Losing weight - do you eat the calories you exercise off?

[pinecone]

I'm trying to drop a few pounds, and I was wondering if I could still do this if when I exercised I consumed more calories? I know if I didn't I'd lose weight alot faster, but I get so hungry after exercise! So say today I did a two hour long cycle which would be approximately 800-1000 calories, could I eat 2000 calories today and still have the same weight loss as if I didn't exercise at all but only ate 1200 calories? I'd much prefer to do more and eat more than just eat less!

[Esteller]

well i know that it depends on your weight and age how much calories you need to take or less to take to either lose weight or gain. if your trying to lose weight yea you can exercise and if you get hungry it something with less calories but will fill you up you know so you wont feel hungry. the less calories you intake then your normal calorie intake is how you will still lose weight.

[Cognitive_Canine]

If you're burning 200 calories but eating 200 calories more each day...your weight lose would be slim to none (a little higher due to raised metabolism).

 

I'd say about 80% of weight loss is pure diet.

 

Also, exercising for 2 hours everyday is not realistic at all. Can you stick with that for months with slow weight loss results?

[BellaDonna]

You might also want to check out this thread

 

I know I learned some new info from reading it. It explained why I have actually gained a little bit of weight after joining a gym- which is so annoying- (before joining I had lost 30lbs on diet alone)

 

Diet is definitely your best defense against unwanted pounds. Use exercise as a means to be healthy and tone your body but to drop pounds you will need to create a calorie deficit in your diet.

[savignon]

I imagine to lose you'd have to eat better and more filling foods to get "more bang for your buck" (=whatever the calorie/day goal is) AND exercise to lose weight and keep it off. Remember that 3,000 calories is a pound so if you eat 100 less calories a day and then burn 200 a day, you'll lose a pound in 10 days.

[15 Storeys High]

^ a pound of fat is 3500 calories.

[pinecone]

That TIME article is really interesting and so true, I am starving after exercise, and I probably would lose weight alot faster if I stopped and did a strict 1200 calorie diet. But I really enjoy exercise and I love being fit. I'm also prone to low mood, and I have suffered from depression, so in the way I live I'm really mindful of that and try live in a way that keeps me off anti-depressants.

 

So say I did a glut of exercise and burnt off like 1000 calories, which I do regaularly with cycling, jogging and marital arts, surely I could eat like 1600 total for the day but still have a calorie deficit enough to lose weight? The question I'm asking is, is a calorie burnt off by exercise in weight loss terms the same as a calorie not eaten in a diet? I only want to lose about 7lbs for sheer vanity, I'm already a healthy weight and I eat a healthy diet - Dieting leaves me feeling deprived, so what I'd much rather do is eat a little less (ie 1400-1600 calories a day) and do 500-1000 calories of exercise a day for a few months, or diet one day and exercise and eat normally the next. I cycle everywhere and I love to jog and do marital arts, so for me just over summer this is realistic and do-able.

[sidehop]

Well if you're hungry right after an exercise you want to replenish your glycogen storage right away by eating (preferably liquid meal like protein shake with carbs like Gatorade or any dextrose) so the body stops being in the catabolic state and reduce the chance of losing more muscles.

 

Calorie cutting is just cutting, the calories burnt off by an exercise happens not only during any activity but also during recovery.

 

I would find out your BMR and your daily caloric needs depending on the level. Once you find that number, cut back by 500 calories (1 lb of fat loss a week) or up to 1,000 calories a day. I wouldn't exceed that number or your body will start to slow the metabolism and do more harm than good.

 

link removed

 

The caloric needs will vary on a daily basis depending on your activity level. Sometimes you'll be okay eating 2,000 calories while some days you may feel more hungry which I would of course make sure you're drinking enough water and add in 100~150 calories per meal to see if you're keeping your hunger at bay.

[isaacjames]

To loss weight I prefer exercise as yoga and diet food to maintain my physics regularly. Another important thing is that to control on the brain on diet. Remember, losing weight is as simple as burning more calories than you eat.

[pinecone]

the main reason i'm asking is that link removed add calories from exercise to the number you can eat.

[timlondon]

I always eat something a short while before exercise as it stops me feeling rubbish afterwards. Anyway I reckon you'll feel and look a lot better doing 800cals exercise and eating 2000 compared to eating 1200cal and doing no exercise.

 

Reminds me, I need to get out for a run!