Now that you’re at your maintenance calories, feeling good, and ready to support your workouts, let’s build your next habit— this is where we start using exercise and fueling more intentionally. 💪
Exercise + MyFitnessPal Module (Fueling Your Activity)
Step 1: Keep Your Maintenance Calories as Your Base
• Your maintenance calories are your foundation — don’t change this number
• Think of the calories you get from exercising as additional fuel needs, not something that replaces your base intake. Meaning you do need to consume additional calories after you burn addtional calories.
Step 2: Start Tracking Exercise in MyFitnessPal
• Begin logging your workouts in MyFitnessPal
• Allow the app to estimate calories burned
• You don’t need to be perfect — consistency matters more than precision
Step 3: Fuel a Portion of Your Exercise Calories
• Start by eating back about 30–50% of the calories MyFitnessPal says you burned
• This helps support recovery and energy without overshooting
Step 4: Prioritize Carbs Around Workouts
• Add carbohydrates before and/or after workouts for energy and recovery
• Keep protein consistent to support muscle repair
• Don’t fear increasing food — your body is using it
Step 5: Monitor Biofeedback
• Are you energized during workouts?
• Are you recovering well (not overly sore or fatigued)?
• Are you feeling satisfied, not depleted?
Step 6: Adjust as Needed
• If you feel drained or constantly hungry → increase how much of your exercise calories you eat back
• If weight is climbing quickly → slightly reduce the percentage you’re eating back
Step 7: Keep It Sustainable
• You don’t need to track exercise forever — this is a tool
• The goal is learning how to fuel your body appropriately for your activity level
This phase is about performance, energy, and strength — not restriction. You’re learning how to match your intake to your output, which is a huge step forward. Let’s see how your body responds and adjust from there! 😊