Who lost lbs eating exercise calories that MFP gives?

aippolito1

I did for a couple months, then stalled and got an hrm. I still eat my exercise calories back.

fat2fab4life

I am curious to know who does NOT use a heart rate monitor, yet goes by MFP's exercise calories and eats them back and continues to lose weight? I have 2 heart rate monitors. I know that I am big but walking outside for 60 mins one says I burn 900 calories, mfp says I burn 400 and the other hrm does not take my weight into consideration says I only burn like 300... which one is correct? i want to just use mfp's numbers but I want to know if anyone has actually lost using their numbers. thanks!

Do your HRM's have a chest strap? If you are using one with a strap and the data is input correctly for age, weight, etc. the HRM would be more likely to be accurate. The MFP workout cals aren't personalized with age, weight, m/f etc. It can often make a huge difference in some workouts.

Some the two may be similar, but might double check your monitor and see if it's set up correctly and give it another go. I have no idea of your details so unsure what to tell you on the accuracy of either one you've shared.:flowerforyou:

yes, the one that gives me really high numbers has the chest strap, the one that gives me low numbers does not ask for my weight and does not have a chest strap... thanks for your help

LorinaLynn

The MFP workout cals aren't personalized with age, weight, m/f etc. It can often make a huge difference in some workouts.

Just want to set the record straight... yes, they exercise calories here are personalized. Maybe not by age and height, but by weight. And my calorie burn has been dropping right along with my weight. It takes a lot longer to burn 500 calories than it used to!

alifer

I don't have a heart rate monitor. I use MFP's calorie estimate and eat my exercise calories most of the time. Lost 25 lbs in 4 months. I have 20 more to go.

Cbandelier

I use the MFP numbers or whatever the cardio machine says - usually they are very close. Sometimes I will put in fewer minutes if the exercise wasn't as intense as usual (for example, a yoga class that is more restorative then active). I always eat most or all the exercise calories back and have had great results.

CharlieBarleyMom

I have, too I'm down almost 10 pounds using the MFP calculations and eating back my exercise calories. That's part of my motivation to exercise every day...more to eat! :laugh:

Me too -- the part about 'more to eat'... But I'm down 26.5 pounds in 2.5 months. I use MFP's numbers -- and yes, sometimes they seem high so I don't eat ALL the calories back... but I do eat them... and then I'm incredibly full... especially when I work out 3 miles in the morning. That's hard to eat when you're trying to eat healthy too... (otherwise I'd end up with a large chocolate shake and french fries) (not a good choice!) :laugh:

Elzecat

Me! I didn't get an HRM until I'd been on MFP a couple months...I lost about 20 lbs in the first two months. I've lost an additional 18 lbs in the last two months and I almost always eat my exercise calories...

I do find that now that I am in a healthy weight range and more fit, I burn less calories doing the same amount of exercise so I have to step it up in time and/or intensity to burn more calories

Keep in mind that MFP sets you up with a deficit so you can technically lose weight WITHOUT exercise...if you don't eat your exercise calories back you may create a larger deficit, but it doesn't always work and it may not be healthy...lots and lots of posts about these topics, hope you have a chance to check them out.

Check out these links for more info:

http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com

http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/index2.html

Good luck!

fat2fab4life

Me! I didn't get an HRM until I'd been on MFP a couple months...I lost about 20 lbs in the first two months. I've lost an additional 18 lbs in the last two months and I almost always eat my exercise calories...

I do find that now that I am in a healthy weight range and more fit, I burn less calories doing the same amount of exercise so I have to step it up in time and/or intensity to burn more calories

Keep in mind that MFP sets you up with a deficit so you can technically lose weight WITHOUT exercise...if you don't eat your exercise calories back you may create a larger deficit, but it doesn't always work and it may not be healthy...lots and lots of posts about these topics, hope you have a chance to check them out.

Check out these links for more info:

http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com

http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/index2.html

Good luck!

u are very informational thank u sooooooo much!

Pebble321

I haven't lost pounds.... but I've lost 18 kg, does that count?
I don't have an HRM so I use either MFP estimates or Runkeeper numbers, whichever is lower.
I aim to eat my net calorie goal each day, in reality sometimes I'm under, other days I'm over.
Seems to work ok for me, and I don't have a spare $150 to spend on an HRM (everything is more expensive in Australia!)

fat2fab4life

I haven't lost pounds.... but I've lost 18 kg, does that count?
I don't have an HRM so I use either MFP estimates or Runkeeper numbers, whichever is lower.
I aim to eat my net calorie goal each day, in reality sometimes I'm under, other days I'm over.
Seems to work ok for me, and I don't have a spare $150 to spend on an HRM (everything is more expensive in Australia!)

Yes kg count. Congratulations on your loss!!!

Atlantique

I am curious to know who does NOT use a heart rate monitor, yet goes by MFP's exercise calories and eats them back and continues to lose weight? I have 2 heart rate monitors. I know that I am big but walking outside for 60 mins one says I burn 900 calories, mfp says I burn 400 and the other hrm does not take my weight into consideration says I only burn like 300... which one is correct? i want to just use mfp's numbers but I want to know if anyone has actually lost using their numbers. thanks!

I only had about 35 pounds to lose, and I have always eaten about half the calories that MFP calculates for my exercise. I lost very steadily and never platueaed.

Cytherea

HRM with a chest strap should be the most accurate if you input your info correctly and it is working- check it periodically while you are working out. If it shifts, it may be measuring your heart rate wrong. If you are going to use that, make sure to subtract the calories that you would have burned in that time if you weren't exercising so that you don't overeat!

If you are going to use the MFP calculations, I'd suggest only eating about half of them back. It does take your weight into consideration, and you will burn less doing the same thing the less you weigh, but it can't take everything into consideration. It has no idea how hard you pushed yourself- or didn't! I figure that eating about half of them back will make sure that you aren't eating too little, but also ensure that you aren't overeating either.

And listen to your body, too. If you are hungry after a work out, it is ok to eat more- your body needs the fuel!

HMonsterX

I dont trust MFPs exercise calories at all. Its too general.

Example. I play badminton, in leagues. MFP says 100 minutes of competitive badminton will burn 1275 calories for me.

...really?

So, is that singles or doubles? What about downtime between games? Between points? Easy or hard games? Some nights we get thrashed and i barely break sweat, other nights i can barely breath after a game. 30 mins on a treadmil/Bike totals about 300 calories according to the machines at the gym that take my height weight etc, and my heartrate gets far higher and i feel more exhausted on those.

This is why i never eat back my exercise calories, as if i were to eat back what MFP said i burned, it'd soon start piling back on again!

dad106

When I first started my weightless journey in January I did not have an HRM and lost about 15 pounds using just the machine calories. I feel that I lost weight faster with an HRM because I knew more accurately what I was burning.

You also need to remember that males burn more then females, larger people burn more then smaller people, tall people burn different then short people and so on down the line.

stephyy4632

I don`t own a HR monitor and am down more than 20pounds so far I just use the gym machines or MFP and eat back some to all my exercise cal.