Help me out on this one..

Options
GypsyPunkess
GypsyPunkess Posts: 9
in Fitness and Exercise
A few online calorie counters list sitting/working at a desk as a calorie burned option-now seeing as I have an incredibly busy office job-should I really count how long I sit at my desk as almost a form of exercise simply because of the amount of calories lost? Because to me-it feels like I'm cheating-it burns up to a few hundred calories DAILY. Which is 2 thirds of my intake allowed a day! Do I add it or not?

Replies

  • ProTFitness
    ProTFitness Posts: 1,379 Member
    Options
    I would not add it as extra. Even if your moving around at work a little. THat is figured in under your daily activity. Like work and lifestyle.
  • joehayes999
    joehayes999 Posts: 3 Member
    Options
    Count it, but see what works for you. after a couple of weeks you should know whether you are losing too much or too little.
  • LotusF1ower
    LotusF1ower Posts: 1,259 Member
    Options
    A few online calorie counters list sitting/working at a desk as a calorie burned option-now seeing as I have an incredibly busy office job-should I really count how long I sit at my desk as almost a form of exercise simply because of the amount of calories lost? Because to me-it feels like I'm cheating-it burns up to a few hundred calories DAILY. Which is 2 thirds of my intake allowed a day! Do I add it or not?

    The calories you would burn sitting at a desk are negligible. The calories that are stated that you are on about are the calories that you would burn to keep alive - it would take a few hundred calories daily to stay alive (keeping your heart beating, your digestive system working etc etc, therefore the calories you are talking about have already been accounted for when you logged in your details when joining this site. Don't get fooled into thinking every single little calorie burned is something you can add on, because it cannot, everything apart from designated workouts have already been accounted for if you input your details correctly at the beginning.

    I am confused how sitting at a desk can be counted as exercise frankly, whoever stated it is so, is fooling people.

    Exercise is moving about, period.
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
    Options
    People use those calories burned during normal activities for calculators that use BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate, or calories needed to maintain organ function) not including an activity factor. Because MFP uses an activity factor for your daily calorie needs, you don't need to log every little thing like that. Just make sure you have selected the right activity level and then you only have to log your planned exercise activities on here.

Categories