Questions about exercise and extra daily calories.

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Ladywaring
Ladywaring Posts: 13 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am logging my daily exercise and calories burned. But I am confused. I didn't expect the calories that I burn to add to my daily calorie requirement. I always thought that exercise is to burn calories from the fat already in your body. But adding those calories to your daily just burns up those added to your daily. Just seems if you know you are going to stay in your 1200 calories for the day then you wouldn't need to exercise. But that can't be right.

Can someone just clarify this for me. I just want to do this right.

Thank you,
Confused

Replies

  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
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    You need a certain amount of calories daily for your body to sustain itself. If that number is 1200 and then you burn calories by exercising, you are going below 1200. I am sure that others will provide you with a much more detailed answer. But my main issue is that exercising does much more than just burn calories. It makes you fit, gives you energy and endorphins, etc. Your main goal for exercising should not be weight loss.
  • Syntax_Error
    Syntax_Error Posts: 77 Member
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    I guess the theory is that you condition your body to expect more calories to be taken in when you exercise, thus speeding up your metabolism on a permanent basis. Some people eat back all their exercise calories, some do not. I see no loss when I eat it all back, so I always make sure that I have a decent deficit from my exercise each day.
  • renobabe
    renobabe Posts: 2
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    I am eager to see the replies to this too. I keep coming in "under" recommended calories each day and get the message that I could be starving myself (unlikely ::smooched: ) Seems like what my Fitness programming is for maintenance. Help!
  • alifer
    alifer Posts: 387 Member
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    MFP is designed to have you lose weight even if you are not exercising, the caloric deficit is already there. If you exercise it gives you those calories to eat back. Some people on here will recommend that you don't eat the exercise calories, others will be adamant that you eat them. I personally usually eat most or all of them. Everyone's body is different and what works for one person may not work for another. Good luck on your journey.
  • Syntax_Error
    Syntax_Error Posts: 77 Member
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    I am eager to see the replies to this too. I keep coming in "under" recommended calories each day and get the message that I could be starving myself (unlikely ::smooched: ) Seems like what my Fitness programming is for maintenance. Help!

    There is a minimum your body needs to function (ie. the magical 1200). If you're under that, you push yourself into starvation mode over a period of time and end up slowing your metabolism to a halt....basically counter productive to what you want to achieve.
  • Jeanetta10
    Jeanetta10 Posts: 74 Member
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    I'm new here and I noticed the same thing. Can't say that I like that theory much but I'm not a weight loss expert. haha If I were I wouldn't need to lose weight! I'm sticking to the 1200 and will just see what happens. :laugh:
  • Monica_has_a_goal
    Monica_has_a_goal Posts: 694 Member
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    Try to eat the calories so that you're at least at 1200 on the NET portion.

    I cut my caloric to 1200 or under sometimes ... PLUS I exercised for an hour a day everyday. I sent my body into "starvation mode" which I thought was amusing since I need to lose 100+ . lol.. I was stuck fighting the same 3 pounds for two weeks .. grrr.. :grumble:

    A personal trainer from this site helped me realize I was working too hard for the amount of calories I was eating..

    Now i workout an hour a day 5 days a week, but eat 1400 calories and I lost 2 pounds in the last 2 days. YAYYYY ! :happy:

    Hope this helped. :wink:
  • alifer
    alifer Posts: 387 Member
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    You need a certain amount of calories daily for your body to sustain itself. If that number is 1200 and then you burn calories by exercising, you are going below 1200. I am sure that others will provide you with a much more detailed answer. But my main issue is that exercising does much more than just burn calories. It makes you fit, gives you energy and endorphins, etc. Your main goal for exercising should not be weight loss.

    I agree. Exercise is very important - both strength training and cardio. I love that my muscles are beginning to be noticable. More muscle also means you burn more calories while resting. Not to mention the boost in energy and the loss of inches (and sizes) that you will enjoy when you begin exercising on a regular basis.
  • pkarim
    pkarim Posts: 171
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    It really depends on how much you exercise and what exactly you are doing. For me I burn about 700 calories per workout so I need to eat my exercise calories back or I am going to hurt myself. The magic 1200 is what MFP recommended for me but I usually eat 1500-1600 a day. With weight training, some people may use 2 pounds dumbbells while others use 50. It depends on how much you are working out and what intensity. If you are trying to lose weight, you probably have some type of strength training workout. When you are lifting a lot of weight your muscles need extra protein and calories to sustain your body. On my rest day I eat anywhere between 1200-1500 depending on how I feel. Always listen to your body! :)
  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
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    I think I understand your question: There are many mixed reviews on whether to eat the calories you get from your exercise, called "exercise calories."

    I typically eat some of my calories back so that my "net" calories {difference between calories eaten and calories burned} are not too low.

    To low for me is anything under 1,000 but I do net that low sometimes. Good for me is 1,200 or more calories. As long as I'm under 2,000 calories net for the day, preferable consumed calories, I am okay.

    You should see what feels good to you, I don't believe in starving myself to loose weight because that's not necessary, you'll loose weight eating more that 1,200calories a day as long as you're eating "healthy" {that's subjective}, drinking your water, exercising. I don't think weight-loss is rocket-science I think we have a lot of access to information that makes us confused.

    Hope my soap-box rambling helped some :)
  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
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    I think I understand your question: There are many mixed reviews on whether to eat the calories you get from your exercise, called "exercise calories."

    I typically eat some of my calories back so that my "net" calories {difference between calories eaten and calories burned} are not too low.

    To low for me is anything under 1,000 but I do net that low sometimes. Good for me is 1,200 or more calories. As long as I'm under 2,000 calories net for the day, preferable consumed calories, I am okay.

    You should see what feels good to you, I don't believe in starving myself to loose weight because that's not necessary, you'll loose weight eating more that 1,200calories a day as long as you're eating "healthy" {that's subjective}, drinking your water, exercising. I don't think weight-loss is rocket-science I think we have a lot of access to information that makes us confused.

    Hope my soap-box rambling helped some.
  • Ladywaring
    Ladywaring Posts: 13 Member
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    WOW! Wasn't expecting so many replies. Thanks everyone! I'm glad I wasn't just missing something about calories. Sounds like there is a big debate about using your exercise calories. I think I will just use some, sometimes and not others as long as I use them wisely and use them when I do strength training.

    AWESOME Support Gang! Thanks.

    Lady Waring

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