Enter workouts?

hnordtvedt

Hello! I used MFP back in 2012 to get in shape for my wedding and lost about 25 pounds through counting calories and running. Now, I'm 32, and the heaviest I've been in my life. I'm 5'4" and weigh 200lbs. My goal is to get to 150.

I joined an HIIT gym in July and lost 10lbs my first month with 3 one-hour workouts a week and a low-carb diet. My gym sessions are an hour, but the HIIT circuit is only about 30 minutes, including finishers.

My question - I entered all this info when setting up my profile. Three workouts a week at 30 minutes each with a 400 calorie burn each time. My trainer told me to use those numbers. So that was factored in to my daily calorie goal. Do I still enter workouts on my daily logs? I'm sure this has been asked a million times already but I appreciate your feedback!

kami3006

hnordtvedt wrote: »

Hello! I used MFP back in 2012 to get in shape for my wedding and lost about 25 pounds through counting calories and running. Now, I'm 32, and the heaviest I've been in my life. I'm 5'4" and weigh 200lbs. My goal is to get to 150.

I joined an HIIT gym in July and lost 10lbs my first month with 3 one-hour workouts a week and a low-carb diet. My gym sessions are an hour, but the HIIT circuit is only about 30 minutes, including finishers.

My question - I entered all this info when setting up my profile. Three workouts a week at 30 minutes each with a 400 calorie burn each time. My trainer told me to use those numbers. So that was factored in to my daily calorie goal. Do I still enter workouts on my daily logs? I'm sure this has been asked a million times already but I appreciate your feedback!

The set up section that asks for your planned exercise is simply for a "personal goal". It does not factor into your calories in any way.

The number given by the app includes your bmr and any daily activity outside intentional exercise.

So, you would still need to log your exercise as you do it.

Yes, they do need to label that more clearly as many people find it confusing.

TeaBea

MFP expects you to log workouts (use the cardio section). Eat back a portion of those calories back until you figure out if the calorie estimate is high or low.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10503681/exercise-calories-do-i-eat-these-a-video-explanation/p1

If you don't want to log workouts (and your exercise is consistent) - you can use a TDEE calculator instead.
http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

AnnPT77

The number/length of weekly workouts you put in your profile doesn't have any effect on the calorie goal MFP gives you. (It only affects 'motivational' things, like the exercise tallies/reports. Try switching it to zero, and you can prove it, if you doubt me: Same calorie goal.)

The "activity level" setting (sedentary, lightly active, etc.) is what affects your calorie goal. It's supposed to be based only on your non-exercise activity (job, chores, etc.).

If you did the setup as per instructions, you're meant to log and eat back exercise calories. If you're worried the exercise calories are overestimated, some people eat back 50% at first. Either way, monitor for 4-6 weeks, then adjust.

Only people who used a non-MFP TDEE calculator to get a calorie goal (or got one from a dietician or doctor that explicitly included their exercise) should skip logging and eating back exercise calories.

hnordtvedt

Good deal - thanks so much!