Surely eating more calories for exercise doesn't work?

arch53
arch53 Posts: 9
edited November 12 in Fitness and Exercise
My question is this - surely eating the 'extra' calories needed for exercise before or after the exercise means that the exercise is a waste of time ?
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Replies

  • tabi26
    tabi26 Posts: 535 Member
    MFP has a deficit already "built into it" when you start. So you could still lose weight even if you did nothing but stay under your calorie goal. I eat my exercise calories and still lose weight.....in fact I exercise so I can eat more lol.
  • tabi26
    tabi26 Posts: 535 Member
    Oh, and exercise is never a waste. It helps get/keep your body healthy.
  • Lukazetta
    Lukazetta Posts: 427 Member
    No sure what you're asking exactly.

    But I would answer that a calorie is a calorie...you burn it now or you burn it during your exercise.

    I'd say carbs have a huge impact on your exercise though and protein/fats with recovery. So the best carbs (slow digestive) before with some protein and proteins/fats for your meal after you exercise.

    Good luck!
  • arch53
    arch53 Posts: 9
    MFP has a deficit already "built into it" when you start. So you could still lose weight even if you did nothing but stay under your calorie goal. I eat my exercise calories and still lose weight.....in fact I exercise so I can eat more lol.

    I see, so in theory i only need to do the exercise if i want to be able to eat more?

    my current limit is 1200 and something, if i was to burn 250 a day and not eat an extra 250, would that be ok?
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
    MFP has a deficit already "built into it" when you start. So you could still lose weight even if you did nothing but stay under your calorie goal. I eat my exercise calories and still lose weight.....in fact I exercise so I can eat more lol.

    Yep. This.

    Why would an app be so popular and have so many people succeed, eating their exercise calories, if it didn't work?

    ETA: And don't call me Shirley.
  • Toddrific
    Toddrific Posts: 1,114 Member
    I'd guess that the exercise itself is beneficial.
  • arch53
    arch53 Posts: 9
    MFP has a deficit already "built into it" when you start. So you could still lose weight even if you did nothing but stay under your calorie goal. I eat my exercise calories and still lose weight.....in fact I exercise so I can eat more lol.

    Yep. This.

    Why would an app be so popular and have so many people succeed, eating their exercise calories, if it didn't work?

    i know it works, it has worked for me for the last 3 weeks, but now my ankle is better (tore a ligament), i can exercise, but do i need to 'eat back the calories' as many other posts and sources say that you should?
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
    MFP has a deficit already "built into it" when you start. So you could still lose weight even if you did nothing but stay under your calorie goal. I eat my exercise calories and still lose weight.....in fact I exercise so I can eat more lol.

    Yep. This.

    Why would an app be so popular and have so many people succeed, eating their exercise calories, if it didn't work?

    i know it works, it has worked for me for the last 3 weeks, but now my ankle is better (tore a ligament), i can exercise, but do i need to 'eat back the calories' as many other posts and sources say that you should?

    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/
  • arch53
    arch53 Posts: 9
    MFP has a deficit already "built into it" when you start. So you could still lose weight even if you did nothing but stay under your calorie goal. I eat my exercise calories and still lose weight.....in fact I exercise so I can eat more lol.

    Yep. This.

    Why would an app be so popular and have so many people succeed, eating their exercise calories, if it didn't work?

    i know it works, it has worked for me for the last 3 weeks, but now my ankle is better (tore a ligament), i can exercise, but do i need to 'eat back the calories' as many other posts and sources say that you should?

    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

    so the answer is yes? Why bother doing the exercise then , if im just going to put the calories burnt, back into my system? (That is my point from the start!)
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    so the answer is yes? Why bother doing the exercise then , if im just going to put the calories burnt, back into my system? (That is my point from the start!)
    1. So you can eat more and lose weight without feeling hungry.
    2. So you can fuel your workouts and exercise harder, faster and longer.
    3. To feel awesome.
    4. To build muscle so you don't get "skinny fat".
    5. So you lose the weight steadily and sustainably and don't want to quit after a couple of weeks because its' hard and you feel hungry all the time.

    And a million other answers! But "Because it's worked for so many of the MFP success stories with amazing physiques" is a great one. Go and check some out right now!
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
    Because exercise is good for you and your heart. Because exercise changes your body composition. Because exercise gives you more food to eat.

    ETA: What Berry said.
  • arch53
    arch53 Posts: 9
    so the answer is yes? Why bother doing the exercise then , if im just going to put the calories burnt, back into my system? (That is my point from the start!)
    1. So you can eat more and lose weight without feeling hungry.
    2. So you can fuel your workouts and exercise harder, faster and longer.
    3. To feel awesome.
    4. To build muscle so you don;t get "skinny fat".
    5. So you lose the weight steadily and sustainably and don't want to quit after a couple of weeks because its' hard and you feel hungry all the time.

    And a million other answers! But "Because it's worked for so many of the MFP success stories with amazing physiques" is a great one. Go and check some out right now!

    thank you for clearing that up for me!

    But please can you explain what 'Skinny fat' is?
  • LoreleiWalks
    LoreleiWalks Posts: 143 Member
    I see, so in theory i only need to do the exercise if i want to be able to eat more?

    my current limit is 1200 and something, if i was to burn 250 a day and not eat an extra 250, would that be ok?

    If your current limit is 1200 and you burn 250 without eating them, you are left with 950, which is far too low (unhealthy). 1200 calories (net) is the MINIMUM that most women should consume. Going lower than that, you are messing with danger.

    And yes, in theory - being able to eat more is definitely one reason to exercise (it's one of my favorites!) But here are lots of other reasons, as another poster has mentioned.

    -General cardiovascular health
    -Building muscle
    -Increasing endurance
    -Improving mood
    -Sleeping better

    etc.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    Eat less so you can wear smaller clothes.

    Exercise (and eat the calories earned) so you can look great when you're not wearing any clothes.

    Most calorie counting plans use the amount of exercise you SAY you're gong to do as part of your calculated calorie goal. MFP only uses those calories AFTER you log your exercise. See for yourself... change your goals to doing no exercise at all, then change it to say you'll be exercising for two hours a day, seven days a week. Your calorie goal will remain the same.

    Edited to add: And as a 20 year old young man... you shouldn't have any less than 1500 calories. Men - you lucky *kitten* - need more calories than women, thanks you your testosterone and higher muscle mass.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    MFP has a deficit already "built into it" when you start. So you could still lose weight even if you did nothing but stay under your calorie goal. I eat my exercise calories and still lose weight.....in fact I exercise so I can eat more lol.

    I see, so in theory i only need to do the exercise if i want to be able to eat more?

    my current limit is 1200 and something, if i was to burn 250 a day and not eat an extra 250, would that be ok?

    If you don't want to eat the extra 250, no one is going to make you... but if you read all the good reasons why you can and should.... why wouldn't you?
    The risk of not eating them is that you aren't getting enough energy and nutrition into your body to stay healthy and full of energy.

    And... what Berry said!
  • arch53
    arch53 Posts: 9
    so if i consumed/ate 3500 calories in one day, but burnt 1500, should i then eat back that 1500? because that to me just makes the exercise seem pointless, as im still going the be over the daily calorie limit
  • Coco_Puff
    Coco_Puff Posts: 823 Member
    so the answer is yes? Why bother doing the exercise then , if im just going to put the calories burnt, back into my system? (That is my point from the start!)
    1. So you can eat more and lose weight without feeling hungry.
    2. So you can fuel your workouts and exercise harder, faster and longer.
    3. To feel awesome.
    4. To build muscle so you don't get "skinny fat".
    5. So you lose the weight steadily and sustainably and don't want to quit after a couple of weeks because its' hard and you feel hungry all the time.

    And a million other answers! But "Because it's worked for so many of the MFP success stories with amazing physiques" is a great one. Go and check some out right now!

    This is right on the money!!!! Your body needs fuel to burn fat!
  • hbarney
    hbarney Posts: 434
    MFP has a deficit already "built into it" when you start. So you could still lose weight even if you did nothing but stay under your calorie goal. I eat my exercise calories and still lose weight.....in fact I exercise so I can eat more lol.

    I do too! I tell people that I exercise because I like to eat not because I like to exercise!!! :smile:
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
    so the answer is yes? Why bother doing the exercise then , if im just going to put the calories burnt, back into my system? (That is my point from the start!)
    1. So you can eat more and lose weight without feeling hungry.
    2. So you can fuel your workouts and exercise harder, faster and longer.
    3. To feel awesome.
    4. To build muscle so you don't get "skinny fat".
    5. So you lose the weight steadily and sustainably and don't want to quit after a couple of weeks because its' hard and you feel hungry all the time.

    And a million other answers! But "Because it's worked for so many of the MFP success stories with amazing physiques" is a great one. Go and check some out right now!
    [/quote

    "you lose pounds in the kitchen, you lose inches in the gym."
  • joankpoirier
    joankpoirier Posts: 281 Member
    not necessarily. your body needs fuel to burn fat. and to PUSH thru the workouts.
    I was amazed at the amount of food required when I started P90X.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    so if i consumed/ate 3500 calories in one day, but burnt 1500, should i then eat back that 1500? because that to me just makes the exercise seem pointless, as im still going the be over the daily calorie limit

    Nope, if you do the maths, that doens't make sense!

    Your first example: eat 1200, burn off 250 - that leaves your body 950 cals to function on for the day, which is not very much.
    This 950 is your NET cals for the day.

    And this time: eat 3500, burn off 1500 - you've given your body 2000 to function on for the day which is probably around the number you would need to maintain your weight. In this example, your NET cals are 2000. Eating like this you might not gain weight but you'd be unlikely to lose.

    If you look at your MFP home page, it has done the sums for you each day.
  • kasarin
    kasarin Posts: 82
    you need to eat UNDER your goal that MFP has in place for you (they build in a deficit.) Now, as you add exercise to your log you will notice that your goal goes up. You mentioned that your initial start is 1250cals. So if you have no exercise, eat under that. If you exercise and burn 250 cals you should now eat under 1500 cals.


    Exercise is far from pointless. exercise gives you better cardiac health and raises your metabolism so you will burn more calories when you are just sitting around!
  • arch53
    arch53 Posts: 9
    oh dear, i made the mistake of thinking that exercise uses up fat, (therefore it'll decrease). am i now right in believing it uses up energy/calories to burn the fat?
  • 99clmsntgr
    99clmsntgr Posts: 777 Member
    But please can you explain what 'Skinny fat' is?

    Hope this helps: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=What+is+"skinny+fat"?
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    so if i consumed/ate 3500 calories in one day, but burnt 1500, should i then eat back that 1500? because that to me just makes the exercise seem pointless, as im still going the be over the daily calorie limit

    If you ate 3500 and burned 1500, your net is 2000 cal. If your goal is over 2000, you should eat some more. Otherwise, not.
  • _HeathBar_
    _HeathBar_ Posts: 902 Member
    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

    Just in case it wasn't clear.

    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/
  • browneyedkasey
    browneyedkasey Posts: 11 Member
    so if i consumed/ate 3500 calories in one day, but burnt 1500, should i then eat back that 1500? because that to me just makes the exercise seem pointless, as im still going the be over the daily calorie limit

    NO! Because the 3500 is over what your calorie consumption should be. You should only eat back exercise calories that get you back to your calorie goal for the day. So technically if your goal is 1200 calories a day and you ate 3500, you would have to exercise 2300 calories off to get back to square one! Thats almost an impossible amount to achieve in one day!

    That being said, if I have a good exercise day (burn more than 800 calories) I try to only eat back HALF my exercise calories. It's bneen working for me as I am down 25 lbs since January 1st!
  • deadstarsunburn
    deadstarsunburn Posts: 1,337 Member
    Skinny fat is when you are at a lower weight but you have an unhealthy body fat percentage.
  • Brunner26_2
    Brunner26_2 Posts: 1,152
    thank you for clearing that up for me!

    But please can you explain what 'Skinny fat' is?

    Skinny fat is when you're not overweight, but you still have significant body fat. It can happen when you lose weight without the right exercise and nutrition.
  • 3rdxacharm
    3rdxacharm Posts: 377 Member
    so if i consumed/ate 3500 calories in one day, but burnt 1500, should i then eat back that 1500? because that to me just makes the exercise seem pointless, as im still going the be over the daily calorie limit

    I think in this example, you ate back your exercise caloires BEFORE you actually burned them. Your goal should be to net whatever MFP says your calories should be(1200 I think you said). So if you ate 3500 and burned 1500 your net would be 2000, which means you ate over your goal already.
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