Why do I find this so hard?

pogiguy05

Well I think many of us can relate. I go to the gym 5-6 times a week and watch what I eat and start making progress, Then something happens that derails me and I go back to old ways.

I have recently been joining stepbets and dietbets to help keep me motivated and on track. I am a guy and I hate to lose a competition. Not to mention the money factor of not wanting to throw it away.

BMcC9

Xkmaf2018X wrote: »

Thanks everyone!

I’ll stick with the 1580 calorie goal but if needed am I allowed to eat back those walking calories my fitbit gives me and also the calories I get back from working out?

MFP is designed on the "net calories" assumption that the more you do, the more calories you can consume and still burn excess at the desired (1 lb per week) pace. (keeping an eye on macros is a good idea ... don't make ALL the extra calories sugar / fat!). Someone higher up this chain suggested eating back ~50% exercise calories. That would be a reasonable starting ceiling. You don't NEED to eat them all if you are not hungry, but if your body needs the fuel, don't short yourself either. You are ALLOWED to eat back as much of the exercise calories as you feel you need.

So long as your actually-eaten calories minus exercise calories works out above 1200 or so on any given day, you are no dangerously under-stoking your rock bottom metabolic rate. Go for the full pre-exercise intake, then adjust up from there day by day, depending on how active you are on that particular day.

73CL350

Xkmaf2018X wrote: »

I did say I had a fitbit 😁

Yesterday I did just under 12k steps and my “extra” calories synced from fitbit to MFP was 513.

"Hug" wasnt enough! Swore I'd seen it! Lol

73CL350

If you are eating back a Fitbit adjustment ... I do believe MFP should be set to BMR (sedentary)

Looks like that gives you 1200+513 ... 1713 is right at what we had been estimating.

Xkmaf2018X

Ah yeah I see what you mean! So if I set my activity level at lightly active because of my steps per day then I shouldnt be eating the “extra” calories that fitbit gives because my “lightly active” setting is taking into account the steps I do - is that right?! Xx

cmriverside

73CL350 wrote: »

cmriverside wrote: »

73CL350 wrote: »

If the fitbit is adding calorie adjustments for those steps ... doesn't it get double counted when you set activity level to active ?

OP, what is the calorie adjustment on 12000 steps ?

She didn't mention having a FitBit, so not sure why you bring that up.

She's eating 1290...no FitBit would tell her that with a 12,000 step commute.

100% agree they should be eating 1800ish.

I read: "get around 12,000 steps a day....My calorie goal as set by MFP is...etc" and read it as saying 12,000 steps a day as set by my Fitbit.

Can i blame low blood sugar ? *facepalm*

ooooh. She did say it later - my bad.

Xkmaf2018X wrote: »

Ah yeah I see what you mean! So if I set my activity level at lightly active because of my steps per day then I shouldnt be eating the “extra” calories that fitbit gives because my “lightly active” setting is taking into account the steps I do - is that right?! Xx

1700-1800 is about right for you.

If you were eating that much already, I don't know what to tell you about your inability to stick with it, other than eat a little more on days you exercise. If you're gonna use FitBit, at least try to play by its rules, then adjust if all else fails in a couple months. You said you were eating that already?

If it's psychological, that's a whole other topic.

cheryldumais

Xkmaf2018X wrote: »

Ah yeah I see what you mean! So if I set my activity level at lightly active because of my steps per day then I shouldnt be eating the “extra” calories that fitbit gives because my “lightly active” setting is taking into account the steps I do - is that right?! Xx

I agree with this statement as well. Can't spend em twice, lol. If you are active outside of the steps then go for it.