Do you eat what you burn?
mrsknotts
Posts: 115
I'm just wondering if you're supposed to eat the calories that you burn? My MFP says I should be eating 1200 calories a day, but some days I go to the gym and burn 600, does that then mean that I should be eating another 600 calories to make up for it?
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Replies
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You shouls NET as least 1200 calories a day per MFP. I struggle to net that many on a regular day let alone a workout day. Hope this helps!0
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Yes. If you need a net calorie intake of 1200
1800 cals intake (eating) - 600 cals burned (exercise) = 1200 net calories.0 -
Yes.
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You shouls NET as least 1200 calories a day per MFP. I struggle to net that many on a regular day let alone a workout day. Hope this helps!
I dont get how people stuggle to eat 1200 calories a day!! lol i wish i had that problem. I am starting to go to the gym more just so i dont go over lol0 -
I'm having a hard time reaching 1200 I feel so full! I don't know how I'm going to re-eat those calories after I work out. Especially because I prefer to work out in the evening when my husband goes to bed.0
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I eat a little, but never all the extra ones. I dont feel like im accomplishing anything if I do?0
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Figure in your exercise in the morning and eat the calories through out the day.0
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I'm having a hard time reaching 1200 I feel so full! I don't know how I'm going to re-eat those calories after I work out. Especially because I prefer to work out in the evening when my husband goes to bed.
Eventually your body will get used to it. I recently increased to 300 more per day and was hard at first but is getting easier. And I dropped another pound doing it.0 -
Most definitely - If you don't you risk going under 1,200 calories. That's dangerously low and your energy levels during workouts will lack. As well, you probably won't lose weight as your body will cling to every last ounce of fat hoping not to starve. Enjoy the extra calories. You need them working out!0
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I'm having a hard time reaching 1200 I feel so full! I don't know how I'm going to re-eat those calories after I work out. Especially because I prefer to work out in the evening when my husband goes to bed.
You can slightly increase the calories in the meals you have earlier in the day so you don't have to load up at night. If you bump each meal up by a little, it will add up fast.0 -
It s difficult to get it right, especially as I am new. But Im hoping I will find a way to eat the extra calories needed.
I have never come across this idea of eating more?
I aways thought the less you ate the more you lost, I am now starting to realise this might not be the case.
So am going to do my best to get my calories to 0 every day.
But today for example I am apparently supposed to eat another 678 cals before I go to bed in 3 hours, thats just NOT going to happen, so surely Im not supposed to force feed myself?
I mean I could do it if I binged.....but Im sure that would be defeating the object?
Im pretty confused about this too tbh0 -
a few small foods that are high in calories (and good for you):
Dry roasted nuts
Cheeses
peanut butter0 -
try eating cheese or nuts they have a lot of calories for not a lot of volume0
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Thank you guys!! I love having a question answered so quickly on here! Also, is working out mon-fri pretty average and taking weekends off? My gym is kind of far away and gas is so expensive right now it's so much easier to go after work. It's going to be mentally tough to realize that i have to eat more to lose weight. I think we are all under the impression to lose weight you have to eat less. Now I'll be eating more than before, and hopefully cutting the pounds off0
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Also, you do not have to eat all of your exercise calories. There are a few factors involved: Is the calorie burn registered exact? Did you factor all your food exact? Plus, MFP gives you calories per hour, and some of those are in that exercise number.0
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Eat the extra calories because you need to refuel to keep from getting hungry and running too much of a deficit. Your body will go into defense mode and you will stop losing weight. You will still be on target. On my long workout days I have a good time because my daily limit goes up from 1280 to 4300 and I can pig. Healthy food of course. If I don't, my body won't recover and adapt to the workouts. {I'm training for Ironman and losing too much weight per week is worse than not losing enough.}0
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This is the bit I struggle to understand - the 1200 cal thing. The MFP worked out I should only take in 1050 cals/day if I want to lose 2lb per week. I read everywhere that a loss of 2lbs a week is considered a healthy loss. Yet it means taking in less than 1200 cals.Most definitely - If you don't you risk going under 1,200 calories. That's dangerously low and your energy levels during workouts will lack. As well, you probably won't lose weight as your body will cling to every last ounce of fat hoping not to starve. Enjoy the extra calories. You need them working out!0 -
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You should eat them to stay on target. At least eat most of them. If you don't get enough fuel your fat burning mechanism will definitely slow down and you will be defeating the purpose. Eat the extra calories and enjoy.0
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Good question. I guess what worked for my body when it weighed 167 pounds doesn't work for my body now that I weigh 122 pounds. I was staying well under 1000 to lose at first but I have hit that wall and started to gain again. I think they're right about the starvation mode thing. The less I eat now the less I lose. I wonder if eating those calories back is why they say that chocolate milk is such a good thing for you to have after a work out. Think Whey protein is similar in its affects on the body after a workout as chocolate milk?0
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If you look on your home page at the top it has your food calories and your exercise calories and leaves you with a balance to eat. Hope you are successful in your journey.0
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1200 calories per day is the absolute minimum. I would make sure you should be in the 1200 cal/day range and not the 1400-1500 per day range (I am in the second category.) I am working on a 1000 cal/day deficit to get some quick results after a plateau about 8 months in to my weight loss. I'm not sure what your height/weight/nutritional needs are, but there are some pretty useful sources on the web. Hope this helps. Oh, and to answer your question, I'm working out 6 days a week and am not eating back ANY of my calories. My trainer stressed not going over 1600 calories!0
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I haven't heard about drinking chocolate milk, but I know my trainer recommended drinking 25-30 grams of protein (preferably whey protein) within 45 minutes of finishing a workout. This is my 3rd day doing it and it has helped tremendously with controlling my appetite and curbing the desire for junk food at night. I highly, highly recommend whey protein.0
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Well I find it easier to drink the protein than to have to eat more. This is my first day of trying to hit 1200 calories and not trying to be in the negative when it comes to my net calories. I need to reprogram what I've been doing. Although it worked up until now, I don't think its a way I could live my life.0
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To reiterate...unless you're trying to gain weight DON'T eat back your exercise calories, but DO add a protein shake after a workout. Mine acts as my "fourth" meal - with all meals ranging from 300-400 calories each.0
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I never eat my calories burned, I find when i do, I don't lose weight.0
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Well now I'm really confused! LOL I think I'll start off with trying to hit 1200 a day, and then exercising. I will drink my protein after my workout and see how that starts out.0
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Do that. Keep in mind the protein shake counts as part of your 1200.Well now I'm really confused! LOL I think I'll start off with trying to hit 1200 a day, and then exercising. I will drink my protein after my workout and see how that starts out.0 -
To reiterate...unless you're trying to gain weight DON'T eat back your exercise calories, but DO add a protein shake after a workout. Mine acts as my "fourth" meal - with all meals ranging from 300-400 calories each.
MFP already incorporates a healthy deficit in your calorie goal. Eating back your exercise calories is to maintain that deficit. Unless your trainer is very familier with how MFP sets your goals, they won't know this. Look at your goals page.
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