We are pleased to announce that on March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor will be introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the upcoming changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

at rest calories

courtness
courtness Posts: 5
edited September 2024 in Introduce Yourself
So, I read somewhere that if my heart rate monitor says I burned 400 calories during my hour long workout I need to subtract the calories that I would've burned sitting at my desk to get an accurate number. Confused yet? I am lol. So, I wore my monitor for 24 hours without working out and it said I burned roughly 2,400 calories. About 100 calories an hour sitting at my desk. Now, when I go to the gym and burn 400 calories an hour does that mean I only burned 300 EXTRA since my body would've burned 100 anyway during that hour? Sorry this is probably confusing. I just can't find much more information on the topic.

THANK YOU!!!!

Replies

  • ambercole
    ambercole Posts: 426
    I have never thought of that. I have always just logged the caloried that my HRM says that I burned.
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
    Yes, I just log what my HRM says. I think it's only an issue if you plan to eat ALL of your exercises back. Then, you may want to deduct the resting calories. If you don't some/all of your exercises, don't worry about it!
  • ashlee954
    ashlee954 Posts: 1,112 Member
    That makes perfect sense. I believe you go with what your HRM tells you, and not subtract the 100. This is because your calories burned for the day that are figured in are for "normal activity PLUS your at rest cals (cals burned if you did nothing but sit and breathe) and your normal activities cals are not a "per hour" calculation but rather based on what "normal" activities usually burn. Your exercise cals are on top of those normal activities so I'd use the whole number!
This discussion has been closed.

Categories