I recently switched from WW to calorie counting. I find calorie counting to much simpler! When I was on WW, I always logged my exercise but I never used my extra points for the week or swapped exercise points. I started using the LoseIt! app and I'm really liking it but when I track my exercise it automatically adds the calories back. I'm not sure whether to log the exercise or not. My calorie amount is about 1300. Should I be eating more than that on days that I exercise or should I just not log the exercise and eat the 1300 cals? Thanks for any advice!
I am the furthest thing from an expert you'll find. LOL But I do not add in for exercise. I figure when I am maintaining then I will take that into consideration, not while I am losing.
I did tell myself if I was having issues with stamina, endurance, feeling dizzy, just feeling like I need more fuel, etc... then I would change my tune on this But so far so good and I haven't had any issues and getting stronger each week.
It depends on the exercise, namely the intensity and duration.
My nutritionist has me using Bloks (or the like) for exercise sessions over an hour. I refuel with 3 bloks at 60 mins and then at every 30 after that. For longer sessions, carbing up before hand and recovery food are equally important. I only use intermittent fuel and pre fuel if I'm doing a long bike ride. I try to do recovery as much as possible; usually I eat Bonk Breaker bars (you can find then online) either regular or the high protein for longer more intense workout periods. Does that help at all?
Last edited by fyreflie24; 04-30-2012 at 02:00 PM.
I use Myfitnesspal, which adds in your exercise cals for you. Even though they are there, I don't always eat them. I just look at it as cals if I need them - if I am particularly hungry that day or something - but not as "you must eat these"!
I never log my exercise calories. If I did, and I saw it add them back, I would so eat them.... Like a previous poster said, when I'm in maintenance I will probably add them, but not now.
Another reason why I don't is because I feel like there is never a way to tell exactly how much you've burned, so I like to err on the side of caution and not count it at all.
I use Lose It also, and it is linked with my Fitbit exercise tracker. The Fitbit tells LoseIt how much I movd around that day, and adds in "Fitbit adjustment" calories. I try to ignore them for the most part, but like debigulating said, there are days when I am really hungry and eat over my budget. On those days I move a lot more to make sure I still have a deficit due to the Fitbit adjustment for extra exercise. I do not rely on the accuracy of exercise calorie calculations, and that is why I try very hard to leave all those exercise calories uneaten at the end of the day.
I often look at net calories and make my decision that way. If my net will be under 1200 (for you, if you burn more than 100 calories a day) I would add them back, but maybe add it in the form of lean protein to support muscle growth. But you could add in enough to get you just to 1200 net.
But I do think as an earlier poster said it's about intensity and duration. I'm training for a century bike ride, so I log 12-15 hours of cycling a week right now. I couldn't do it if I didn't add some back. But going for a walk? I wouldn't worry about that level, just consider it a bonus.
I'm with the others. Currently I'm only walking a few miles daily and running about 3 miles 3x per week. I'm not adding extra calories for exercise. If I work my way back up to running several hours per week, I'm going to need to add some extra calories, probably as a recovery snack.
Unless you're trying to maintain your weight, I don't think you need to add back 100% of the calories burned anyway. Isn't part of the point of exercise to help create the calorie deficit that you need to lose weight?
Ditto here :-). I don't add the extra calories for exercise. But then, I'm not doing the type of exercise that really burns calories, as I usually take a moderately paced walk for about 45 minutes 5-6 days a week.
I really don't consider the kind of exercise I do as for weight loss. I'm doing it mainly to relieve stress (as when I walk regularly, it helps me with that and I have a LOT of stress right now!) and overall health and also because I know it strengthens bones and I have a family history of osteo so I want to start now with exercising regularly so that I don't get into trouble later on.
I eat 1200-1500 cals/day and exercise 6 days/wk, and I've never added back in exercise calories. I probably could have when my weight was higher, but at this point if I added back in exercise calories I wouldn't lose and it's possible I'd even gain. I estimate my maintenance calories right now are about 1700/day, and that's including my exercise (running ~15 miles/wk + strength training 2x/wk).
I'd say it depends on how you feel. If you're comfortable with your hunger levels, don't feel deprived, and have enough energy with your current intake and exercise, don't add back in any exercise calories. If any of those things aren't true, add a small amount back in.
Maybe try Sparkpeople. It gives you a range of calories (mine is 1300-1700 per day) and gives you a goal for calories to burn each week (mine is 3000.) This is based on the information I put in about my current weight and goal weight and time frame. When I exercise, it shows the calories I burn, but it doesn't adjust my calorie intake limit. It keeps those things separate.
The only time I add in extra calories for exercise is if I'm hiking all day and burning 1000's of calories in one day. Even then I can't/don't eat them all back. I eat probably 500-1000 extra that day, and I tend to eat in the higher range for the next few days. But that is only a few times a year.
Adding calories for exercise
