Hi! Am i suppose to be eating the calories i burn off?

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annabrooking
annabrooking Posts: 1
in Introduce Yourself
Im So confused...i hope someone can shed a little light on me- am i suppose to eat the calories i burn!? How will i drop lbs. if i do this!?
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  • lseaturtle79
    lseaturtle79 Posts: 1
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    I have been woundering the same thing. Let me know what you find out.:smile:
  • cbeckett
    cbeckett Posts: 1 Member
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    I wouldn't think so. It seems kind of counter productive to me..... I'm curious to find out the real answer though :)
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
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    In short, yes. Here are some threads that discuss this. :flowerforyou:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/173853-an-objective-look-at-eating-exercise-calories

    And, of course, the ultimate one.....

    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
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    Yes because MFP already builds in a calorie deficit for you, so you can lose weight just by eating less, but exercise is good for you, improves your health, helps tone muscles and improves your cardiovascular health. If you don't eat your exercise calories, you'll have too large of a deficit and that could do more harm than good.
  • naomigarza
    naomigarza Posts: 1
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    Wow, I had no idea you were supposed to be eating the calories you burn off!!
  • Timolyn
    Timolyn Posts: 7 Member
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    You can eat the calories you burn during exercise if you want. The idea behind this program is to get you to eat less than what you burn. This is called a caloric deficit. When you add exercise you can eat more because you are burning more. Here is an example for someone who wants to loose 1 pound a week:

    1 pound = 3,500 calories so in order to loose 1 pound you would have to eat 500 calories per day (3,500 divided by 7 days) less than what you burn.

    So if you normally burn 2,000 calories a day just sitting still you will have to eat 1500 (500 less than what you burn) a day to loose 1 pound.

    Adding exercise would just increase the amount of food you can eat. So lets say you walk for a half hour and burn an extra 300 calories. Your calories burned that day would be 2,300. In order to loose 1 pound that week you can now eat 1,800 calories (500 less than what you burn).

    So using the same example if you don't eat the extra 300 calories you burned from walking and you only eat 1500 calories, you will loose more than 1 pound that week.
  • beckajw
    beckajw Posts: 1,738 Member
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    Yes, on this plan you get to eat the calories you burn. It seems to work, there are a lot of successes on here. The site has you eating at a deficit (for me I get 1200 net calories per day which is a 300 calorie deficit). Then when you burn off calories, you get to eat those (but the deficit still remains). Obviously if I want a 500 calorie deficit, I wouldn't be able to eat all of my exercise calories, but even with eating them all I'm still at a deficit. Having done Weight Watchers in the past, I know that plan allows you to eat 1/2 of the calories you burn. But only eating 1/2 of them could have been why I was always hungry on Weight Watchers.

    Anyway, the answer is yes.
  • dznymom5
    dznymom5 Posts: 1
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    I am new too. Thank you for your response Timolyn. It is REALLY helpful.
  • Cathy92
    Cathy92 Posts: 312 Member
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    I hear what some people are saying about eating back exercise calories, but I just can't get my head around it. I eat enough calories to be satisfied, so why stuff myself with more? I don't feel that my body needs it or craves it. AS far as weight loss goes, so far so good. I've only been doing this a short time, so I may change my mind in the future.
  • redfifteen
    redfifteen Posts: 1
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    From what I understand about lossing weight; as long as you burn more calories than you take in, you will lose weight. So if by chance you eat lets say 1200 calories and throughout the day you burn off more than that, then boom! the weights gonna drop of of you !!

    This is what my Anatomy professor told me, I hope it helps!
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
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    I hear what some people are saying about eating back exercise calories, but I just can't get my head around it. I eat enough calories to be satisfied, so why stuff myself with more? I don't feel that my body needs it or craves it. AS far as weight loss goes, so far so good. I've only been doing this a short time, so I may change my mind in the future.

    Feelings of hunger (or lack thereof) are not very reliable, especially when you first start changing your habits. I talk about this in my post that I linked above, Some MFP Basics. Hopefully that will help explain it. :flowerforyou:
  • chiremba
    chiremba Posts: 30 Member
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    Im So confused...i hope someone can shed a little light on me- am i suppose to eat the calories i burn!? How will i drop lbs. if i do this!?

    NO!!!!! YOU DO NOT HAVE TO EAT THE CALORIES YOU BURN

    If you are overweight it means you body has been supplied more energy that it needs and has stored it as fat. Losing weight means getting rid of that fat. Simply put supply less energy ( eat less/eat less energy dense food) so you body mobilises energy from the stores ( your extra fat) and use more energy by increasing your activity ie exercise

    Make good food choices ie low glycaemic index ie wholemeal bread over white bread. Rice over fries etc. Don't skip meals, if you are hungry between meals have a sensible snack. Keep well hydrated ( water is best) Eat a miminum of 1200 a day ( or what every it is set for for your age sex etc)

    EAT LESS AND DO MORE!!!
  • babybri18
    babybri18 Posts: 1
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    NO DO NOT EAT THE CALORIES YOU BURN OFF. BECAUSE YOU WILL BE EATING MORE CALORIES THAN YOU NEED TO BE EATING. DONT UNLESS YOU WANT TO GAIN THE WEIGHT
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
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    I hear what some people are saying about eating back exercise calories, but I just can't get my head around it. I eat enough calories to be satisfied, so why stuff myself with more? I don't feel that my body needs it or craves it. AS far as weight loss goes, so far so good. I've only been doing this a short time, so I may change my mind in the future.

    Eating exercise calories doesn't have to be stuffing your face. A glass of fat free skim milk is 90 calories, two tablespoons of peanut butter is 200 calories (and provides protein and good fats). It's all about fueling your body, if you're already at a deficit, you need to replace what you burned off so you'll have enough energy to function.
  • chiremba
    chiremba Posts: 30 Member
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    I hear what some people are saying about eating back exercise calories, but I just can't get my head around it. I eat enough calories to be satisfied, so why stuff myself with more? I don't feel that my body needs it or craves it. AS far as weight loss goes, so far so good. I've only been doing this a short time, so I may change my mind in the future.

    Feelings of hunger (or lack thereof) are not very reliable, especially when you first start changing your habits. I talk about this in my post that I linked above, Some MFP Basics. Hopefully that will help explain it. :flowerforyou:

    I haven't read your post but I think it is very important to respond to hunger or lack there of. The reason many of us are over weight is because be over eat mostly because we are gready, sadly misinformed or emotionally challenged but we have also been trained from an early age to over eat ( if you do not finish you food.......) or ( if you finish your food........). Eating is very social, very comforting and a lot of people make their livings but encouraging us to over eat.

    I am learning to tell the difference between being hunger and being greedy. It is a challenge
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
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    NO DO NOT EAT THE CALORIES YOU BURN OFF. BECAUSE YOU WILL BE EATING MORE CALORIES THAN YOU NEED TO BE EATING. DONT UNLESS YOU WANT TO GAIN THE WEIGHT


    A statement like that is not really helpful and will just scare the OP into not eating them. I know a lot of people here differ on what you should do, but offering some factual reasoning is always helpful no matter which side of the debate you're on. People come to this site seeking guidance and help because what they are doing on their own obviously isn't working, so I'm a little confused as to why people doubt the recommendation to eat the exercise calories. Why else would the site automatically add in the calories to your daily goal?
  • chiremba
    chiremba Posts: 30 Member
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    I hear what some people are saying about eating back exercise calories, but I just can't get my head around it. I eat enough calories to be satisfied, so why stuff myself with more? I don't feel that my body needs it or craves it. AS far as weight loss goes, so far so good. I've only been doing this a short time, so I may change my mind in the future.

    Eating exercise calories doesn't have to be stuffing your face. A glass of fat free skim milk is 90 calories, two tablespoons of peanut butter is 200 calories (and provides protein and good fats). It's all about fueling your body, if you're already at a deficit, you need to replace what you burned off so you'll have enough energy to function.

    if you are eating normal portions of regular well balanced meals it will be hard to NOT eat enough. there is nothing wrong with eating your recommended daily allowance ( in good food) then exercising for 8 hours if you can!!!. Your trace elements will be from your meals and your energy will be from your bum BUT I somehow doubt that an obese person can over exercise ( your poor cardiovascular state will limit you)

    SO JUST EAT LESS AND DO MORE!!!!!!
  • Cathy92
    Cathy92 Posts: 312 Member
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    I think you're right. I do eat healthy, well balanced meals most of the time. I'm not overexercising either...I may have a couple of humdred calories extra that I can burn. I feel fine. Time will tell. I've already started to notice a difference in my hunger and am trying to recognize the signals.
  • MommyLumpkin
    MommyLumpkin Posts: 129
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    I find the best thing to do in this situation is use all the tools provided you on this website, and anywhere else, including your physician to make an informed decision. Everyone is different. I think you need to eat what you feel comfortable and exercise as much as possible. The exercising will actually help you level out your calorie intake because it you will get more in tune with your body and what it needs from you.
  • chiremba
    chiremba Posts: 30 Member
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    NO DO NOT EAT THE CALORIES YOU BURN OFF. BECAUSE YOU WILL BE EATING MORE CALORIES THAN YOU NEED TO BE EATING. DONT UNLESS YOU WANT TO GAIN THE WEIGHT


    A statement like that is not really helpful and will just scare the OP into not eating them. I know a lot of people here differ on what you should do, but offering some factual reasoning is always helpful no matter which side of the debate you're on. People come to this site seeking guidance and help because what they are doing on their own obviously isn't working, so I'm a little confused as to why people doubt the recommendation to eat the exercise calories. Why else would the site automatically add in the calories to your daily goal?

    Do not be confused.
    My take on this based on a law of thermodynamic ENERGY CAN NEITHER BE CREATED NOR BE DESTROYED> RATHER ONE FORM OF ENERGY IS CONVERTED TO ANOTHER

    so food is chemical energy hence the energy values are in calories. Fat is also energy. when you eat food ( energy) it cannot be destroyed just changed into another form so it it not used for chemical reactions of breathing digestion etc or mechanical movement like exercise etc or electrical stuff like thinkiing feeling etc it is stored as fat and a person gains weight.

    again EAT LESS DO MORE

    The site in my understanding is not adding the calories so you should eat them. ( you can if you wish) it is simply showing you your energy balance. so if at the end of the day you have a large balance either because you ATE LESS or YOU DID MORE your body will mobilise stored energy( from your bum) to cover the deficit hence the weight loss. I can promise you if you stopped eating to day you would loose heaps of weight but you woould not be healthy and you body will start using even you body protein to maintain life ( known as starvation)

    WHAT DO I DO!!!
    I just focus on portion control and food choices. I am still quite unfit and I work shifts so I do what I can re exercise. I do not make it a point to eat my exercise calories but if I am hungry so be it I have a healthy snack. By seeing dailily what I am eating I am making healthier choices. the thing is it is sustainable.

    I DID NOT GET FAT OVERNIGHT SO I"M REALISTIC AMOUNT HOW LONG IT IS GOING TO TAKE TO GET TO A HEALTHY WEIGHT.


    EAT LESS DO MORE!!!!!!!

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