Question about calorie amounts and activity

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Lolalikeslolagets
Lolalikeslolagets Posts: 142 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Sorry if this has been posted before, and it might be a dumb question but I just need some reassurance I guess, that I'm doing this right? When setting your daily calorie amount should I set it at sedentary and then add and eat back (or eat back partially) my exercise calories? or should I just set my level at active, either not add my activity in there or not eat back exercise calories? I like those numbers much better and maybe that's easier to achieve instead of always seeing red if I go over.. I've been tracking on and off for the last two months just to get into the routine of measuring properly, and eating at maintenance (I'm guessing since I haven't lost or gained). It seems true to the tdee calculators out there with what I'm tracking- to just assume active, but then if I miss a workout I'm in trouble no? Basically I have 2100 calories to play with at maintenance, mfp set me at 1600 for 1 pound loss per week. This is with "active" or I set it to sedentary and eat 1350 and add in activity?.... what are you guys doing?

Replies

  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    It really comes down to personal preference. The MFP approach is a NEAT calculator, Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, so that exercise isn't included and it's just based on your activity level without exercise. When you do exercise and those calories are added back in, people usually eat back 50-75% of those to account for overestimation of calorie burns. If your exercise is consistent and you prefer a TDEE approach where exercise is included in your maintenance cals and then you take a deficit from that, like 500 cals to lose 1 lb/week, then you wouldn't eat back any exercise cals.

    It should be similar either way, it's kind of like a top down vs bottom up approach. The important thing is to pick one method and stick with it and not mix the approach.

    Personally I've always used the MFP NEAT method with eating back exercise adjustments but I have a FitBit so I feel like that helps monitor the TDEE (total cals burned ) so that I don't exceed that number.
  • Lolalikeslolagets
    Lolalikeslolagets Posts: 142 Member
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    Thanks @WinoGelato ! Love your handle/name btw
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    emilk2016 wrote: »
    Thanks @WinoGelato ! Love your handle/name btw

    No problem! Thanks!
  • _runnerbean_
    _runnerbean_ Posts: 640 Member
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    I set my activuty to "inactive" then add in my exercise calories. Some days I'm more active than others so I find this encourages me to keep moving every day. I use a Fitbit to track my calories earned from walking and running but you can use the estimates on MFP.
  • Pootler74
    Pootler74 Posts: 223 Member
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    _runnerbean_ wrote: »
    I set my activuty to "inactive" then add in my exercise calories. Some days I'm more active than others so I find this encourages me to keep moving every day.

    This. My inactive calories are just enough to eat healthily but don't leave much room for fun things like whiskey and ice cream. If I want those, then I HAVE to get off my bum and earn them. Doing it this way is a great encouragement to keep active!

  • Lolalikeslolagets
    Lolalikeslolagets Posts: 142 Member
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    Going to try the tdee method first I think for cutting- when I had it set before to sedentary and I went over, even if it's like 50 cal, that negative red number really gets me down. I guess technically if you're under tdee, even if it's 100 cal you're loosing right? Too bad mfp doesn't have a weekly set number option! Maybe if enough of us ask for it they will add that..
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    why let a red number get you down? (plus with the random rounding that MFP does - its easy to have a calorie count that doesn't add up to what your macros are).

    personally, I aim for +/-10g of protein/carbs and +/-5g of fat from what my MFP says
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    You can view your weekly numbers under the nutrition tab. lots of us use a weekly average (me included).
  • Lolalikeslolagets
    Lolalikeslolagets Posts: 142 Member
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    @deannalfisher I know - it's silly!! Every time i would see that I'd be, like, aw *sh.. - don't like failure I guess
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    don't see it as failure though - you are making conscientious choices to improve your health - just because you go over a calorie count for a day doesn't mean that you are a failure
  • Lolalikeslolagets
    Lolalikeslolagets Posts: 142 Member
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    VintageFeline wrote: »
    You can view your weekly numbers under the nutrition tab. lots of us use a weekly average (me included).

    Yes I know, it would be nice to set that number instead... can't complain, the app is free- just would be nice
  • Lolalikeslolagets
    Lolalikeslolagets Posts: 142 Member
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    deannalfisher wrote: »
    don't see it as failure though - you are making conscientious choices to improve your health - just because you go over a calorie count for a day doesn't mean that you are a failure

  • Lolalikeslolagets
    Lolalikeslolagets Posts: 142 Member
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    ^^ guess you can't use emojis here...

    Thanks @deannalfisher !
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
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    emilk2016 wrote: »
    ^^ guess you can't use emojis here...

    Thanks @deannalfisher !

    You can, but you need to include something as well :)

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