The more I exercise, the more I have to eat!

dalewoodruff
dalewoodruff Posts: 5
edited October 1 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey all,

I'm a diabetic, mid thirties, and I'm trying to figure out how to proceed. I'd love your thoughts.

I'm trying to not just watch my calories, but also utilize high nutrient foods in what I do eat. What I'm running into now is that when I exercise (I ride my bike to work which the round trip burns about a 1000 calories) it means I have to eat that much more in order to fill that deficit. Since I'm trying to use nutritious food I'm finding that it means I have to eat a LOT in order to do so.

Is it better that I eat a lot AND exercise a lot? Or should I just cut back my exercise so I don't eat so much? I don't mind minimal eating, but it seems like I should be exercising. Maybe I just need you to afirm that truth.

Replies

  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    Yep that's how it works. Burn more, eat more. It's a wonderful thing, really :)
  • JeSuisPrest
    JeSuisPrest Posts: 2,005 Member
    Sounds about right. ;)
  • twinkietigress
    twinkietigress Posts: 109 Member
    I bike to and from work as well, and yes I burn a lot of calories in a short period of time. I have found it works best for me to graze versus eating big meals. Kind of like stoking a fire to keep it revving and I've noticed over time that I'm not starving quite as much and I'm balancing out to t he right amount. I aim to eat my alloted calories for the day no matter what and it seems to stay there and surprise surprise its now working! I did however see tone etc more than dropped weight however, will be interesting to see how it works for you!

    :) TT
  • JennLifts
    JennLifts Posts: 1,913 Member
    I hear you bro. I eat SO MUCH and i hate it. But As you do, I realize if I want to hit the gym, I have to eat more. I would say that you could find a middle ground. Maybe exercise slightly less?
    I also use more dense foods, like oils, protein powders, and bananas, which all pack more of a nutrient than some of it's friends.
  • felice03
    felice03 Posts: 2,644 Member
    I struggle with this as well, although I dont burn as many calories as you. I feel comfortable at the calorie intake I am at (1300-1400) but if I eat back calories I burn daily (350-400) I feeln like I am forcing myself to eat even if it is healthy options. It is hard for me to accept the idea of eating back the calories as I feel like it cancels out my exercise. I have read all the posts regarding this but it is still hard for me to understand the logic behind it unless you do have a large burn.
  • stanvoodoo
    stanvoodoo Posts: 1,023 Member
    Looked at your diary and your calories are up and down alot. Being diabetic I would try to even them out some more if at all possible. Hard for the body to get 2900 calories one day and only a few hundred the next.

    The min calories for Men is 1500 per day. So on the big calorie burn days you may need to eat more. If you only go under alittle bit I would not worry. You just don't want consistent days of say 1000 calories per day. You then start burning muscle and not building it.

    I would try for more protein as well and make sure you get in the 64oz of water per day.

    You Can Do It!
  • sundancer1966
    sundancer1966 Posts: 478 Member
    Yup, the more you workout the more you have to eat. You want to eat healty, whole grains. You may want to check out The Full Plate Diet. It is written by doctors who special in Diabetes control. They also wrote the book The 30_Day Diabetes Cure, but the Full Plate Diet is not vegan. I have to watch also because if I do not watch, my sugar go up and I become diabetic. I have reversed my diabetes thru excercise and nutruietion.
  • jessicacable14
    jessicacable14 Posts: 6
    Take in mind that I'm no nutritionist BUT from everything I've read, your body needs the nutrients to keep up with your workouts. As long as you eat within the range of calories for the day and keep it healthy, you'll be ok. If you burn a ton of calories but then don't get the "fuel" your body needs, it will search for that fuel wherever it can find it. I tend to have this problem too because A) It seems too good to be true and B) I sometimes let myself eat poorly just because I have burned so many by working out. I hope this helps and keep it up! :)
  • dalewoodruff
    dalewoodruff Posts: 5
    Thank you everybody - Much appreciated
  • mrmanmeat
    mrmanmeat Posts: 1,968 Member
    Thank you everybody - Much appreciated

    I've recently started burning a minimum of 1000 calories a day (usually around 6 days a week) and my food intake has increased a lot. I might not even be eating enough now, still trying to determine if the last week has been enough..


    As said, burn more, eat more.
  • outersoul
    outersoul Posts: 711
    I hear you bro. I eat SO MUCH and i hate it. But As you do, I realize if I want to hit the gym, I have to eat more. I would say that you could find a middle ground. Maybe exercise slightly less?
    I also use more dense foods, like oils, protein powders, and bananas, which all pack more of a nutrient than some of it's friends.

    This. I had to balance my workouts. I did a little 3 week experiment some months ago with NOT eating back my exercise cals and I actually put on a few pounds. I had to find out myself if it was true and for me it is. You have to properly fuel your body.
  • fakeplastictree
    fakeplastictree Posts: 836 Member
    I hear you bro. I eat SO MUCH and i hate it. But As you do, I realize if I want to hit the gym, I have to eat more. I would say that you could find a middle ground. Maybe exercise slightly less?
    I also use more dense foods, like oils, protein powders, and bananas, which all pack more of a nutrient than some of it's friends.

    This. I had to balance my workouts. I did a little 3 week experiment some months ago with NOT eating back my exercise cals and I actually put on a few pounds. I had to find out myself if it was true and for me it is. You have to properly fuel your body.

    I love that you did that experiement. It is a hard concept for others and myself to grasp, and now you have just proved it. BRAVO!
  • Matiara
    Matiara Posts: 377 Member
    Yes, and it's glorious. I love to eat. Sometimes I read posts where people say they have a hard time reaching 1200 calories for the day and I marvel because I hit 1200 by lunchtime every day. :)

    To add to what an above poster said, a couple of years ago, I was working out regularly and not losing any weight. I started keeping a food diary and found that I was actually overestimating my calories. I thought I was eating 1500-1600 calories per day, but it was closer to 1100-1200. I started eating 1600-1800 per day and the weight fell off within a few months.
  • outersoul
    outersoul Posts: 711
    I hear you bro. I eat SO MUCH and i hate it. But As you do, I realize if I want to hit the gym, I have to eat more. I would say that you could find a middle ground. Maybe exercise slightly less?
    I also use more dense foods, like oils, protein powders, and bananas, which all pack more of a nutrient than some of it's friends.

    This. I had to balance my workouts. I did a little 3 week experiment some months ago with NOT eating back my exercise cals and I actually put on a few pounds. I had to find out myself if it was true and for me it is. You have to properly fuel your body.

    I love that you did that experiement. It is a hard concept for others and myself to grasp, and now you have just proved it. BRAVO!

    Sometimes I have to do things the hard way. It's hard for me to accept some things at face value. I figured it was worth knowing the truth.
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