Eating Exercise Calories ~ Do you HAVE to?

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  • CelizaMarie
    CelizaMarie Posts: 20
    This article explains the mathematics of caloric intake/ output (exercise) well... It cleared a lot of my questions up

    http://www.answerfitness.com/212/how-many-calories-eat-lose-weight/

    Great info...thanks! :happy:
  • CelizaMarie
    CelizaMarie Posts: 20
    So wait a minute...when you set up your goals and put in how much exercise you PLAN on doing...it takes that into account already in the calories you should eat...so really you would only need eat anything you exercise above that goal you set? For example, I put in I would exercise 4 times/week for 60minutes. And that is already calculated into my daily calories to eat, right? So if say one day I exercise 90 minutes or decide to do an extra workout on day 5 and 6....then and only then I would take into account eating those extra calories?

    Nope. The exercise goals you enter when you sign up are just that - goals. They help you monitor your exercise goals. But cals are NOT added for "intended" exercise. Cals for purposeful exercise are only accounted for when you log the exercise each day.

    Your purposeful exercise should also not be included in your activity level. Activity level should only include whatever you do for work and your daily stuff at home like cooking, brushing your teeth, doing laundry, watching tv, etc.

    Whew...:wink: glad I asked! I think I am starting to understand it ALOT better now! Thank you all for taking the time to explain it in so many different ways! This happened to me 2 years ago and instead of finding a solution I gave up....when I started back in January it was easier to drop weight...I ate ALOT fewer calories and began exercising. I guess now my body is more of a machine and needs to be fueled and treated as such! :glasses: :glasses:
  • CelizaMarie
    CelizaMarie Posts: 20
    Well, part of a healthy lifestyle is a good night's rest....:yawn: so off to bed I go...having added a slice of ezekiel bread, peanut butter, banana and low fat milk... :laugh:

    Good night MFP....and THANK YOU ALL!!!! :flowerforyou:
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    So wait a minute...when you set up your goals and put in how much exercise you PLAN on doing...it takes that into account already in the calories you should eat...so really you would only need eat anything you exercise above that goal you set? For example, I put in I would exercise 4 times/week for 60minutes. And that is already calculated into my daily calories to eat, right? So if say one day I exercise 90 minutes or decide to do an extra workout on day 5 and 6....then and only then I would take into account eating those extra calories?

    Nope. The exercise goals you enter when you sign up are just that - goals. They help you monitor your exercise goals. But cals are NOT added for "intended" exercise. Cals for purposeful exercise are only accounted for when you log the exercise each day.

    Your purposeful exercise should also not be included in your activity level. Activity level should only include whatever you do for work and your daily stuff at home like cooking, brushing your teeth, doing laundry, watching tv, etc.

    Whew...:wink: glad I asked! I think I am starting to understand it ALOT better now! Thank you all for taking the time to explain it in so many different ways! This happened to me 2 years ago and instead of finding a solution I gave up....when I started back in January it was easier to drop weight...I ate ALOT fewer calories and began exercising. I guess now my body is more of a machine and needs to be fueled and treated as such! :glasses: :glasses:

    Quite welcome! It is definitely a learning process and takes some time. As you progress, you will need to adjust goals and approach things a bit differently. But if you stay focused and work on a steady, sustainable weight loss, you'll be successful. :happy:
  • StevLL
    StevLL Posts: 921 Member
    bump
  • tellybelle
    tellybelle Posts: 144
    Yes you should eat your exercise calories. MFP already has you at a deficit with whatever they tell you to eat. For me it's 1200. Say I eat my 1200 calories and then exercise burning 300 calories. I just burned 300 of my 1200 calories so I have a net of 900 calories. In order to prevent your body from going into starvation mode, you must net at least 1200. Therefore I need to eat my exercise calories back to have a NET of 1200. Make sure your NET calories equal what MFP set for you. Hope this helps!

    I know it is confusing. I was the same way a few weeks ago. BUT after reading so much on here from people that I trust know what they are talking about, I am doing it . It makes sense when you look at the numbers and the deficit that MFP has already calculated. I am still learning myself but feel this is the healthy way to do things. Do some reading and I am sure you will feel more confident in doing so. Good luck!
  • Zombriana
    Zombriana Posts: 764 Member
    My only thing with that is, what if I didn't really burn as much as MFP says I did. I'm scared to eat back my calories sometimes. =[
  • supercatie18
    supercatie18 Posts: 82 Member
    While I certainly agree that it is wise to eat back many of your exercise calories, you do not NEED to eat them back everyday. I think (just my opinion) that your body probably won't go into starvation mode after just a few hours. Also, I find myself eating a little more on some days than on others, and possibly going over my limit on the other days. I think of my caloric needs more over a week rather than just daily, so that if I don't eat back all of my cals they can be 'used' for other days when I may eat a little more. I really think the point is that you shouldn't be netting below 1200 cals every single day, or you may THEN risk going into starvation mode. I think everyone's advice on this site is really helpful, but everyone's eating habits and bodies are different, so you should do what works for you! :smooched:
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    My only thing with that is, what if I didn't really burn as much as MFP says I did. I'm scared to eat back my calories sometimes. =[

    You may want to invest in a good HRM. It will be a bit more accurate for estimating burns. Or, many people only eat half of the cals or reduce the amount of cals MFP suggests for burns. Really, the numbers are all estimates. We just have to use the best numbers we can.

    But, particularly for someone who is already relatively lean, not compensating for exercise at all is usually a mistake. The body (especially women) prefers to have a natural cushion of fat - how much mostly depends on genetics. So when trying to lose the last 10-20 lbs, you have to coax it off by letting the body KNOW there will be enough fuel to sustain normal activity. So in the last stages, you want a very conservative deficit - and replacing at least some exercise cals is even more important.
  • CelizaMarie
    CelizaMarie Posts: 20
    I still have a SIGNIFICANT amount to lose and so I can not understand why my weight is not only going down but going UP when I am eating healthy, under my calories and exercising. I have PLENTY to burn for my body to be worried about not having enough and going into starvation mode! When I started back in January, I was under a doctor's supervision in a regimented plan that had me eating 800-900 calories per day and moderate exercise and the pounds were melting off. Now that I try to eat more to hit my caloric intake and exercise more to burn more...and try to eat some of those back...I am getting the reverse effect. I thought I had it all cleared up last night...but when I got on the scale this morning...that all went down the toilet! :explode: :angry: :mad: :grumble: :noway:

    Oh...and I have a bodybugg so I enter the exact amount I am actually burning during exercise! :huh:
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    I still have a SIGNIFICANT amount to lose and so I can not understand why my weight is not only going down but going UP when I am eating healthy, under my calories and exercising. I have PLENTY to burn for my body to be worried about not having enough and going into starvation mode! When I started back in January, I was under a doctor's supervision in a regimented plan that had me eating 800-900 calories per day and moderate exercise and the pounds were melting off. Now that I try to eat more to hit my caloric intake and exercise more to burn more...and try to eat some of those back...I am getting the reverse effect. I thought I had it all cleared up last night...but when I got on the scale this morning...that all went down the toilet! :explode: :angry: :mad: :grumble: :noway:

    Oh...and I have a bodybugg so I enter the exact amount I am actually burning during exercise! :huh:

    There can be a lot of reasons for a plateau or temporary gain. And it is perfectly normal for you to gain a little when you begin increasing intake after being on a VLCD - but that is usually brief and when your body adjusts, you'll start losing again. Just try not to get discouraged. DId you read the 700 cals thread I posted? That may help you understand some of the things that might be going on.

    Did your doc ever do any thyroid testing? What kind of exercise are you doing?

    It may help to open your diary if you want some ideas on things to change up there. How is your sodium and water intake?
  • CelizaMarie
    CelizaMarie Posts: 20
    I have had my thryoid tested at every yearly physical and it always comes back normal, eventhough my dad my mom and my sis have all had hypothyroidism...

    Initially for exercise I had been doing Walk @ Home videos...4miles and 5 miles. Last week I started switching up with 56 minutes of a Zumba DVD. As of Monday I started Jililan Michael's 30-day shred which is just 20 min. So on Monday I added 20min of Zumba and yesterday I walked for 90min while at my kids practice...moderate pace. I am always below on sodium and I drink TONS of water. Anywhere from 13-15 8oz servings daily. I try to reach that "1/2 of your weight in oz of water" requirement daily.

    I will open up my diary now and check your 700 calorie thread. Thanks!
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