Why exercise?

Options
justjenni_xo
justjenni_xo Posts: 4
in Health and Weight Loss
Yesterday, I ate 1,683 calories (my goal is 1,750). I earned 1,121 exercise calories according to Fitbit giving me a net calorie intake of 562, This means to reach my goal of 1750 calories per day, I would have needed to eat an additional 1,188 calories.

I'm super hungry today, and I suspect that netting so low is the culprit, but I'm confused. Why exercise to burn so many calories if I just have to eat them back. What's the point?

I work a full-time job in retail, plus I'm experimenting with additional exercise. Walking with a few running intervals, T25 and other workout DVDs, etc. There's a park I go walking at that has paddleboat rentals, etc. Yesterday, in addition to working, I went on a long walk (hence the high Fitbit calorie adjustment).

I thought you can't exercise away a bad diet, but according to this, I can eat nearly 3,000 calories and still lose weight. Seems too good to be true.

Replies

  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Options
    Yesterday, I ate 1,683 calories (my goal is 1,750). I earned 1,121 exercise calories according to Fitbit giving me a net calorie intake of 562, This means to reach my goal of 1750 calories per day, I would have needed to eat an additional 1,188 calories.

    I'm super hungry today, and I suspect that netting so low is the culprit, but I'm confused. Why exercise to burn so many calories if I just have to eat them back. What's the point?

    I work a full-time job in retail, plus I'm experimenting with additional exercise. Walking with a few running intervals, T25 and other workout DVDs, etc. There's a park I go walking at that has paddleboat rentals, etc. Yesterday, in addition to working, I went on a long walk (hence the high Fitbit calorie adjustment).

    I thought you can't exercise away a bad diet, but according to this, I can eat nearly 3,000 calories and still lose weight. Seems too good to be true.

    The point of exercise is health & fitness. You could lose weight without any exercise whatsoever.

    Strength training is recommended (while dieting) because it can help you retain lean muscle.

    I treat exercise like another lifestyle change.....I do the amount of exercise I plan on doing for life. Being active is good, just be careful it's not so much you burn out.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    Options
    What did you do to burn an additional 1100 calories above your normal activity? That seems quite high.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Options
    Yesterday, I ate 1,683 calories (my goal is 1,750). I earned 1,121 exercise calories according to Fitbit giving me a net calorie intake of 562, This means to reach my goal of 1750 calories per day, I would have needed to eat an additional 1,188 calories.

    I'm super hungry today, and I suspect that netting so low is the culprit, but I'm confused. Why exercise to burn so many calories if I just have to eat them back. What's the point?

    I work a full-time job in retail, plus I'm experimenting with additional exercise. Walking with a few running intervals, T25 and other workout DVDs, etc. There's a park I go walking at that has paddleboat rentals, etc. Yesterday, in addition to working, I went on a long walk (hence the high Fitbit calorie adjustment).

    I thought you can't exercise away a bad diet, but according to this, I can eat nearly 3,000 calories and still lose weight. Seems too good to be true.

    It doesn't seem all the unreasonable for a man of your age. Especially with that type of exercise.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    Options
    The point is to keep your body properly fueled for the extra work you're putting it through.

    You can lose weight without exercise.
    You can lose weight with exercise, and eat more.
    You can lose weight, exercise and have your cake and eat it too.

    Just sayin'. :)
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    Options
    Yesterday, I ate 1,683 calories (my goal is 1,750). I earned 1,121 exercise calories according to Fitbit giving me a net calorie intake of 562, This means to reach my goal of 1750 calories per day, I would have needed to eat an additional 1,188 calories.

    I'm super hungry today, and I suspect that netting so low is the culprit, but I'm confused. Why exercise to burn so many calories if I just have to eat them back. What's the point?

    I work a full-time job in retail, plus I'm experimenting with additional exercise. Walking with a few running intervals, T25 and other workout DVDs, etc. There's a park I go walking at that has paddleboat rentals, etc. Yesterday, in addition to working, I went on a long walk (hence the high Fitbit calorie adjustment).

    I thought you can't exercise away a bad diet, but according to this, I can eat nearly 3,000 calories and still lose weight. Seems too good to be true.

    The point of exercise is health & fitness. You could lose weight without any exercise whatsoever.

    Strength training is recommended (while dieting) because it can help you retain lean muscle.

    I treat exercise like another lifestyle change.....I do the amount of exercise I plan on doing for life. Being active is good, just be careful it's not so much you burn out.

    giphy_zpsbe2c10dd.gif
  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
    Options
    Are you using your fitbit only during exercise or are you using it all day? Your goal of 1750 already includes normal daily activities, so you shouldn't count the fitbit calories unless you're actually exercising. Otherwise you're double counting your calories.
  • _shannon92
    _shannon92 Posts: 33 Member
    Options
    Are you set to sedentary on MFP? That could be the reason you're earning so many extra calories with the FitBit.
  • justjenni_xo
    justjenni_xo Posts: 4
    Options
    What I set my MFP activity level doesn't change things.
  • starryphoenix
    starryphoenix Posts: 381 Member
    Options
    Your body needs up to 1200 calories for basic function. According to what I have read your net should at least be somewhere close to 1200 at the end of the day. Anything less than that and your body doesn't have the minimum calories it needs. If you don't have enough calories your metabolism will slow down and sometimes you will have nasty plateaus. I go to the gym every other day, I eat around 1000 calories for breakfast before I go. When I am at the gym I burn all those calories and sometimes I am left with a negative net. I make sure to eat a protein bar with around 300 or 400 calories after I am done. I eat regular meals throughout the day. By the end of the day my net is always near or above 1200. I have been steadily losing 2 pounds a week for the past 2 months doing this. I just eat healthy, exercise, and drink good amounts of water. Feel free to look at my food diary and stuff.
  • PinkyFett
    PinkyFett Posts: 842 Member
    Options
    Why? Because it feels good.
  • _shannon92
    _shannon92 Posts: 33 Member
    Options
    What I set my MFP activity level doesn't change things.

    Yes it does. If you are set at sedentary, you're underestimating your daily burn, especially if you work a full time retail job. Therefore, FitBit is going to give you more calories to eat. If you're set at lightly active, you will notice FitBit will give you less. The higher your activity level is set on MyFitnessPal, the fewer the calories Fitbit will give you.
  • segovm
    segovm Posts: 512 Member
    Options
    Also, most folks don't eat back all their exercise calories. I tend to ride my bike for 2-3 hours a day and that comes in over 2000 calories which is about a pound of bacon a day I could snack on.

    The calorie estimates for the food we eat are often lower than reality (FDA allows for a 20% variance between labels and reality) and the calories burned estimates are often just off because everybody is different although most folks agree they tend to run higher on MFP.

    Most folks do 50% or more of their exercise calories, some do none, it's sort of a personal preference thing. Eventually if you aren't getting enough calories you'll feel it and that is often, I suspect, why folks end up binging when they get their numbers wrong.

Categories