Should I allow extra calories on museum days?
alicia163425
Posts: 80 Member
So my family and I are going to the science museum in Minnesota this Saturday. I’m a nurse who works in a clinic so I have my activity level set to sedentary. For days like this coming Saturday or times that we will be going to the zoo, should I be allowing myself some extra calories? I know walking doesn’t burn that much so maybe like 200 at most? What do you all do for these days?
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Replies
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First, I have never met a nurse who considers herself sedentary before. Are you sitting all day? Have you ever worn a pedometer?
What do you do on days you exercise?
For myself, it depends. I usually do not eat more unless I sweat more. However, I am aware that those zoo calories are available if I am genuinely hungry, even after more water or tea and an attempt to distract myself.2 -
do you wear a fitbit or anything similar for step counting? if this is something out of the norm - yes, you should get some extra calories - but it will depend on how much you walk above/beyond your normal0
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I do nothing different. Humans were meant to be active.9
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Sure, I would. You’re walking more than normal and doing something kind of vacation-y with family. If I remember correctly, we’re not allowed to bring our own food into my local zoo (probably for fear that we’ll feed the animals), so you may need those extra calories to eat the food they serve there.2
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concordancia wrote: »First, I have never met a nurse who considers herself sedentary before. Are you sitting all day? Have you ever worn a pedometer?
What do you do on days you exercise?
For myself, it depends. I usually do not eat more unless I sweat more. However, I am aware that those zoo calories are available if I am genuinely hungry, even after more water or tea and an attempt to distract myself.
I guess the reason I set it for that is because I used to work in the hospital and was on my feet for 12-16 hours a day and when I moved to the clinic it was a huge change. I don’t just sit all day but I am at my computer charting a lot. If I am not seeing patients I am not doing a lot of moving because I am constantly on the phone with people. Do you still think sedentary is still reasonable? I work out 3 times a week right now but I was told this didn’t count as the activity level because exercise was in addition.1 -
alicia163425 wrote: »concordancia wrote: »First, I have never met a nurse who considers herself sedentary before. Are you sitting all day? Have you ever worn a pedometer?
What do you do on days you exercise?
For myself, it depends. I usually do not eat more unless I sweat more. However, I am aware that those zoo calories are available if I am genuinely hungry, even after more water or tea and an attempt to distract myself.
I guess the reason I set it for that is because I used to work in the hospital and was on my feet for 12-16 hours a day and when I moved to the clinic it was a huge change. I don’t just sit all day but I am at my computer charting a lot. If I am not seeing patients I am not doing a lot of moving because I am constantly on the phone with people. Do you still think sedentary is still reasonable? I work out 3 times a week right now but I was told this didn’t count as the activity level because exercise was in addition.
The bolded is correct.
Your job as it relates to your MFP activity level set to sedentary can be determined over time if you are losing faster than MFP rate of loss is predicted, as in you are burning more through your work than if you set it to light active for example.
As far as museum or zoo days, this is a day where you may be walking more than usual, but hardly worth adding in a 'calorie burn' like you would through purposeful exercise. If you are hungry or just want to eat more, then its up to you if you want to eat more or not.4 -
Personally I wear a fitness tracker. My activity is set to sedentary and I use most of my exercise calories. I am in maintenance. For 10,000 steps I get about 125 calories extra. I weigh 145. If you are starving I would eat extra but not tons extra. If you happen to burn more than expected you will just lose a little faster. Bonus right? What I always remind myself of is that my body counts calories accurately no matter what I log. I might as well be honest. Have a wonderful day at the museum.1
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alicia163425 wrote: »concordancia wrote: »First, I have never met a nurse who considers herself sedentary before. Are you sitting all day? Have you ever worn a pedometer?
What do you do on days you exercise?
For myself, it depends. I usually do not eat more unless I sweat more. However, I am aware that those zoo calories are available if I am genuinely hungry, even after more water or tea and an attempt to distract myself.
I guess the reason I set it for that is because I used to work in the hospital and was on my feet for 12-16 hours a day and when I moved to the clinic it was a huge change. I don’t just sit all day but I am at my computer charting a lot. If I am not seeing patients I am not doing a lot of moving because I am constantly on the phone with people. Do you still think sedentary is still reasonable? I work out 3 times a week right now but I was told this didn’t count as the activity level because exercise was in addition.
The bolded is correct.
Your job as it relates to your MFP activity level set to sedentary can be determined over time if you are losing faster than MFP rate of loss is predicted, as in you are burning more through your work than if you set it to light active for example.
As far as museum or zoo days, this is a day where you may be walking more than usual, but hardly worth adding in a 'calorie burn' like you would through purposeful exercise. If you are hungry or just want to eat more, then its up to you if you want to eat more or not.
I'd say this depends somewhat. If you're truly sedentary most days (<5k steps a day) and end up getting 10k steps at the museum (which I think counts as active), it could make a difference in calorie burn. That said, I would try to stick to my calorie limit and just appreciate the bigger deficit that day.
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cheryldumais wrote: »Personally I wear a fitness tracker. My activity is set to sedentary and I use most of my exercise calories. I am in maintenance. For 10,000 steps I get about 125 calories extra. I weigh 145. If you are starving I would eat extra but not tons extra. If you happen to burn more than expected you will just lose a little faster. Bonus right? What I always remind myself of is that my body counts calories accurately no matter what I log. I might as well be honest. Have a wonderful day at the museum.
I do this as well, except I just have a low tech pedometer. For every 10,000 steps, I give myself 150 extra calories. It's been working for me, and motivates me to move more.
Before I got the pedometer, if we went somewhere like the zoo, I'd set my phone to count my steps, and I'd just carry it in my hand. I was using it for pictures, anyway.
Have fun!!0 -
JMcGee2018 wrote: »alicia163425 wrote: »concordancia wrote: »First, I have never met a nurse who considers herself sedentary before. Are you sitting all day? Have you ever worn a pedometer?
What do you do on days you exercise?
For myself, it depends. I usually do not eat more unless I sweat more. However, I am aware that those zoo calories are available if I am genuinely hungry, even after more water or tea and an attempt to distract myself.
I guess the reason I set it for that is because I used to work in the hospital and was on my feet for 12-16 hours a day and when I moved to the clinic it was a huge change. I don’t just sit all day but I am at my computer charting a lot. If I am not seeing patients I am not doing a lot of moving because I am constantly on the phone with people. Do you still think sedentary is still reasonable? I work out 3 times a week right now but I was told this didn’t count as the activity level because exercise was in addition.
The bolded is correct.
Your job as it relates to your MFP activity level set to sedentary can be determined over time if you are losing faster than MFP rate of loss is predicted, as in you are burning more through your work than if you set it to light active for example.
As far as museum or zoo days, this is a day where you may be walking more than usual, but hardly worth adding in a 'calorie burn' like you would through purposeful exercise. If you are hungry or just want to eat more, then its up to you if you want to eat more or not.
I'd say this depends somewhat. If you're truly sedentary most days (<5k steps a day) and end up getting 10k steps at the museum (which I think counts as active), it could make a difference in calorie burn. That said, I would try to stick to my calorie limit and just appreciate the bigger deficit that day.
I do use an activity tracker to track my steps and on a Saturday zoo day for me, I may walk 5000 steps or so. I might get an additional 100-150 calories once I am out of the 'activity level' my watch is set for.
She certainly can choose to eat more, I was not discounting that she should not, basically its a personal choice if she wants to eat more or consider it a bonus.0 -
JMcGee2018 wrote: »alicia163425 wrote: »concordancia wrote: »First, I have never met a nurse who considers herself sedentary before. Are you sitting all day? Have you ever worn a pedometer?
What do you do on days you exercise?
For myself, it depends. I usually do not eat more unless I sweat more. However, I am aware that those zoo calories are available if I am genuinely hungry, even after more water or tea and an attempt to distract myself.
I guess the reason I set it for that is because I used to work in the hospital and was on my feet for 12-16 hours a day and when I moved to the clinic it was a huge change. I don’t just sit all day but I am at my computer charting a lot. If I am not seeing patients I am not doing a lot of moving because I am constantly on the phone with people. Do you still think sedentary is still reasonable? I work out 3 times a week right now but I was told this didn’t count as the activity level because exercise was in addition.
The bolded is correct.
Your job as it relates to your MFP activity level set to sedentary can be determined over time if you are losing faster than MFP rate of loss is predicted, as in you are burning more through your work than if you set it to light active for example.
As far as museum or zoo days, this is a day where you may be walking more than usual, but hardly worth adding in a 'calorie burn' like you would through purposeful exercise. If you are hungry or just want to eat more, then its up to you if you want to eat more or not.
I'd say this depends somewhat. If you're truly sedentary most days (<5k steps a day) and end up getting 10k steps at the museum (which I think counts as active), it could make a difference in calorie burn. That said, I would try to stick to my calorie limit and just appreciate the bigger deficit that day.
It’s not much of a burn though.2 -
Keep it at sedentary and log your museum visit as walking slow pace - keep an eye on the amount of time and log that. Or if you have a pedometer app on your phone, let that record your steps - it'll tell you the approx cals burned and you can log that manually.1
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I wouldn't do anything different. Make appropriate food choices at the museum -- either do lighter meals outside of your trip there, or do lighter there, and just spread your food out occasionally.
I have no problem increasing calories for "special" things. I do not see a trip to a museum as special, especially since you're really not logging that many extra calories to justify the added intake.1 -
JMcGee2018 wrote: »alicia163425 wrote: »concordancia wrote: »First, I have never met a nurse who considers herself sedentary before. Are you sitting all day? Have you ever worn a pedometer?
What do you do on days you exercise?
For myself, it depends. I usually do not eat more unless I sweat more. However, I am aware that those zoo calories are available if I am genuinely hungry, even after more water or tea and an attempt to distract myself.
I guess the reason I set it for that is because I used to work in the hospital and was on my feet for 12-16 hours a day and when I moved to the clinic it was a huge change. I don’t just sit all day but I am at my computer charting a lot. If I am not seeing patients I am not doing a lot of moving because I am constantly on the phone with people. Do you still think sedentary is still reasonable? I work out 3 times a week right now but I was told this didn’t count as the activity level because exercise was in addition.
The bolded is correct.
Your job as it relates to your MFP activity level set to sedentary can be determined over time if you are losing faster than MFP rate of loss is predicted, as in you are burning more through your work than if you set it to light active for example.
As far as museum or zoo days, this is a day where you may be walking more than usual, but hardly worth adding in a 'calorie burn' like you would through purposeful exercise. If you are hungry or just want to eat more, then its up to you if you want to eat more or not.
I'd say this depends somewhat. If you're truly sedentary most days (<5k steps a day) and end up getting 10k steps at the museum (which I think counts as active), it could make a difference in calorie burn. That said, I would try to stick to my calorie limit and just appreciate the bigger deficit that day.
I do use an activity tracker to track my steps and on a Saturday zoo day for me, I may walk 5000 steps or so. I might get an additional 100-150 calories once I am out of the 'activity level' my watch is set for.
She certainly can choose to eat more, I was not discounting that she should not, basically its a personal choice if she wants to eat more or consider it a bonus.
I was at the zoo yesterday with family and also got around 5,000 steps there. Actually less than my normal step goal. I was surprised but I guess we stopped and looked at exhibits and walked slowly so although we were out and about more hours my activity level was not more than a day where I walked to and from the library.
Maybe just have a maintenance calorie day and that would probably cover any extra activity of walking around a museum.
I believe there is about a 200 calorie difference between each activity level setting.2 -
Climbing Everest, yes.
Going on a day trip to the museum, no.6 -
It's a museum. Are you going to power walk through it 5x?4
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Not to the point of adjusting calories for the day and worrying if you'll get to eat more.4 -
I am thinking folks like to justify eating more. Don't get wrong I love food more than the next person, but when I am sticking to my fat loss efforts, walking around slow and leisurely, stopping and taking in the scenery of a zoo trip or museum this is my reward. Its not going to tap me energy wise where I need more food.
Cleaning my house for 5 hours I might need a couple of cals extra.
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runnermom419 wrote: »
Not to the point of adjusting calories for the day and worrying if you'll get to eat more.
50 calories per hour is not enough to adjust? If I said I won't bother logging a candy bar with the same calories you would agree with that as well? Why does MFP use the example of standing for work for activity levels as well?
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runnermom419 wrote: »
Not to the point of adjusting calories for the day and worrying if you'll get to eat more.
50 calories per hour is not enough to adjust? If I said I won't bother logging a candy bar with the same calories you would agree with that as well? Why does MFP use the example of standing for work for activity levels as well?
Apples to oranges. Not logging a candy bar can undermine weight loss efforts. Not adjusting calories due to a stroll around a museum? Not going to do anything. But, you do you and I'll do me.
My family and I are going to a trampoline park next weekend. I'm positive bouncing for an hour or so will burn a ton of calories. Am I going to use it as an excuse to eat more? Nope.3 -
I think it really boils down to what YOU want. Is it a special day for you, one in which you'd like to indulge a bit? No problem! Log accordingly, and plan for a slight deficit the next days to compensate.
But leisurely walking and standing don't burn much so I wouldn't link the two. We're masters of our own demise once we go down the justification path. I know if I'm going to argue my extra calories from a slightly more active day, soon I'm going to chalk up some extra chocolate squares to the fact that I burned "something" taking the stairs that morning.2 -
So the principle of eating back your exercise calories should be ignored? Half an hour cardio would burn less than a day spent at the museum. Agree it's up to individual how they manage this but going from sedentary to an active day even if only moderately will have an impact and should be logged if nothing else.runnermom419 wrote: »runnermom419 wrote: »
Not to the point of adjusting calories for the day and worrying if you'll get to eat more.
50 calories per hour is not enough to adjust? If I said I won't bother logging a candy bar with the same calories you would agree with that as well? Why does MFP use the example of standing for work for activity levels as well?
Apples to oranges. Not logging a candy bar can undermine weight loss efforts. Not adjusting calories due to a stroll around a museum? Not going to do anything. But, you do you and I'll do me.
My family and I are going to a trampoline park next weekend. I'm positive bouncing for an hour or so will burn a ton of calories. Am I going to use it as an excuse to eat more? Nope.
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Well I wear a fitbit so that would be accounted for, but it's just one day, it's not going to make any difference in the long term. Just eat a bit more if you're hungry.4
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So the principle of eating back your exercise calories should be ignored? Half an hour cardio would burn less than a day spent at the museum. Agree it's up to individual how they manage this but going from sedentary to an active day even if only moderately will have an impact and should be logged if nothing else.runnermom419 wrote: »runnermom419 wrote: »
Not to the point of adjusting calories for the day and worrying if you'll get to eat more.
50 calories per hour is not enough to adjust? If I said I won't bother logging a candy bar with the same calories you would agree with that as well? Why does MFP use the example of standing for work for activity levels as well?
Apples to oranges. Not logging a candy bar can undermine weight loss efforts. Not adjusting calories due to a stroll around a museum? Not going to do anything. But, you do you and I'll do me.
My family and I are going to a trampoline park next weekend. I'm positive bouncing for an hour or so will burn a ton of calories. Am I going to use it as an excuse to eat more? Nope.
The difference is that I wouldn't count a stroll around a museum as exercise, no matter the length. But, if you would log it as "exercise", more power to you.
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runnermom419 wrote: »
So the principle of eating back your exercise calories should be ignored? Half an hour cardio would burn less than a day spent at the museum. Agree it's up to individual how they manage this but going from sedentary to an active day even if only moderately will have an impact and should be logged if nothing else.runnermom419 wrote: »runnermom419 wrote: »
Not to the point of adjusting calories for the day and worrying if you'll get to eat more.
50 calories per hour is not enough to adjust? If I said I won't bother logging a candy bar with the same calories you would agree with that as well? Why does MFP use the example of standing for work for activity levels as well?
Apples to oranges. Not logging a candy bar can undermine weight loss efforts. Not adjusting calories due to a stroll around a museum? Not going to do anything. But, you do you and I'll do me.
My family and I are going to a trampoline park next weekend. I'm positive bouncing for an hour or so will burn a ton of calories. Am I going to use it as an excuse to eat more? Nope.
The difference is that I wouldn't count a stroll around a museum as exercise, no matter the length. But, if you would log it as "exercise", more power to you.
I wouldn't call it exercise either but that is the only way MFP has to log calorie burn, the extra calorie burn from being sedentary is real and it doesn't matter where it comes from it is just as significant.2
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