Exercise and Extra Calories

wicklessgal
wicklessgal Posts: 56 Member
edited September 27 in Health and Weight Loss
If I exercise do I have to eat the extra calories or do I just make sure I ate what I was supposed to? Here it is 8:49 at night and I have 297 calories left because of exercise. normally I would only have 135 left which I can get down with a 1/2 glass of milk and a few grapes. But I don't think I can't get down 297 this late.

Replies

  • achase1214
    achase1214 Posts: 4
    I am in the same boat. Do you just eat your daily calories or is it better to try to meet what the exercise calories are for the day? Which on most days means later at night :/
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    I always eat all my exercise calories. When I was exercising at night after my kids went to bed I planned my food ahead of time and estimated my calories burned from exercise so that I could eat them earlier in the day.

    As far as whether or not you should eat your exercise calories goes, it's up to you. It depends on your body and your metabolism. I know that I can't eat fewer than 1400 net calories or I'll stop losing weight. Other people can get by with fewer calories. In the beginning I recommend eating your exercise calories and then adjusting your caloric intake as you need to.
  • uubulldawg06
    uubulldawg06 Posts: 102 Member
    a few hundred in either direction is not going to hurt. i hardly ever eat all of my exercise calories back. the important thing is to make sure you eat at least half of them back so you can fuel your body. i usually have a protein shake made with milk and that helps get the extra calories plus aides in muscle recovery.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    I ALWAYS eat back my exercise calories.

    MFP adds a deficit to the calorie intake it gives you when you put in all your information. So, you don't have to figure the deficit, it has already done it. Be as close to the amount it has given you as possible.

    Here's a way to look at it:

    If MFP tells you to eat 1500 calories a day and you go to the gym and burn 500, you're only netting 1000 total. You're 500 short of the amount MFP wants you to eat to lose weight in a healthy manner.

    1500 (calories) - 500 (burned working out) = 1000 + 500 (eaten back calories) = the original 1500 you're supposed to eat. Yes, MFP will show it as you eating 2000, but you burned 500 so you've only really eaten 1500.
  • achase1214
    achase1214 Posts: 4
    Thanks for the advice ladies! Guess I better start eating more. :)
  • wicklessgal
    wicklessgal Posts: 56 Member
    Ok thanks for the information!
    :flowerforyou:
  • brown220
    brown220 Posts: 2
    @ chevy88grl, that's a great way to look at it. Thanks! I always ask myself the same question? Guess I need to eat at what MFP says i should eat. I want to loose this weight in a healthy way.
  • Forensic
    Forensic Posts: 468 Member
    If I'm above 1200 I let it go (sometimes even if I'm under, but that's not deliberate) mostly because I can't choke down more food, especially late at night or I'll have nightmares.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    @ chevy88grl, that's a great way to look at it. Thanks! I always ask myself the same question? Guess I need to eat at what MFP says i should eat. I want to loose this weight in a healthy way.

    It took me awhile to understand what was going on. Someone else explained it to me like that and AHA the bulb went on! :) Glad it helped.
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