Do you log your exercise calories ? I don’t mean eat them back -I mean log them !

Littleloz34

Hi do Tuesday I was way over calories

So I wondered if I went over my calories on Tuesday for say up to 1000 calories- could I then log my exercise on my other days to counteract that day I went over ?

Hope this makes sense x

Lietchi

Your body doesn't care whether or not you log something. So I'm not sure what you're asking.
I always log my exercise, it has nothing to do with being under or over my calories.
Why would you only log your exercise if you're over your calorie goal?

Littleloz34

I meant does it work to add exercise calories or use them ?

Lietchi

Does it work for what?
I've always logged my exercise and eaten those calories and I've lost weight as expected. But it depends on:
-how accurate your food logging is
-how accurate the exercise calories are
-if you're statistically average or not (we all have different metabolisms, some people have a slower metabolisms, some have a faster metabolism)

The best strategy is to choose a method (for example eat 50% of exercise calories) for 4 to 8 weeks and compare your actual weight loss to what you should have lost theoretically. If you're losing faster, eat back more calories. If you're losing slower, eat back less calories.

sijomial

Not really sure what you are trying to achieve - trying to balance the calorie budget on a weekly basis perhaps?
(Many people do prefer working to a weekly calorie budget to increase dietary flexibility.)

You weren't way over calories really - 273 cals over your very low calorie goal but that's surely still a calorie deficit that day.
What is your estimated weight maintenance calorie level? Knowing that might change your perspective.

Your body counts exercise calories whether you do or not. If you have picked a rapid rate of loss and are also then ignoring the perfectly normal calorie expenditure from exercise that's not a healthy path to follow.

sijomial

newme32blonde wrote: »

I meant does it work to add exercise calories or use them ?

Accounting for calories burned in exercise is used by:

• MyFitnessPal (on the day, variable daily allowance)
• TDEE calculators (an average estimated up front resulting in a same every day calorie goal)
• All day fitness/activity trackers (variable daily allowance).

It's not an unusual concept, just implemented in different ways, and yes it works if people's logging/estimating is reasonable with for most people their food logging being the biggest factor.
It's also good training for when you want to maintain weight - you can't then just ignore a significant part of your calorie needs.

janejellyroll

OP, can you clarify what you're trying to do?

If you're asking if you can log exercise on days when it didn't happen so that your day "balances out," sure. It's your diary, nobody can stop you from logging exercise on days when it didn't happen or underreporting or leaving out foods you ate so that you stay in the green. I'm not sure WHY someone would do this, but it's an option that is open to you.

If you're asking whether people here account for the activity when setting their calorie goals, the answer is yes. Most people who find long-term success here do account for their activity -- either through logging exercise calories and eating at least some of them back or through setting their initial calorie goal manually so it accounts for their activity.

penguinmama87

I log cardio exercises (actually, my tracker does it for me since it's synced to MFP) but not strength training, because my tracker doesn't pick it up and I'm really confused about how to log it. But my general activity level is accounted for already and I'm losing at the rate that I set, so I figure it's OK for now. I'd like to learn how to do it; it's just not an urgent priority at present.

ETA: Actually, let me amend this: I do log strength training, just NOT on MFP (or on my Garmin app.) I use a spreadsheet.

springlering62

I think I see where you are going here, and if I do, it’s worked fine for me, with caveats.

I use a fitness tracker that automatically posts exercise calories to MFP, and I am brutally honest logging to my food diary. I find all the data helps with consistency and monitoring.

I’ve always gone for a “set” or flat amount of calories, regardless of exercise. This set rate is above what MFP suggests for an “active” person, because I allow extra calories for exercise.

I started out too low, increased several times with encouragement of my dietician and trainer. I lost weight steadily and consistently with that steady calorie goal.

I’m now in maintenance. My current goal is 2200 per day, but when I feel particularly hungry-or, let’s be honest, greedy- I eat well over 2200, for an overall average of about 2500 per day.

That makes my weight go up 2-4 pounds on high cal days (extra carbs/salt=water retention), but it always drops back down.

You have to log honestly regardless of how you use MFP, and you have to be able to find your balance point.

(My food/exercise diary is open, but the past six weeks are not normal, due to bronchitis, aggravated by the second COVID vacc, and a nasty bout of food poisoning. I’ve been in a bit of feast/famine/not working out as much cycle.)

cwolfman13

newme32blonde wrote: »

I meant does it work to add exercise calories or use them ?

That is how this tool is designed. I mean why would MFP add additional calories to your target if you weren't supposed to use them?

Littleloz34

Ok thanks everyone . X

Littleloz34

sijomial wrote: »

Not really sure what you are trying to achieve - trying to balance the calorie budget on a weekly basis perhaps?
(Many people do prefer working to a weekly calorie budget to increase dietary flexibility.)

You weren't way over calories really - 273 cals over your very low calorie goal but that's surely still a calorie deficit that day.
What is your estimated weight maintenance calorie level? Knowing that might change your perspective.

Your body counts exercise calories whether you do or not. If you have picked a rapid rate of loss and are also then ignoring the perfectly normal calorie expenditure from exercise that's not a healthy path to follow.

Yes I’m looking at my calories on a weekly basis x

kshama2001

newme32blonde wrote: »

Hi do Tuesday I was way over calories

So I wondered if I went over my calories on Tuesday for say up to 1000 calories- could I then log my exercise on my other days to counteract that day I went over ?

Hope this makes sense x

Did you mean "log my exercise FROM my other days"?

If so, yes, I do this all the time.

Many people here "bank" food calories (eat less some days and use the calories on other days, often the weekend, or for special events.)

I don't like to do that but accomplish the same thing with exercise calories.

Littleloz34

Thankyou xx

sijomial

penguinmama87 wrote: »

I log cardio exercises (actually, my tracker does it for me since it's synced to MFP) but not strength training, because my tracker doesn't pick it up and I'm really confused about how to log it. But my general activity level is accounted for already and I'm losing at the rate that I set, so I figure it's OK for now. I'd like to learn how to do it; it's just not an urgent priority at present.

ETA: Actually, let me amend this: I do log strength training, just NOT on MFP (or on my Garmin app.) I use a spreadsheet.

@penguinmama87

You can log the duration of your strength training under the CARDIO section of the exercise diary for a modest and realistic calorie estimate.
You can also log Strength Training as an Activity in Garmin but for me at least the estimate is roughly 50% higher than MFP's. Might be reasonable for a fast paced / short rest style of training but seems high to me for traditional strength training, slow paced with significant recovery breaks between sets which may feel hard but isn't a big calorie burner.

heybales

newme32blonde wrote: »

sijomial wrote: »

Not really sure what you are trying to achieve - trying to balance the calorie budget on a weekly basis perhaps?
(Many people do prefer working to a weekly calorie budget to increase dietary flexibility.)

You weren't way over calories really - 273 cals over your very low calorie goal but that's surely still a calorie deficit that day.
What is your estimated weight maintenance calorie level? Knowing that might change your perspective.

Your body counts exercise calories whether you do or not. If you have picked a rapid rate of loss and are also then ignoring the perfectly normal calorie expenditure from exercise that's not a healthy path to follow.

Yes I’m looking at my calories on a weekly basis x

Even here on a weekly basis, a major fact to keep in mind as you keep at this.

Whatever things look like on paper (or on the app screens), really doesn't matter, because what happens on body will tell the true story.

Like the fact you are using the app wrong and think exercise doesn't count for calories that should be accounted for, your body will easily start showing the stress from that method and workouts will start sucking and body stress will go up, ect.

Same as some people won't log certain foods or binges or whatever, but the body will still show the facts.

I point this out because the day will likely be reached where on-paper it appears things should be happening but it isn't on-body.

Having incorrect data on paper at that time then makes it harder to figure out what went wrong where.

wunderkindking

I am going to warn you, on the heels of heybales very good post, that it took TWO DAYS of my net (ie: what I ate, minus exercise calories) being below 1200 for my energy levels to drop, for me to move less during the day and for my running performance (my work out of choice) to go straight down the toilet. I also just felt like crap

I probably would have burned more than I 'saved' by not eating properly.

You may or may not notice the result immediately, but it will happen.

penguinmama87

sijomial wrote: »

penguinmama87 wrote: »

I log cardio exercises (actually, my tracker does it for me since it's synced to MFP) but not strength training, because my tracker doesn't pick it up and I'm really confused about how to log it. But my general activity level is accounted for already and I'm losing at the rate that I set, so I figure it's OK for now. I'd like to learn how to do it; it's just not an urgent priority at present.

ETA: Actually, let me amend this: I do log strength training, just NOT on MFP (or on my Garmin app.) I use a spreadsheet.

@penguinmama87

You can log the duration of your strength training under the CARDIO section of the exercise diary for a modest and realistic calorie estimate.
You can also log Strength Training as an Activity in Garmin but for me at least the estimate is roughly 50% higher than MFP's. Might be reasonable for a fast paced / short rest style of training but seems high to me for traditional strength training, slow paced with significant recovery breaks between sets which may feel hard but isn't a big calorie burner.

Thank you! I figured it wasn't a high burner, so for MFP purposes it wasn't a huge deal to leave it for now. So just to clarify - the duration, if I were to use the cardio section, would be from when I start to when I stop for good, including rest breaks? I plan on continuing to log the specific exercises on the spreadsheet for improvements, so it would really be just trying for more precision on the "calories out" portion. I already know my deficit must be higher than MFP says it is - maybe this will improve the accuracy a little.

heybales

penguinmama87 wrote: »

sijomial wrote: »

penguinmama87 wrote: »

I log cardio exercises (actually, my tracker does it for me since it's synced to MFP) but not strength training, because my tracker doesn't pick it up and I'm really confused about how to log it. But my general activity level is accounted for already and I'm losing at the rate that I set, so I figure it's OK for now. I'd like to learn how to do it; it's just not an urgent priority at present.

ETA: Actually, let me amend this: I do log strength training, just NOT on MFP (or on my Garmin app.) I use a spreadsheet.

@penguinmama87

You can log the duration of your strength training under the CARDIO section of the exercise diary for a modest and realistic calorie estimate.
You can also log Strength Training as an Activity in Garmin but for me at least the estimate is roughly 50% higher than MFP's. Might be reasonable for a fast paced / short rest style of training but seems high to me for traditional strength training, slow paced with significant recovery breaks between sets which may feel hard but isn't a big calorie burner.

Thank you! I figured it wasn't a high burner, so for MFP purposes it wasn't a huge deal to leave it for now. So just to clarify - the duration, if I were to use the cardio section, would be from when I start to when I stop for good, including rest breaks? I plan on continuing to log the specific exercises on the spreadsheet for improvements, so it would really be just trying for more precision on the "calories out" portion. I already know my deficit must be higher than MFP says it is - maybe this will improve the accuracy a little.

The entry for Strength training, from the MET's database (about 3.5, equal to walking around 3.2 mph), is based on studies with sets, reps 3-15, and rests 2-4 min.
That type of strength training.

Circuit training is based on studies of rests 1 min or under, reps 12 and up, no sets.

So of course if weights for someone is 20-30 min a 3-4 days a week, with otherwise active lifestyle - ya missing those calories isn't so bad.
If it's 60-90 min 4-5 x weekly with rest of activity sedentary outside exercise - that starts counting much more.

westrich20940

So...it sounds like you are concerned with the numbers evening out --- what you mean is ... on a weekly basis, you still met your net calorie goal via what you ate/what you burned doing cardio --- yes that's fine.

But, I just want to say....1 day of going over your calories by 1,000 cals isn't going to do much. 1lb of weight gain = 3,500 calories. So....to gain weight you kind of have to be over your maintenance calories routinely....same with losing weight, you routinely want to be slightly below your maintenance cals.

So, overall what I'm trying to say is --- it will probably not matter or come out in the wash in the long-run as long as you're being consistent so don't worry too much about it.

Littleloz34

Ok thanks everyone 😊