Exercise Calculation confusion

lorforde

Hi there,

I need some help with logging my exercise on MFP.

I am a SAHM (stay at home Mom) and when I walk, which is 5 out of 7 days at least, I am always pushing my 2 year old while walking. I usually only calculate exercise by my speed of walking and the time that I walked but I just spotted a choice for pushing or pulling a pushchair so should I add that to my exercise calories when logging my exercise?

I also see that you can put in cooking and cleaning as exercise calories so I don't know if all of these would just be tricking myself into thinking I can eat more.

Please help!
Thank you in advance

jeniffereb

i would put in that you push a pram .....

i dont put cooking and cleaning as my exercises because its just something i do everyday and yes it tricks me to think that i can eat more, so i push myself to exercise ...but your walking would be your exercise for the day.

good luck!

earlyxer

Instead of trying to record the exercise, look online for "Katch-Mcardle" calorie calculator. This formula determines your daily caloric needs, in which you include an "activity level multiplier" from 1.2 (couch potato) to 1.7 (insane workout junkie).

Since you've predetermined your needs INCLUDING your exercise, just manually enter the value into MFP and go from there. MFP's calculator is inaccurate, and also their carb/fat/protein ratio is not conducive to aggressive fat loss - it's too high in carbs. Instead, a 40/40/20 (or even 50/35/15) protein/carb/fat ratio is proven more effective.

Jennifer is correct - logging your exercise and seeing those calories rack up in your daily total just creates a rationale to over-eat.

lorforde

I suppose it does make sense to include the pushchair calories as it is a resistance I am overcoming in my exercise. Thank you so much Jennifer!

lorforde

Just had a look online and very interested in this Katch-Mcardle method!!! Thank you

sandiburn

I only log house cleaning when I "clean house" fast and hard. If I am breathing hard (like a work out) then I log it.

lorforde

So what do you think about eating your exercise calories to get a net over 1200? Do you all do it? I am going to do my exercise DVD today but I don't feel like I will be able to eat those calories extra today. I have made out all that I am going to eat today and no chance I can eat 600 calories more today!!! I see on here that so many people recommend that but I just can't!!! :noway:

jeniffereb

Instead of trying to record the exercise, look online for "Katch-Mcardle" calorie calculator. This formula determines your daily caloric needs, in which you include an "activity level multiplier" from 1.2 (couch potato) to 1.7 (insane workout junkie).

Since you've predetermined your needs INCLUDING your exercise, just manually enter the value into MFP and go from there. MFP's calculator is inaccurate, and also their carb/fat/protein ratio is not conducive to aggressive fat loss - it's too high in carbs. Instead, a 40/40/20 (or even 50/35/15) protein/carb/fat ratio is proven more effective.

Jennifer is correct - logging your exercise and seeing those calories rack up in your daily total just creates a rationale to over-eat.

very interesting article ....thank you

seekingstrengthX2

So what do you think about eating your exercise calories to get a net over 1200? Do you all do it? I am going to do my exercise DVD today but I don't feel like I will be able to eat those calories extra today. I have made out all that I am going to eat today and no chance I can eat 600 calories more today!!! I see on here that so many people recommend that but I just can't!!! :noway:

If you don't eat your exercise calories, you will have a NET calorie consumption of 600 calories. Your body cannot properly function on that.

earlyxer

I use exercise like a gas pedal - I determined my target calories and than increase or decrease my workouts to maintain fat loss at 1 to 2 pounds per week. Otherwise you're just shooting all over the place, I did this much here, I ate that much there..... that's not a plan, that's called "guessing".