Why Eating Exercise Calories is so important.
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I don't agree....
If i eat back my exercise cals, I'll lose MAYBE 0.2 pounds that week. Even though I'm set to -1lb a week.
Though I am 114 pounds and 5"5 (very tiny frame)... So the 'eat back your exercise cals' definitely cannot be a be all and end all statement.
At your weight, 0.2 is a far healthier rate of loss.
On really good weeks I lose about 0.6lb. But those are literally weeks that I have 13 hr work shifts consecutively, in which I'm on my feet for almost all of it.
So normally I average between 0.4 - 0.6lb a week when I don't eat the majority of my exercise cals back. I reckon that's a healthy rate to lose at0 -
Im All for this. If I don't eat back my exercise calories, my loss SLOWS down to almost nothing. I do feel the pain for a PP, there was no way I could fit in an extra 600 calories last night. I ate nearly 750 at dinner. Wasn't going to happen. I do try to eat back as much as I physically can though.0
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bump0
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No because some of the things (such as bread, cheese, etc.) I limit myself because of the added carbs, sugar, and sodium. So eating more of it would throw everything out of wack by the end of the day (at least it does for me). So discovering a meal replacement (High calories, low carb, high protien) works great!!! Thanks for the response!!!
I would like to know what you are eating/drinking to boost your cals without junk since I am in the same boat. Clean eating+intense training = not enough cals.
Thanks!
I've upped my calories recently and generally eat back my exercise calories. I eat pretty clean, very little processed foods or sugars. I found that the easiest way to up my calories without feeling stuffed is to sneak in some extra "good fats" - one extra tsp of olive oil on the salad, some avocado and I use a tsp of ground flax seeds on my morning cereal. It's also very easy to adjust if I don't work out - I just don't put the extra olive oil or avocado on. That way I don't feel like I'm depriving myself of the food I need to take care of my hunger.
I was having the same questions - I like to avoid processed foods as well, so reading those little changes you use are so helpful!0 -
Just make sure you don't over estimate the amount of calories you need to eat back, could throw yourself off.0
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For most people with much to lose, I think this thread is offering some really dangerous advice. One of the biggest sources of weight loss sabotage is thinking that you can afford to eat more just because you worked out, especially since most all calorie estimators (including those on MFP) grossly over-state the calories burned via exercise. You see it all the time, someone does a super intense workout, then drops by Dairy Queen on the way home. Weeks go by, and they wonder why their bodies aren't changing.
example: MFP says I'm burning over 1000 cals at my jiu-jitsu classes, but there's simply no way that it's anywhere close to that on most days. If I go ahead and add another 1000 cals to my daily intake, I'll be in a significant calorie SURPLUS. Never mind losing weight, most people would start gaining if they followed this protocol.0 -
Bumping for later. Thanks!0
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Thanks for posting this advice. It's definitely worth trying for me since I feel like I have plateaued after my initial weight-loss.0
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I eat back at least half my exercise calories and try like hell to net at least 1200, although there are days where I fall a little short, but generally no more than 50 or so cals.0
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example: MFP says I'm burning over 1000 cals at my jiu-jitsu classes, but there's simply no way that it's anywhere close to that on most days. If I go ahead and add another 1000 cals to my daily intake, I'll be in a significant calorie SURPLUS. Never mind losing weight, most people would start gaining if they followed this protocol.
I figure that the figures they give for martial arts classes are someone who's skilled going flat-out for that time period. The best I can do is an estimate -- so for a 2 hour class I may write down 30-60 minutes depending on whether it was a fairly relaxed or a fairly aerobic class.
Then I eat *those* calories. So far ... weight loss is where they say it should be, just about, so I must be estimating pretty closely.0 -
Thank you0
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bump0
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For most people with much to lose, I think this thread is offering some really dangerous advice. One of the biggest sources of weight loss sabotage is thinking that you can afford to eat more just because you worked out, especially since most all calorie estimators (including those on MFP) grossly over-state the calories burned via exercise. You see it all the time, someone does a super intense workout, then drops by Dairy Queen on the way home. Weeks go by, and they wonder why their bodies aren't changing.
example: MFP says I'm burning over 1000 cals at my jiu-jitsu classes, but there's simply no way that it's anywhere close to that on most days. If I go ahead and add another 1000 cals to my daily intake, I'll be in a significant calorie SURPLUS. Never mind losing weight, most people would start gaining if they followed this protocol.
I've had the opposite experience. I got a HRM and found out that MFP was grossly underestimating the calories burned for me - probably because I was larger and not in as good a shape as the "average" they use. The counts on MFP can't be all things to all people.
I've also discovered that since losing weight and getting in better shape, the HRM is reflecting that, so I trust that it is giving me an accurate representation.
BTW, in one of my combination aerobic and strength exercise sessions which runs an hour, I can easily burn 700 calories. I used to practice martial arts. I can easily see it burning 1000 calories in a session.0 -
Awesome post. Its very helpful to me, I sometimes eat back exercise calories (when hugry) and somestimes not (beacuse I think it will give me a weightloss boost), well from now on I am going to spread them out over the week and eat a little more everyday rather than eating them all at the same time.0
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this was very helpful. thank you!!0
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Bump0
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wow, didnt know this. i sometimes eat my exercise calories but not all the time. Am going to start doing this0
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Wow! I have read many other postings about this and was totally confused after reading them. This is the best I have read because I understood it completely!!!! I realize that for the last 2 1/2 months I have been putting my body in starvation mode. I was under the impression that having 4 to 500 calories left over each day was how you lost weight. How stupid of me.
Starting today I will start consumeing my workout calories!!!!!! Thank you so much for explaining this so well!!!0 -
Just make sure you eat back your workout calories in a healthy way. Have a healthy snack (apple/peanut butter or a good yogurt) prior to workout for energy and some good protein (lowfat cheese stick or protein shake) within 20 minutes of ending the workout.0
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This is a great explanation0
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