How many calories am I burning

katandwaves

I know we can't trust mfp's database of calories burned through exercise. So how do you guess? I have a heart rate monitor but I've been told those aren't very precise either. So far, I've been taking the mfp number of calories burned and dividing it in half. I may be underestimating calories burned...

3dogsrunning

I lost just fine using MFP estimates. Some entries are better than others. This blog explains it well.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak?month=201201

In the end, nothing outside of a lab is exact but you don't need to be exact. Consistency is what matters. Pick a method, monitor it for 4-6 weeks and readjust if necessary.

If you are truly under estimating, your weight loss will be faster and you adjust you estimates upward and vice versa. Or if your performance is suffering, adjust.

Ready2Rock206

I follow the TDEE method so I don't have to worry about inaccurate exercise calories.

ashliedelgado

Either way, I only ever ate back at most 75% of calories burned, and even then it was only if I was still hungry after my deficit. Personally, I feel like the HRM gives me a better idea than MFP, but that could just be me telling myself it was worth the price.

capaul42

I let fitbit do my adjustment for me. I have an HR model and find mine pretty damn accurate, despite what everyone says. When I don't eat back at least 75% of my fitbit adjustment, I lose more quickly than I want.

lthames0810

I use my fitbit adjustment now, too. Before I got one, I used a heart rate monitor, but rather than using the total calorie burn, I used ShapeSense.com to calculate an estimate based on my average heart rate.