Opinions wanted! :)

Canderson58054

I joined MFP awhile back, but I am just coming back from some time away from it while I dealt with some real life stuff and couldnt be on the site. Anywho.. a couple months ago I started a different job. I am always on the go, from the time i get there until i leave. So it's pretty much 8 hrs of walking, being on my feet etc. I have a tool that I have been tracking my calories burned at work. Today for example, I burned over 2k calories just by going to work. Do I really need to eat those back? I currently have my calories allowed set to my BMR, and I have a long way to go to get to my goal weight. According to my BMI, I'm still in the "obese" category. I know all about the 'road map" forum and so I know I should eat calories back that i burn through excercise, but my BMR is a lil over 2k, not to mentioned today i burned an additional 2k, eating 4k calories seems insanely high to me. Especially since i work 2pm to 11pm... I definitely don't want to be eating so many calories late at night. Right now my net calories is -500 for the day. I'm debating if I should eat something now or not. I'm a little hungry, so I think I'll have something... but what would you guys do??

FireRox21

Firstly, are you wearing a bodybugg/bodymedia device to monitor your daily burn or are you using a heart rate monitor? A heart rate monitor is not a tool to use all day. It is best used while exercising. You will not get an accurate calorie burn from a HRM solely. A bodymedia device is specifically made for this.

No, you do not want to eat ALL of those calories back. Calculate your BMR and TDEE and compare to your bodymedia device. You will burn calories just by being alive. You don't want to eat those back. Only eat back what you burn from exercise up to the 500 kcal deficit.

Canderson58054

Device I have been using is a fitbit. and when I said I burned 2k calories, that was not including my bmr... so my total reading was over 4k calories, 2k of them being my bmr.

trudijoy

No, you do not want to eat ALL of those calories back. Calculate your BMR and TDEE and compare to your bodymedia device. You will burn calories just by being alive. You don't want to eat those back. Only eat back what you burn from exercise up to the 500 kcal deficit.

This. I would calculate your TDEE as moderate or even high and then just eat to that TDEE - 20%

Canderson58054

To explain a little more... I'm a CNA. So I'm always moving.. lots of walking, bending, lifting etc. From the time i go to work until i leave the only time im still in on my 30 min lunch break lol. Today on my shift... i reached 20k steps. thats just at work...lol. I work at least 5 days a week, the last few weeks its been 6 days.

FireRox21

I agree with trudi. I think in your case, it would be better to make the calculations and go from there and use your device as a secondary/guide to see how much you are burning. Try the TDEE method for a week or two and see what happens. Use your device more as a pedometer (sorry, I'm not too keen on what a Fitbit does).

Canderson58054

But what I'm asking... is when I eat just a little over my BMR... I'm more then satisfied even with being that busy and active... will eating at that be okay for me, since I am still "obese" ?

FireRox21

Hmm. Have you adjusted your activity level on your goals page? I think it even lists nurse as an example. It's mostly trial and error. You will find what works for you.

:flowerforyou:

FireRox21

But what I'm asking... is when I eat just a little over my BMR... I'm more then satisfied even with being that busy and active... will eating at that be okay for me, since I am still "obese" ?

Yes. In fact, you might need to be eating MORE!! This is where TDEE comes in.

FireRox21

BTW, don't worry about the "obese", blah, blah, blah label. I loathe charts, graphs, etc. You do what works for you and ignore the labels.