Stupid Stupid Question - Log or Don't Log?

klybarger
klybarger Posts: 214
edited September 20 in Fitness and Exercise
Trying to get serious about exercising on my weight loss journey. But I'm confused.

Okay - I'm going through the guided goal setting: If I set my goals at working out 3x per week for 30 minutes it sets my daily caloric goal. Then, do I log/not log those 3 workouts? It seems it's adjusted my daily calories and then if I log it on my exercise log, it will allow me more calories.

I'm sure I'm missing something.....

Replies

  • foxfirekenzie
    foxfirekenzie Posts: 244 Member
    Hey there.
    Good question.
    If you log in your exercise, it will allow you more calories for the day. You can choose then what you do with those earned calories. Some people will eat those earned calories and some won't.

    You are doing it right! Keep it up!

    Kenzie
  • jackpotclown
    jackpotclown Posts: 3,275 Member
    You want to log your exercise and food intake regardless, MFP adjusts your caloric intake for the day because you need more energy consumed to burn more calories. Look at it like a food allowance, the more you exercise, the more you can eat ;-)
  • irunwithscissors
    irunwithscissors Posts: 89 Member
    Log it. I have never ate back the calories I have burned from exercise and this site suggests it. I am not sure why. I was actually just thinking about that. I just don't go over my calories the site says to have, meaning I don't eat the calories I burned, even though it will say I still have 500 from exercise. I am sure someone else has a better answer though. I would just log it to keep track for yourself, then you can look back at it and be proud!
  • lilchino4af
    lilchino4af Posts: 1,292 Member
    The daily calories that MFP sets for you is based on your activity level every day and DOES NOT have anything to do iwth your workout *goals*. Because that's just what they are: goals. MFP doesn't take your workout calories into account until after you enter them in on the Exercise tab. The only reason for even having a workout goal when setting up your goals is to help keep yourself accountable by keeping track of how many times you want to workout each week and easily see if you're succeeding on that goal or not. Hope this explanation helps.
  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
    The only time you would NOT log your exercise is if you included it in your "activity level" answer. So, for example, if you answered you were "moderately active" & that was including your exercise, then you would NOT log your exercise calories because they would already be included.

    The workout thing doesn't affect your allotted calories. :smile: (at least it never has for me)
  • klybarger
    klybarger Posts: 214
    The daily calories that MFP sets for you is based on your activity level every day and DOES NOT have anything to do iwth your workout *goals*. Because that's just what they are: goals. MFP doesn't take your workout calories into account until after you enter them in on the Exercise tab. The only reason for even having a workout goal when setting up your goals is to help keep yourself accountable by keeping track of how many times you want to workout each week and easily see if you're succeeding on that goal or not. Hope this explanation helps.

    But I think MFP does take my workout calories into account because it increases the daily calories based on the "anticipated" workouts. Although it's not logged automatically, it ups my calories. Then gives me the workout cals when I actually log them.

    I don't know why I have a hang up on getting this straight in my mind. It just seems that you're getting "double" calories. I guess I'm just leery of eating too many calories because I so badly want to get this right.
  • klybarger
    klybarger Posts: 214
    Do you guys put in your workout goals? Maybe I just need to leave the exercise blank and deal with them as I actually log them????? What do you guys do?
  • joleeng
    joleeng Posts: 3
    I dont think you need to eat the ALL the daily calories, if you burn those calories and then eat what you just burned...it kinda defeats the purpose... your body wont go into "starvation mode" if you eat 3 three healthy meals a day with plenty of water. as long as your not over exerting yourself you will be just fine. I can't eat nearly as much as my "daily calories" tell me to for as much as i exercise, and i am perfectly healthy.=)
  • toots99
    toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
    Please read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • junipuni
    junipuni Posts: 264 Member
    I think your activity level is different from your workout goals and the calories are based off of the activity level but not the anticipated workouts. So, don't include your workouts in your activity level - that is general - I think it gives examples of different kinds of jobs to help you pick activity level. Then you can set your workout goals and that doesn't influence the calories you are given. Daily, when you add those workouts, it will increase your calories - "exercise calories" as everybody refers to them. Does that make sense? Hopefully it does.
  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
    I don't know why I have a hang up on getting this straight in my mind. It just seems that you're getting "double" calories. I guess I'm just leery of eating too many calories because I so badly want to get this right.

    How many calories do you get with and without completing that?

    It makes absolutely no difference to mine. I'm allotted 1350 calories to lose 1.5 pounds a week whether I say I'm going to work out 0 times for 0 minutes each time or 7 times for 300 minutes each time!
  • klybarger
    klybarger Posts: 214
    I think your activity level is different from your workout goals and the calories are based off of the activity level but not the anticipated workouts. So, don't include your workouts in your activity level - that is general - I think it gives examples of different kinds of jobs to help you pick activity level. Then you can set your workout goals and that doesn't influence the calories you are given. Daily, when you add those workouts, it will increase your calories - "exercise calories" as everybody refers to them. Does that make sense? Hopefully it does.

    I have my activity level at "sedentary" because I work in an office. But when I put in my workout goals, it ups my calories. Maybe I'm doing something wrong or need to take the workout goals out of the equation. Then just log the exercise as I do them - ?
  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
    I don't know why I have a hang up on getting this straight in my mind. It just seems that you're getting "double" calories. I guess I'm just leery of eating too many calories because I so badly want to get this right.

    How many calories do you get with and without completing that?

    It makes absolutely no difference to mine. I'm allotted 1350 calories to lose 1.5 pounds a week whether I say I'm going to work out 0 times for 0 minutes each time or 7 times for 300 minutes each time!

    Oops.. lol, make that 1330 calories. I just went in to change my settings to be sure what I was saying was correct (and it was), and MFP adjusted my calorie goal since I've lost weight since last time I did it. :frown:
    :laugh:

    But yeah are you SURE you get more calories? Because I certainly don't no matter what I put in for my workout goals.
  • klybarger
    klybarger Posts: 214
    Does anyone remember Rosanna Anna Danna - never mind. Operator error. Had mistakingly changed from -1/lb per week to -.5/lb per week which gave me all kinds of cals!!! Thanks for making me see the error or my ways!

    Think I'll go for an extra long walk today. :)
  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
    :laugh:
    I'm glad you figured it out! :smile:
This discussion has been closed.

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