Calorie Adjustment for exercise

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bethybaby11
bethybaby11 Posts: 4
edited February 2015 in Health and Weight Loss
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I want to lose weight. I am doing a lot of exercise and I've changed my eating habits. I am curious about how to treat the extra calorie balance I have after exercising. Should I be trying not to eat more when I am told that I have been allotted extra calories because I've exercised? For example today I did three things: snowshoes, played squash, and did weights for 60 min. I burned just over 2000 calories. This ups my 1200 allotment of calories. Do I eat more to compensate for all of the exercise so I don't depleat myself or do I try to not eat those extra calories to create a bigger deficit?

Also, I am curious about the cheat day. How many calories should I be eating over my 1200? Should I do this on the same day each week? It's my understanding that it kind of resets things. I'm not totally understanding the cheat day concept.

Thanks,

Beth

Replies

  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    Not sure what you mean about a chest day...

    As to exercise calories: it depends. I see from your page that you have 100+ pounds to lose, so you probably have 2 pound per week goal and that would be reasonable. On the other hand, can you realistically eat just 1200 calories a day for the next 12-18 months? Probably not successfully. Eating extra to account for your exercise will help you find success, as you will be less likely to feel deprived, hungry, lethargic. I would be cautious about the amount of calories you claim for exercise as its really easy to overestimate.
  • bethybaby11
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    Hahahahaha "cheat day." Autocorrect.
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    I certainly would not eat all the exercise calories back. In fact, I don't even track exercise calories. I base my daily calorie goal and an estimation of what I burn each week. So if I'm trying to lose weight, I'll just use a reasonable estimation of calories and modify it based on results. Many times you can get a starting number by simply multiplying your weight by 10 and eating that many calories (using lbs). That's a fine enough starting point. Consistently eat that many calories every day. If you lose weight, leave the number alone, if you don't, reduce the number slightly and give it a few more weeks. Eventually you'll find your sweet spot for weight loss. I feel MFP is more often then not going to over estimate the calories you burn from activities. Calories burned is such a huge variable I chose just not to deal with it. Many other people do something like eat back 1/2 or 1/3 of calories burned which is another strategy.

    As far as cheat days, why have a scheduled cheat day? They in no way reset anything. You are thinking more of a refeed day which is an advanced topic only need for people who want to get extremely lean (bodybuilders or competitors). They are of little benefit for people who just want to lose weight. Cheat days will set you back as much as you let them. If you eat 500 calories below maintenance for 6 days, then eat 1500 calories above maintenance on a cheat day, you wiped out half your weeks work. If you ate 3000 calories above maintenance on the cheat day, you wiped out the entire weeks work. I have cheat/free meals extremely infrequently. I never plan them regularly. I save them for mostly holidays and vacations. Probably less then 1 a month. They are useful for psychological reasons, but aren't needed regularly.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    LOL. I was thinking chest day, leg day...

    That's a matter of opinion. Personally there is no such thing as cheating. Food is a matter of choice. When I was losing I did have days occasionally where I'd eat at maintenance - which meant an extra 500 or so calories that day. Or a day where I was extremely active so I ate more. Though it might have been a busy day and so I was hungrier, or I chose to splurge on some higher calorie foods and therefore moved my Butt more to make up for it. I think the main thing is that you are making choices, and remain in control. Even if you choose to eat an extra 2,000-3,000 calories in a day, its one day and does not dictate the rest of your life.
  • deaniac83
    deaniac83 Posts: 166 Member
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    If your calorie goal is based on what MFP gives you, then yes, you should most definitely eat back your exercise calories - but do be careful since the calorie estimates by the app are often inaccurate. Be precise about the time. If the total time you were on the court was an hour but you weren't constantly playing throughout the whole hour, then you didn't play for an hour.

    If your calories are based on TDEE, then your exercise is already factored in, and no you do not need to eat back the calories.
  • Amanda4change
    Amanda4change Posts: 620 Member
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    With 100 pounds to lose your not going to last long on 1350 calories. I think your burn estimates are very high so I wouldn't eat all of them back, I wouldn't even eat half of them back. I would suggest eating about 600 of them back.

    The easiest way to stick to this change (I don't like calling it a diet) is to eat as many calories as you can and still get the results you want.Yes if you stick to the 1350 you will lose, and likely faster than 2 pounds a week (as long as your logging is correct) which means you're going to lose more lean muscle mass (which you want) along with the fat. It is really hard to add lean muscle after you have lost it, (and lean muscle will play a big part in how happy you are with your body at the end of this journey).

    I don't have cheat days or meals (things like holidays and my anniversary I switch to maintenance for the day), and honesty I eat everything I ate before as long as it fits in my calorie goals.
  • bethybaby11
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    Thanks!!
  • cherokeegoddess77
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    so what if we don't do our calorie goals?? i sometimes only eat half the calories recommended. even if i eat a piece of junk food it still goes under the calorie goal. i can't eat more than what my body will take in to meet it. i even exercise and it still goes under the calorie goal. what am i doing wrong??
  • deaniac83
    deaniac83 Posts: 166 Member
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    If your body won't take more in, then don't worry about it. If you are feeling full and satisfied, you're fine. Just don't deprive yourself or cheat yourself.