Do you consume the calories that you burn for exercise?

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armywife1986
armywife1986 Posts: 31
in Fitness and Exercise
I have a tendency to try not to, just because I feel like it counteracts what I've done, but I also know that you need to fuel your body if you workout. Since my daily calorie goal is 1,200, I'm not sure what I should do. I obviously want to lose as quickly as possible, but for someone who is 5'3 with a 1,200 calorie goal/RMR of 1,750, I only get a 550 calorie deficit through diet. If I go by that, I'll barely lose just over a pound per week (1 pound of fat = 3,500 calories). I really want to lose more, so I'm reluctant to consume any calories I burn through exercise.

What has your experience been thus far? How can I try to lose an average of 2 pounds per week without sending my body into starvation mode?

Replies

  • JigglyPig
    JigglyPig Posts: 231 Member
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    I've been browsing the boards about this tonight. There are a lot of people who explain that you should eat some of your exercise calories...

    Hmm..
  • JigglyPig
    JigglyPig Posts: 231 Member
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    This one is a good one:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • That_Girl
    That_Girl Posts: 1,324 Member
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    Eat them.

    I didn't, because I thought the same as you.

    Then I plateaued. SUUUCKED.

    I started eating them and now lose weight again :D Yay!
  • daddyratty
    daddyratty Posts: 305 Member
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    Absolutely eat them. There should be no hurry to lose the weight as long as you're headed in the right direction.

    Granted my totals are different, but I rarely leave more than 100 on the table (literally and figuratively) at the end of the day. Tomorrow, for example, I'll be running 3 miles, so my calorie count will go from 1930 to close to 2600 (258-pound body burns a lot more calories per mile).

    The other thing is that if you subtract your exercise calories from your total consumption and THIS total is under 1200, you could be putting yourself into a starvation mode. It's not a magic number, mind you. Your body doesn't have a computer readout that forces it to automatically shut down below 1200, but it's a general guideline.

    I don't know how much you need to lose (doesn't look like you're obese based on the picture), but I would think a 1-1.5 pound per week goal would be more ideal.

    You nailed it, too, when you said "you need to fuel your body if you workout."
  • elliecolorado
    elliecolorado Posts: 1,040
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    A lot of people around here will say that you have to eat some or all of your exercise calories. Personally I eat some of them if I am hungry and don't if I'm not hungry. I refuse to force myself to eat if I am not hungry, just to get to a certain number. Also it seems to matter more if you have less weight to lose. The more weight you have to lose the more fat your body has to 'eat' from the research I have done, the more weight you have to lose the higher calorie deficit you can work with.
  • leomom72
    leomom72 Posts: 1,797 Member
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    up your cals..i have been saying this to many people lately..i was stuck in my 170s for like 5 weeks, and then i upped my cals from 1200, to 1475..i am losing faster that when i was eating the 1200, plus what i burned off..sounds bass-ackwards, but it may work..good luck
  • daddyratty
    daddyratty Posts: 305 Member
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    A lot of people around here will say that you have to eat some or all of your exercise calories. Personally I eat some of them if I am hungry and don't if I'm not hungry. I refuse to force myself to eat if I am not hungry, just to get to a certain number. Also it seems to matter more if you have less weight to lose. The more weight you have to lose the more fat your body has to 'eat' from the research I have done, the more weight you have to lose the higher calorie deficit you can work with.

    Very good point.

    Think of weight loss as a plane descending for a landing. If the plane is at 35,000 feet, it can afford to drop the altitude fairly quickly. For awhile. As it approaches land it has to level off until it makes smooth contact with the runway. People like myself who still have over 60 pounds to lose can afford to do 2#/week deficits for quite awhile. At about 230 pounds, I plan to switch to 1.5 pounds per week, then to 1 pound per week at about 210.

    If your plane is starting at 5,000 feet (meaning close to your ideal weight), you don't want to go into a nosedive (i.e. losing weight too quickly). Your body will ... stall out. Or just crash.
  • shallo
    shallo Posts: 353 Member
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    I eat some of them. I don't have a heart rate monitor so I have to use the exercise log they have here. I think they over estimate so I try not to eat all of them back.
  • armywife1986
    armywife1986 Posts: 31
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    A lot of people around here will say that you have to eat some or all of your exercise calories. Personally I eat some of them if I am hungry and don't if I'm not hungry. I refuse to force myself to eat if I am not hungry, just to get to a certain number. Also it seems to matter more if you have less weight to lose. The more weight you have to lose the more fat your body has to 'eat' from the research I have done, the more weight you have to lose the higher calorie deficit you can work with.

    Very good point.

    Think of weight loss as a plane descending for a landing. If the plane is at 35,000 feet, it can afford to drop the altitude fairly quickly. For awhile. As it approaches land it has to level off until it makes smooth contact with the runway. People like myself who still have over 60 pounds to lose can afford to do 2#/week deficits for quite awhile. At about 230 pounds, I plan to switch to 1.5 pounds per week, then to 1 pound per week at about 210.

    If your plane is starting at 5,000 feet (meaning close to your ideal weight), you don't want to go into a nosedive (i.e. losing weight too quickly). Your body will ... stall out. Or just crash.
    \

    Good analogy!

    I'm currently at about 148, and I'm 5'3. In my past experiences, it has been difficult for me to lose weight once I get to about 132. I have to really fight for it, so I've never made my ideal weight of 115-120. I get discouraged, give up, and end up back here again.

    I suppose I should be shooting for the 1.5 pound loss per week since I'm not considered "obese"...?
  • marthack
    marthack Posts: 9
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    I would say to eat them if you are hungry. That's what I've been doing and I've reached my goal. :)
  • kelika71
    kelika71 Posts: 778 Member
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    Yep!! Just started recently doing so because I had hit that dreaded wall. I moved my activity level up and eat those calories. The weight has started coming off again.
  • FaeFae
    FaeFae Posts: 243 Member
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    I dont but I usually workout at night so by the time I get home its too many calories for me to consume and im just not organized enough to plan it out throughout my day especially considering i never know when im going to workout or for how long. Maybe I should become more organized. However if and when I do plateau I will switch things up. I'll increase my calories etc. good luck!!
  • daddyratty
    daddyratty Posts: 305 Member
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    I'm not an expert or licensed or anything, but I would go for the 1.5 (no higher) for 2-3 weeks ... then shake it up and go for the 1-pound loss. Only because the calorie difference will confuse your body (in a good way). You'll probably see people on here talking about yo-yoing their calories, because the body then can't get used to a consistent input and just burns what it should.

    You will probably find that your previous "stuck" weight will also be a pretty big rivet this time, too. The more times you hit that point and give up, the harder it will become to push through.

    You can do this, though!
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
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    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com

    /obligatory
  • Jade_Butterfly
    Jade_Butterfly Posts: 2,963 Member
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    I eat some of them. I don't have a heart rate monitor so I have to use the exercise log they have here. I think they over estimate so I try not to eat all of them back.

    I concur. Best way to do it!
  • CarrieLincoln
    CarrieLincoln Posts: 33
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    Yes, eat your burned calories. Losing about a 1lb - 1.5lb in one week is the PROPER way to lose lb's. Anything more is dangerous. The lbs will add up quickly. Stay focused and consistant and you will reach your goal. If you do not eat your burned calories your body will STOP losing weight and think it is starving and go into protetive mode and eat your muscle and hang on to all your fat as it thinks it is not going to get anymore fuel. This is the primary reason why many do not lose weight or just stay the same.

    You are on the right track! There is no EASY FAST WAY to lose weight. It is all in staying consistant and healthy.
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
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    Think of weight loss as a plane descending for a landing. If the plane is at 35,000 feet, it can afford to drop the altitude fairly quickly. For awhile. As it approaches land it has to level off until it makes smooth contact with the runway. People like myself who still have over 60 pounds to lose can afford to do 2#/week deficits for quite awhile. At about 230 pounds, I plan to switch to 1.5 pounds per week, then to 1 pound per week at about 210.

    If your plane is starting at 5,000 feet (meaning close to your ideal weight), you don't want to go into a nosedive (i.e. losing weight too quickly). Your body will ... stall out. Or just crash.

    AWESOME analogy!
  • JoEllen92
    JoEllen92 Posts: 58 Member
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    I can't , I've never been a huge eater and I suffer with eating problems so on days like yesterday where I worked off about 750 calories eating that all back would put me just under 2000 calories and that much food for me is just too much , I'd probably have a panic attack if I had to eat that much and keep it down . I know I should be eating my exercise calories back and I do eat after a workout but I can never eat it all back. I recommend that you do eat them back though as I'm not the best example, I lose weight but it's extremely detrimental to my overall health , I try to be as healthy as I can but when you've struggled with eating issues for a while it's very hard ignore those thoughts.
  • emsibun
    emsibun Posts: 208
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    I agree with eating back if you are hungry and be honest with yourself - don't starve yourself. If you have calories to eat and you are hungry, your body is saying 'please fuel me'.

    I've ended up with calories left over since I've been on this site simply because I haven't been hungry. I'll be the first to have a snack if I am and I can though! :laugh:
  • crazypenrod1508
    crazypenrod1508 Posts: 32 Member
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    Is it better to let yourself hit that plateau and then start eating the calories back?

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