lose weight do not eat your exercise cals
it like your didnt even workout .... how would i put it so you can understand .... ok ok ... you mom ask you to fill the car up with gas ... so you put 10 gallons of gas in and then you drive 3 hours around town with your buddy and bring the car home on Empty... thats like eating your exercise cals
i hope that helps
Totally untrue. You will lose weight if you eat your exercise calories. Weight loss is a simple mathematical equation. If the calories you use up in a day is greater than the calories you consume, then you will lose weight. The bigger the difference in those two amounts, the more weight you will lose. In order to lose at the rate you indicated you want to lose at when setting up your MFP profile, eat those calories. To lose a bit more weight, don't eat those calories.
Working out has benefits other than using up calories, so even if you know exactly how many calories you burn during exercise and eat every last one of them, you still get benefits from your workout... Things like stronger muscles, higher metabolism and more stanima.0 -
First and foremost MFP is a company that most protect itself above all else. They are going to go by the book, period. Hence, even tho it is possible to lose more than 2lbs a week they will only let you choose 2lbs as to protect from any finger pointing (AKA law suits) if something happens to someone.
Now: Pure and simple. Starvation mode is absolutely true but it is COMPLETELY blown out of proportion on MFP. Starvation mode takes weeks at a severe calorie deficit. Starvation mode will not make you stop losing weight. Sure, absolutely, it can slow your metabolism down to as much as 40% but if you are at a calorie deficit you are going to lose weight. Like everyone has said "it is simple math".
If starvation mode prevented weight loss I'd imagine all those lap band and gastric bypass people wouldn't be losing the enormous amounts of weight they do.
If you guys are seriously concerned about starvation mode then consume all the calories it says to. Or you could always try the zig-zag approach and do your deficit for 5 days then eat the calories states for 2.
Anyways here are some links about "starvation mode":
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1574882/starvation_mode_dispelling_the_myths.html
http://fattyfightsback.blogspot.com/2009/03/mtyhbusters-starvation-mode.html
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/81391-starvation-mode-myths-and-science
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/the-truth-about-starvation-mode-fast-metabolisms-983959.html
http://stardusticsjourney.blogspot.com/2010/04/starvation-mode-myth-protein-and-water.html0 -
If starvation mode prevented weight loss I'd imagine all those lap band and gastric bypass people wouldn't be losing the enormous amounts of weight they do.
As an aside, I personally know 3 people who have had these surgeries ... they have gained the weight back and then some.
I only know what's worked for me ... and eating has been working. Not eating exercise calories contributed to me gaining the 40lbs I am now trying to lose. My personal trainer never told me about this and I would work out hard and hardly eat anything thinking that calories in had to be less in order to lose weight. I have done all this loss without the aid of personal training and working myself out and eating right. Like I said in my example above ... if you have a goal of 1500 calories and you exercise 1000 calories away you are left with 500 calories consumed on the day ... if you can survive on that great 0 -
do not eat your exercise cals.... its not good for you... if you want to lose weight
if you want to gain muscle yes eat them
if your Michael Phelps and you need it for energy yes eat all your exercise ... look what he eats ... its crazy but he workout like a machine....
but i want to stress much as possible ... if you want to lose weight do not eat your exercise cals
it like your didnt even workout .... how would i put it so you can understand .... ok ok ... you mom ask you to fill the car up with gas ... so you put 10 gallons of gas in and then you drive 3 hours around town with your buddy and bring the car home on Empty... thats like eating your exercise cals
i hope that helps
no, it's like putting the gas in the car an then expecting it to drive across country. If you exercise more, your body needs more fuel and more nutrition. Please don't make blanket inaccurate statements, this info is NOT true.
I eat mine, and LOOK at my progress.
MFP has already calculated a deficit for you. You should eat them in order to fuel your body and maintain proper nutrition.0 -
Oh yeah, Bonyta is really pretty! Thanks, I have posted a picture of my girl on my profile page, she was 5 months in the photo, now she's 7 months. her name is "Josie" I call her "Josie Wales" from the movie.0
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I have tried posting this numerous time ... I have also posted another one and it's also linked on my profile. I think it's a matter of people stopping their progress and finally figuring it out. Heck, it took me 6 weeks to wrap my head around this. I even did a blog recently.0 -
I have tried posting this numerous time ... I have also posted another one and it's also linked on my profile. I think it's a matter of people stopping their progress and finally figuring it out. Heck, it took me 6 weeks to wrap my head around this. I even did a blog recently.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1574882/starvation_mode_dispelling_the_myths.html
http://fattyfightsback.blogspot.com/2009/03/mtyhbusters-starvation-mode.html
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/81391-starvation-mode-myths-and-science
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/the-truth-about-starvation-mode-fast-metabolisms-983959.html
http://stardusticsjourney.blogspot.com/2010/04/starvation-mode-myth-protein-and-water.html0 -
The link about eating exercise calories was written by one of the guys who founded the site *shrugs*0
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First of all don't forget the extra "exercise calories" are Not etched in stone, those machines are known for over estimationing calories burned. For example; an article in the Healthy Living magazine did a test on a treadmill, a stair climber, a bike, and an elliptical, all the machines were over estimating calories burned about 30%, So, if it showed burning 300 calories in 30 min's In reality you only burned 210. If you add up all the "extra calories" and eat them as suggested in this thread, It gives a new meaning to eating "empty calories"!0
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The link about eating exercise calories was written by one of the guys who founded the site *shrugs*
no it wasn't. Banks (now known as ShBoss) is one of our longest and most respected members, but he didn't found the site. Mike did, with help from his brother Al.0 -
The link about eating exercise calories was written by one of the guys who founded the site *shrugs*
no it wasn't. Banks (now known as ShBoss) is one of our longest and most respected members, but he didn't found the site. Mike did, with help from his brother Al.
Sorry ... I have seen people refer to him many times and since I only recently started assumed he was one of the founding members ... I knew mike was.
Either way, I think that "starvation mode" is a misnomer and that people get all uppity about that term. I wish people would realize that eating is necessary for losing weight and while it may not be "starvation mode, it will slow down your metabolism. I keep giving the car / gas tank analogy but no one seems to understand *shrugs* years of conditioning are at work here. Like I said it took me about 6 weeks and numerous searches thru the message boards to finally get the concept.
Thanks for straightening me out on who Banks is0 -
First of all don't forget the extra "exercise calories" are Not etched in stone, those machines are known for over estimationing calories burned. For example; an article in the Healthy Living magazine did a test on a treadmill, a stair climber, a bike, and an elliptical, all the machines were over estimating calories burned about 30%, So, if it showed burning 300 calories in 30 min's In reality you only burned 210. If you add up all the "extra calories" and eat them as suggested in this thread, It gives a new meaning to eating "empty calories"!
I use a Heart Rate Monitor
so it's really accurate. Also, people forget that you continue to burn calories when you stop working out and most don't even take that into account so you may actually be consuming LESS ...
So by your example you are saying as soon as you step off a machine "boom" you stop burning calories?
Anyway of course the best way to measure calories burned is with a HRM it's why I got one because I knew that the machines are off and the site estimates are off. Calorie burn has to do with many things, most of which are not taken into account on a machine or a website.
again:
Goal 1200 calories (for me) less exercise calories (example) 784 = net calories consumed for the day 416 calories. In order to make my GOAL that MFP sets for me I need to eat some or all of my exercise calories back to equal that 1200. I just don't understand why y'all can't grasp the math LOL0 -
Sodium - without getting into a link debate, this is what I understand about sodium. 2,500 mg of sodium is based upon a 2,000 calorie diet. So if you are eating more than 2,000 calorie then your sodium will go up a bit as well. If you eat less than 2,000 calories, then it should be less.
Exercise calories - I don't eat all of my exercise calories. Some, not all.
That's all.0 -
do not eat your exercise cals.... its not good for you... if you want to lose weight
if you want to gain muscle yes eat them
if your Michael Phelps and you need it for energy yes eat all your exercise ... look what he eats ... its crazy but he workout like a machine....
but i want to stress much as possible ... if you want to lose weight do not eat your exercise cals
it like your didnt even workout .... how would i put it so you can understand .... ok ok ... you mom ask you to fill the car up with gas ... so you put 10 gallons of gas in and then you drive 3 hours around town with your buddy and bring the car home on Empty... thats like eating your exercise cals
i hope that helps
I SO DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS POST.0 -
Sodium - without getting into a link debate, this is what I understand about sodium. 2,500 mg of sodium is based upon a 2,000 calorie diet. So if you are eating more than 2,000 calorie then your sodium will go up a bit as well. If you eat less than 2,000 calories, then it should be less.
Exercise calories - I don't eat all of my exercise calories. Some, not all.
That's all.
Regarding sodium, it's actually recommended that you consume no more than 2500mg (actually many limits are closer to 2000 - American Heart Association recommends no more than 2300mg/day) REGARDLESS of how many calories you eat. High sodium diets are not good for you - whether you're eating 1200 calories or 3000 a day. Everyone should try to keep sodium levels low.
Here's a good link: http://americanheart.org/downloadable/heart/119618381045822 WhyShldILmtSodium 9_07.pdf (it's to a PDF document)
Easy ways to do this are ditching processed foods and making most your food at home. For the things you do buy canned/processed, look for low/no-salt-added options. For example, I buy canned beans, but only buy the no-salt-added kind.0 -
i do not eat my exercise calories either!!! if i go over a lil bit then i am relieved to have them but if i dont then i think its good!! why would i wanna eat what ive worked so hard to burn off...defeats the purpose if you ask me!! thats when it becomes a thought of...are you working out to get healthy or are you just working out so you can eat more?!?!?! i wanna be healthy!
I workout so I can be healthy and so I can eat. If I did not eat my exercise calories I would be consuming anywhere between 200 and 600 calories a day. Which is not healthy at all. MFP sets your total calorie goal each day, mine is 1200. So with food and exercise i need to make sure that 1200 is my final number for the day.
So as I stated if I burned 600 calories in a workout that puts me at 600 calories, so I would need to eat them.
This topic is debated all the time on here. Lots of people struggle because they don't eat enough.
As far as sodium intake, keep in mind what your eating. Is it processed? Also I find the protein level too low, especially if you are active.0 -
crap i don't know how to quote people....
my response is in the quote on my abocve post0 -
First of all don't forget the extra "exercise calories" are Not etched in stone, those machines are known for over estimationing calories burned. For example; an article in the Healthy Living magazine did a test on a treadmill, a stair climber, a bike, and an elliptical, all the machines were over estimating calories burned about 30%, So, if it showed burning 300 calories in 30 min's In reality you only burned 210. If you add up all the "extra calories" and eat them as suggested in this thread, It gives a new meaning to eating "empty calories"!
I use a Heart Rate Monitor so it's really accurate. Also, people forget that you continue to burn calories when you stop working out and most don't even take that into account so you may actually be consuming LESS ...
So by your example you are saying as soon as you step off a machine "boom" you stop burning calories?
Anyway of course the best way to measure calories burned is with a HRM it's why I got one because I knew that the machines are off and the site estimates are off. Calorie burn has to do with many things, most of which are not taken into account on a machine or a website.
again:
Goal 1200 calories (for me) less exercise calories (example) 784 = net calories consumed for the day 416 calories. In order to make my GOAL that MFP sets for me I need to eat some or all of my exercise calories back to equal that 1200. I just don't understand why y'all can't grasp the math LOL
No Mam that is Not what I'm saying, Let me try and help you understand; we were talking about the "extra workout calories" . The calories burned when you step off the workout machines "Boom" are already allowed as your total daily calories. Also it depends on the brand of MFP that you have that determines how accurate it is.0
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