Trust

elizabeppes

Hi I have been logging all my meals and exercise for 4 weeks now. I went over my TEE most days between Christmas and New Years. Now that the holidays are over I'm within my TEE to lose 1.5 lbs per week. Can I trust that my runs and gym workouts really burn the amount of calories? And can I trust that the calories noted for example a homemade 5oz cheeseburger count the bun & condiments? Or a Panera Bread Salad? I really want to see results.

Chef_Barbell

A lot of the entries in the database are not accurate. Best bet is to go to the restaurant's website and get the info or the package. As far as homemade foods, a food scale would be the most accurate.

leanjogreen18

The TDEE is also just an estimate although it is pretty close for most folks.

You really have to just stay under for a month and then reevaluate it based on your results.

Having said that if you are using mfp's calculations it is designed using NON exercise activity and you will need to eat back your exercise calories although most say its an over estimate and you should eat between 50-75% back.

If you used an outside calculator to get your TDEE (includes purposeful exercise) then don't eat back exercise calories.

elizabeppes

So breaking even after exercise might not be as accurate in reaching my goals? Thank you!

Spliner1969

The simple answer is it depends. It depends on how accurate your app/device is, whether or not it's based on heart rate or not, and many other factors. You'll need to dial it in for yourself. That's why most people start by only eating back 50% of their exercise calories. If you do that for say, 4-6 weeks and you find you're losing weight faster than expected, then eat 10-20% more of them back and see where that gets you in a few weeks. If you find that you're not losing weight or losing weight slower than you expected, and you're certain your logging is accurate (you're weighing solids as well) then I'd say eat back less than 50%. Typically, for me anyway, I find that using a HRM paired with an app I trust on my phone, I can be assured that about 85-90% of the calories burned are accurate for me. But, it took me a while to determine that, likely a period of two to three months.

leanjogreen18

elizabeppes wrote: »

So breaking even after exercise might not be as accurate in reaching my goals? Thank you!

It depends on which method of calculating your deficit you used.

Also most people including experts are unable to accurately guess calorie count in food portions, eyeballing can be off hundreds of calories a day.

Get a food scale and make sure your logging correctly especially if your deficit is small.

lemurcat12

You've gotten good answers. One thought:

elizabeppes wrote: »

And can I trust that the calories noted for example a homemade 5oz cheeseburger count the bun & condiments?

No, and there are too many variables, it's not a good idea to ever use someone else's homemade entry unless you've decided you don't need to be particularly accurate (works for some to just pay attention to what they eat).

Log your bun, your cheese, your burger (burger meat varies a LOT depending on fat content), your condiments (huge difference between just adding mustard and onion, as I like, vs. mayo and, I dunno, avocado).

It becomes easy as you do it and once you've used a food it's easier as it's often in your recent or frequent folders.

elizabeppes

Great points! Thanks! I think I've been underestimating my calories by relying on existing entries.