Calorie deficit and exercise

gsdz4me

Now I do understand how this works in principal. My query is this. I work at a desk in an office but each day (7.30am - 4.00pm with an hours travel by car), I do a 10 min before I start work when I arrive at my office, again at morning smoko and afternoon smoko as well as managing a 30-35 min walk during my lunch break giving me 60-65 mins of walks during work hours). I have set my activity to lighty active rather than sedentary. I also try to get another half hour walk when I get home. I log all my times walking but I am not sure whether most of the walking is already incorporated by saying I am lightly active so I do not eat most of the exercise calories back. So my question is do I eat most of my exercise calories back or not log them at all or log some and eat those back? I am only not sure because of how I have set MFP up for me. I stick close to my calorie goal up till adding in exercise. I am losing weight and feel great.

Pearsquared

Since you work a pretty sedentary job, you probably don't have to eat back your exercise calories, as you're using your walking time as the qualifier for "lightly active", which already ads them into your calorie count. I actually have a very similar activity level to you, but I have mine set at sedentary, and therefore must log and eat back my exercise. I suppose it's personal preference as long as you keep up the exercise.

Plus, hey, you're having success, so it doesn't really matter what the settings are in the long run! (:

debrag12

Can't help.sorry, justt wanted to ask is 'smoko' an American term? I know what it would mean just never heard it before.

Mummyadams

Can't help.sorry, justt wanted to ask is 'smoko' an American term? I know what it would mean just never heard it before.

Smoko is a term we use in New Zealand/Australia for our morning & afternoon tea breaks.

cwolfman13

Now I do understand how this works in principal. My query is this. I work at a desk in an office but each day (7.30am - 4.00pm with an hours travel by car), I do a 10 min before I start work when I arrive at my office, again at morning smoko and afternoon smoko as well as managing a 30-35 min walk during my lunch break giving me 60-65 mins of walks during work hours). I have set my activity to lighty active rather than sedentary. I also try to get another half hour walk when I get home. I log all my times walking but I am not sure whether most of the walking is already incorporated by saying I am lightly active so I do not eat most of the exercise calories back. So my question is do I eat most of my exercise calories back or not log them at all or log some and eat those back? I am only not sure because of how I have set MFP up for me. I stick close to my calorie goal up till adding in exercise. I am losing weight and feel great.

Let me try to break this down...

MFP is a NEAT method calculator (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). When you set your activity level, you'r supposed to include only what you do day to day as part of your work or whatever. You do not include exercise in your activity level setting with a NEAT method calculator. Done properly, this makes exercise an "extra" activity for which you log and MFP ups your calorie goal based on that extra activity...and you eat back those exercise calories to net to your goal.

If you include your exercise in you activity level (yes, even walking) then you are using the TDEE method. I myself use the TDEE method so I don't have to worry about eating back exercise calories...they're already built into my goal. I recommend using a TDEE method calculator though because if you make yourself light active on MFP based on some light exercise you're still going to get a lower calorie goal because MFP isn't a dedicated TDEE calculator. If you do it correctly, it comes out 6 of 1. I'll give you an example of myself.

MFP (NEAT method):
Calorie goal: 1,850 (to lose 1 Lb per week
Avg exercise calories: 300
1,850 + 300 = 2,150 gross calories per day

TDEE method:
TDEE = 2,650
TDEE - 20% (to lose 1 Lb per week roughly) = 2,120 gross calories

As you can see, the difference between the two methods is 30 gross calories..nothing I'm concerned with.

Marchandite

I work out most days with 40 minutes cardio on different ellipticals or bike. I choose to not eat my excercise calories - at least I try. Last week i went to a casino buffet and i ate my work out calories.

I may be wrong but i think it defeats the purpose. However, there seem to be a science ( calculations) to it, so who am i to say otherwise. I also try to work on the guidelines wohtout being too obsessive.

gsdz4me

Ok so I entered my details in to the Fitness Frog Tdee calculator and put my exercise as moderate (exercising 3 - 5 days a week) and it has given me a Tdee calculation of 2213 - 20% is 1770.4. With MFP I have a calorie goal of 1250 and if I log the exercise (which is the same most days) and is 337, I end up with 1587. I have just relied on MFP giving me the figures so I do I now custom enter the FF Tdee info and if I do that, then I no longer log exercise?

gsdz4me

A bump up for anymore ideas/advice.