To eat or not to eat your exercise calories?

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LaSweetMini
LaSweetMini Posts: 157 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
To eat or not to eat your exercise calories? That is the question.
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  • jhendricks123
    jhendricks123 Posts: 38 Member
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    Personally, I tend not to myself. I aim for around 1400 calories and sometimes only get around 900. I eat when I'm hungry, but I'm not nearly as hungry as I used to be, and I eat a LOT smarter. I also burn anywhere from 500 to 1500 calories per day running or cycling.

    I am "obese" and still losing weight despite the critics who say I should be in starvation mode. I am feeling more alive and healthy, so until that changes, I probably won't change my eating habits. My guess is that when I get within 20lbs of my goal I will probably need to eat a bit more and not be so aggressive with the weight loss.
  • fatgirlslove
    fatgirlslove Posts: 614 Member
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    I don't ,but I stopped losing so...I'm gonna start!
  • TDGee
    TDGee Posts: 2,209 Member
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    smiley-eatdrink033.gif
  • dragonfly__
    dragonfly__ Posts: 172 Member
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    it is a personal choice. I almost always eat them back.. I only get 1400 kcals a day and that is not enough food to keep me satisfied so I use my exercise calories to make up for it. I tell people joking that I exercise so I can eat... but it is kinda true.
  • bluevwgurl
    bluevwgurl Posts: 220 Member
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    i usually eat most of my exercise calories back. mostly because i am working out hard and my body needs the fuel. i stall out during workouts if i dont eat enough. you'll get both sides of the spectrum on here though. find what works for you.
  • lsd007
    lsd007 Posts: 435
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    To use the search function or read the sticky threads. THAT is the question.
  • glenbabe
    glenbabe Posts: 303 Member
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    I eat them if I am hungry and leave them if I am not.I like to listen to my body
  • Strive2BLean
    Strive2BLean Posts: 300 Member
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    Lately I have been eating back at least half. I just find I have more freedom to eat more when I exercise but I only do so if I feel like it. If I don't feel the need for more food I don't eat more just to make the numbers work out on the screen.
  • Missevanston
    Missevanston Posts: 361 Member
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    ooooooohh....HOT TOPIC. Watch out!

    Lot's of opinions on the site regarding this...I have done both. I am currently in a phase where I stopped eating them ALL back. I think you have to find your happy medium. When you work out hard, you need more cals. Listen to your body. I lost a bunch in the beginning when I did not even understand the concept of eating them back...and I wasn't. When I learned and figured it out, I upped my cals and stopped losing....

    Good luck!
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
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    If ive done some good burn, i can have the skin on my chicken legs.

    If not, i dont.

    :)
  • sharishar
    sharishar Posts: 44 Member
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    Sometimes I do sometimes I don't. find what's best for you and listen to your body, if you feel hungry eat if you don't' feel hungry then don't force your self,
  • TiffanyA2008
    TiffanyA2008 Posts: 197
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    My coach tells me that for the human body to function properly, women need at the LEAST 1200 calories a day and men need at the LEAST 1400 calories a day. I am on a 1400 daily calorie goal. I try to keep my "net" at 1200 or somewhat close to my calorie goal. If your body isn't getting enough it will go into survival mode or starvation mode causing the metabolism to slow down and causing you to not be able to lose weight anymore. Hope this makes sense! :)
  • raqufern
    raqufern Posts: 794 Member
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    I don't eat back my calories. I have noticed that when I tack my food intake I have a real hard time reaching my 1200 cal goal as it is that there is no way I can possibly eat the cal I worked out for. I tend to be between 900-1100cal when I am making good food choices.
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
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    I use mine to make arts and crafts
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,121 Member
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    . .. . . . . . :huh:
  • lroswald
    lroswald Posts: 11
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    Don't eat back your calories. You will notice the difference. Also, I suggest you take a look at this link for more info: http://caloriecount.about.com/eating-back-exercise-calories-ft35823
  • jellybaby84
    jellybaby84 Posts: 583 Member
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    I don't.

    I wouldn't trust myself to get it right. I don't have an HRM and can't afford to buy one so I don't know for certain how many calories I burn and I'm not going to risk overeating.

    If I did have an HRM I probably still wouldn't bother as I find that the less I eat the more I lose. But I'd feel less guilty if I needed them for a special occasion.
  • MrsCon40
    MrsCon40 Posts: 2,351 Member
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    To beat a dead horse, or not to beat a dead horse... use the search function or check out some sticky notes

    OR... www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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    To beat a dead horse, or not to beat a dead horse... use the search function or check out some sticky notes

    OR... www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com

    I'll only eat them if they come from beaten dead horse meat.
  • MrsCon40
    MrsCon40 Posts: 2,351 Member
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    To beat a dead horse, or not to beat a dead horse... use the search function or check out some sticky notes

    OR... www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com

    I'll only eat them if they come from beaten dead horse meat.

    mmmmmmmmmmmmm freshly beaten meat

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