eating back your exercise calories?

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Replies

  • kiwichick80
    kiwichick80 Posts: 5 Member
    Hey there. I've wondered the same thing originally, but with some trail and error find that eating at least some of my exercise calories works best. I have found that while i may feel okay and not really need the calories that day, without them i will feel weak and exhausted and STARVING the next day (which stops me from exercising that day, starting a bad cycle). Just make sure you eat good food for a working body with those calories.
    PS. have also heard about the milk thing from a nutritionist. Not chocolate milk though, which is through the roof with sugars that you just don't need. But dairy, such as a smoothie, within half an hour of an INTENSE workout is supposed to help with muscle fatigue and post work out nutrition. Don't know if it's true, but to be honest, i don't get enough calcium, so it can't do much harm.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Hey there. I've wondered the same thing originally, but with some trail and error find that eating at least some of my exercise calories works best. I have found that while i may feel okay and not really need the calories that day, without them i will feel weak and exhausted and STARVING the next day (which stops me from exercising that day, starting a bad cycle). Just make sure you eat good food for a working body with those calories.
    PS. have also heard about the milk thing from a nutritionist. Not chocolate milk though, which is through the roof with sugars that you just don't need. But dairy, such as a smoothie, within half an hour of an INTENSE workout is supposed to help with muscle fatigue and post work out nutrition. Don't know if it's true, but to be honest, i don't get enough calcium, so it can't do much harm.

    For endurance, or intense efforts, it is actually chocolate milk.

    Exactly for the sugars. You've just burned off a bunch of glucose stores with either type of workout.

    The chocolate milk not only has the sugars to replenish, but also the fat to slow that down in hitting the bloodstream, and protein for some immediate muscle repair.

    Strawberry or other flavors would meet those needs too. Perhaps not spinach flavored. Ugh.
  • kiwichick80
    kiwichick80 Posts: 5 Member
    Hey there. I've wondered the same thing originally, but with some trail and error find that eating at least some of my exercise calories works best. I have found that while i may feel okay and not really need the calories that day, without them i will feel weak and exhausted and STARVING the next day (which stops me from exercising that day, starting a bad cycle). Just make sure you eat good food for a working body with those calories.
    PS. have also heard about the milk thing from a nutritionist. Not chocolate milk though, which is through the roof with sugars that you just don't need. But dairy, such as a smoothie, within half an hour of an INTENSE workout is supposed to help with muscle fatigue and post work out nutrition. Don't know if it's true, but to be honest, i don't get enough calcium, so it can't do much harm.

    For endurance, or intense efforts, it is actually chocolate milk.

    Exactly for the sugars. You've just burned off a bunch of glucose stores with either type of workout.

    The chocolate milk not only has the sugars to replenish, but also the fat to slow that down in hitting the bloodstream, and protein for some immediate muscle repair.

    Strawberry or other flavors would meet those needs too. Perhaps not spinach flavored. Ugh.

    Oh, cool. Thanks for that. I had just been told milk in general, and to avoid the sugary ones. Makes sense though. Cheers.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    How can we have enough energy to do intense workouts if we do take in energy?

    Well in my case there's 7 pounds of surplus fat on board which is worth 28,600 calories so I would be looking to do intense workouts by using some of that.

    If you have very low body fat this obviously can't work, but if you're looking to lose fat then the calorie deficit comes from your fat reserves. If you exercise you make a bigger deficit.
  • SparkleShine
    SparkleShine Posts: 2,001 Member
    Thanks for posting.:smile:
  • katysmelly
    katysmelly Posts: 380 Member
    There are three reasons I exercise:

    1. To keep me aware of how hard my lungs work so I won't be tempted to go back to smoking.
    2. To get me stronger and fitter so I can do stuff like climb mountains.
    3. So I can eat more food.

    Life would be so dreary if I actually had to eat tiny portions or skip rich goodies just because eating more than X calories will make me gain. So, I exercise a lot. That way, I can eat meals that actually fill my plate or contain yummy stuff like cheese or whatever.
  • virtuess1
    virtuess1 Posts: 6 Member
    It is my daily goal NOT to eat back my exercise calories and most days I don't, however, yesterday I had a bad day and I am so happy that I had exercise calories to eat.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    For endurance, or intense efforts, it is actually chocolate milk.

    Exactly for the sugars. You've just burned off a bunch of glucose stores with either type of workout.

    The chocolate milk not only has the sugars to replenish, but also the fat to slow that down in hitting the bloodstream, and protein for some immediate muscle repair.

    Strawberry or other flavors would meet those needs too. Perhaps not spinach flavored. Ugh.

    I really loathe chocolate, and don't like flavored milk in general, but regular old 2% milk for a nightly snack seems to be helping w/endurance for the next day.
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
    I hear you that mfp already creates a deficit.. but mfp is telling me to eat 1200 net calories... i did that...lost some in the beginning and then hit a wall after just about 3 weeks. Now, I'm working with a trainer and have been for about 3 months. His goal consumption for me is 1350 calories daily (not net just straight).. 40% carbs, 30% protein 30% fat. I work out 5 days a week and burn between 400-600 depending on the day. mfp has been a great tool for me to keep track of calories eaten and nutrient info.. but I don't count on its abilities to figure out what is exactly gonna work for me diet wise. I've changed all the settings it had for me originally..completely. So far, I've lost 40 lbs and 17% body fat since Dec 1.

    imo.. u figure out what works for you. I'm not hungry, I have energy for workouts and to maintain my full time work/full time student life, and I feel very successful with my weight loss so far.

    It just takes a few weeks to really figure your body out.... it's your body.. you are going to b the true expert on what it's doing.
  • willismack2
    willismack2 Posts: 84
    I eat all the exercise calories back, drink 8-16 oz of Chocolate milk after a run, life is good!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    How can we have enough energy to do intense workouts if we do take in energy?

    Well in my case there's 7 pounds of surplus fat on board which is worth 28,600 calories so I would be looking to do intense workouts by using some of that.

    If you have very low body fat this obviously can't work, but if you're looking to lose fat then the calorie deficit comes from your fat reserves. If you exercise you make a bigger deficit.

    An intense workout getting 70% of it's energy needs from carbs won't find your 7lbs of fat all that useful.

    Even if you stayed totally in the fat-burning zone, only 50% is fat.
  • Annafly3
    Annafly3 Posts: 63
    BUMPP
  • topbombin
    topbombin Posts: 33
    Ive only been on here a week and Ive heard this alot. It is confusing so i decided to put it to a mega trial.

    On monday I ate healthily all day - cereal, salad etc and pretty much used approx my 1400 cals - then i went to a high impact aerobics class. My teacher said "youve worked hard, you can go and eat a pizza now. So i did - a 500 cal one!!!! I still didnt use up my cals with exercise but i figured if i burnt 600 cals why not put the theory to test. the next morning i lost another pound!

    I dont know whether this was a fluke or truth but i figure that eating calories back is not a bad thing - however i must stress that i wouldnt go eating a pizza everytime (i was just trying to play devils advocate!).

    I think that if you are hungry you should certainly eat something back - just eat healthily and eat what you need to replace. Listen to your body. When you feel healthy i guess youve cracked it.
  • HonkyTonks
    HonkyTonks Posts: 1,193 Member
    Ive only been on here a week and Ive heard this alot. It is confusing so i decided to put it to a mega trial.

    On monday I ate healthily all day - cereal, salad etc and pretty much used approx my 1400 cals - then i went to a high impact aerobics class. My teacher said "youve worked hard, you can go and eat a pizza now. So i did - a 500 cal one!!!! I still didnt use up my cals with exercise but i figured if i burnt 600 cals why not put the theory to test. the next morning i lost another pound!

    I dont know whether this was a fluke or truth but i figure that eating calories back is not a bad thing - however i must stress that i wouldnt go eating a pizza everytime (i was just trying to play devils advocate!).

    I think that if you are hungry you should certainly eat something back - just eat healthily and eat what you need to replace. Listen to your body. When you feel healthy i guess youve cracked it.

    Fat loss and fat gain cannot be seen in one day. Your 1lb loss one morning will have nothing to do with how much you ate the day before and merely water fluctuations.
  • kazzari
    kazzari Posts: 473 Member
    So how many calories are you really burning? I personally workout 3 days a week for an extra 600-800 burn for the week. Eating or not eating those calories is not going to make or break me. This is such an individual thing. I say listen to your body.
  • BobbieLee1959
    BobbieLee1959 Posts: 605 Member
    I eat them if I feel that I need them and I think most of the time I do, for fuel to continue working out to get stronger and healthier...I am guilty of not eating all of mine, but if I find myself hungry at any time during the day, I re-fuel and will continue doing this. So far I have not made a day when I have been able to eat them all back, but I don't let it worry me as long as I continue losing. I am seeing a dietician on May 1 and will follow her advice, when asked this important question.

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