Calories after exercise ...

RenRenO
RenRenO Posts: 8
edited December 18 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey guys!

I'm pretty new at this MFP and I'm loving it so far :) I have been working out and watching my weight for over 6 years now, so this isn't new to me. I just don't understand the whole part of when you log in your calories burned, they add up again in the calories you can consume. This seems so bizarre to me in a sense cause it seems that everyone says that IF you want to lose weight, you should burn more then you eat? This could def be read wrong by certain people who aren't used to eating healthy foods ... Would it be so wrong to just not eat those extra calories?! I always eat and eat 6 times a day ... Couldn't be bad right? :tongue:

Replies

  • Glucocorticoid
    Glucocorticoid Posts: 867 Member
    I think one critical aspect that you are missing is that you "burn" calories everyday, without exercise. It's called your maintenance calories.

    Also, you don't have to eat 6 times a day. Eat when you're hungry. I won't comment on the tracking and eating exercise calories stuff because I think it's pointless. A plethora of other folks here will respond to that part.

    There's something to be said about eating your day's allotted calories around your workout, it may improve calorie partitioning for you (i.e. more calories go to the muscles and less to fat). This is highly variable though and it would depend on the type of workout you are doing as well.
  • TinaS88
    TinaS88 Posts: 817 Member
    MFP already gives you a calorie deficit when you exercise you are burning even more calories, people will say to eat at least most of them back do your body is getting what it needs to maintain.
  • Ccrealty2000
    Ccrealty2000 Posts: 2
    i agree with you and i find if i eat those callories i dont lose the weight so i find that i have to exercise and eat little less then they say besides not eat the burned off calories
  • Birdnicaj
    Birdnicaj Posts: 95
    I think the answer lis in the fact that MFP already calculates the "deficit" you need to create in order to lose weight in a sensible (i.e.. not too fast) manner. It's important to eat your "exercise" calories cause if you don't you will be creating way too big of a calorie deficit which is actually counterproductive to weight loss, maintenance, and your well being. Trust that the site works, and go with it... it really does make sense.
  • ShaSimone
    ShaSimone Posts: 270 Member
    You will get so many different answers to this question. Here's mine...MFP does not calculate exercise into your daily calories consumed. SO...it adds your calories exercised back into your daily calories because the equation it's going by is what you told MFP. 'I want to lose X pounds in a week' it doesn't deviate from that calorie deficit.
  • faithstephenson
    faithstephenson Posts: 280 Member
    The way MFP works is net calories allowed. You put in your activity level and other info, MFP gives you a goal that will give you the deficits you need to lose your goal per week. My activity level can vary drastically throughout the week, so I picked sedentary and just log all my exercise, as these are calories expended that MFP didn't take into account. I use my heart rate monitor to determine calories burned so that I'm not overestimating. Then I eat most, if not all my exercise calories. A lot of people have success with this method. If you are really active throughout the week and really consistent with it, you could adjust your activity level in your goals, and just go by those calories.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    What Tina said ^

    The calorie deficit is already built in. Some people don't (can't exercise) & they still lose weight. When the calorie deficit is too large, you risk the chance of losing fat AND muscle. Protect your existing muscle mass (this is healthy weight).

    If you are using a heart rate monitor to calculate your exercise calories .. eat all of them back. If you are using something less reliable (machines, MFP) .... eat back a percentage and see how you feel, adjust accordingly.
  • crystut03
    crystut03 Posts: 25 Member
    To me,

    In anything you eat, whether is veggies and fruit all day or other foods, all food contains calories and for an overweight person trying to lose weight even by veggies and fruit i still need to burn more than my consumption or nothing will change. I think when you are wanting to maintain your weight then eating the extra calories is bizarre. But for me, in order to lose the weight i need to make sure that i burn more than what i eat, this kicks the body into working the metabolism where at one point it was just there, now its working because of the burning and exercise. This is my thought...
  • rheyl21
    rheyl21 Posts: 11 Member
    Yes, it actually can be bad. Not conusming enought calories a day puts your body into starvation mode and instead of losing fat you will lose muscle. Making your exercise counterproductive and decreasing your overall metabolism. Go with the calories they tell you unless you feel you are overeating and are overfull.
  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
    Unless you included exercise in your activity level, MFP doesn't give you those in the base calculation. If you put that you're highly active, then it is included. If you put that you're sedentary and then you're exercising, you need to eat back those calories otherwise the system won't work right.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    To me,

    In anything you eat, whether is veggies and fruit all day or other foods, all food contains calories and for an overweight person trying to lose weight even by veggies and fruit i still need to burn more than my consumption or nothing will change. I think when you are wanting to maintain your weight then eating the extra calories is bizarre. But for me, in order to lose the weight i need to make sure that i burn more than what i eat, this kicks the body into working the metabolism where at one point it was just there, now its working because of the burning and exercise. This is my thought...

    Comatose people BURN calories - thus they require a feeding tube. Your body requires FUEL to breathe, your nervous system, circulation system, ... ALL bodily functions require calories. Don't give your body enough calories to build new blood cells ..... it will take what it needs from existing muscle.
  • RenRenO
    RenRenO Posts: 8
    Thanks everyone, this is great advice! I didn't understand the "deficit" at first, but now I do. If I put that I'm sedentary - because I do sit at a desk all day - and then just log everytime I do my exercises, then I CAN eat those extra calories... Correct? I DO have a heart rate monitor that counts my calories burnt, which works great, and is very accurate to enter into MFP. If I understand right?

    Thanks
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    You are correct! Sedentary - then add exercise. Eat those extra calories.

    Heart rate monitors are much more accurate - you will not be eating back too much with a HRM.
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