Why exercise?

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america77
america77 Posts: 1
in Fitness and Exercise
Why does myfitnesspal have me add the calories burned frm working out onto my daily calorie requirements? I typically burn between 500-600 calories per workout. That's a lot of extra calories to eat! Can't I just not eat them and lose more? What's the min calories you have to eat before your body goes into starvation mode? My norm daily requirement is 1450.

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  • Barelmy
    Barelmy Posts: 590 Member
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    I find under 1500 to be very uncomfortable, but I am a sugar junky.

    I've noticed a lot of debates about whether starvation mode is a myth or not. That said, most people advise staying over 1200 net.

    I'd say, don't get too hung up on exercise calories. Eat them if you're hungry, and make sure you're getting enough protein. Don't feel guilty about eating them or not eating them - any thread on the topic will be filled with anecdata for either side. If one way makes you feel too full/empty, and you find you're not losing weight, try the other way.
  • Athena413
    Athena413 Posts: 1,709 Member
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    Your body needs at least 1200 calories a day to function properly. MFP already has exercise factored in to your NET calorie goal based on the activity level you selected when you first signed up and the amount of weight you said you wanted to lose. They have you "eat back" your exercise calories in order to make sure you're getting ENOUGH calories.
  • tiarra77
    tiarra77 Posts: 39
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    from what i understand 1200 to 1500 cals a day is the range depending your body type/weight. as far as the exercise thing goes, i often wonder about that too. i just work out and maybe eat back 100 or 200 of my cals, but no more than that. seems to work for me. u do have to be careful about the starvation mode thing.... our body is a funny machine.
  • resptech97
    resptech97 Posts: 147
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    I dont eat mine and it has worked for me!
  • seasonalvoodoo
    seasonalvoodoo Posts: 380 Member
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    Hey there!

    Check out this forum post regarding "eating back your exercise calories." It's pretty helpful:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,239 Member
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    The reason MFP does that is because when determining the calories you can eat in a day, it does not include the number of calories you would burn off with exercise. Thus, when you exercise those calories are added to maintain the proper calorie deficit. Basically while it may seem like a good idea to have a very large calorie deficit, for many it can be very detrimental and hinder their weight loss a great deal. This is especially true if you work out intensely. Also most weight loss stuff I have read recommends no more that 2 pounds per week of body weight to be lost. Often when people start, and various times through their weight loss journey they will lose more than this, but if the calorie deficit is one enough to lose 2 pound, that extra weight is not fat but likely water that was stored in the person's body tissue. It is good that the water goes, but you don't really want to lose more that 2 pounds of actually fat per week.

    Having said that, I lost much of my weight not eating my exercise calories since I lost it before joining MFP. Now that I am getting close to my goal weight I have not only raised my calorie budget, but I eat my exercise calories. It may take longer to get to my goal, but I will have in that time had time to learn to eat at or near my maintenance calories. I still have a way to go in increasing my calories, but so far it seems to work just fine.
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
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    Starvation mode is not a myth. Eat back your exercise calories and you will be FAR healthier overall.
  • Athena413
    Athena413 Posts: 1,709 Member
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    I dont eat mine and it has worked for me!

    You got a picture with Patrick!! He was one of my favorites from last season...him and Ada! :)

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