Exercise calories

aliarmentrout
aliarmentrout Posts: 7 Member
edited November 9 in Health and Weight Loss
Why do I get to eat the calories I worked off? Doesn't that seem counter productive

Replies

  • calewis17
    calewis17 Posts: 9
    That's my thinking too!
  • queeena321
    queeena321 Posts: 1
    I have never understood that either! Hopefully someone can shed some light into that
  • HorrorChix89
    HorrorChix89 Posts: 1,229 Member
    Cause appearently it's like adding a -3 to a +3. They just cancel each other out some how.
  • joynaus
    joynaus Posts: 13 Member
    I think so, my daughter and I are both tracking and have noticed the same thing. We do not eat the extra calories that it gives us when we workout. I believe that is their for people who do intense workouts and need the extra protein for muscle building. I also believe when it calculates your calories without the exercise that is how much you should eat being sedentary. If you workout and are more active your caloric intake goes up a litle, just don't overdue it. If we eat anything extra it is vegetables or fruit.

    Hope this helps...
  • kimcatania
    kimcatania Posts: 25
    I've always wondered about this too
  • Molly182
    Molly182 Posts: 406
    Well, the calories that you're allowed is WITH a deficit already. So, even if you eat them back you're still at a deficit and should still lose weight. Everybody is different though. Do what works for you and what makes you happy
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    It's because your body needs fuel to burn calories and if you don't feed it enough, then your body will conserve energy. And the closer to your goal, the harder your body fights. Also, when you don't properly fuel your body, you lose lean muscle mass, as it's a quick source of energy (your body converts the amino acids in your muscle) which reduces lean body mass, which reduces your metabolism.


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/395948-caloric-intake-results?hl=caloric+intake+results&page=1#posts-5425208

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/395881-people-who-lost-weight-eating-more

    http://www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    Because you told the program you want a (for example) 500-calorie deficit. If you burn another 500 calories through exercise and don't eat extra, you've now got a 1000-calorie deficit. If you wanted a 1000-calorie deficit, you should have specified that to begin with.
  • aliarmentrout
    aliarmentrout Posts: 7 Member
    Cause appearently it's like adding a -3 to a +3. They just cancel each other out some how.

    That makes sense...but therein lies my problem. Why would I want to cancel out my exercise? psulemon, I guess what you are saying also makes sense.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    Cause appearently it's like adding a -3 to a +3. They just cancel each other out some how.

    That makes sense...but therein lies my problem. Why would I want to cancel out my exercise? psulemon, I guess what you are saying also makes sense.

    You aren't canceling it out. Your body requires certain nutritional needs to function properly. Look at it like this. Lets say you need to drive from Washington DC to NYC. Knowing this information, would you only put a 1/4 of fuel in your car? No. So knowing you are going to workout and knowing your body needs fuel to function, why would you not fill it up, so you can put your workouts harder and get better results?

    I can't tell you how many times I have seen people plateau and have issues losing weight because they aren't eating enough food. Also, you body has the ability to adapt. When you continuously eat below your metabolic rate (BMR), your body will slow down it's functions to maintain basic function. All your organs have specific caloric requirements to work. So if your BMR is 1500 calories, do you know what happens when you eat below it?
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