Eating back exercise calories

slpfootballstar

So I am a male 230 pounds and am suppose to eat 1800 calories on MFP but I work in retail and the step counter says I have done 14,000 steps or 6.72 miles equivalent to 832 calories and I'm only half way through my day do I really have to eat back all these calories that I have burned? I feel like that is way to much

kshama2001

What's your Activity Level set to?

ElizabethOakes2

Your daily work activity should be figured into your activity level. For exercise calories, only count what you specifically do above-and-beyond your daily activity, for example, if you go for a run after work, you would count that. Hope that makes sense?

blakeym

Consider those steps a bonus, and stick to the 1800

IzabellaK

ElizabethOakes2 wrote: »

Your daily work activity should be figured into your activity level. For exercise calories, only count what you specifically do above-and-beyond your daily activity, for example, if you go for a run after work, you would count that. Hope that makes sense?

That is exactly right - its great that you are walking around but that isn't considered "extra" calorie burning. If you go for a run and burn say 400 calories in 60 min you can eat back say 100 calories. Otherwise like Blakeym said - stick to your 1800 calories. Good luck with your journey

malibu927

If it's an activity tracker connected to MFP, then eat them back. If it's a standard pedometer, then you should adjust your activity level. I work retail also, but since I have a Fitbit I set it differently: lightly active plus any calorie adjustment that is sent over.

slpfootballstar

Thank you for the responses I have it set to lightly active is it okay that I leave it at that and continue on my 1800 calories?

slpfootballstar

It is just the iPhone step counter I ended day with 10 miles and burning over 1200 calories according to that just wanted to make sure I was doing everything right

FitOldMomma

malibu927 wrote: »

If it's an activity tracker connected to MFP, then eat them back. If it's a standard pedometer, then you should adjust your activity level. I work retail also, but since I have a Fitbit I set it differently: lightly active plus any calorie adjustment that is sent over.

^^This!

ahoier

The way I look at it is this:

When you created your ACCOUNT you told MFP your activity level, IT has already "adjusted" your calorie goal based ON your "activity level".....so if you go telling MFP you work as a sales man, are on your feet 8 hours a day, and work out 2 hours a day at the gym (I consider this an "Active" lifestyle), MyFitnessPal has already GIVEN you CREDIT for these "work" and "work out" calories......

If you then go to the GYM, work out, and then LOG these work out calories, and then "eat back" said exercise calories.....you will more than likely NOT lose weight.....

Just my personal experience though.....! I DO log my exercises but I very RARELY eat back my exercise calories....for the simple scenario outlined above.....the other side of the coin.....most "calorie burns" are grossly "exeragerated"....whether it be MFP, the gym machines, etc.....they are....cause they want you to "feel good" about the Big Mac you just burned off.....TBH, the best, most accurate "calorie burn" in my experience has been my chest wrap heart rate monitor....

DoneWorking

ahoier wrote: »

The way I look at it is this:

When you created your ACCOUNT you told MFP your activity level, IT has already "adjusted" your calorie goal based ON your "activity level".....so if you go telling MFP you work as a sales man, are on your feet 8 hours a day, and work out 2 hours a day at the gym (I consider this an "Active" lifestyle), MyFitnessPal has already GIVEN you CREDIT for these "work" and "work out" calories......

If you then go to the GYM, work out, and then LOG these workout calories, and then "eat back" said exercise calories.....you will more than likely NOT lose weight.....

^^This^^

I have a Fitbit too, and I find that it and MFP grossly over-count calorie burns. For the EXTRA things you do, consider counting only half of what the apps say.

thunder1982

ahoier wrote: »

The way I look at it is this:

When you created your ACCOUNT you told MFP your activity level, IT has already "adjusted" your calorie goal based ON your "activity level".....so if you go telling MFP you work as a sales man, are on your feet 8 hours a day, and work out 2 hours a day at the gym (I consider this an "Active" lifestyle), MyFitnessPal has already GIVEN you CREDIT for these "work" and "work out" calories......

My understanding is that if were a sales person on my feet and got heaps of steps in yes you would set to active but you would still log the 2 hours in the gym as a separate activity. I played around with how many times a week I work out and it never changed my calorie allowance, it only changed the allowance if I changed it from sedentary (desk job) to lightly active (I have 3 kids so my step count is over 5k per day).