Eating Back Calories

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nelja
nelja Posts: 282 Member
Good day

I would like to know what percentage must you eat back from your excercies.I walk at least 7200 steps a day,which depends how many calories,if I am doing house chores or not.Between 300 and 1000 cals.Then I cycle 3 times a week,average at least 500 calories per session.MFP says I need 1200 cals a day.On my off day's do I just eat 1200 and on my work out days,how much must I eat then?

Thanks

Replies

  • gamerbabe14
    gamerbabe14 Posts: 876 Member
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    How much do you weigh? I ask because I think your calorie burn for your steps and chores is very, very high. I eat most of mine back but some days I don't. You're already at a calorie deficit at 1200 cals so not eating your exercise calories back puts you at an even greater, unnecessary deficit.
  • nelja
    nelja Posts: 282 Member
    edited August 2017
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    I am 56kg,i also think that I eat too little.I do have a very high heart rate.With the cycling it started to come down a little bit.But still high.And I am struggling to loose weight
  • rmgnow
    rmgnow Posts: 375 Member
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    Your everyday walks and your house chores do not count in your exercise. Those are already calculated in your activity level. Exercise counts as exercise.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    nelja wrote: »
    Good day

    I would like to know what percentage must you eat back from your excercies.I walk at least 7200 steps a day,which depends how many calories,if I am doing house chores or not.Between 300 and 1000 cals.Then I cycle 3 times a week,average at least 500 calories per session.MFP says I need 1200 cals a day.On my off day's do I just eat 1200 and on my work out days,how much must I eat then?

    Thanks

    1200 is a DEFAULT minimum based on your weekly weight loss goals. Don't put too much stock in that number.

    1200 is a "net" number meaning you earn additional calories for going over your stated activity level and for added exercise. The hard part is figuring out what the calories you burned for said activity. Some estimates are way too high. Some estimates are "gross" numbers meaning they include the calories you would have burned just sitting on the couch.....those are already included in activity level.

    I would definitely eat a percentage of exercise calories back. Many people start with 50% and tweak the number (after several weeks) when they figured out it was too high or too low.

    7200 steps is above sedentary....so hopefully your activity level reflects that.
  • nelja
    nelja Posts: 282 Member
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    Hi TeaBea.Must I make my activity level
    lightly active or active.On lightly active it still says only 1200 cals per day.So what you are saying on the days I do not cycle,i just eat the recommended cals and on training days,i eat about 50% of the training cals.I cycle 2 times a week,1 hour and 1 time a week about 30-45km at mostly heart rate 4 and 5.So it is hard training then.I use the garmin vivosmart hr to calculate my steps cals.But as I understand,it also uses the heart rate to calculate it.And my heart rate is more than normal.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,892 Member
    edited August 2017
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    nelja wrote: »
    Good day

    I would like to know what percentage must you eat back from your excercies.I walk at least 7200 steps a day,which depends how many calories,if I am doing house chores or not.Between 300 and 1000 cals.Then I cycle 3 times a week,average at least 500 calories per session.MFP says I need 1200 cals a day.On my off day's do I just eat 1200 and on my work out days,how much must I eat then?

    Thanks

    If your activity level is sedentary (which is OK), it assumes that you're walking roughly 5000 steps or so. It assumes that you walk back and forth to the photocopier, or to the kitchen for coffee, or to the toilet, or getting groceries, etc.

    Therefore you would only track actual exercise walking where you go out of the house and go for a walk somewhere, or walk on the treadmill or whatever. Walking burns approx. 200 cal/hour ... less if you're lighter, as you are.

    Cycling burns maybe about 100 cal for every 5 km ... less if you are lighter.

    Now with that information, try eating 50% of your actual exercise back.

  • Lillymoo01
    Lillymoo01 Posts: 2,865 Member
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    Nelja you will stay at 1200 regardless of which activity level you set, except the last one or maybe two because weighing so little, you will not get a calorie deficit of 500 calories a day until you are actually at those top levels. As a fellow shoty I left my activity level at sedentary because it really made no difference and manually added my deliberate exercise only. I ate 50-75% of these calories back, depending on how hungry I was. This gave me enough of a deficit to lose around 1/2 kilo a week.
  • nelja
    nelja Posts: 282 Member
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    Thanks a lot.I will try only eating back only my training and not the steps.And see how it goes for 2 weeks or so.Cycling again on indoor trainer tonight for a hour.
  • nelja
    nelja Posts: 282 Member
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    how much steps will count as excericise?My my watch says I must move,i try to climb the stairs in the office or walk like twice around the office block.Or something like that.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,892 Member
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    nelja wrote: »
    how much steps will count as excericise?My my watch says I must move,i try to climb the stairs in the office or walk like twice around the office block.Or something like that.

    At lunch, go out for a 2 or 3 or 5 km walk.
    Walk as part of your commute.
    Go for a walk after work ... or a hike on the weekend ... or a run/walk on the treadmill.

    I climb stairs too, but count that as Walking - Upstairs. I try to do anywhere between 10 and 30 flights a day.

  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,892 Member
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    Have a look at this Challenge, for example: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10583537/august-2017-walk-jog-run-bike-steps-challenge#latest

    That's the August version. There's a new version each month and there are other Challenges in the Challenges forum. That might give you some idea what people are doing ... and a bit of motivation. :)
  • nelja
    nelja Posts: 282 Member
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    Machka9 wrote: »
    nelja wrote: »
    how much steps will count as excericise?My my watch says I must move,i try to climb the stairs in the office or walk like twice around the office block.Or something like that.

    At lunch, go out for a 2 or 3 or 5 km walk.
    Walk as part of your commute.
    Go for a walk after work ... or a hike on the weekend ... or a run/walk on the treadmill.

    I climb stairs too, but count that as Walking - Upstairs. I try to do anywhere between 10 and 30 flights a day.

    How much do you cycle?I love cycling,but have to do my own house work and do not have that much time.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,892 Member
    Options
    nelja wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    nelja wrote: »
    how much steps will count as excericise?My my watch says I must move,i try to climb the stairs in the office or walk like twice around the office block.Or something like that.

    At lunch, go out for a 2 or 3 or 5 km walk.
    Walk as part of your commute.
    Go for a walk after work ... or a hike on the weekend ... or a run/walk on the treadmill.

    I climb stairs too, but count that as Walking - Upstairs. I try to do anywhere between 10 and 30 flights a day.

    How much do you cycle?I love cycling,but have to do my own house work and do not have that much time.

    I work full time and attend university part time (slowly working toward my Masters), and housework etc. etc. so I don't have much either. :grin:

    So far this year ... all outside. I haven't included my indoor cycling in those totals.

    January -- 599.2 km
    February -- 478.9 km
    March -- 1002.7 km
    April -- 1111.5 km
    May -- 336.5 km
    June -- 507.2 km
    July -- 548.7 km

    I'm a long distance cyclist ... participating in Audax/Randonneuring events and the training for those events. :)
  • nelja
    nelja Posts: 282 Member
    edited August 2017
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    Machka9 wrote: »
    nelja wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    nelja wrote: »
    how much steps will count as excericise?My my watch says I must move,i try to climb the stairs in the office or walk like twice around the office block.Or something like that.

    At lunch, go out for a 2 or 3 or 5 km walk.
    Walk as part of your commute.
    Go for a walk after work ... or a hike on the weekend ... or a run/walk on the treadmill.

    I climb stairs too, but count that as Walking - Upstairs. I try to do anywhere between 10 and 30 flights a day.

    How much do you cycle?I love cycling,but have to do my own house work and do not have that much time.

    I work full time and attend university part time (slowly working toward my Masters), and housework etc. etc. so I don't have much either. :grin:

    So far this year ... all outside. I haven't included my indoor cycling in those totals.

    January -- 599.2 km
    February -- 478.9 km
    March -- 1002.7 km
    April -- 1111.5 km
    May -- 336.5 km
    June -- 507.2 km
    July -- 548.7 km

    I'm a long distance cyclist ... participating in Audax/Randonneuring events and the training for those events. :)

    That is so cool.I also work full time.I have done 2304km for this year.That includes the infoor trainer.My aim was 2000km and I am over that already.Are you on strava?I like the statistics.
    Tell me about the Audax/Randonneuring events.We have the desert dash here.My husband and son entered a two man team for this year
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,892 Member
    Options
    nelja wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    nelja wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    nelja wrote: »
    how much steps will count as excericise?My my watch says I must move,i try to climb the stairs in the office or walk like twice around the office block.Or something like that.

    At lunch, go out for a 2 or 3 or 5 km walk.
    Walk as part of your commute.
    Go for a walk after work ... or a hike on the weekend ... or a run/walk on the treadmill.

    I climb stairs too, but count that as Walking - Upstairs. I try to do anywhere between 10 and 30 flights a day.

    How much do you cycle?I love cycling,but have to do my own house work and do not have that much time.

    I work full time and attend university part time (slowly working toward my Masters), and housework etc. etc. so I don't have much either. :grin:

    So far this year ... all outside. I haven't included my indoor cycling in those totals.

    January -- 599.2 km
    February -- 478.9 km
    March -- 1002.7 km
    April -- 1111.5 km
    May -- 336.5 km
    June -- 507.2 km
    July -- 548.7 km

    I'm a long distance cyclist ... participating in Audax/Randonneuring events and the training for those events. :)

    That is so cool.I also work full time.I have done 2304km for this year.That includes the infoor trainer.My aim was 2000km and I am over that already.Are you on strava?I like the statistics.
    Tell me about the Audax/Randonneuring events.We have the desert dash here.My husband and son entered a two man team for this year

    Excellent!

    Yes, I am on Strava.

    Audax Australia: https://www.audax.org.au/public/ ... this is one of my clubs. :)

    BC Randonneurs: http://www.randonneurs.bc.ca/ ... and this is another. My husband and I got a membership here this summer because we did a couple rides when we visited.

    I got into it when I was living in Manitoba back in the early 2000s. :)
  • nelja
    nelja Posts: 282 Member
    Options
    Machka9 wrote: »
    nelja wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    nelja wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    nelja wrote: »
    how much steps will count as excericise?My my watch says I must move,i try to climb the stairs in the office or walk like twice around the office block.Or something like that.

    At lunch, go out for a 2 or 3 or 5 km walk.
    Walk as part of your commute.
    Go for a walk after work ... or a hike on the weekend ... or a run/walk on the treadmill.

    I climb stairs too, but count that as Walking - Upstairs. I try to do anywhere between 10 and 30 flights a day.

    How much do you cycle?I love cycling,but have to do my own house work and do not have that much time.

    I work full time and attend university part time (slowly working toward my Masters), and housework etc. etc. so I don't have much either. :grin:

    So far this year ... all outside. I haven't included my indoor cycling in those totals.

    January -- 599.2 km
    February -- 478.9 km
    March -- 1002.7 km
    April -- 1111.5 km
    May -- 336.5 km
    June -- 507.2 km
    July -- 548.7 km

    I'm a long distance cyclist ... participating in Audax/Randonneuring events and the training for those events. :)

    That is so cool.I also work full time.I have done 2304km for this year.That includes the infoor trainer.My aim was 2000km and I am over that already.Are you on strava?I like the statistics.
    Tell me about the Audax/Randonneuring events.We have the desert dash here.My husband and son entered a two man team for this year

    Excellent!

    Yes, I am on Strava.

    Audax Australia: https://www.audax.org.au/public/ ... this is one of my clubs. :)

    BC Randonneurs: http://www.randonneurs.bc.ca/ ... and this is another. My husband and I got a membership here this summer because we did a couple rides when we visited.

    I got into it when I was living in Manitoba back in the early 2000s. :)

    if you don't mind,i have added you as a friend.We can talk about cycling some more.I am also on strava
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,892 Member
    Options
    nelja wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    nelja wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    nelja wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    nelja wrote: »
    how much steps will count as excericise?My my watch says I must move,i try to climb the stairs in the office or walk like twice around the office block.Or something like that.

    At lunch, go out for a 2 or 3 or 5 km walk.
    Walk as part of your commute.
    Go for a walk after work ... or a hike on the weekend ... or a run/walk on the treadmill.

    I climb stairs too, but count that as Walking - Upstairs. I try to do anywhere between 10 and 30 flights a day.

    How much do you cycle?I love cycling,but have to do my own house work and do not have that much time.

    I work full time and attend university part time (slowly working toward my Masters), and housework etc. etc. so I don't have much either. :grin:

    So far this year ... all outside. I haven't included my indoor cycling in those totals.

    January -- 599.2 km
    February -- 478.9 km
    March -- 1002.7 km
    April -- 1111.5 km
    May -- 336.5 km
    June -- 507.2 km
    July -- 548.7 km

    I'm a long distance cyclist ... participating in Audax/Randonneuring events and the training for those events. :)

    That is so cool.I also work full time.I have done 2304km for this year.That includes the infoor trainer.My aim was 2000km and I am over that already.Are you on strava?I like the statistics.
    Tell me about the Audax/Randonneuring events.We have the desert dash here.My husband and son entered a two man team for this year

    Excellent!

    Yes, I am on Strava.

    Audax Australia: https://www.audax.org.au/public/ ... this is one of my clubs. :)

    BC Randonneurs: http://www.randonneurs.bc.ca/ ... and this is another. My husband and I got a membership here this summer because we did a couple rides when we visited.

    I got into it when I was living in Manitoba back in the early 2000s. :)

    if you don't mind,i have added you as a friend.We can talk about cycling some more.I am also on strava

    No problem! Just came upstairs from being on the trainer. :)