this has got to be the most stupid question but..
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I get what you're saying.
If I were in a coma, I'd burn 50 calories per hour. Those calories are going to get burned no matter what I do, so I subtract them from my HRM reading.
I may not be doing it right, but I'd rather err on the side of caution than enter too many calories.0 -
MFP already calculates that in your daily intake and stuff. So you would only log what your HRM says not what you do at rest as that is already calculated
I totally understand your question and I have wondered the same! I think a lot of people replying here don't get what you're asking...
But yeah I've thought about the same thing. My BMR is about 1400 calories a day - I'd burn that in a coma. That means my body burns about 58 calories an hour, just by existing. MFP has already included this in my calorie allowance! So if I work out for an hour and my HRM says I burned 400 calories, shouldn't I only enter 342 burned because I would've burned the other 58 anyway, and MFP already included those? So confusing...0 -
Really?For everyone who has a HRM do you find the calories burned on there is about the same number that MFP would have put for the same workout?
NO WAY! MFP over-estimates big-time!0 -
All of that is too much work and not accurate anyway. I just ignore the calories burned for exercise. You know if you are eating enough if you feel strong, you know if you need to eat less if you are not losing weight over time. It's simple that way and it works. Listen to your body, it tells you far more than any calculations or estimates, which are just that, ESTIMATES. The proof is in the pudding 0
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Yes, but if I layed down for a nap instead would I log the number of cals I burned during that nap? I'm with the gal above that says she wants to know because of "eating our exercise cals" that's why I am concerned. Am I eating too many cals back? deniseI put my HRM on before I work out. I log the total of calories burned during my workout.
Here is the way I see it. I'm given a set amount of calories to "spend" each day. I'm set on sedentary, so the calories I spend sitting on the sofa for any given hour are already accounted for. If I choose to spend that hour working out, the calories reading I get on my HRM includes the calories I would have spent had I just been lazing around PLUS the extra calories I worked up a sweat for.0 -
Ok, I can't wait to go see these links, thank you much! I am glad my mind wasn't messin with me, something didn't seem right;) And yes, I eat the calories back, even though I have it averaged with a TDEE minus deficit, there are still exercise cals figured into that according to my daily expenditure which I have set at moderate which for me means burning an extra 1000 calories a week or more! DeniseNot stupid at all! I researched this to make sure I was as accurate as you can be with calorie burns. So, this is my opinion - If you are planning to eat the exercise calories back, yes you have to subtract those calories. A great website to determine your actual burn instead of gross...
http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/net-versus-gross-calorie-burn-conversion-calculator.aspx
And this one describes the difference between net and gross calorie burns...
http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/articles/net-versus-gross-calorie-burn.aspx0 -
Can you explain it in simple terms then? Those calories are going to add up no matter what I am doing, even if I am in bed. So there are calories already figured into my net, those are my bmr calories. So if I burn 500 exercising, some of those are already calculated in my bmr right? And if I'm wrong, tell me how you see it, you may be right. denise
When I asked this question months ago, I was told that Polar's equation factors out your BMR using the values you program in (height, gender, age, weight), so you just use the numbers as given by the HRM without having to calculate anything else. That's what I do. Works fine.0 -
The two links for net and gross calories are a simple explanation. HRMs in general overcalculate calories burned for a given activity. I compared numbers from my HRM with the MFP database and found that the MFP database is about 10-15% higher than the HRM in some activities (bike,run) and 5% lower in some others(swim).
For simplicity, when logging calories, i take the lowest number between my HRM and the MFP database and slash it by 20%.
Probably not scientifically accurate, there will be days with overestimated calories burned and days with underestimated calories burned. However, over time, the error will have less weight (no pun intended), and as a general approach for weight loss/maintenance it will work fine.0 -
I know exactly what you're saying.
Does the manual for your hrm monitor specify how it calculates?
If not, I think most of them calculate your total burn for the time you are wearing it, not just your "extra" burn from exercising.
Does it matter? I think it depends on how much of your activity you are logging as exercise.
Your resting metabolism is probably burning about 50-75 calories per hour. If you "double log" your resting and exercise calories for that hour, it's probably not significant. 50 calories is well within the margin of error for estimates anyway.
But if you are someone who wears the hrm monitor for half the day, logging "lawn mowing, 2 hours," "laundry, 30 minutes," "walking dog, 1 hour," etc. those 50 calories x 1 hour will add up and cause a significant miscalculation of calories burned. To be clear I'm not saying that sarcastically; I think it's fine to log all those daily life activities as exercise if you have your activity level set as sedentary, but in that case it is important to think about total vs. "net exercise" calories.0 -
It came to 51 calories each workout which is a total of 250 ish per week I am eating that I shouldn't. My numbers were just examples I know they weren't realistic.Just during workouts. But if I sat on my but for that 40 minute workout I would burn say 100 (just guessing)so it seems logical that should not be counted in the final hrm reading. Like if it says 296, I should put I burned 196??do you wear your hrm all day or just during workout?
This is an ok example but you're numbers are way off... the difference is essentially negligible. If you're only burning 296 cals during 40 minutes of exercise you're not gonna burn 100 sitting doing nothing.. you're gonna burn like 20..... so 296 to 276 is no difference.
A variance of even up to 100 calories is not gonna mess you up. Your defecit is set to 1000 or even more... 20-40 calories makes no difference.0 -
Excellent points! I just wear mine when I am kayaking or walking. If I do something like circuit weight training I'll wear it. But really haven't started anything with heavy weight training, yet.I know exactly what you're saying.
Does the manual for your hrm monitor specify how it calculates?
If not, I think most of them calculate your total burn for the time you are wearing it, not just your "extra" burn from exercising.
Does it matter? I think it depends on how much of your activity you are logging as exercise.
Your resting metabolism is probably burning about 50-75 calories per hour. If you "double log" your resting and exercise calories for that hour, it's probably not significant. 50 calories is well within the margin of error for estimates anyway.
But if you are someone who wears the hrm monitor for half the day, logging "lawn mowing, 2 hours," "laundry, 30 minutes," "walking dog, 1 hour," etc. those 50 calories x 1 hour will add up and cause a significant miscalculation of calories burned. To be clear I'm not saying that sarcastically; I think it's fine to log all those daily life activities as exercise if you have your activity level set as sedentary, but in that case it is important to think about total vs. "net exercise" calories.0 -
Exactly; if you're only wearing it for 30-60 minutes / day of exercise, it's not going to really matter.Yes you're right, you might be short changing yourself by 1lbs every 275 days.
You can't know for sure that your hrm or your resting metabolism as calculated by this site are accurate to the calorie (in fact, it's pretty much a given that they're not), and those errors are going to add or subtract more than 250 calories/week to your tally.
You can subtract them if it makes you feel better, but if you don't want to bother, it's not going to be the thing that stalls out your weight loss.0 -
I think what I have deduced from this thread is that I do not want to eat every calorie that is on my hrm. I will just use the gross/net links from shapesense for now. See how that goes.
I've got my MFP custom set to a TDEE minus 20% deficit so that is confusing me. I guess the whole thing with me is I don't want to waste time making mistakes on what I am eating compared to what I am burning. Some people say to listen to your body. Well that's great but if your body isn't hungry does that mean it doesn't need any nutrition?? I mean does it always mean that? If I burned 1000 calories today and have a net of 1500, how much of that 1000 do I eat back? I used to think it was all of it. Now I am not sure anymore.
The guy that said I am over-thinking it may be right. But I can see there are other people here wondering the same thing, and some doing things I never heard of doing like just subtracting 20% from their gross calories burned.
Lots of food for thought but for now, I think I'll go eat some food for my tummy:laugh:
Thanks every one!! denise:drinker: :drinker:0 -
It's a nice idea and it works for many people, but some of us have our "hungry / not hungry" sensors all out of whack, and some of us get "hungry" exclusively for unhealthy foods.Some people say to listen to your body. Well that's great but if your body isn't hungry does that mean it doesn't need any nutrition?? I mean does it always mean that?
My sensors are getting better, but I'm not there yet. So I like the tools that MFP provides to spell it out for me.
I also think that while losing weight, most people are going to be at least a little hungry at least some of the time. So it's easier to use the "just do what you feel" approach when maintaining, in my opinion.0 -
they are usually different but one lady said she just took an average between the two. I'm inclined to just go with the gal that said listen to your body, if you are full don't eat more just because some calculator says too. I don't know, I hate numbers sometimes. :laugh:For everyone who has a HRM do you find the calories burned on there is about the same number that MFP would have put for the same workout?0
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You only eat every other day? What am I missing? Sorry, deniseI think what I have deduced from this thread is that I do not want to eat every calorie that is on my hrm. I will just use the gross/net links from shapesense for now. See how that goes.
I've got my MFP custom set to a TDEE minus 20% deficit so that is confusing me. I guess the whole thing with me is I don't want to waste time making mistakes on what I am eating compared to what I am burning. Some people say to listen to your body. Well that's great but if your body isn't hungry does that mean it doesn't need any nutrition?? I mean does it always mean that? If I burned 1000 calories today and have a net of 1500, how much of that 1000 do I eat back? I used to think it was all of it. Now I am not sure anymore.
The guy that said I am over-thinking it may be right. But I can see there are other people here wondering the same thing, and some doing things I never heard of doing like just subtracting 20% from their gross calories burned.
Lots of food for thought but for now, I think I'll go eat some food for my tummy:laugh:
Thanks every one!! denise:drinker: :drinker:
To avoid mistakes, listen to people who have been in your shoes. Who have produced the results you want. I don't even track exercise calories, eat about 3,500-4,000 calories every other day and lose about 3lbs a week. If tracking calories was so important, I wouldn't be losing weight.0 -
Ditto, you understand exactly what I meant!!!I totally understand your question and I have wondered the same! I think a lot of people replying here don't get what you're asking...
But yeah I've thought about the same thing. My BMR is about 1400 calories a day - I'd burn that in a coma. That means my body burns about 58 calories an hour, just by existing. MFP has already included this in my calorie allowance! So if I work out for an hour and my HRM says I burned 400 calories, shouldn't I only enter 342 burned because I would've burned the other 58 anyway, and MFP already included those? So confusing...0 -
I agree. If you wear a HRM all day in theory you get your BMR...do you add this to your calories? Noooo.
Clas burnt in a routine are HRM reading minus (BMR/1440x per minute exercised)
Work out your BMR for the day then divide it by 1440 (minutes in a day). That will give you a figure to subtract from your HRM reading per minute. That's what I do anyway. eg. My BMR is 2005, my BMR per minute is 1.39. If I do a 40min work out and my HRM says I burnt 392 cals. I log burnt cals as 392-(1.39x40mins) = 336.4 cals officially burnt0 -
If you are using a Polar HRM, and you accurately set-up your information including your resting heart rate or basic metabolic rate, then the HRM calculation should be accurate and logged as displayed. polarusa.com had a post about this and I copied the response below with a link.
http://forum.polar.fi/showthread.php?t=23581
RESPONSE:
hi,
As said, your basic metabolic rate (what your body uses even if you were just sitting on a sofa) and the calories you consume being active are included in the calculation. Your basic metabolic rate does not all of a sudden stop when you're active, which is why what is calculated is what your body has used in the time you were measuring it.
Being active also increases your basic metabolic rate for a while after training.
//kate0 -
Thank you much, I was just thinking about how to calculate it best. I was wondering for 12 hours or 24 etc.:laugh:I agree. If you wear a HRM all day in theory you get your BMR...do you add this to your calories? Noooo.
Clas burnt in a routine are HRM reading minus (BMR/1440x per minute exercised)
Work out your BMR for the day then divide it by 1440 (minutes in a day). That will give you a figure to subtract from your HRM reading per minute. That's what I do anyway. eg. My BMR is 2005, my BMR per minute is 1.39. If I do a 40min work out and my HRM says I burnt 392 cals. I log burnt cals as 392-(1.39x40mins) = 336.4 cals officially burnt0 -
Thank you muuuuuuuuuuch!! I will check out the link, I do use a Polar Ft4;) denise PS I did set it up, by the manual so it must be aok but I will check the link too;)If you are using a Polar HRM, and you accurately set-up your information including your resting heart rate or basic metabolic rate, then the HRM calculation should be accurate and logged as displayed. polarusa.com had a post about this and I copied the response below with a link.
http://forum.polar.fi/showthread.php?t=23581
RESPONSE:
hi,
As said, your basic metabolic rate (what your body uses even if you were just sitting on a sofa) and the calories you consume being active are included in the calculation. Your basic metabolic rate does not all of a sudden stop when you're active, which is why what is calculated is what your body has used in the time you were measuring it.
Being active also increases your basic metabolic rate for a while after training.
//kate0 -
Thank you, you have be a real help with this whole thing!! denise:drinker: :drinker:I agree. If you wear a HRM all day in theory you get your BMR...do you add this to your calories? Noooo.
Clas burnt in a routine are HRM reading minus (BMR/1440x per minute exercised)
Work out your BMR for the day then divide it by 1440 (minutes in a day). That will give you a figure to subtract from your HRM reading per minute. That's what I do anyway. eg. My BMR is 2005, my BMR per minute is 1.39. If I do a 40min work out and my HRM says I burnt 392 cals. I log burnt cals as 392-(1.39x40mins) = 336.4 cals officially burnt
BMR will not be calculated that way. Remember BMR is no activity. If you're moving around through your day this is activity. What you're talking about is called NEAT, stands for Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. It means the calories you burn when you're not sleeping and not exercise. So just your normal daily activity.0
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