Calories adj for exercise

carriej522
carriej522 Posts: 8 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Just curious do you normally eat all the extra calories that you are given for exercise? I haven’t been and am wondering if I need to eat more of the extra calories given to drop some pounds. I’ve been walking at least 2 miles 6-7 days a week and getting at least 10,000 steps per day. I feel a lot better but haven’t been losing but maybe a pound. Could I need to eat more?

Replies

  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited August 2018
    Worth 3 minutes of your time: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10503681/exercise-calories-do-i-eat-these-a-video-explanation/p1

    With that said, if you're not losing weight, eating more calories isn't the answer. It's more likely an issue with the accuracy of your tracking/logging, or scale fluctuations, which occur for a variety of reasons: http://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Just curious do you normally eat all the extra calories that you are given for exercise?
    Yes. My cycling alone this year would have accounted for well over 100,000 cals from the 200+ hours I've ridden. They aren't what I would consider "extra", just a perfectly valid energy need.
    The method is sound with reasonable estimates.

    I haven’t been and am wondering if I need to eat more of the extra calories given to drop some pounds.
    That's the least likely outcome of eating more. A bit like putting more fuel in your car's tank and expecting the level to drop.

    I’ve been walking at least 2 miles 6-7 days a week and getting at least 10,000 steps per day. I feel a lot better but haven’t been losing but maybe a pound.
    Good news you are feeling better.
    In what time-frame have you lost that pound?

    Could I need to eat more?
    Only you know how much you are eating and for how long but the logical response to not losing weight at the rate expected is you are eating too much and need to eat less. Or alternatively you are being impatient?

    Much more likely your food logging is the culprit if your results don't match expectations, opening your diary might help identify the problem.
  • carriej522
    carriej522 Posts: 8 Member
    Thank you for your reply. That makes sense!

    I started deleting MFP calorie additions and only use What Fitbit adds on. I’m hoping to get a Fitbit that keeps track of heart rate. Would that be more accurate with the calories I’m actually burning? I use the Fitbit app along with MFP and MapMyWalk.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Heart rate has no direct link to calories. It can give OK estimates for some people doing some types of exercise but the reverse is also true. HR is really not a good indicator for walking (intensity is too low).

    Would avoid using the calorie estimates from MapMyWalk - the one's I see are dreadfully exaggerated.
    Bodyweight in lbs X 0.3 X miles walked give you a reasonable net calorie estimate.

    I'm not a Fitbit user but beware of double counting if your Fitbit sends an adjustment for your exercise you wouldn't log it again.

    But really your #1 priority is to double check your food logging accuracy, don't use cups, spoons and be careful what database entries you select.

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