Exercise calories...do you...

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DaniJeanine
DaniJeanine Posts: 473 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
...ever feel guilty for eating them? I kinda do :-/ I use a heart rate monitor to measure my *exact* calories burned and I STILL feel guilty when I see the total calories eaten! What the heck...am I alone on this one? lol

Replies

  • adjones_21
    adjones_21 Posts: 234 Member
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    I usually don't eat them. Sometimes I will, but most of the time I don't.
  • Bumblebee26
    Bumblebee26 Posts: 118 Member
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    I don't eat mine back. I burn about 2k a day, so that's almost 4k. I've been losing weight and adding muscle so this seems to be working.
  • PJFaber
    PJFaber Posts: 47
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    Yeah, I still feel guitly some times but ususally I just know that I have earned them through my hard work and sweat and go for it.
  • MelissaL582
    MelissaL582 Posts: 1,422 Member
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    I eat some, if not all my exercise calories. I too, feel guilty sometimes when I'm eating them back.
  • DaniJeanine
    DaniJeanine Posts: 473 Member
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    I don't eat mine back. I burn about 2k a day, so that's almost 4k. I've been losing weight and adding muscle so this seems to be working.

    2K a day! Wow--good for you!! I wouldn't even know where to start if I had that many to eat back--I'm more along the lines of 300-500....sometimes 1000 when I hike, but I never eat that many back.
  • uyent
    uyent Posts: 88 Member
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    You shouldn't feel guilty but I can see your point too! You'll still lose the weight if your under your projected calorie goal. I underscore all my workouts by a lot so I log them in still and it feels like I am eating the calories but not really since I underscore. LOL Sounds ridiculous reading what I wrote but whatever works for you girl is the best for you! add me if you like - uyent
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    Nope. No guilt here.
    I don't feel guilty putting petrol in my car, so I don't see why I would feel guilty for putting fuel in my body?

    Unfortunately we have been bombarded with "starve to lose weight" propaganda for so many years, it's hard to get your head around the fact that your body will perform better (and you can lose weight!) by eating the right amount of good food.
    The challenging part is to find what is right for you, but with a bit of trial and error you can find the right balance without starving!
  • brando208
    brando208 Posts: 7 Member
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    Not at all. I make sure to eat all my exercise calories. Whatever I burn in cardio
    and if its a good weight lifting session I tack on another 100calories. Still
    experiencing weight loss, and retention of muscle mass. Your body needs the
    fuel.
  • SunshineKisses_2012
    SunshineKisses_2012 Posts: 471 Member
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    Nope. No guilt here.
    I don't feel guilty putting petrol in my car, so I don't see why I would feel guilty for putting fuel in my body?

    Unfortunately we have been bombarded with "starve to lose weight" propaganda for so many years, it's hard to get your head around the fact that your body will perform better (and you can lose weight!) by eating the right amount of good food.
    The challenging part is to find what is right for you, but with a bit of trial and error you can find the right balance without starving!

    ^ That. Couldn't agree more. I get a little sick of people thinking they can starve themselves and lose weight. If you don't fuel your body, how do you expect it to go?
  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
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    ...ever feel guilty for eating them? I kinda do :-/ I use a heart rate monitor to measure my *exact* calories burned and I STILL feel guilty when I see the total calories eaten! What the heck...am I alone on this one? lol

    The only reason to feel guilty is if you buy into a 'less is more' mentality. You need to properly fuel your body so that you retain muscle as much as possible. I've always eaten them back and I'm almost to my goal.
  • lclarkjr
    lclarkjr Posts: 359 Member
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    I feel no guilt at all. I eat to fuel my workouts. Performance is at least three levels higher than weight loss on my importance meter.
  • healthygirlxo
    healthygirlxo Posts: 4
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    YES. I know exactly what you mean. Right now, I'm not eating them because I'm still trying to lose weight, I'm thinking maybe once I get to the "maintain" stage I'll eat them, but I bet I'll still feel guilty too! haha
  • GrandmaJody
    GrandmaJody Posts: 140 Member
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    My personal belief is that if you don't eat them now while you are losing, you will find it more difficult to maintain your weight when you hit goal. It is a good habit to get into...I moved my body more today so I need more fuel, or I didn't move my body today, so I do not need to add more fuel. Just a good "habit" to get in to. That's my 2 cents anyway! Good luck on your weight loss journey.:smile:
  • lanaholt
    lanaholt Posts: 59
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    I like the fuel for your car example. I made the mistake of not eating enough before my Zumba class tonight and I totally felt myself dragging. You burn more calories when you workout harder and you can workout harder with proper fuel. If you feel tire, worn, dizzy, weak.. well, not enough fuel.
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
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    The fuel for the car analogy.

    Would you put more fuel in your car with a leaky petrol tank if you've already arrived, if you're going to refill it in the morning anyway?

    Just another viewpoint...

    For the record, i tend to vary mine. If my weight loss seems to be slowing, ill start to eat around 50-60% of my calories burnt. Then, if it slows down again a few weeks later, i stop eating them.

    Just to keep my body guessing, so it never gets settled!
  • DaniJeanine
    DaniJeanine Posts: 473 Member
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    I like the fuel for your car example. I made the mistake of not eating enough before my Zumba class tonight and I totally felt myself dragging. You burn more calories when you workout harder and you can workout harder with proper fuel. If you feel tire, worn, dizzy, weak.. well, not enough fuel.

    I went to Zumba without eating enough once--omg I will NEVER make that mistake again. I started get shakey, tired, and I had to leave the class early. From then on, I always eat before the gym!!

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