Trying to eat my exercise cals

mmhenry28
mmhenry28 Posts: 163 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi Everyone,

I've been on MFP for about two months now and my body has got to the point where I am used to smaller sized portions. I find that on my rest days I am fine to make the 1200 no worries eating 3 meals and two snacks.

its on my workout days where I can burn anywhere between 400 - 600 cals that I struggle to eat my cals back or even a portion of then I try to keep a 200cal net deficit on workout days.

Eating my 1200 cals I am full for most of the day and trying to force myself to eat another 200 - 400 cals is really hard without going the bad way and eating something like chocolate or fizzy etc.

Anyone have any high cal snack foods that are good for you, good fats etc?

Replies

  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
    bump

    SNAP! Having the same problem!
  • Leeadair
    Leeadair Posts: 1 Member
    Having the same problem here...
  • _GlaDOS_
    _GlaDOS_ Posts: 1,520 Member
    Nuts, seeds, bananas, avocados, nut butter.
  • gierej
    gierej Posts: 14 Member
    Are you supposed to eat all of your exercise calories???? I thought this was the whole point of taking off weight. I have been trying not to eat my exercise points. On my running days I can burn about 550 calories too. Have I been doing this all wrong???
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 MFP Moderator
    Get your calorie dense healthy options, hemp hearts, nuts, nut butters, avocado... full fat versions of "low or no fat" options you may be making (didn't look at each of the so far posters who "ditto'd" the OP) take full fat milk, cream, salad dressing, mayo / miracle whip etc...
  • jamesdelong
    jamesdelong Posts: 177 Member
    If you like avocados, I'd say have one of them a day and lots of nuts. I went to Whole Foods and put together my own trail mix and it's pretty high on calories and good for you.

    This is what I put together.

    1 cup whole almonds
    1/2 cup whole cashews
    1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
    1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
    1/2 cup raisins (golden raisins suggested)
    1/2 cup currants
    1/2 cup dried blueberries
    Combine all ingredients and store in an air tight container and just eat throughout the day.
  • BrandyRelaxing
    BrandyRelaxing Posts: 68 Member
    I like Milk - 100 calories for 1 cup (for 1% anyways). But ultimately you can plan the calories into your day before you work out. Some extra protein with your lunch, or a small snack after dinner... all healthy things of course, but planning really does help.
  • kendernau
    kendernau Posts: 155 Member
    Listen to your body. If you really aren't hungry, and you are having trouble eating that much - don't.

    I am an advocate of eating back your exercise calories, but your body is unique. I'd recommend eating 1/2 your exercise calories back, then see how your body feels.

    You also don't have to eat them all back at one time. If you are used to the smaller portions, you WILL have trouble eating that many calories at once. Try eating some before you exercise, during if it is a long enough workout, some right after, and spread the rest through the rest of the day, if you need to.
  • trilikeagirl
    trilikeagirl Posts: 218
    Protein mix with a cup of 2% milk just following a long workout can add 200-300 calories and help your body in recovery.
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 MFP Moderator
    www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com

    MFP gives you a deficit to lose weight before lifting a finger in exercise (assuming you set your profile to lose 0.5 1 1.5 or 2 lbs per week) exercise widens the gap so here on MFP we're supposed to eat back exercise calories.

    Other sites may give you different calorie goal because they assume you WILL exercise and give you a goal then widen the gap using the exercise calories to do what MFP does from a calorie goal alone.
  • mmhenry28
    mmhenry28 Posts: 163 Member
    Thanks for all the options guys they sound great and I am especailly a massive fan of nuts!

    Plus I totally forgot about my protein shakes I haven't had one in ages!
  • shauna121211
    shauna121211 Posts: 575 Member
    Are you supposed to eat all of your exercise calories???? I thought this was the whole point of taking off weight. I have been trying not to eat my exercise points. On my running days I can burn about 550 calories too. Have I been doing this all wrong???

    Yes. MFP already has you at a deficit to lose weight. If you don't eat back your exercise calories you are making that deficit even greater, perhaps to the point of being unhealthy. You should be logging your exercise and aiming for net calories as close to 0 as possible.
  • shauna121211
    shauna121211 Posts: 575 Member
    Milk, Juice, Avocados, Peanut butter, any type of nuts. And why not give yourself a treat and have a small frozen yogurt or glass of wine with some dark chocolate? mmmm
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,420 MFP Moderator
    Are you supposed to eat all of your exercise calories???? I thought this was the whole point of taking off weight. I have been trying not to eat my exercise points. On my running days I can burn about 550 calories too. Have I been doing this all wrong???


    If you look at it from a mathemathical stand point and nutritional stand point, you shoud absolutately eat back exercise calories. Not eating them won't make your body lose weight faster. And in fact when you do lose weight, you will end up losing muscle. Once your fat stores use up the energy, it turns to the ammino acids found in muscle to provide an energy source. This is actually why a lot of runners smell ammonia after long runs (due to the lack of calories to be energy). Now this won't affect a person as much when they ahve 50-100+ lbs to lose, but the closer to your goal you get or if you want to maintain lean muscle mass (which I would suggest) the more difficult this becomes with larger deficits. This doesn't even take into consideration your bodies basic nutritional needs (vitamins and minerals) to maintain proper organ function.



    mmhenry, my suggestion is to pre plan, not only your food but your workouts so you can eat those calories throughout the day. Ther option (the one I use) is to understand your BMR & TDEE (link below) and eat them throughout the day and not worry about exercise calories. It's a different approach than MFP but I have found it a bit more effective/easier to use then the logging. If you would like, I can help you figure out your caloric needs or continue the MFP approach and eat at least 80% of your workout calories.

    One way to eat more is a protein shake.. Good post workout item.


    http://www.shapefit.com/basal-metabolic-rate.html

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