Should you eat the extra calories burned through exercise?

[Muffinhen]

I am monitoring my calorie and exercise data and when I exercise it increases my calorie allowance. Do I then need to eat the extra calories or not? It is confusing me!

[fitterinfo]

Follow your body do not think that you must up your calorie intake simply because you have done some exercise.

If the exercise is intense it may be a day or too when muscle repair and regrowth takes place before the full weight loss is seen.

Some people see a little extra water being retained in this regrowth phase.

[fitterinfo]

3 extra things I have thought of:

if you are already losing the max recommended then tread carefully

extra proportion of protein might be helpful for muscle repair.

"controversially" from a sports nutrition point of view carbs after you have exhausted your glycogen stores will restock your glycogen stores BEFORE being able to be stored as fat.

[Hidden]

HI Muffinhen

I'd be very careful about it, as it is only too easy to "replace" more calories than you actually burnt. Also, notwithstaning all the adverts for energy drinks, unless you are really hammering the exercise, you're best hydration drink is very probably water.

Exercise clearly helps to burn calories, but it also helps to 're-set' some of the hormones that changed as you became overweight.

You'll normally burn glycogen and fat, in just what percentage depends on a number of things including the intensity of exercise. Once your glycogen (stored carbohydrate) is used up, your body will use protein as not all of your organs can use fat for energy. That's why people like marathon runners eat long-lasting carbohydrates and top-up with carbohydrate drinks, to keep replenishing their glycogen store.

But then, I wouldn't call marathon running "light" exercise!