Can you eat what you like if you work out a lot?

[PermerlerErndersern]

If you work out 4 or 5 times a week or more, do you find you can eat or fdrink what you like without gaining weight? I’m not talking takeaways and wine every night, but weekly perhaps. And a lasagne another night, a macaroni cheese another etc..

Sadly not IME

No. Only food in̈luences my weight. But i do eat healthier when i try to stay fitter so it does have an impact in a round aɓout way

I just love comfort food!! I’d love to find the balance of exercise which allows me food freedom! Did a 40min spin class earlier.. now sat with a glass of red and Mac chees

No....for me

I once worked out every day and I mean gym classes like spin, pump, hiit...still ate what i wanted...I got fitter and stronger but my weight didn't change.

I also recently lost two stone and did no exercise...just changed my diet.

No sadly!

Unlikely for most people once perimenopause hits, I would have thought.

I hoped so but no.

Oh for gods sake. This is not what I wanted to hear!

You can't outrun a bad diet, as they say! Maybe in my 20s I could have done, but not in my 40s.

40 next year, my metabolism is definitely slowing down. I used to be able to eat whatever I liked without a thought. I miss that!

I could do that when I used to walk the kids to school, cycle to work, work on my feet for several hours, cycle home, then walk the school run and do the housework. I spent most of the day moving and I could eat what the heck I liked. I would still lose weight despite regular cake and wine.

Now I still have an active job but no active travel. I come home and do 30-60 mins of exercise a day but it doesn’t have the same effect as what I used to do.

Have you tried intermittent fasting? You eat within a certain time period, and then fast for at least twelve hours. Most of that is sleeping time anyway and you either skip breakfast and start eating a bit later in the day, or stop earlier and avoid grazing in the evening.

Once you establish a routine it’s not hard. Fasting causes the body to release a ketone and burn fat,

In terms of calories exercise makes little difference to your daily expenditure, you tend to fidget less and sleep deeper when you exercise.

Obviously it is beneficial, and it I creases your insulin sensitivity which may help.

Can you just have smaller portions?

I fast, usually 21 hours fasting and 3 hours eating. I can eat what I like and no longer have blood sugar issues - I was just on the border of pre diabetic.

I used to be able to, used to cycle loads and do HIT classes and was thin without having to really watch what I ate. This was in my early 30s. I’m 44 now, if I cycle a lot then the pounds drop off but just don’t have the time anymore. I’m talking proper road cycling for miles and miles. Now I look at a large meal and put on 5lbs

Two of my friends are personal trainers and they always say you can’t out train a bad diet.

The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest. So kind of, yes.

But it's protein that grows and feeds muscle, not mac and cheese and wine sadly

No, sorry!
Problem is people see bodybuilders eating loads and thinking 'well if I started working out that much I will need that many calories to fuel me/well I'd be able to eat what I like'
The metabolism you see in bodybuilders where they eat a subway every day and still have abs is from years of consistency on healthy food and hard work and training.

Sadly no. For the last 15 years I have walked 20k+ steps daily. I also run 5 times a week (approx 40-50km) . I put on weight in the blink of an eye, probably because I have PCOS and Lupus. Exercise gives me energy and makes me feel good, but weightdress size is all diet.

No, you need good food to give you the energy and nutrients you need to do the exercise.

If it's comfortfood once in a while it won't hurt but like anything else put rubbish in get rubbish out.

Nope. I used to do weights 4 days per week. A hiit class once a week. Kick boxing 2-3 nights per week. The a long hike at weekends. Still had to watch what I was eating.

Even body builders who are eating loads can’t do that all the time. They eat more in the bulk phase. Where they want to pack on muscle. But they will also gain fat as well. Which is why they then have to reduce calories to lose the fat so you can see the muscle more.

This only works if what you want to eat is… healthy food in sensible portions.

When I’m trying to drop a few kilos, I massively ramp up my activity levels. But that’s just to make the 500 calorie deficit bearable - I can do 1700-1800 a day reasonably easily, 1300 is hell.

When I work out more than 6 times each week, eating food with little nutritional value doesn’t usually appeal. I eat foods like lasagne/mac&cheese regularly but amend and make them where they are high on veg, fibre and protein rather than lots of pasta and cheese. Regular drink is just water, no soft drinks and minimal alcohol

No. Weight loss / maintenance is almost entirely about diet. Exercise helps and is obviously really good for you in other ways, but unless you are doing absolutely heroic amounts it doesn't really control your weight on its own, especially if you're eating shedloads!

Yes, but you need to like foods that are not high in calories.

It takes a lot of exercise to burn of the calories in a mars bar or a sandwich. The coffee and muffin after your exercise session probably puts all the calories back.

Diet is the key.

But at least exercise will keep you fitter and healthier. (Provided you don't have a heart attack)