Do you stay on plan on the days you workout?

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  • I have been allowing myself more calories on the days that I work out. Even more when I take a class and strength train. I've lost 6 pounds in 2 weeks and a total of 25 since Jan 6. We even allow ourselves one meal a week that we don't count calories so we don't feel too deprived. I'm still losing so I guess it's ok. I was just wondering if anyone did something similar?
  • I used to go off plan on good exercise days, but for me it was self-defeating because I am a binge eater. there is no way for me to trust that I would be eating because of the exercise, or if it's just an excuse to overeat. PLUS....I don't stop myself. so I schedule my meals ...6 small meals per day....and stick to that no matter what.
  • not really... the exercise is what helps creat a defecit so i'll lose. if i just eat all those calories it kind of defeats the purpose. if i was going to even out anyway i would rather just eat less calories and not bust my butt working out
  • I don't weight train or anything (walking and yoga) so I just consider it an extra deficit and keep my calories at the same amount.
  • When I was heavier I could get away with that, but it doesn't work that way anymore. At least not for me.
  • I work out almost every day. --Running/30 Day Shred. I calorie cycle but average 1500. If it's working for you and you are happy I would just keep doing what you are doing. Everyone must find their own way but coming to 3FC keeps me abreast the most recent trends and is great for support too.
  • I eat about 1600-1800 cals on workout days, 1300-1500 on non-work out days. It evens itself out. I also have one free meal a week. Just a meal so I can go out with friends or my fiance.
  • I weight train 3x per week and do cardio 7x per week. I keep my calories relatively the same regardless of the daily exercise. I typically stay around 1600-1800. I rarely indulge in a 'no count' meal.

    Everyone's body is different and everyone has a different mental game with food. Find what works for you and go for it. Keep up the great work.

  • "A different mental game with food" - I like that.
  • No.... I stay on plan
  • I can't play games with food. food wins.

    damn food.
  • Quote:
    Do you stay on plan on the days you workout?
    Heck yeah! I mean isn't that one of the main purposes of exercise?????? To create MORE of a calorie deficit, thus making losing weight a tad easier. We're trying to create a calorie deficit, so that we can use up our stored fat as energy. We do this by lowering our calories and by burning more calories through increased physical activity (exercise).

    Of course we all have to find what works best for ourselves, but I would caution you about continuing in this manner. I don't know for how long you will be able to "get away" with this method. For many different reasons. But I think we all evolve and change as our weight loss journey goes on. We see certain things that once worked, no longer do - we move them on out and discover new things to replace them with. Gotta always keep our eyes open.

    Congrats on your weight loss thus far!!!
  • See, I am looking at this as a lifestyle change more than a diet. Yes, I do want to lose weight, but I can't go to the extremes that some of you have. If I feel too restricted, I want to rebel. So I am easing myself down in caloric intake and working my butt off at the gym. I realize that what works now may not always work.

    I should have mentioned that I am still breastfeeding my 1 year old up to 12 times a day some days. After discussing it with my husband, we decided we don't want to force her to wean so I have to make sure I don't dip too low.

    I am allowing myself 1800 on a regular day and i'll go up to 2000-2100 on days that I work out. I really enjoy working out now. I sleep so much better and I have much more energy to get through the day. So, I would rather have more calories instead of taking the day off KWIM. I would work out 7 days a week if they had a child watch schedule I could work around.
  • Quote:
    but I can't go to the extremes that some of you have. So I am easing myself down in caloric intake and working my butt off at the gym.
    You see, we really are all different! To me, working my butt off at the gym in the beginning of my journey seemed EXTREME to me and I would not do it. I don't think of what I do as extreme. So of course, we all have different ideas of what "extreme" is. And that's okay.

    Quote:
    I am allowing myself 1800 on a regular day and i'll go up to 2000-2100 on days that I work out. I really enjoy working out now. I sleep so much better and I have much more energy to get through the day.
    And you know what, I don't really think of this as "going off plan", as you asked in the title of your thread. I think it's actually PART of your plan and quite reasonable. And it's working for YOU, which is what counts most.

    Quote:
    I realize that what works now may not always work.
    This is vital too. Very important to recognize and keep open to the fact that things will need to be tweaked from time to time.
  • I try to create an average calorie deficit of 1,000 per day, and I do some calorie-cycling with higher and lower calorie days. The calories I burn working out are a factor in how many calories I eat to create that average deficit.

    I do try to eat more/have my higher-calorie days on those days I workout more. I make sure to have a pre-workout snack with some carbs for energy, and I have a protein/recovery shake after lifting weights.