I don't understand cal count logic
paperbeagle
Posts: 15 Member
Ok so I am on a 1200-1500cal plan with a dietician. I just don't get how I can lose weight with the way mfp does cal counts. I did a big hike yesterday in very rough terrain. It comes up as 1400+ cals burned. Great right? No... because for every cal burned mfp adds those onto your daily intake. That's insane. If you go with that logic you can sit motionless each day and lose weight... which is onviously false except for loss of muscle mass. I get that the body needs a base amt of cal just to function but it just doesn't make sense to me as it is. Lil help appreciated.
Oh... i should say that I have had thyroid issues over the years and even at 1200cal i don't lose weight. My body will lower my metabolism instead of burning fat. So if i am upping my intake of cals I'll never lose anything.
Anyone got clarity on the cal add up?
Oh... i should say that I have had thyroid issues over the years and even at 1200cal i don't lose weight. My body will lower my metabolism instead of burning fat. So if i am upping my intake of cals I'll never lose anything.
Anyone got clarity on the cal add up?
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Replies
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Did the 1,400 come from the MFP database? Sometimes those are over-estimates. But let's say you truly did burn 1,400 calories from hiking. Yes, you could add that to your MFP calorie goal and lose weight.
You could sit motionless each day and lose weight if you were eating a deficit. Would some of that be muscle? Well, yeah. But that doesn't mean the logic of calorie counting is wrong. It just means that people at a deficit really should include activity that helps them preserve muscle.
MFP's calorie goal already assumes a deficit for you. If you increase the size of that deficit, it's okay to eat them back. In fact, if you're very active, it's a bad idea not to eat at least some of them. If your deficit is too large, it's not good for you (and will result in muscle loss too).14 -
It's not false to say you can lose fat without exercise. MFP takes what you burn daily, based on what you tell it, and subtracts the amount you tell it to. That leads to weight loss. If you exercise that hard and don't eat back any exercise calories, you will feel terrible. You're more likely to lose muscle than the person sitting on their butt.
MFP adds calories to keep your deficit at the target - 500 calories per day per pound you want to lose per week.5 -
Some of the excersizes on MFP overestimate the calorie count. I've linked a Fitbit instead and find it's pretty accurate. I set my activity level to sedentary and allow Fitbit to make adjustments if I am more active. For things like hiking it just uses the steps. For biking or swimming I enter it into the app.
Also, weigh all your food, except liquids. It's the most accurate way to measure them.1 -
MFP sets you up to lose weight without exercise. When you do exercise, you burn more calories than the site expects. In order to keep your deficit consistent and fuel your body, it's expected that you eat back those calories. But since the calories burned can often be overestimated, many will only eat back 50-75% of those calories.
Are you on medication to regulate your thyroid/hormones? If you are and your numbers are normal, it's still calories in<calories out.6 -
paperbeagle wrote: »because for every cal burned mfp adds those onto your daily intake.
Yes. But unless we're really positive we burned that much, we eat a portion of it back.paperbeagle wrote: »If you go with that logic you can sit motionless each day and lose weight
True. You don't need to exercise to lose weight.paperbeagle wrote: »I get that the body needs a base amt of cal just to function
Yep ... in my case, my maintenance level is 1500 cal/day. If I net 1500 cal/day, I stay the same weight.
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paperbeagle wrote: »Ok so I am on a 1200-1500cal plan with a dietician. I just don't get how I can lose weight with the way mfp does cal counts. I did a big hike yesterday in very rough terrain. It comes up as 1400+ cals burned. Great right? No... because for every cal burned mfp adds those onto your daily intake. That's insane. If you go with that logic you can sit motionless each day and lose weight... which is onviously false except for loss of muscle mass. I get that the body needs a base amt of cal just to function but it just doesn't make sense to me as it is. Lil help appreciated.
Oh... i should say that I have had thyroid issues over the years and even at 1200cal i don't lose weight. My body will lower my metabolism instead of burning fat. So if i am upping my intake of cals I'll never lose anything.
Anyone got clarity on the cal add up?paperbeagle wrote: »Ok so I am on a 1200-1500cal plan with a dietician. I just don't get how I can lose weight with the way mfp does cal counts. I did a big hike yesterday in very rough terrain. It comes up as 1400+ cals burned. Great right? No... because for every cal burned mfp adds those onto your daily intake. That's insane. If you go with that logic you can sit motionless each day and lose weight... which is onviously false except for loss of muscle mass. I get that the body needs a base amt of cal just to function but it just doesn't make sense to me as it is. Lil help appreciated.
Oh... i should say that I have had thyroid issues over the years and even at 1200cal i don't lose weight. My body will lower my metabolism instead of burning fat. So if i am upping my intake of cals I'll never lose anything.
Anyone got clarity on the cal add up?
MFP deficit is calculated before exercise, so yes, one could sit on their *kitten* and lose weight.
That calorie burn of yours? I'd eat back 1/3.4 -
Might want to ask your dietician for feed back. All I can say is it works for me. This app is the best way for me to see if I hit my macro nutrients. they are more important to me than the calorie count. I have days when my workouts go over 1000 calories. Are you working out that hard every day?0
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Mfp uses the NEAT method - it gives you a calorie goal that already includes your deficit, so you would lose weight even if you just sat around all day. Then you are supposed to log your exercise and eat those cals back, otherwise you would be undereating.
If you aren't using mfp's calorie goal, you shouldn't be logging exercise. You can change the calories burnt to "1" if you'd like. 1200 cals is a tiny amount of food if you're exercising regularly, please be careful. If I hiked on a day I only ate 1200 cals I'd pass out.3 -
Well, if you move more, your energy (calorie) requisites increase...makes sense to me. If I don't exercise and maintain on 2400 calories per day I can lose about 1 Lb per week eating 1900 calories...if I add exercise, my maintenance goes up 'cuz moving more...basic maths...5
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OP, you can, and many do, and have, lose weight through no exercise.
Weight loss comes from eating less calories than your body burns. You burn calories by just being alive.
As long as you eat less calories than you burn, you will lose weight.
Exercise is a small percent of weight loss, but it is pretty important for over all health,
Numbers on MFP are estimates.
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OP you have errant thinking.
I've lost over 35 lbs since Jan from diet with a sedentary activity level.
No gym, no long hikes, just managing my calories in.6 -
Some of the excersizes on MFP overestimate the calorie count. I've linked a Fitbit instead and find it's pretty accurate. I set my activity level to sedentary and allow Fitbit to make adjustments if I am more active. For things like hiking it just uses the steps. For biking or swimming I enter it into the app.
Also, weigh all your food, except liquids. It's the most accurate way to measure them.
Quick question, I have my fitbit connected too but when I had it set on sedentary, it seems like it gave me ALOT of extra calories, now I have it on lightly active and it seems more accurate, is that right?0 -
whittlepauly wrote: »Some of the excersizes on MFP overestimate the calorie count. I've linked a Fitbit instead and find it's pretty accurate. I set my activity level to sedentary and allow Fitbit to make adjustments if I am more active. For things like hiking it just uses the steps. For biking or swimming I enter it into the app.
Also, weigh all your food, except liquids. It's the most accurate way to measure them.
Quick question, I have my fitbit connected too but when I had it set on sedentary, it seems like it gave me ALOT of extra calories, now I have it on lightly active and it seems more accurate, is that right?
They're both the same -- lightly active just gives you more calories upfront so your adjustments begin after more activity.5 -
paperbeagle wrote: »... If you go with that logic you can sit motionless each day and lose weight... which is onviously false except for loss of muscle mass. I get that the body needs a base amt of cal just to function but it just doesn't make sense to me as it is. ...
This is where your error is. Yes, you can lose weight without purposeful exercise, you just need to eat fewer calories than you burn in the course of your typical day. Many people burn the majority of their calories without exercise or physical exertion at work. If this wasn't true, people who are wheelchair bound could not lose weight.
MFP's system is to set your calorie deficit from your "normal routine" day, and add calories when you log exercise to keep the deficit constant. The concept is sound, but many people feel the exercise burn estimates are inflated so they adjust accordingly.
That doesn't mean exercise is meaningless, it's very beneficial. It's just not required to lose weight.4 -
paperbeagle wrote: »Ok so I am on a 1200-1500cal plan with a dietician. I just don't get how I can lose weight with the way mfp does cal counts. I did a big hike yesterday in very rough terrain. It comes up as 1400+ cals burned. Great right? No... because for every cal burned mfp adds those onto your daily intake. That's insane. If you go with that logic you can sit motionless each day and lose weight... which is onviously false except for loss of muscle mass. I get that the body needs a base amt of cal just to function but it just doesn't make sense to me as it is. Lil help appreciated.
Oh... i should say that I have had thyroid issues over the years and even at 1200cal i don't lose weight. My body will lower my metabolism instead of burning fat. So if i am upping my intake of cals I'll never lose anything.
Anyone got clarity on the cal add up?
Exercise is not required for weight loss (including fat loss), a calorie deficit is.3 -
whittlepauly wrote: »Some of the excersizes on MFP overestimate the calorie count. I've linked a Fitbit instead and find it's pretty accurate. I set my activity level to sedentary and allow Fitbit to make adjustments if I am more active. For things like hiking it just uses the steps. For biking or swimming I enter it into the app.
Also, weigh all your food, except liquids. It's the most accurate way to measure them.
Quick question, I have my fitbit connected too but when I had it set on sedentary, it seems like it gave me ALOT of extra calories, now I have it on lightly active and it seems more accurate, is that right?
How many steps do you get in a day?
"Sedentary" on MFP corresponds to about 3,000 steps/day. If you get a lot more than that, expect a big adjustment. "Lightly active" corresponds to about 6,000-8,000 steps/day. "Active" corresponds to about 10,000-12,000 steps/day. "Very active" is more than 15,000 steps/day. The exact values will vary slightly from person to person, but those are the ballparks.2 -
Anyone struggling to lose weight but is exercising, should just not enter the activity in mfp. Just use sedentary level and then eat those calories, but keep exercising if you are.2
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The more active you are the more you can and should eat. You need to fuel your body appropriately.
MFP gives you a calorie defict number based on your activity level without exercise. If you do not exercise you still lose weight taking in less calories than your maintenance level. So you might have set your level to active because you are a construction worker or sedentary because you work in an office. Maybe some muscle loss is a concern and maybe not for you.
If you exercise you increase your deficit more. So if you are eating at a 500 calorie deficit to lose 1 lb a week and burn 500 calories in your workout your deficit is now 1,000 calories. Maybe you don't want to lose 2 lbs a week. To meet your body's needs and lose at the rate you told MFP you wanted to lose you should eat some of those extra calories when you log exercise. Many only eat half to account for overestimating calorie burns.
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I don't exercise. I walk to the bus, and ride my horse once a week, but other than that I'm lazy AF. I've lose 85lbs. Your body burns calories every when you're not doing anything, exercise is NOT required for weightloss.7
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You have the option to not have your exercise calories added to your daily calorie allowance.1
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rparkerslim wrote: »You have the option to not have your exercise calories added to your daily calorie allowance.
Only if you're a premium member.2 -
I don't agree with their approach of telling you to eat back all the calories you burn. Personally, what I do depends on how hungry I am (or sometimes if I just feel like a snack). If I'm trying to eat 1500 calories a day and burn 1,000 hiking...then IF I am very hungry maybe I will eat A LITTLE extra...but not the entire 1,000. So mfp will say to eat 2500, but I might only eat 1900. Or maybe just stay at 1500 if I don't feel I need extra food.
Eat what YOU feel you need. You know your body much better than mfp does. ANd keep in mind, those calorie count estimates are not very accurate. SO if instead of 1,000 calories, you only really burned 700...if you eat an extra 1,000 you will actually be OVER your targeted calories for the day. You need to keep a cushion to account for this.
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I don't take the time to exercise like I should, so right now I'm trying to park further away, so I can get in some extra steps. I would like to reach 10,000 steps this week! Wish me luck!3
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paperbeagle wrote: »Ok so I am on a 1200-1500cal plan with a dietician. I just don't get how I can lose weight with the way mfp does cal counts. I did a big hike yesterday in very rough terrain. It comes up as 1400+ cals burned. Great right? No... because for every cal burned mfp adds those onto your daily intake. That's insane. If you go with that logic you can sit motionless each day and lose weight... which is onviously false except for loss of muscle mass. I get that the body needs a base amt of cal just to function but it just doesn't make sense to me as it is. Lil help appreciated.
Oh... i should say that I have had thyroid issues over the years and even at 1200cal i don't lose weight. My body will lower my metabolism instead of burning fat. So if i am upping my intake of cals I'll never lose anything.
Anyone got clarity on the cal add up?
Just because mfp adds the calories doesn't mean you have to use them! I do them like I do my clock when the time changes in the Fall, and I haven't had time to set it yet-I just subtract an hour!4 -
paperbeagle wrote: »That's insane. If you go with that logic you can sit motionless each day and lose weight... which is onviously false except for loss of muscle mass. I get that the body needs a base amt of cal just to function but it just doesn't make sense to me as it is. Lil help appreciated.
I lost the majority of my weight while being extremely sedentary, like 2000 steps a day sedentary, and it was relatively easy too!
The struggle began when i started exercising, because along with the increased exercise came an increased appetite. The more i exercise the hungrier i get, and it is stupid easy to out eat my exercise calories.
People in a coma need to be tube fed or they would waste away to nothing, people in wheelchairs and who have disabilities need to focus 100% on calories in to lose weight. Exercise is great for your health and it allows you to eat more, but is not needed for purely weight loss.
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MoiAussi93 wrote: »Eat what YOU feel you need. You know your body much better than mfp does. ANd keep in mind, those calorie count estimates are not very accurate. SO if instead of 1,000 calories, you only really burned 700...if you eat an extra 1,000 you will actually be OVER your targeted calories for the day. You need to keep a cushion to account for this.
My apologies in advance for focusing on your post; the position you take is one shared (and posted) often and by many.
"eat what you feel you need. You know your body much better than..." <-- Nope: for a significant number of people on MFP this hasn't worked so well... that's why we are on MFP.
Unless you've been successful in the past with "intuitive" eating, I see nothing magical about your body now that makes it all of a sudden more trustworthy than it was when you were gaining weight.
"You need to keep a cushion to account for this" <-- That's one way of doing things. Another way is trusting the numbers and comparing your actual and expected progress 4-6 weeks later. And adjusting as per your actual progress.
The value judgement that losing faster is a smaller problem than losing slower is implied in the "keep a cushion" attitude; yet depending on individual circumstances it is far from a universal truth.15 -
The idea is that MFP calculates your target calorie goal based on your height, weight, and your activity level for activities of daily life. Excluding any extra exercise.
If you log exercise, MFP assumes that it is in addition to your daily activities that you described when you set up your goals. It then treats the calories needed to fuel that exercise as calories you can eat and still maintain your deficit.
So: I tell them I'm sedentary. The calculator says that I need 2000 calories each day to maintain my current weight.
I can lose 1 pound a week if I eat 1500 calories a day. That's with NO exercise.
If I exercise and log it, it adds those calories to my available allotment. I can eat those calories and continue to lose at 1 pound a week.
If I don't eat those calories, I have a bigger deficit. If the deficit is 1000 a day (if I exercise 500 calories a day), then I'd lose 2 pounds a week.
(If I don't eat those calories, what may happen, knowing me, is that I will eat more anyway through portion creep and unconscious snacking of just extra bites here and there as I cook, thus erasing a lot of the extra deficit and even some of my planned deficit - and that's a common reaction)
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whittlepauly wrote: »Some of the excersizes on MFP overestimate the calorie count. I've linked a Fitbit instead and find it's pretty accurate. I set my activity level to sedentary and allow Fitbit to make adjustments if I am more active. For things like hiking it just uses the steps. For biking or swimming I enter it into the app.
Also, weigh all your food, except liquids. It's the most accurate way to measure them.
Quick question, I have my fitbit connected too but when I had it set on sedentary, it seems like it gave me ALOT of extra calories, now I have it on lightly active and it seems more accurate, is that right?
If you are walking well over 3000 steps it will adjust. I got over 150 extra calories today for over 4000 steps. It's been working.0 -
We control the weight of my severely disabled son merely by regulating his calorie intake, which we can do with some precision because he's fed through a G-tube. He cannot walk, has partial use of only his right arm, and spends most of his days in bed. So yes, you can lose weight by restricting calories and doing nothing else.
If you have a thyroid problem, you should be treating it. With treatment, you can lose weight normally.8 -
whittlepauly wrote: »Some of the excersizes on MFP overestimate the calorie count. I've linked a Fitbit instead and find it's pretty accurate. I set my activity level to sedentary and allow Fitbit to make adjustments if I am more active. For things like hiking it just uses the steps. For biking or swimming I enter it into the app.
Also, weigh all your food, except liquids. It's the most accurate way to measure them.
Quick question, I have my fitbit connected too but when I had it set on sedentary, it seems like it gave me ALOT of extra calories, now I have it on lightly active and it seems more accurate, is that right?
If you are walking well over 3000 steps it will adjust. I got over 150 extra calories today for over 4000 steps. It's been working.
We should also note that if you set your activity level MFP closer to what it actually is (may take some trial and error), then your fitbit adjustments will be smaller. If I have it set to sedentary and take 14,000 steps, the adjustment will be huge. If I have it set for a higher activity level, the adjustment will be smaller. In any case, the end result is the same. MFP will adjust to keep your targeted deficit.1
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