Check my math, please!!

upsidedownjelly

Hiya. I apologize in advance, I'm a little long winded.
I have recently acquired a Polar Loop after being destroying my 4th fitbit in a year and have been manually figuring my calories from that. I wanted to double check what I'm doing with the great minds at MFP. I'm a 5'10", 255 pound female. Cals set at sedentary so I can add in my activity level for the day cuz it's not always the same.

The Polar Loop website has a "calories burned" section. From what I can tell, from checking it at different times during the day, it adds your already burned calories from the day, to your BMR for the rest of the day assuming you will be sitting on your butt. Yesterday I checked it at 5pm and got 2933. This morning that calorie burn wound up at 3266, after I took my dog for a walk and cooked and cleaned a bit.
This is important so I'm not overestimating my calories (like fitbit would occasionally).

So yesterday, goal initially at 1980. At 5pm I wanted to know how much I could eat for dinner. According to the polar loop, my TDEE (basically) was 2933. So I subtracted 500 from that (2433). So now I'm at 2433 for a calorie goal. To reflect this on MFP, I just manually enter exercise to account for the difference between 2433 and 1980, or about 450.

Does this math make sense? I think it does. Its a real pain ita to have to do this, I wish polar would get with it already. Or at least have a calorie tracker itself.

FYI, I have a pretty active job hence the large jump in calories burned throughout the day. I also just started SL 5x5 and C25k.

I'd appreciate any input, or if anyone has a more functional idea for transferring info. Aside from no integration, I reallllyyy like the Polar Loop. I'm constantly in and around water, so going back to fitbit isn't happening. Thanks in advance!!

SezxyStef

to be frank I don't agree with calculating calories burned for regular daily activities such as cleaning, cooking etc.

For me the only calories I would count are the one's used during purposeful exercise.

But to be frank I use TDEE so it doesn't matter I don't eat them back anyway.

clambert1273

to be frank I don't agree with calculating calories burned for regular daily activities such as cleaning, cooking etc.

For me the only calories I would count are the one's used during purposeful exercise.

But to be frank I use TDEE so it doesn't matter I don't eat them back anyway.

I'm with Stef.... that seemed way too complicated in my world lol I eat 1700 - 1900 per day (depending on how I am feeling) and never "add in exercise" ... I am always in a deficit and since (at least I think Stef does lol) we lift weights there isn't a calculated calorie burn...

GingerLolita

That seems to make sense. I would just check how much MFP would give you for different rates of weight loss and maintenance at a lightly active or active level. That will help you understand if you are on the right track.

tropicaltiger

I ALSO A AGREE I DON'T use my daily activities when I am counting calories-they truly get confusing-most of time I don't even use my exercise calories-and I workout a lot-I lost a total of 94 pounds-good luck on your weight lose journey-:)

SezxyStef

to be frank I don't agree with calculating calories burned for regular daily activities such as cleaning, cooking etc.

For me the only calories I would count are the one's used during purposeful exercise.

But to be frank I use TDEE so it doesn't matter I don't eat them back anyway.

I'm with Stef.... that seemed way too complicated in my world lol I eat 1700 - 1900 per day (depending on how I am feeling) and never "add in exercise" ... I am always in a deficit and since (at least I think Stef does lol) we lift weights there isn't a calculated calorie burn...

Yes I am in a deficet (most of the time) and lift weights, hence the reason for me changing to TDEE-20%.

That way the only maths I have to deal with is barbell math (which makes my head hurt sometimes...hehe)

clambert1273

to be frank I don't agree with calculating calories burned for regular daily activities such as cleaning, cooking etc.

For me the only calories I would count are the one's used during purposeful exercise.

But to be frank I use TDEE so it doesn't matter I don't eat them back anyway.

I'm with Stef.... that seemed way too complicated in my world lol I eat 1700 - 1900 per day (depending on how I am feeling) and never "add in exercise" ... I am always in a deficit and since (at least I think Stef does lol) we lift weights there isn't a calculated calorie burn...

Yes I am in a deficet (most of the time) and lift weights, hence the reason for me changing to TDEE-20%.

That way the only maths I have to deal with is barbell math (which makes my head hurt sometimes...hehe)

With you on that one LOL should have seen my face when I found out my olympic bar only weighed 35lb and had to go adjust all my previous numbers :huh:

Mokey41

I have a set calorie budget. I use a Fitbit more as motivation and to monitor how much I theoretically burn in a day. It's helped me make an estimation of what I burn on an average day without exercise so I can set a more informed budget. All the math and figuring that you're trying to do would drive me nuts!

WalkingAlong

I have a set calorie budget. I use a Fitbit more as motivation and to monitor how much I theoretically burn in a day. It's helped me make an estimation of what I burn on an average day without exercise so I can set a more informed budget. All the math and figuring that you're trying to do would drive me nuts!

This is pretty much what I do. And the figuring would drive me nuts, too.

The people who want to 'eat back' that specific day's activity while wearing a monitor, wouldn't it be easier to just lag it all a day and eat back yesterday's activity, since you have the total already?

Francl27

I have a set calorie budget. I use a Fitbit more as motivation and to monitor how much I theoretically burn in a day. It's helped me make an estimation of what I burn on an average day without exercise so I can set a more informed budget. All the math and figuring that you're trying to do would drive me nuts!

This. I just eat 20% less than what my fitbit average is.

upsidedownjelly

Eh the figuring out takes about 30 seconds. I use the tracker as motivation, yes, but as of right now I 'm not sure if I should qualify myself as moderately/lightly active. On days I dont work I dont do much, on days I do work it varies but today its only noon and I've already hit 12,000 steps.
Once I feel like I have enough data to make a meaningful average, I will. I just wanted to double check the math for now.

And the meaningful exercise/housework differentiation would matter were I set to anything other than 'sedentary'.

Thanks, ya'll.

catfive1

to be frank I don't agree with calculating calories burned for regular daily activities such as cleaning, cooking etc.

For me the only calories I would count are the one's used during purposeful exercise.

But to be frank I use TDEE so it doesn't matter I don't eat them back anyway.

I'm with Stef.... that seemed way too complicated in my world lol I eat 1700 - 1900 per day (depending on how I am feeling) and never "add in exercise" ... I am always in a deficit and since (at least I think Stef does lol) we lift weights there isn't a calculated calorie burn...

I eat a set number of calories a day as well. I like to log my exercise to keep track of what I am doing but count it as only 1 calorie burned.