How much exercise am I supposed to be doing

sophielilirose
sophielilirose Posts: 41
edited November 11 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey guys, I really do need some help! I am exercising for about an hour a day at the moment, but am really starting to feel it now and I constantly ache. I dont know how much I am supposed to be doing! I burn around 200ish calories a day through exercise, am I supposed to be eating those back?? I feel like I'm cheating if I do.

Basically,
1) how much exercise should I be doing (Im 5ft6 & 186lbs)
2) should I eat calories back

My aim is to be around 140-150 lbs by August 2012
HELPPPP!
xxx

Replies

  • donnabirch123
    donnabirch123 Posts: 48 Member
    exercise calories should be eaten as its like fuel in a car, a full tank will get you from a-b but if you only put in 1/2 tank, then you will be doing some damage to your engine and wont get there (hope that makes sense)

    there is already a deficiency built into MFP, so try to eat up to your goal, or you might end up in starvation mode, because you have had to little food and you wont lose any weight.

    exercise is not essential for weight loss, you can be skinnyfat, (thin with no muscle) or thin toned with exercise and weigh a bit more as muscle weighs more then fat (exercise is the healthy option obviously)

    i am about the same size and weight as you and want to lose about the same, daily i do about 300 / 600 exercise, MFP says i should eat 1200 + my exercise cals x
  • sophielilirose
    sophielilirose Posts: 41
    Do you ever feel like you're cheating when you eat back your calories from exercise? I feel like its ruining my hard work!! Also, what do you eat when you need to eat more calories?
  • donnabirch123
    donnabirch123 Posts: 48 Member
    think of exercise as 'body conditioning and fitness'

    think of food as 'body fuel'

    if i don't exercise i dont have chocolate, but if i do exercise i do, i feel like im so tired that i need the high sugar energy to give me a boost, and its a little treat i've earned myself for being good, makes it easer to stick to
  • BIGJIMMYU
    BIGJIMMYU Posts: 1,221 Member
    The ache will go away eventually the more regular you exercise. When you exercise the muscle fibres tear a little. (think of pulling an elastic taut and seeing those little hairline tears). Protein fills in these little tears which is how muscles grow. I find that a good snack of protein such as a protein shake, almonds, or beef jerky within 40 minutes of exercising helps a ton. Regular protein after this time limit fill still repair and grow your muscles but they tend to "suck up" protein more if you get it in within 40 minutes of exercise. It works for me anyways! I am not nearly as sore!
  • sophielilirose
    sophielilirose Posts: 41
    Good way about thinking about things. I dont know why, I just don't really know what to eat so I don't eat them back.. but obviously I dont want my body to go into starvation mode, but then I don't wanna gain either. Urgh weight loss is so annoying!! xx
  • donnabirch123
    donnabirch123 Posts: 48 Member
    your the same size as me and i know that for me before any exercise i need 1600, mfp gives me 1200, so stick to your goal and you will do fine
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