App settings for total calorie count

BrokerJB
BrokerJB Posts: 1 Member
in Getting Started
Hi! In using the app, during setup it asks your activity level and includes Exercise… but, then it adds any exercise you do to the total daily calorie intake recommendation??? Since it varies about 1000 cal based on your activity level, it would seem like its double dipping? What are your thoughts? When the goal is only 500/day less it would seem inaccurate. Thanks!
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  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,380 Member
    BrokerJB wrote: »
    Hi! In using the app, during setup it asks your activity level and includes Exercise… but, then it adds any exercise you do to the total daily calorie intake recommendation??? Since it varies about 1000 cal based on your activity level, it would seem like its double dipping? What are your thoughts? When the goal is only 500/day less it would seem inaccurate. Thanks!

    If you're talking about the part where you say how many times a week you plan to exercise, that doesn't affect calorie goal at all. It's just used for some statistics or attaboy messages related to the exercise diary. (Try changing it, then change it back.)

    MFP intends that your activity level setting *not* include intentional exercise, just daily life stuff. That's why the examples are about jobs, don't mention workouts. If you set it up that way, logging and eating back the exercise is not double-dipping.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,957 Member
    It's not double dipping but that's how MFP works. You chose a calorie deficit and MFP calculates how many calories you need to eat for a day. Say your current maintenance calories are 3000. You chose a weightloss goal of 2lbs/week. That gives you 2000 calories to play with each day. Now you exercise for 1000. Now you've only added 1000 calories of energy to your body in a day. That's rather low, right? If you eat 1000 calories extra you still have your 1000 calorie deficit.

    Mind you, 1000 calories for exercise in a day is a low! Depending on your weight this might be a whole day hiking, or running a very long distance (not just 10k). Thus there's any chance this number is grossly inflated and I would give this a reality check.

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