Success Eating Exercise Calories:

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  • summerstarr
    summerstarr Posts: 10 Member
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    You convinced me a month ago to try it and I am SO glad I listened to you! Thanks for being such a great support and friend!

    Listen to her folks-she knows what she is talking about!

    AND thanks for posting this for everyone!
  • mckval
    mckval Posts: 64 Member
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    First, congratulations to YOU...

    That same type of format has worked well for me, too.

    I think the best lesson tracking my calories and exercise on this site has had for me is just that: lesson. I have learned so much. I've paid attention to what I eat (I wasn't an over eater, necessarily, just a poor eater). I've started a life-changing workout regimen, which has been truly body changing.

    I never really had a problem with weight until I got into my mid-40s. Then I, over several years, ended up overweight. Without this site, and even these posts, I'm not sure I would have accomplished what I have. Nor would I be as confident as I am that I will lose more.

    So, YES, eat your exercise calories. It does work. Zig-zag every now and again. That's certainly worked for me as well.
  • janesmith1
    janesmith1 Posts: 1,511 Member
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    Really interesting and agree with you. The thing is for me, at 1200 cals I really do feel like I'm starving, at around 1400 I feel much better and still lose weight.
  • laurie_powers
    laurie_powers Posts: 103 Member
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    Good to know, and nice work!
  • eponai
    eponai Posts: 38 Member
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    Thanks for this explanation. I am having a hard time figuring out what cals I should eat because my profile is not normal for an activity level. I sit 9 hours a day, but I work out for 2 hours a day 5 days a week and garden on the weekends. So I'm not technically sedentary, but not technically active neither.

    Any advice on how to figure out cal requirements for someone with a desk job who works out a lot?

    Thanks!
  • amycal
    amycal Posts: 646 Member
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    IIn less than a month, I have lost 7 pounds. But even more exciting than that? I took measurements this morning and I have lost a total of 6.75 inches over my body. In less than a month! This may not be a big deal to some, but this is proof to me that I CAN do this the right way and that even though the scale says I "only" lost 7 lbs, I am losing INCHES. I am shrinking! In my waist, I am 4.5 inches smaller than I was less than 30 days ago. 4.5 INCHES!!!

    Good luck to everyone!

    I would be freaking excited if I lost 4.5 inches from my waist. I think its down about 3 since I started in November but I am at a higheri point, older and have 2 kids.
  • steph_669
    steph_669 Posts: 22 Member
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    Thanks for the post and congrats on your success!!! I have to say for months I was staying around 1200 cals/day plus exercising anywhere from 200-500 cals/day which means I was only getting 700-900 cals/day no wonder the scale wasn't moving and I was run down, frustrated, pissed off and hungry lol. Eating exercise calories really does work I have lost over 3 inches in waist alone and lost 11 lbs. in a month on MFP.
    I am super excited to hear this. I like eveeryone else was concerned about my exercise calories. I never ever eat them and have just lost 3lbs in the month.
    Thanks for the info. I'm modivated more than ever to get cracking :)
  • ShrinkinMel
    ShrinkinMel Posts: 982 Member
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    Great success. 4.5 inches is amazing, I was happy with 1 inch off my waist and hips each in a month. I am doing half my exercise calories too lately. :) If I ate them most days my calorie intake would be 2100-2200 based on exercise and the base of 1660 I get. So far in 4 days I have dropped about 2 lbs with this method. WOOHOO!! That 2100-2200 just seems like it would be counter productive. I do enjoy treating myself when I have earn extras though. :)
  • lilmisslanna
    lilmisslanna Posts: 104 Member
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    bump
  • Crowhorse
    Crowhorse Posts: 394 Member
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    I wouldn't worry THAT much about sodium, unless your doctor specifically warned you from it.
  • mmnichol
    mmnichol Posts: 208 Member
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    bump
  • bambee2013
    bambee2013 Posts: 49 Member
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    I'm am kind of confused. What are exercise calories? Are those what you burn off when you exercise? For example, my calorie allowance is 1240 calories. If I burn 100 cal from exercise, that takes me down to 1140 calories. Is everyone saying to eat up
    those 100 calories? A little tired today and don't understand.
  • megan_mp
    megan_mp Posts: 77
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    I'm in a total slump right now - exercising more and watching the scale sit at a stand-still. I'm going to try to eat my exercise calories and yes, it seems counterproductive, but if I try it for a month...what's a month when I've got plenty of months left in my life?

    I've book-marked this post and will update when I've reached March 3rd!

    Thanks for posting that - I think the exercise calories thing is SO unclear to many people, even with the amount of posts on it! I read some of the posts and see all the numbers and my brain just draws a blank - haha...

    Here's to 30 days!
  • lhague
    lhague Posts: 258
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    Glad to see someone post their success with eating back their exercise calories, wish I had done the same.

    There are people who consider themselves "fitness experts" and bash people for eating their calories back. Here's what they don't understand

    1. when you exercise you become more hungry

    2. this plan already has a deficit in your daily calorie count with your goal in the calculation

    3. if we don't replace what we train with, you become weak

    4. I cycle, and they always encourage you to do replacement ( yes these "gurus" complain about replacement but then say they train harder the next day if they overeat one day....seems like the same thing.


    Keep up the good work and thanks for posting you results.
  • lesleyk26
    lesleyk26 Posts: 14 Member
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    wow well done to you.... :smile:
    HMMMmm now ive always been scared to eat my exercise cals as i eat 1200 cals a day but most the time i dont get near to 1200 but then i exercise three times a week sometims more with gym and zumba i can burn off like 900 cals in one day but would of only eaten like 800 of my MFP calories...... and my scales aint moved.......
    now this week ive tryed staying within my 1200 cals but trying to eat as much as i can and ive lost 2lb this week with 9 inches off too
    what would you suggest i do i get so confused lol
    :bigsmile:


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  • Glos_Bloke
    Glos_Bloke Posts: 74
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    Well done you!

    I'm struggling to eat back my exercise cals as I'm trying to consistently burn over 1k per day. I'm finding that it's too much food to eat! Never thought I'd say that lol :laugh:

    Best wishes

    Warren
  • jadesign19
    jadesign19 Posts: 512 Member
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    You are so on top of this weight loss trip :) I too am inspired. Thanks for the info...and I hope in July to be with you saying goodbye to the "chubby" decade I had. It's a new decade:drinker:
  • jittythekitty
    jittythekitty Posts: 62 Member
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    Thank you. I was wondering I should only eat 1200 or 1500 --- I'm going to aim for 1500 today, plus my exercise calories XD
  • ShrinkinMel
    ShrinkinMel Posts: 982 Member
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    wow well done to you.... :smile:
    HMMMmm now ive always been scared to eat my exercise cals as i eat 1200 cals a day but most the time i dont get near to 1200 but then i exercise three times a week sometims more with gym and zumba i can burn off like 900 cals in one day but would of only eaten like 800 of my MFP calories...... and my scales aint moved.......
    now this week ive tryed staying within my 1200 cals but trying to eat as much as i can and ive lost 2lb this week with 9 inches off too
    what would you suggest i do i get so confused lol
    :bigsmile:


    4037976.png

    This is the way I understand it from reading a thread on here when I first joined. If your calorie goal is set to 1200 based on the info you put in the profile(height, weight, female, your activitiy level that does NOT include your exercise) you will get your target for what you want to lose each week. If you eat 800-900 calories then exercise and burn say 300 your body is only getting 500-600 calories and thinks its starving and you won't burn fat at least not as efficiently.

    Mine is set to 1660. I aim for 1660 and am trying to eat half of the calories I burn off as well. Since I workout out 5-6 days a week. Last week I didn't eat them every day but went over small amounts over my 1660 the weekend without exercise. But I'm still showing my weight down. Friday I tend to not eat my exercise calories.

    jittythekitty,
    You should aim for what the calculations give you. there is not set amount its based on your weight, height age and what you do activity wise for the majority of the day. The site I started this journey with on Jan 1st had a range. it was difficult to really determine where I should aim my intake but this site is so clear and after 2 weeks of "guessing" and having small gains(.4 and .8) I've been here and the weight is coming off nice and smoothly.

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