Exercise / Calories Burned

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mrn8705
mrn8705 Posts: 9
in Food and Nutrition
So....I'm been getting mixed feed back. And I'm still confused. Am I or am I not supposed to eat the extra calories that I burn during exercise? It just seems redundant to burn the extra calories, just to turn around and re-eat the extra calories?

I don't wna to go into starvation mode, but I also want to eat right and exercise and lose the weight as fast and healthy as I can. And I don't want to sabotage myself by eating too many calories

ANY HELP PLEASE!!!!

Replies

  • shovav91
    shovav91 Posts: 2,335 Member
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    The calorie deficit is built into your plan already. Working out burns more, leaving you in a larger deficit which is often unhealthy. In my opinion, eat them! You work out, you need to fuel your body. Your body needs to trust you to sustain it, otherwise you won't lose weight as fast because it will hold on to everything you give it in preparation for being starved.
  • RollinDawg
    RollinDawg Posts: 235 Member
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    Some people do, some people don't. As long as you stay over 1200 consumed calories, you shouldn't go into starvation mode. If you want to eat some of the burned calories some days it shouldn't hurt you.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    See here:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390145-should-i-eat-my-exercise-calories
  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
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    Here is how it works, in a simplified manner:

    You tell MFP: I want to lose 1lb per week.

    MFP says: Okay, you need to eat X calories per day in order to lose 1lb/week, without exercise.

    You do what MFP says, but then you decide to exercise and you burn an additional 400 calories. MFP then says "Hey, I told you to eat X per day to lose 1lb/week without exercise. You exercised, now you're going to lose it too fast and that's not ideal. Now I want you to eat X+400".
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
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    If you don't eat them back (assuming you are really exercising, and not counting things like laundry as exercise), you will keep your metabolism slow, and then every time you have a little something extra like a cupcake, or night of pizza and beer, you will gain.

    Here's why:

    This is so important, please take the time to read this fantastic article so you can succeed:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/238282-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing-redux?hl=700+calories

    blessings.
  • TinaDay1114
    TinaDay1114 Posts: 1,328 Member
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    Here is how it works, in a simplified manner:

    You tell MFP: I want to lose 1lb per week.

    MFP says: Okay, you need to eat X calories per day in order to lose 1lb/week, without exercise.

    You do what MFP says, but then you decide to exercise and you burn an additional 400 calories. MFP then says "Hey, I told you to eat X per day to lose 1lb/week without exercise. You exercised, now you're going to lose it too fast and that's not ideal. Now I want you to eat X+400".

    I love this explanation!! Yes, THIS ^^^
  • 12Junes
    12Junes Posts: 10
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    Think of food as fuel. You eat, you exercise, you eat, you exercise. Depending on how much you exercise, you need x number of calories in your body. You don't need to reeat the calories unless you plan on doing more exercise, but you don't want to go under 1200 cals in a day (cals in food-cals lost in diet).

    Think of your car - you need gas to take a trip, but you don't need gas to park it. Unlike a car, you don't fill up the tank with the idea that you're going some place tomorrow - you fill up the tank the day of your trip. Make sure you have enough to start the car.
  • Kermit1976
    Kermit1976 Posts: 120
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    this is how i see it: if you have put in how much you want to loose each week, the computer tells you how much you need to eat to be able to achieve this. and at a sustainable rate that is not to fast or to slow and if you exercise that is great you are toning up your body and making you look fab as you loose your weight, but you are then you are burning more calories i you look you will have food + exercise + net the net should equal the amount the computer tells you to eat at the start of the day before you log anything. to be able to achieve the weight loss goal for each week. if you eat less means you will lose more but you also need to be weary if you are going to eat less your body could go into starvation mode over time and start clinging to the food because it is not sure when the next meal is coming..

    so i eat my start of the day calories i eat the exercise ones... i am looking toned i am loosing weight
    hope this helped
  • upnorthtim
    upnorthtim Posts: 376 Member
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    for another view on the concept of "starvation mode" see this link

    http://fattyfightsback.blogspot.com/2009/03/mtyhbusters-starvation-mode.html

    Personlly I think it's a myth
  • oswaldbowser
    oswaldbowser Posts: 164 Member
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    Ok lets get this put into perspective........

    Starvation mode is a myth ! dont worry you wont be going into that and infact your bodies metabolism slows down naturally as weight loss occurs..... We have all seen terrible second world war black and white films of concentration camps where the prisoners were starved and you didnt see any obese people there ! ( please nobody start screaming about the content in this post because its the easiest way to give an example)

    Now you need to use up more calories than you take in to lose weight.......

    When you exercise your body will use up any source of fuel it can get its hands on which is what you want eg fat if your glucose stores have been used......

    However to stop you feeling drained and to fuel your body for the next exercise session I would only eat say half of your calories back or give it a trial over a few weeks and see how your body responds to half or all of your calories back eat enough back to keep you fuelled for the next gym session...... I personally do not eat my calories back because I always just eat enough to fuel my body for the day for exercise etc, however I always make sure that I eat a lot of protein as I find my body responds well to this, but yours might be different,

    Many people will put up posts about starvation mode and give you links....personally I think it is a myth for the reason above and I can also put up a link

    http://www.weightwatchers.co.uk/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=29241

    As long as you dont drop your calories to something stupid like 500 (only because you will feel so drained and could get ill) but keep them at 1200 you will lose weight and body fat.....another reason to eat and do weight lighfting/physical exercise is that you want to lose fat not lean muscle tissue.

    Conclusion :- eat healthy food, exercise, keep calories say above 1200 to beat fatigue and get enough nutrients, get plenty of sleep and stop worrying !
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
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    Ok lets get this put into perspective........

    Starvation mode is a myth ! dont worry you wont be going into that and infact your bodies metabolism slows down naturally as weight loss occurs..... We have all seen terrible second world war black and white films of concentration camps where the prisoners were starved and you didnt see any obese people there ! ( please nobody start screaming about the content in this post because its the easiest way to give an example)

    Now you need to use up more calories than you take in to lose weight.......

    When you exercise your body will use up any source of fuel it can get its hands on which is what you want eg fat if your glucose stores have been used......

    However to stop you feeling drained and to fuel your body for the next exercise session I would only eat say half of your calories back or give it a trial over a few weeks and see how your body responds to half or all of your calories back eat enough back to keep you fuelled for the next gym session...... I personally do not eat my calories back because I always just eat enough to fuel my body for the day for exercise etc, however I always make sure that I eat a lot of protein as I find my body responds well to this, but yours might be different,

    Many people will put up posts about starvation mode and give you links....personally I think it is a myth for the reason above and I can also put up a link

    http://www.weightwatchers.co.uk/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=29241

    As long as you dont drop your calories to something stupid like 500 (only because you will feel so drained and could get ill) but keep them at 1200 you will lose weight and body fat.....another reason to eat and do weight lighfting/physical exercise is that you want to lose fat not lean muscle tissue.

    Conclusion :- eat healthy food, exercise, keep calories say above 1200 to beat fatigue and get enough nutrients, get plenty of sleep and stop worrying !

    Starvation mode is NOT a myth. People who work out a lot can easily net fewer than 500 calories a day, my friend, and THAT is starvation mode. Example: eat 1200 calories, go to a spin class and burn 700. You just netted 500 calories. Do that daily for an extended period of time, slow down your metabolism, and with an occasional day off exercise where you have a little extra pizza or beer, say net 1800 that day, instead of your usual 500, and guess what? You will gain weight while starving yourself.

    Starvation mode is not gonna happen if you're sitting around on your *kitten* eating 1200 calories a day, no, but if you are actually an active person, it is more common than you'd expect. Lots of chubby aerobics instructors out there . . .

    If you are overweight or obese, you can keep a bigger deficit and you NEED to keep a bigger deficit -- you have a lot of fat! However, once you are down to a healthy weight, your deficit must be smaller and smaller, until you reach maintenance -- eating your BMR in calories every day. Also, btw, the more active you are, the higher your BMR. That is why, at 5'4, 127 lbs I eat 1800-2400 cals a day (depending on exercise) and I don't gain weight.
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
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    Here's a different perspective on prolonged consumption of too few calories that may change your opinion:

    LIVING WITH OBESITY AT 700 CALORIES A DAY:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/238282-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing-redux?hl=700+calories
  • Steven
    Steven Posts: 593 MFP Moderator
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    Folks,

    Please make every effort to keep the conversation to the terms of the debate, and refrain from making comments or allusions about each other's intelligence.

    Much appreciated,
    Steven
    MyFitnessPal Staff

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