question re calorie counting and excercise

[Carina1962]

I am on a calorie controlled diet of 1400 calories a day at the moment and my question is - if i consume, say 1200 and then use up 200 calories in excercise this would mean i would stand at 1000 calories so would you eat a further 400 calories to take you up to the daily allowance or just not bother? would you just lose weight quicker by not 'replacing' the calories or does it not work like that?

 

[aymes]

I don't know what the 'official' advice would be but when I was on a structured diet scheme their rule was that you should consume at least half your exercise calories back on top of your usual allowance. As I say, don't know if that's medically/scientifically sound or not but it seemed to make some sense to me and seemed to work for me.....

 

[cazscot]

Hi Carina, I am with weightwatchers and there is no clear recommendation from them... I tend to eat approx half my exercise calories but some weeks I eat none or eat them all (if for example I know I have a night out)! Some people do find not eating any exercise calories does help them loose weight quicker. I am afraid it is all trial and error. I usually need to eat some of them to have a good weight loss. I think it is something to do with you need to feed the body if you are doing extra exercise as the body might start going into "conservation mode" if it thinks it is not getting enough fuel (but that is only my opinion).

I am not the quickest at loosing weight (1lb week average) and for the last 5 weeks I have been loosing and gaining the same weight! But I now weigh 5 stones less than I did when I started in May 2009 and I am now the lightest I have been in 15 years! Beleive me I know how hard and frustrating it can be (especially the weeks you know you have been good and either sts or even put on a lb) but stick with it. Good luck xxx