Excercise to eat more???

kanerz14 · May 2016

Hi all hoping you can maybe settle and internal debate I've been having of late.

Is there anything wrong or of concern to get into the mindset that it's okay to excercise to enable you to eat more? Something does not sit well in my mind and I worry that as I continue in weight maintenance, my exercising has shifted more from the health aspect to the "I wanna have a beer and pizza so I'd better run 10 miles"

Unfortunately my desire to eat more has increased in maintenance so I'm therefore running much more. (Have got quite good at it infact) and I enjoy the increased flexibility that running affords me.

Views, opinions and sciencey things welcome.

feisty_bucket · May 2016

I think it's a lousy idea (but very typical) to exercise with the intention of "burning calories". It's not optimal for fitness, it's just grinding yourself up. For what? To stuff your face a bit more?

Eat your beer and pizza or whatever... and just less of other stuff, or less later, or however you want to do the math. If you use the calorie banking method, it's easy to "shift" it all around.

Also, this:

my desire to eat more has increased in maintenance

Maybe you're undereating anyways? Or maybe your macros aren't very satiating. It can be hard to dial in.

Anyways, there's my cheap, and possibly worthless opinion.

distinctlybeautiful · May 2016

If I realize the only reason I'm going to work out is to eat more or because I've overeaten, I don't do it! I used to be stuck in a cycle of restricting and binging and then trying to compensate for binging, so I avoid anything that seems like a compensation measure.

The other thing is that I really enjoy working out! I mean, sure it's hard and sometimes the last thing I want to do, but for the most part I love it. I definitely don't want to ruin that by making it a punishment for having eaten too much or by making it the way I earn my food. It's to make myself stronger and faster and bendier and healthier!

Now, don't get me wrong, I eat all my exercise calories back and enjoy every one of them, but that's just a perk of working out, not the point of it!

If you're super hungry, I second what @feisty_bucket said.. maybe you're not eating at true maintenance or maybe not getting enough fat or protein. Maybe your maintenance has changed or MFP isn't correct. I follow what they tell me is maintenance, but I think I'm really in a very slight deficit, although that could be due to other factors, like having my activity level set wrong or not logging my exercise calories burned exactly right.

StealthHealth · May 2016

To add another voice to the above posters (and your internal voice) - I don't think that this is a healthy mindset to get into.

Personally, I have suffered from this in the past, but these days I treat my work outs as a tool to become fitter, stronger, increase my ability, and for health and think of my food as fuel for those work outs and a source of enjoyment.

kanerz14 · May 2016

Thanks for replies so far. It seems that it's probs quite an unhealthy attitude but one I believe a number of folks ascribe to. I wonder if anyone would openly admit to excercise solely to eat more and if so, how they frame in their minds. I spose it can be argued that it's much healthier to excercise to eat than not excercise at all and eat as much/whatever they like.

Christine_72 · May 2016

I admit, the main reason I exercise is so I can eat more.
Plus it creates a larger deficit without having to eat less. Win, win.

sijomial · May 2016

I find it far easier to lose weight or maintain my weight by having a relatively high calorie allowance and eating a good/satisfying quantity of food while exercising as compared to being less active and having to limit my food intake to a point that feels restrictive.

I love food and I love exercise so it's perfect for me. Doesn't mean it's right for everyone of course.

But my exercise routine isn't to lose or maintain weight - it's a big part of living an enjoyable life and getting fitter, faster, stronger etc. I train just as hard at maintenance (if not harder) as when I'm losing weight.

Agree with the point @feisty_bucket makes about "calorie banking" - far more flexible and less restrictive to work on a weekly allowance rather than trying to balance your account on a daily basis. To me happy and successful maintenance means your diet (noun not verb) has to enable you to live a normal life including eating for pleasure and social events without guilt or stress.

lemurcat12 · May 2016

I don't have the mindset of "I will do this exercise so I can eat this food" and see how that could play into a bad cycle, especially if it becomes "I ate this, now I have to go exercise X amount." But deciding that you'd rather have a lifestyle that allows for more calories and focusing on becoming more active (this can include just including enough walking regularly to be lightly active vs. sedentary) seems to me quite sensible. I like being really active for lots of reasons, but being able to eat more is certainly a pleasant side effect.

When I was losing my goal was to achieve it half by cutting calories and half by working up to more activity, and I didn't find that a problem--the two worked together and being active helped me want to eat better.

SingingSingleTracker · May 2016

kanerz14 wrote: »

Hi all hoping you can maybe settle and internal debate I've been having of late.

Is there anything wrong or of concern to get into the mindset that it's okay to excercise to enable you to eat more? Something does not sit well in my mind and I worry that as I continue in weight maintenance, my exercising has shifted more from the health aspect to the "I wanna have a beer and pizza so I'd better run 10 miles"

Unfortunately my desire to eat more has increased in maintenance so I'm therefore running much more. (Have got quite good at it infact) and I enjoy the increased flexibility that running affords me.

Views, opinions and sciencey things welcome.

Look - we all love food. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being able to enjoy more of the thing we love based on our level of activity. Same rules apply - CICO. Bang out an hour or two on the bike in Zone 2/Zone 3, and enjoy the ability to eat more that day.

This is maintenance. You adjust your calories and exercise so the equation works out for you to maintain the weight. Exercise more - eat more. Exercise less - eat less.

It's pretty simple. Use the scale, fine tune your activity level, and enjoy the food you do get to eat.

That's a healthy relationship one can maintain. Plus the health benefits of exercise is icing on the cake as you work out to eat more.

sunnybeaches105 · May 2016

If it motivates you to increase your running distances and get in better shape I fail to see a problem with it. If you go overboard, then yes I can see the makings of a disorder. You're certainly not alone, and I'd personally rather be active and eat more than be sedentary and eat less. This is a personal decision and you have to find your own balance here.

JeromeBarry1 · May 2016

If you exercise more, eat more, and maintain weight, that's what is working for you.

yesimpson · May 2016

I like to eat a lot, so being active allows me to do that. Fortunately I also like being active, so need to eat to suppor that. It's mutually beneficial for me. If it felt like a punishment I wouldn't do it, and I don't feel a need to 'make up' for 'bad' eating by adding in extra sessions, so I don't see it as a negative thing.

CorneliusPhoton · May 2016

I don't "exercise to eat more," but I definitely exercise because I have eaten too much. It's all part of the equation to me. Exercise helps my calorie out, and I'm OK with that.

gramarye · May 2016

Christine_72 wrote: »

I admit, the main reason I exercise is so I can eat more.
Plus it creates a larger deficit without having to eat less. Win, win.

Yep. It also, 9 times out of 10, helps me keep my mental health more manageable. So, to eat more food and feel more mentally balanced. That's enough to make me like it. Like @yesimpson, I see it as a mutually beneficial arrangement rather than a punitive one. The net effect is the same, but the mental gymnastics are different.

MelodyandBarbells · May 2016

If exercise were just for fitness, for me, I'd go for a 20 minute very brisk walk 3x per week. Alas, it is not. I want to eat all the things. And if that's wrong, I don't want to be right

At the same time, I still want to continue to learn ways to manage my calorie intake level. I won't always be able to exercise as much as I do now or at the same intensity, and I may not always have the same level of interest or motivation, either. I'm dependent on the exercise right now and don't necessarily feel that is unhealthy, but at the same time I don't want this to always be the case. I'd love to have the flexibility to maintain on an average intake of something like 1500 calories, if necessary.

kanerz14 · May 2016

All great replies. I kinda thought there would be more of a debate about it; but the majority of folks that have replied feel it's okay as long as not going overboard.
Many thanks to all that have taken the time to reply.

cwolfman13 · May 2016

I don't train specifically to eat more, I train for my fitness but also understand that because I'm putting that work in, I need to eat more which is a nice bi-product of regular training. I know that I need around 2800 - 3000 calories per day to maintain my weight with all of my activity, and that's a nice thing.

Lounmoun · May 2016

I think exercising a bit more to eat a bit more is fine- a couple hundred calories. You recognize that the food you like to eat requires that effort so you accomadate it.
I think spending hours exercising just so you can binge eat thousands of calories more than your maintenance level of calories daily is a problem. Your whole world revolves around exercise and food. You'd be better off adjusting to your maintenance calories, moderately exercising and living a more full life.
I think being active and exercising because you like it and simply eating enough calories to fuel your body properly for that lifestyle is smart and healthy.

mommarnurse · May 2016

Its about balance. I see nothing wrong with balancing out running (high calorie burn) with eating more. You need fuel for it, after all. So long as its not a daily food splurge . Maintenance is simple finding balance in energy intake and expenditure.

After losing 98 lbs and taking up running, I joke about how I run so I can eat more cause I love food. I really run because it's good for me / my heart, etc. But also because it enables me to be able to splurge on the occasion - have something sweet on the daily - etc. It's both.

Traveler120 · May 2016

In the past, when I ate less, I exercised less and needed lots of willpower to motivate myself to exercise. For my body to naturally WANT to exercise more, I need to eat more. Fortunately, more calories also means I have plenty of room to fit in my ice cream and chocolates without any guilt or without sacrificing healthier options. Win-Win.

zyxst · May 2016

I walk a lot because I like walking and it's better for me than sitting on my butt all day. I did teeter on the edge of "I ate this so I have to exercise now", but when I got it through my head how much exercise I had to do to burn off the 2 Ho-Hos/Swiss cake rolls I just ate, I stopped exercising to eat more. I'm always surprised at reading people tell others "exercise so you can eat more" because I have half the mentality to eat a bag of potato chips and go try to burn all those calories off. That's on me though. I understand the people giving that advice aren't suggesting to go scarf down a block of smoked cheddar cheese, then go work it off.

I prefer to work foods into my day than push myself to exercise in order to accommodate those foods.

kanerz14 · May 2016

zyxst wrote: »

I walk a lot because I like walking and it's better for me than sitting on my butt all day. I did teeter on the edge of "I ate this so I have to exercise now", but when I got it through my head how much exercise I had to do to burn off the 2 Ho-Hos/Swiss cake rolls I just ate, I stopped exercising to eat more. I'm always surprised at reading people tell others "exercise so you can eat more" because I have half the mentality to eat a bag of potato chips and go try to burn all those calories off. That's on me though. I understand the people giving that advice aren't suggesting to go scarf down a block of smoked cheddar cheese, then go work it off.

I prefer to work foods into my day than push myself to exercise in order to accommodate those foods.

Yeah I can relate to that.
My calorie burns for a short run of around 4 miles is fairly low anyway, so it only gives me a wee bit of wriggle room, but the flexibility I appreciate and if I know I'm going to be eating more, such on days off from work or social occasions I tend to see my longer runs as both enjoyable for fitness and mental health, it also allows me to eat more. Prior to my journey when I was off work my release would tend to be alcohol and food. Now it's excercise and food.

All in, the impression I get from the replies isthat there is not so much a yes or no camp but a whatever fits your lifestyle. To be mindful not to go full blown I.e running all day and eating all night and find decent balance.

Hopefully I can get the balance and not be ravenous on my rest days. A wee bit about my routine. I maybe run around 5 days a week average of five miles sometimes upto 10. And on my rest days I do strength excercise. Maintenance calories are around 1800 and I eat back my excercise calories. (Only recently been doing this) I use a garmin forerunner to track calorie burns and has been accurate to date.

Enjoy running (mostly when finished though lol)

5 foot 7 and 124 pounds.

All the best folks;)

Francl27 · May 2016

I absolutely exercise so I can eat more. I mean, I don't mind doing it and often I get bored on rest days, but being able to burn calories so I can eat more (or have a bigger deficit/make up for a bad day) is the reason I do it even when I don't feel like it.

I use TDEE though so I don't log exercise.. I just know that even 100 burned calories is better than nothing.

I don't have exercise goals, frankly... it's just part of my lifestyle now.

kanerz14 · May 2016

I like the idea of not having particular excercise goals more of a lifestyle and being content where you are;)

BinaryFu · May 2016

You know, I'm of two minds about this and not just because I hate exercise, or movement in general.

On one hand, if I know I'm going to some fancy dinner and they're going to have some of the finest steak and potatoes and drinks galore...then you better bet your sweet bottom I'm going to bust my bottom working out as much as I can that day so I can EARN that pig-out.

On the other hand, generally speaking I've noticed that when I workout more, I tend to be hungrier so I wind up eating more anyhow. So, unless I'm trying to improve my cardio-vascular or my muscle tone/mass...I don't really want to bother with working out to justify eating more food (That I'm going to crave anyhow).

Now I suppose it could be said if you were addicted to eating large meals all the time and psychologically felt happier after eating them; working out would be a guilt-free way of satisfying that psychological desire.

Meganthedogmom · May 2016

I have grown to enjoy exercise, and I do it for several reasons. In no particular order: to become stronger/faster/to meet fitness goals. To eat more. To help with anxiety/stress/depression.

xmichaelyx · May 2016

Everything involving your calories is at best an estimate. What you eat, what you burn exercising, what you burn doing nothing ... it's all very inexact.

Eating back your exercise calories adds yet another inexact measurement, so I don't do it. I already know that my calories are right where I want them, because I continue to make my weight goals. There's no need to add any more complications.

NorthCascades · May 2016

feisty_bucket wrote: »

I think it's a lousy idea (but very typical) to exercise with the intention of "burning calories". It's not optimal for fitness, it's just grinding yourself up. For what? To stuff your face a bit more?

How do you figure? Running is great for cardiovascular health, no matter what your motivation is. It's not like exercise is good for you if you do it to feel good but bad if you do it to look good, good if you do it on weekdays but bad if to eat food, good if you wear bright clothing and bad if you do it to be seen by the opposite sex. No, exercising benefits your fitness, period.

NorthCascades · May 2016

feisty_bucket wrote: »

I think it's a lousy idea (but very typical) to exercise with the intention of "burning calories". It's not optimal for fitness, it's just grinding yourself up. For what? To stuff your face a bit more?

How do you figure? Running is great for cardiovascular health, no matter what your motivation is. It's not like exercise is good for you if you do it to feel good but bad if you do it to look good, good if you do it on weekdays but bad if to eat food, good if you wear bright clothing and bad if you do it to be seen by the opposite sex. No, exercising benefits your fitness, period.

rankinsect · May 2016

I think it can be very mentally unhealthy if you get into a cycle where you overexercise to "punish" yourself for going over on calories.

On the other hand, eating more is a very real benefit of being more active. It's not the only benefit, but I don't think it's wrong to see it as a benefit.

feisty_bucket · May 2016

NorthCascades wrote: »

No, exercising benefits your fitness, period.

When I say "grinding", it's not that simple.

Fer example: knee cartilage has a finite lifespan. The tiny little bones and tendons in the feet are easily overstressed. OP could run hard for two hours every day in order to eat an extra piece of pie with ice cream. And maybe blow out his knees in a few years. Or he could do a half-hour, two or three times a week, let's say that's sustainable, and stay functioning and non-crippled the rest of his life.

Just an imaginary scenario to illustrate my lil' point. Exercising is about creating a stimulus, followed by a rest and recovery. Too much stimulus is damaging, and too much rest is missed potential for growth. Ideally, you want to find the optimum point in the middle there.

Excercise to eat more???

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