EXERCISING DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN EAT UNHEALTHY!!

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bregrig
bregrig Posts: 154 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been asked this question over and over again from clients 'Can I eat what I want now that I am exercising and burning it off?' You all know this is wrong... but I want to shed light on why it is... and why I have found myself on this site because of this exact thinking.

From personal experience, I love exercising. I feel powerful and strong and like pushing my body to it's limits. It is fun and exhilarating. But I also love eating. And when I used to have a hard workout, I often feel like I can eat whatever I want because 'hey, I burning the calories so I can be more slack with my food!'

But I was wrong. Four years ago I decided to train for and run a marathon. I had been in excellent shape at that point, running 6 miles daily with regular boxing and weight training workouts. I also was very VERY strict with what I was putting in my mouth, only allowing myself unhealthy items 5-10% of the time. I weighed 131 pounds when I started training for the marathon. 5 months later on the day of the race, I weighed 170 pounds. I had GAINED 40 pounds in 5 months from eating whatever I wanted. I dumbly thought that 'wow, I am running 40+ miles a week, I must be burning a ton of calories so yay pizza!!'

To put this into perspective, someone that is around 150 pounds burns about roughly 300-350 calories in 30 minutes of running (10 min/mile). In a large slice of cheese pizza there is about the same amount of calories. It takes me maybe 5-10 minutes to eat a slice of pizza. Right there takes away your exercise deficit. It is SO EASY to overeat when we regularly workout because a) we think we burn more calories during our workouts than we actually do and b) we are hungrier when we are more active! at least I am :)

Just remember that abs are built in the kitchen :) exercise is only 20% of weight loss... it is actually monitoring what we put in our bellys that we will see the best results, and especially not negative results! Regular exercise is not an excuse for poor eating (what I have done my whole life). Is this something you all struggle with? Let's conquer the hunger with nutritious foods and see amazing results from our hard-earned workouts!!
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Replies

  • Showcase_Brodown
    Showcase_Brodown Posts: 919 Member
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    Well, "unhealthy" is a pretty loose term, but I understand what you mean. It's very easy to negate the hard work by letting yourself eat whatever you want with the false idea that you've burnt off all those extra calories.

    I've head it said many times that it's easy to out-eat your exercise routine, but it's impossible to under-exercise a proper calorie intake. Attention to Calorie intake is undoubtedly the thing that makes the biggest difference.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    Calories In ---- Calories Out.....
  • bregrig
    bregrig Posts: 154 Member
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    Well, "unhealthy" is a pretty loose term, but I understand what you mean. It's very easy to negate the hard work by letting yourself eat whatever you want with the false idea that you've burnt off all those extra calories.

    I've head it said many times that it's easy to out-eat your exercise routine, but it's impossible to under-exercise a proper calorie intake. Attention to Calorie intake is undoubtedly the thing that makes the biggest difference.

    Sooo true, and that is a great way of putting it: it's impossible to under-exercise a proper calorie intake. Thanks for your input!
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    What's Healthy? Its a pretty random and subjective term. To LCHF people lots of fat is healthy to me it's not. You didn't put your weight on because of 'unhealthy foods' you put your weight on because of too many calories of the foods you were eating if you classed them as healthy or not.
  • manicautumn
    manicautumn Posts: 224 Member
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    I've lost weight eating a ton of "unhealthy" food and walking for exercise.

    It's not necessarily about eating "unhealthy", it's about making sure your calories are still in line.
  • lemur_lady
    lemur_lady Posts: 350 Member
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    10 mins to eat a single slice of pizza? I must inhale mine then :laugh:

    I get what you are saying but I do burn cals so I can have treats. I am honest enough with myself now to know I am going to eat 'bad' stuff whether I think I should or not. I have extremely low self control around food. If ive had a stressful day the fact that I am alrady at my calorie goal wont stop me from reaching for the comfort food. To make sure I can still lose weight and not go insane by cutting those foods out I exercise to allow myself to continue eating them.

    I dont go overboard with the exercise or the food. I tend to workout 3-4 times a week, burning maybe 200-300 cals a time. Not massive amounts. But it allows me the leeway to fit in the treats I like. If I didnt do it then I doubt id still be here with my ticker reading 102lbs loss.
  • bregrig
    bregrig Posts: 154 Member
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    What's Healthy? Its a pretty random and subjective term. To LCHF people lots of fat is healthy to me it's not. You didn't put your weight on because of 'unhealthy foods' you put your weight on because of too many calories of the foods you were eating if you classed them as healthy or not.

    You are right, though 'unhealthy' foods have so many more calories than 'healthy' foods. Even 'healthy' foods such as nuts and nut butters, some lean proteins, avocado etc have a lot of calories in a small serving. For me, because I have a food addiction, I couldn't allow myself just one slice of pizza or one scoop of ice during this time. Since I was being super (almost overly) strict before marathon training, once I allowed myself just a nibble of my 'forbidden' foods I binged because I hadn't quite acquired moderation skills. Just a thought, and thanks for clarifying :)
  • bregrig
    bregrig Posts: 154 Member
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    10 mins to eat a single slice of pizza? I must inhale mine then :laugh:

    I get what you are saying but I do burn cals so I can have treats. I am honest enough with myself now to know I am going to eat 'bad' stuff whether I think I should or not. I have extremely low self control around food. If ive had a stressful day the fact that I am alrady at my calorie goal wont stop me from reaching for the comfort food. To make sure I can still lose weight and not go insane by cutting those foods out I exercise to allow myself to continue eating them.

    I dont go overboard with the exercise or the food. I tend to workout 3-4 times a week, burning maybe 200-300 cals a time. Not massive amounts. But it allows me the leeway to fit in the treats I like. If I didnt do it then I doubt id still be here with my ticker reading 102lbs loss.

    That's really inspiring and great insight! I do see your point with allowing some treats and exercising to allow those treats, it just has to be in moderation... I still struggle with that term :)
  • GiddieGrl
    GiddieGrl Posts: 11
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    I too had to chuckle and think to myself.... 10 mins to eat a single slice of pizza? :)
  • bregrig
    bregrig Posts: 154 Member
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    I too had to chuckle and think to myself.... 10 mins to eat a single slice of pizza? :)

    haha in New York slices were as big as my arm!
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    What do you define as eating "unhealthy" because that's pretty broad. If you meant someone not eating vegetables, fruit and lean meats I would agree.

    I maintain weight (as a female) on 2600 calories a day before adding in any cardio. Pretty sure eating half a pizza is okay for me. Granted I will turn around and eat fruits, vegetables and lean meats to fill my macros and micros. Moderation means different things for different people. When I'm cutting for a bodybuilding competition I can't afford to eat half a pizza and make it fit my macros/micros.

    Exercise (more specifically lifting) is the reason I can eat half a pizza for dinner. If it wasn't for lifting I would be stuck on 1900 calories.
  • felonebeats
    felonebeats Posts: 433
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    You can't out train a bad diet
  • bregrig
    bregrig Posts: 154 Member
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    What do you define as eating "unhealthy" because that's pretty broad. If you meant someone not eating vegetables, fruit and lean meats I would agree.

    I maintain weight (as a female) on 2600 calories a day before adding in any cardio. Pretty sure eating half a pizza is okay for me. Granted I will turn around and eat fruits, vegetables and lean meats to fill my macros and micros. Moderation means different things for different people. When I'm cutting for a bodybuilding competition I can't afford to eat half a pizza and make it fit my macros/micros.

    Exercise (more specifically lifting) is the reason I can eat half a pizza for dinner. If it wasn't for lifting I would be stuck on 1900 calories.

    That is an amazing maintaince caloric number! How many hours/days a week do you weight train if you don't mind me asking? I think it is safe to say most people can't eat half a pizza and still fit in their micros and macros, but it is awesome that you have gotten your calorie intake so high and not gain fat due to strength training. And I should have clarified eating unhealthy to me was just stuffing myself with whatever I wanted until I was uncomfortably full.
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,012 Member
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    ... stuffing myself ... until I was uncomfortably full.


    In.......because I am really just a 10 year old boy at heart.....
  • SharonCMach
    SharonCMach Posts: 305 Member
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    So true, thanks for this post. I'v been making this mistake alot lately and it's time for me to get back on track before I start gaining weight.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    What do you define as eating "unhealthy" because that's pretty broad. If you meant someone not eating vegetables, fruit and lean meats I would agree.

    I maintain weight (as a female) on 2600 calories a day before adding in any cardio. Pretty sure eating half a pizza is okay for me. Granted I will turn around and eat fruits, vegetables and lean meats to fill my macros and micros. Moderation means different things for different people. When I'm cutting for a bodybuilding competition I can't afford to eat half a pizza and make it fit my macros/micros.

    Exercise (more specifically lifting) is the reason I can eat half a pizza for dinner. If it wasn't for lifting I would be stuck on 1900 calories.

    That is an amazing maintaince caloric number! How many hours/days a week do you weight train if you don't mind me asking? I think it is safe to say most people can't eat half a pizza and still fit in their micros and macros, but it is awesome that you have gotten your calorie intake so high and not gain fat due to strength training. And I should have clarified eating unhealthy to me was just stuffing myself with whatever I wanted until I was uncomfortably full.

    I've been a binge eater for a long time. It's easier to control now.

    I used to lift (and prefer lifting) 5 days a week. I'm currently lifting 4 days a week. It took two years of very hard work (and lots of eating) to get to this point. I give credit to my trainer for a full year of pushing me harder than I usually push myself.
  • RllyGudTweetr
    RllyGudTweetr Posts: 2,019 Member
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    You can't out train a bad diet
    Reasonably sure there are several regulars of MFP who are living proof this is wrong. . . but it probably depends on what you're calling 'a bad diet.'
  • litsy3
    litsy3 Posts: 783 Member
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    I had been in excellent shape at that point, running 6 miles daily with regular boxing and weight training workouts. I also was very VERY strict with what I was putting in my mouth, only allowing myself unhealthy items 5-10% of the time. [...] I dumbly thought that 'wow, I am running 40+ miles a week, I must be burning a ton of calories so yay pizza!!'

    Hang on, if you were running 6 miles a day before that's already 42 miles a week. If your marathon training wasn't actually that much more (how much is the + in '40+ miles'?) it's not surprising eating loads more food made you gain weight!
  • dwh77tx
    dwh77tx Posts: 513 Member
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    Were your clothes getting tight? Your story is also why I stopped distance running. I did a 1/2 marathon in March, and I gained a couple pounds during the 9 months I trained for it. I didn't give myself a "license" to eat whatever, but the fuel I needed to do my training runs, and the ravenous hunger I got from running made me eat more. No more running for me, I prefer HIIT and cross training with weights.
  • bregrig
    bregrig Posts: 154 Member
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    I had been in excellent shape at that point, running 6 miles daily with regular boxing and weight training workouts. I also was very VERY strict with what I was putting in my mouth, only allowing myself unhealthy items 5-10% of the time. [...] I dumbly thought that 'wow, I am running 40+ miles a week, I must be burning a ton of calories so yay pizza!!'

    Hang on, if you were running 6 miles a day before that's already 42 miles a week. If your marathon training wasn't actually that much more (how much is the + in '40+ miles'?) it's not surprising eating loads more food made you gain weight!

    True! The plan I followed had me running my long run on the weekends and then having two off days or crosstrain days, 2 sprint days, and 2 Fartlek running or tempo running for 3-6 miles. I would step away from my 15 mile or 20 mile run on Saturdays and be like ok, now I can eat whatever I want for the next week because I just burned hella calories! But of course, when you broke it down, it wasn't much more running... it just seemed like it when a lot of the running was put into a couple of days.

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