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Should I work out extra to burn off a big meal?
Answered by Nikkiey Stott and her guests · Updated
The short answer
No. On Ep. 112 of The WarriorBabe Show, the guest says trying to burn off a big meal doesn't work. She was 20 pounds heavier back when she was canceling out calories on the elliptical. Instead, get back to normal, add protein or a salad, and treat exercise as something you get to do.
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Why working out to undo calories is the wrong mindset, and what to do instead
Plays from 18:35 · Ep. 112: How to Stop Yo-Yo Dieting: Macros, Bulking and Mindset
The guest on being 20 pounds heavier while canceling out calories on the elliptical
Plays from 20:49 · Ep. 112: How to Stop Yo-Yo Dieting: Macros, Bulking and Mindset
How constant food and gym obsession kept her stressed and stuck
Plays from 19:08 · Ep. 112: How to Stop Yo-Yo Dieting: Macros, Bulking and Mindset
Nikkiey's fix after a treat: add protein, add a salad, and keep going
Plays from 20:01 · Ep. 112: How to Stop Yo-Yo Dieting: Macros, Bulking and Mindset
The full answer
The guest on Ep. 112 describes the old pattern well: Mexican food the night before, then thinking she had to burn it all off the next day. She says it doesn't work, because you can't cancel out food that way. When she lived like that, she was 20 pounds heavier than she is now. If you're working out to undo calories, she says that's worth looking at honestly.
She also explains why it backfired for her. She was checking restaurant menus on the way to make sure there was a salad she'd eat, and only booking hotels with a 24-hour gym so she could fit in workouts on vacation. She says living in that constant obsession and stress kept her cortisol high, which she describes as a hormone that makes you hold on to fat. What helped was calming down, honoring her hunger cues and letting her body trust her again.
Nikkiey and her guest agree on what to do after a big meal or a few cookies:
- Remember it's not over. One cookie isn't going to be that impactful unless you make it impactful by 10Xing it.
- Nikkiey's go-to advice is to have some more protein for the rest of the day.
- Think about what you can add, like a salad, instead of what you have to take away.
- Take treats off the pedestal. When anything is allowed, the guest says, you stop wanting to eat all the cookies.
The bigger point is how you think about exercise. The guest went from "I have to get a workout in" to "I get to go for a walk," and says she maintains her weight that way. If you've been punishing yourself at the gym and staying stuck, the problem isn't your willpower. It's the plan.
From Nikkiey Stott and WarriorBabe's coaching. For education, not medical advice: talk to your doctor about your own health.
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29 minHow to Stop Yo-Yo Dieting: Macros, Bulking and Mindset
Episode 112 · Dec 15, 2023