Exercise Calories

NoAdditives
NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
edited September 24 in Food and Nutrition
The question of whether or not to eat exercise calories is asked too many times a day. I understand it can be a little confusing at first, but it's upsetting to see that so many experienced people on this site still don't believe the concept. I was reading through American Baby magazine the other day and came across something very interesting that I hope will make some people see the light.

Toddlers need to consume 1000 calories per day.

That's right, my kids who weigh 26 and 28 pounds need 1000 calories per day. Granted, they're growing, but still, that's less than 1/5 the weight of anyone who weighs 130-140 pounds. While I'm not saying that we should eat 5 times what my kids are supposed to, it should make sense that if a toddler needs at least 1000 calories every single day, adults need at least that much.

So don't be afraid to eat your exercise calories, your body needs the nutrition!

Replies

  • lperezlopes
    lperezlopes Posts: 17
    I agree! I also love eating my extra calories :)
  • strandedeyes
    strandedeyes Posts: 392 Member
    I love this angle of understanding you need to eat your exercise cals... never thought about looking to see how much children need..
  • Briacha
    Briacha Posts: 160 Member
    Hi,

    I see we are close in stats! Please feel free to add me :)

    Great post...If you look at it like that, it makes total sense why bodies would go into starvation mode...If toddlers need 1000 per day, then you are right, our bodies need nutrition. Just like plants need water and food, so do we!!!
  • jleegirl
    jleegirl Posts: 44
    I'm a newbie to myfitnesspal and new to my weight loss commitment. I'm trying to shed the extra weight in a healthy way. I'm exercising about an hour a day and combining that with the weight watchers diet plan. I'm not being too strict about staying inside my numbers range since I am working out so hard (compared to what I'm used to anyway). I'm burning around 500 calories per day so if i've gone through all my points and i'm still hungry, i'll have a snack. I'm just concentrating on making healthy choices. Hopefully I'm doing it right. I really don't want to stall my weight loss because i'm not eating enough!
  • clmunjoy
    clmunjoy Posts: 9 Member
    Thanks for posting this. I recently came across something similar on a website that indicated my 5 year old should be eating 1200 - 1400 calories a day. It really helped put it into perspective for me as well!
  • wyze
    wyze Posts: 248
    I think the major confusion is for those of us who have used other sites where our total calories (both exercise and food calories) are calculated and given to us in one number. MFP as a weightloss site is designed differently from others. So eating your exercise calories based on MFP's recommendation for weight loss makes sense on MFP, but if you do that on another site that isnt quite like MFP, you will find that the scale will move in only one direction, UPWARDS....

    That being said, i understand what you mean, we need to fuel our bodies adequately to be able to lose weight.
  • seniorfaye
    seniorfaye Posts: 295 Member
    I love being able to eat my exercise calories and I do it about every day. I don't like to deprive myself when I'm hungry. This is the best way I have ever lost weight.Always before I spent a lot of time being so hungry and went to bed hungry many many times. I've only been on here since Jan. 26 but I have already lost several lbs. I lost 4 lbs before starting and 9 1/2 since on MFP
  • greeneyed84
    greeneyed84 Posts: 427 Member
    I was not successful losing weight when i ate all of my extra calories. But now i am b/c i am trying to reach my NET which is 790 for me. I eat at least 1200 calories a day, i never go under that but i still have several hundred calories left at the end of they day (if it was a good day)
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    Great points - Thanks for sharing!
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