Activity factor and subtacting workouts

jessmith

There is something I've never understood about MFP calculations for calorie goals. Maybe this question has been answered before, but this is the firs time I've posted here. How can you put an activity factor in to calculate you total calorie needs and predict time to weight loss goals, but then also subtract your exercise calories? I thought the point was to calculate the calorie deficit based on calorie need including activity factor, minus calories in for the day, giving you the deficit. Could someone explain?

bcattoes

You should only log exercise that goes beyond what you included in your daily activity. If you want to log all activity or exercise, then set your activity level to sedentary.

You may also include all activity/exercise in your activity level, then log the exercise but change the calories burned to 1 if you like to see it show in your news feed. Then only 1 extra calorie will be added to your goal (MFP does not allow you enter zero for calories burned)

3dogsrunning

I think what you are asking is about the difference between TDEE and NEAT. Many sites do figure your calorie goal with anticipated exercise included, which is TDEE, then create a deficit.
MFP is set up differently. It uses the NEAT method - non exercise activity theromgenesis - where it figures your calorie needs for the day without taking into account exercise. It expects you to log it separately. There is no way for the site to figure your TDEE instead. You do have the option to set your own calorie goal, so you could use a TDEE calculator and change your goal manually. If you do still log exercise, most people change the calories burned to 1 so as not to affect their tracking.

In the end, if done properly, both usually end up in the same place when averaged over the week. With MFP method you eat more calories some days, less others. It is also good if you aren't consistent with exercise. TDEE has you eat the same number everyday, which a lot of people prefer.

tycho_mx

The most tedious, granular, and accurate way is to put "sedentary" in your activity factor and log all activity manually.