Why you should eat your exercise calories
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SergeantSunshine_reused
Posts: 5,382 Member
I posted this a while ago, but I have been seeing more and more new members asking whether or not they should be eating them back.
Short answer: YES!
Here is why: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html
MFP has already created a deficit for you. When you don't eat your exercise calories back you are creating an even larger deficit which can cause you to stop losing. I strongly suggest you to read the link I provided for details!
Short answer: YES!
Here is why: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html
MFP has already created a deficit for you. When you don't eat your exercise calories back you are creating an even larger deficit which can cause you to stop losing. I strongly suggest you to read the link I provided for details!
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Replies
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Maybe that's my problem.. Not losing anything anymore..0
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Woo! Yay Sunshine!0
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I love exercising to give me those extra calories. I try not to eat them all though.... I figure there may be a day (like last Sunday) that I go way over and need that extra cushion for the week.0
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I sometimes leave a little cushion too. But this is more consistently. If you stall later I would suggest trying to eat them all back :]
@Duelltolose I would try to eat them back and see if it helps! It did for me :]0 -
I work out and burn a lot in the gym and i'm still trying to figure out how I can eat more good stuff through out the day. It is nice having a few extra calories left over after you've eaten some of your exercise calories back.0
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I think that has been my problem. Only lost 5lbs since Nov 30th and I work out 5-6x a week. I am trying that now..0
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I've already done today's workout but MIGHT be hitting the treadmill to eat cake. LMFAO at my love of exercise calories!!0
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is this true? does it really work? I'm new to all of this and really just want to lose about 10lbs.0
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I am short and relatively small and I don't have a ton of weight to lose. I've lost 10 pounds so far (in 4 months) and have about 8 to go. I eat back all of my exercise calories. I've tried this before and I didn't eat the exercise calories back then. The weight came off faster, but I wasn't able to keep up with it. I gained back what I lost pretty quickly. I love eating back my exercise calories! It keeps me motivated.0
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I posted this a while ago, but I have been seeing more and more new members asking whether or not they should be eating them back.
Short answer: YES!
Here is why: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html
MFP has already created a deficit for you. When you don't eat your exercise calories back you are creating an even larger deficit which can cause you to stop losing. I strongly suggest you to read the link I provided for details!
^^ Great article!0 -
I agree. However, the only time I literally CAN'T eat them back is when I go hiking--I usually burn 750-1000 calories per hike, so it's almost impossible for me to eat it back without feeling disgusting! lol0
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Just be sure you don't overestimate the number of calories you burn while exercising. Calorie calculators, including the calorie numbers for exercises listed in MFP, are notoriously inaccurate. Don't go snarfing down a 600 calorie bonus meal after walking around the neighborhood. You'll DEFINITELY stop losing weight that way!0
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I say "eat the exercise calories". Being able to eat more is motivation to exercise in itself!0
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Its a good article but there's also a lot of self admitted speculation in the article. Like anything else..it works for some and not for others and no one size fits all.0
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I agree. My swim workouts burn over 1200 calories. That would mean eating double that day. I can't find that much food to eat, unless I chose something bad for me, but I don't want to go that route.0
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There's nothing better than planning a nice dinner out in advance. That way I get up extra early and spend a little extra time on the tread-mill and kick up the incline so I can have the butter on my baked potato or maybe an extra glass of wine. I actually think I do better those weeks because I'm more motivated to exercise.
I reached my first goal wait and took the holidays off of tracking (still watched what I ate and maintained for the month), but now that I'm back at it with the second half of my goal, I'm having a hard time losing anything. Any thoughts?0 -
And let me clarify..I own Lyles "The Guide to Flexible Dieting" book. I like how moderate he is in his approach to nutrition etc. I also know that he is the first person who will say that different things work for different people. My experience has been that experimentation is key and MFP provides all the tools necessary to do that.
I just don't want any purists jumping down my throat0 -
Thank you so much for that information.0
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I'm still researching on this one too. If that is the case, why workout, and just not diet. If anyone with letters behind their name would like to comment, I would like to read it. Some credentials would be nice.0
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A;ll I know is when I lost all my weight before I stayed at 1500 cals and I work out like crazy all day, I lost all of it fast, would kept it off to if I hadn't faced hardships and gone back to food for comfort0
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