Do you subtract the calories from exercise from the 800 calories/day your allowed? If I eat 800 calories, burn 400 during exercise, can I eat 400 MORE calories or just the 800 for the day? 400 net calories a day seems really low.

Hi Paul
From past discussions on this, most people don’t.
I don’t on a regular basis, but equaly I don’t fuss too much about eating a bit more if I’ve done something a lot more strenuous, but I certainly don’t aim for a net calorie target.
It’s really about your judgement of what you need – the more that you can achieve a deficit in net calories, the faster you will lose weight.

Hi Paul,

Don’t worry about the 400 net as the calories aren’t equivalent. We are putting in 800 calories packed with nutrients, protein, vitamins etc. but burning up sugars. So 800 in and 400 exercised out it is very different to only 400 nutrient calories in.

Hi Paul

Some great advice here. When you start to burn fat (rather than the easy refined carbs) for energy, you should find that you don’t need more calories for your exercise.

But you should trust your body. If you really exert yourself and feel woozy afterwards, then have some more food (good BSD stuff, I recommend full fat cheese as a pick-me-up).

But you don’t need to eat the calories you’re exercising as others have said.

I’ve just read the book with real interest and plan to start the 8 week diet shortly, however my main concern is that I already do around 4-5 hours of intense exercise a week (probably burning around 3000 calories – cycling/running/kayaking) and am worried that I will pass out going to such low calories! From what I’ve read above I take it need to be sensible and top up with calories after exercise? What about during exercise? Or will my body have reserves it can use? Thanks.

Orange 71 – you need to listen to your own body about its needs. Lots here were starting (I think) on low exercise and able to increase it on 800 cal a day. But if you need high levels of calories for very energetic lifestyle then you may find it better to adjust. In the book it says 800 was a good figure for rapid weight loss whilst still giving the nutrient rich calories. Not giving the easy sugar/carbs means the body adjusts to using the stored carbs/fat. But if you need to work to 1000 cal on exercise days then go for it, as long as input less than output you will be losing.

yesterday I took the dog on an 8 mile walk – and then hit the nuts later in the evening, upping my calories for the day. Would have preferred not to (as showed on scales this morning) but my onward and downward journey will continue, and if my body needed it then…

Also depends on what you are going to add for the extra calories. It would need to be nutrient rich low carb, like yoghurt or cheese, a few nuts etc.

Orange71
Great advice going on here. From my experience I have tried to stick to the 800 calories limit….especially when I started the diet 6 months ago. Have eased the calorie count a bit over the last month but didn’t go over 1200….my weight has stabilized at that.

I regularly exercise more than 6 hours per week. For example… Spin(Indoor cycling)/ Body combat/Body pump/Zumba/tennis and others.
I have played tennis 3 times in a day…morning, afternoon and evening ……without feeling ill effects.
Think if I can manage spin or squash on low calories… as they are pretty intense activities…..my body is coping fine.
Hard to judge how this has aided weight loss but it has definitely toned my body and I have increased my fitness and endurance levels.
Haven’t topped up calories at all before, during or after my exercises.

In case you think I am some sort of gym bunny I was 13 stone with a BMI of 33.