Importance of eating extra calories on cardio work-out days

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thunder5
thunder5 Posts: 11
in Health and Weight Loss
I find on the days that I do cardio (I am trying for 3-4 times a week depending on my work schedule) I have a hard time eating the extra calories it wants me to eat. I tend to be able to eat the 1700 that I am calculated. I have my weight set to lose 1 lb per week. I was wondering how important it is to eat the extra 400-600 calories MFP wants me to eat on those days as long as I am reaching my daily set goal of 1700?

On a side note.....I'm on my second week and have lost 4 lbs!

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  • maxmum
    maxmum Posts: 12
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    Try something calorie dense like a handful of nuts. They are packed with calories but good ones. They will up your calorie intake quickly without bloating your stomach. It's not that important to eat all the extra calories you burn using exercise anyway. They less you put in in the less you have to burn. As long as you never go under your minimum a day (1200 upwards for women depending on height etc) you shouldn't suffer any ill effects.

    Congrats on your progress!
  • thunder5
    thunder5 Posts: 11
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    So let me try this........Last week there were days I was under 1200. For example, I might have ate 1600 but because I burned 600 cals with cardio my net was only 1000.....that's not good. So what you are saying is I don't have to eat all 600 but as long as I eat the few houndred I need to get myself over 1200 for a net then that would be good?
  • lorijupiter3
    lorijupiter3 Posts: 16 Member
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    So let me try this........Last week there were days I was under 1200. For example, I might have ate 1600 but because I burned 600 cals with cardio my net was only 1000.....that's not good. So what you are saying is I don't have to eat all 600 but as long as I eat the few houndred I need to get myself over 1200 for a net then that would be good?

    That's what I do. :)
  • MonicaS29
    MonicaS29 Posts: 21
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    i would like to know more about this too. I'm always confused....some days I burn over 2,000 cals of cardio. There's no way i can eat that back!
  • littleme165
    littleme165 Posts: 1
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    I was a bit confused too. On tuesdays i pay badminton and then swim straight after. I burn about 800 calories + in that time. So after a 300 cal breakfast i am then -500 calories! I am only just about making this up to +700 on my count. Should i be eating 2000 calories to make it up. But then i will feel all i have done is work my bottom off to eat a load more food that i don't really want to eat!!
  • thunder5
    thunder5 Posts: 11
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    That's what is happening to me on cardio days. It wants me to eat 2200 calories. But on non work out days I have to focus on decreasing that again on the days I work and can't workout. but I get nervous about not eating enough and then my body stores fat becasuse it thinks I am starving. URGH.......so frustrating!
  • MonicaS29
    MonicaS29 Posts: 21
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    until i find out exactly what to do, i've been sticking to my starting cals on most days and then eating a few hundred over on the days i go crazy w the cardio!
  • lkm111
    lkm111 Posts: 629 Member
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    My post workout snack has become 1 small banana w/ about 1 teaspoon (or 1 Tablespoon if I'm really hungry) smeared on it. If you eat a bigger banana and add more PB, that would equal quite a bit of calories, plus you get a lot of good nutrition.

    Hope this helps!
  • narrowdoor
    narrowdoor Posts: 28 Member
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    If you focus on getting healthy oils in your diet (MUFAs) Monounsaturated fatty acids....Avocado, almonds, pecans, flax oil, olive oil, olives and seeds...They are higher in calories and you can add most of them to almost anything. Drizzle olive oil on bread, mix flax oil, pecans or sunflower seeds into oatmeal add avocado to an olmet or your daily salad. It adds up nicely and is super healthy for you as well.
  • Uronlydreaming
    Uronlydreaming Posts: 28 Member
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    IF YOU WANT TO GAIN ALL YOUR WEIGHT BACK...

    ....then don't eat any calories to compensate for your exercise. It's that simple. Your body will slow your metabolism down and force you to graze like there's no tomorrow because the brain's primary goal is to make sure you survive. And it doesn't like the sensation of starving. Not one bit.

    Many people do not understand this.

    My RMR is 3300. That's very high and it means I have to eat a heck of lot more than most people....IN ORDER TO LOSE WEIGHT.

    I have had friends with weight issues envy me because of that. They don't understand that all those extra calories, if it's FRESH, CLEAN, HEALTHY, food... is a LOT of food. For example, if my cals are 2200/day and I burn 700 exercising, I have to eat 2900 cals/day. Do the math. That's about 5-6 more chicken breasts, just because I exercised.

    This is why my former personal trainer told me he wouldn't call my food plan a "diet" but a "food plan" because I wasn't supposed to restrict calories, but rather, I had to eat a LOT of the right foods in order to lose weight. Imagine having that problem? We are really supposed to eat a LOT more than we were lead to believe... but it has to be clean, healthy choices.

    So, to the original poster, making up 500-600 cals can be made to be simpler than forcing down 4 extra chicken breasts. One half of a $5 footlong at Subway is 320 cals... add a milk, or a string cheese, and an apple, or two, throughout the day, and you're good. Yes, doing this right can result in having to eat more food than we realize, but it can be made simple.

    The most important point, though, is IT HAS TO BE DONE. (and that more exercise than 30-45 min per day is not necessarily advantageous).

    Best wishes,
    Eric
  • esorcel
    esorcel Posts: 459 Member
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    I don't worry about the exercise calories. I pay attention to how my body reacts to the calories. I lose weight quickly at 1300 calories, and a little bit slower from 1400-1500 calories. Anything more than that can either cause me to remain at the same weight for a while or gain weight, even if I am allowed over 2,000 calories. I would just pay attention to how my body feels and not eat any more calories that is not necessary.

    However, if you have trouble losing weight with the amount of calories you consume, try increasing or decreasing it a little bit more to find what works with your body.
  • thunder5
    thunder5 Posts: 11
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    Thanks....this definitly make things a bit more clear. Although I was hoping to get 60 minutes of cardio 4 times a week. It appears 45 3 / week is more realistic for my work schedule anyway and some weeks I can get the 4th in., so that eased my mind a bit. I just found I was trying to add a few more calories and it just seemed I was eating even though I wasn't hungry. I will put some of the strategies to the test and see how it works out. AWESOME!

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