Allowance for the day offset by cals burnt.

Options
So I've started the diet and I'm also wearing a pedometer to know how far I walk (or more to the point, don't walk).

I wondering what the deal is in relation to using the calories burnt to add to my calorie intake for the day? My view is that if I've 'burnt' them, then they are burnt no matter if they are from walking or running or whatever! Or am I in danger of over eating again if I add my burnt calories to my allowance for the day?

Am I making sense?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Replies

  • mcibty
    mcibty Posts: 1,252 Member
    edited January 2015
    Options
    Log your food.

    Log your exercise.

    Eat enough to hit the calorie goal INCLUDING calories burned.

    MFP works it out for you.

    Done!
  • Jams009
    Jams009 Posts: 345 Member
    Options
    The most important concept you need to understand is your NET calorie intake, which is calories eaten - total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). Your TDEE is how many calories you burn in total, from just being alive and from exercise.

    If your net calorie intake is a minus figure (you have burnt off more than you have eaten) you will lose weight, if your net calorie intake is a positive figure (you have eaten more than you have burnt off) you will gain weight.

    You can use the mfp calculators to do most of the maths for you, or you could use an online calculator to work out your approximate TDEE, including regular exercise (which would avoid the need for doing any maths / logging exercise) and from there work out how many calories you should eat. I'd aim for 300cal below TDEE if I wanted to lose weight or 300 above if I wanted to gain.

    All calculators are only estimates, so watch the scale and adjust your calories based on what is actually happening.