What the devil?! Advice please!

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ClosetBibliophile
ClosetBibliophile Posts: 34
in Health and Weight Loss
I think i've broke the system.

So, I'm a support worker for learning disabled adults. What that boils down to is 8hours per day of me running around a huge house, vacuuming, cleaning the bathrooms/bedrooms, moping, running up and down flights of stairs. Honestly, today I just haven't even stopped. Now, I tried to search (household chores) but nothing remotely close. I settled for 3 hours of walking at a slow pace. Now, I think I've probably underestimated but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

I also ride my bike to and from work. Moderately on the way up as I live at the bottom of a hill and leisurely downhill on the way back.

It's saying I've burned 1100 calories o.0
Are you freaking joking?

Even weirder, it's added that to my total to consume today so I now stand at -300 calories, and I have one more meal left to eat and its saying consume 2000 calories.

As I said, I've broken the system. If somebody can tell me what I've done wrong that'd be great, thanks! There's no way in hell I'm eating 2700 calories in one day, I'm trying to lose weight!!!

Replies

  • Gizziemoto
    Gizziemoto Posts: 430 Member
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    May I ask what your activity level is set at? The reason is it seems like you are active based on your job description. Anything that is factored into your activity leve should not be added as exercise. I sit at a desk all day so I am sedentary.
  • ClosetBibliophile
    ClosetBibliophile Posts: 34
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    I have no idea, I'll go check!
  • ClosetBibliophile
    ClosetBibliophile Posts: 34
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    Thank you!!! I'm down as 'lightly active'. I think I didn't set it as active as each shift is different and sometimes its a little more paperwork based. All the other staff were taking the residents out today so the heavy lifting fell to me, as it were. It just happened today was more hectic than usual. Advice?!
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    You need to factor this into your activity level. Then eat the calories it recommends.
  • harshman
    harshman Posts: 6 Member
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    I agree that you need to change you activity level for your every day work activities and not count them as exercise.

    I've never used the calories that MFP calculates for exercise. I think they are definitely over inflated. You can manually change them in the phone app. As a rule of thumb, I typically give myself 10 calories a minute on high impact activities like cycling at a high rate of speed or running- and kind of estimate from there. It depends on your weight of course, but I'd rather give myself not enough credit than too much.
  • Guurl
    Guurl Posts: 28 Member
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    Under your "Exercise" tab - go to "Cardio" and type in "cleaning" - both value for light effort and moderate effort appear.
  • ClosetBibliophile
    ClosetBibliophile Posts: 34
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    Thanks everyone! Not sure what to set my activity level to though, some days are completely mad like today and some are weekends when I don't run around as much or the occasional day when it's not so rushed.

    I really want this to be accurate because if it's not, well what the point of it all?!

    I definitely agree the figures seem VERY inflated.

    And thank you, I thought I'd searched that!
  • Gizziemoto
    Gizziemoto Posts: 430 Member
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    If you are on your feet most of the day, then I would go with active and only log exercises that are not part of your routine. Some days you may be active more than others, like today.

    What exercises do you like to do? Zumba, strength training, ect.?
  • RowenaBernice
    RowenaBernice Posts: 17
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    Are you going simply based on what MFP is telling you? In my honest opinion the calorie burn estimates are not very accurate on MFP because they use it as an average, but you really have to take into account your age, height and weight. This could lead to overestimating your calorie burn + overeating = no calorie deficit. Have you tried figuring out your BMR and your TDEE and then eating calories based on -20% of that? I personally think that makes it easier because you set a general activity level and then you don't have to worry about eating back exercise calories. Look for the In place of a road map thread in the forums. It's really helpful.
  • ClosetBibliophile
    ClosetBibliophile Posts: 34
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    Definitely on my feet for most of the day, not usually doing both houses alone like today.
    I cycle about 30-40 mins 5x a week, to get to work and back rather than bus.
    It's just housework, but more intense than I'd do if I wasn't at work, spread out over 4-5 hours, spend the other three doing paperwork or with residents.

    Just don't know how to classify it, in my mind I'm bouncing between lightly active and active.

    When I get back from work, I'm usually too tired to do much!
    I very occasionally make up my own routines, sit-ups, mixed in with short bursts of jumps, lunges ect. That's not a regular thing though, this is day 3 of my diet. Getting the food sorted before introducing a new element so I don't think, forget it then go eat a baguette.
  • ClosetBibliophile
    ClosetBibliophile Posts: 34
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    I worked it out using a maths sequence on my weight, height, activity level, ect ect

    It was 1780 after I took off 20%, roughly the same as what this site has given me which reassured me that this site was an accurate one!

    Only difference is, here you eat back exercise calories.
  • Gizziemoto
    Gizziemoto Posts: 430 Member
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    That is because it already has factored in your deficit based on your weight loss goal. I was once told that as long as the numbers under at the bottom are green, you are good.

    When you did your TDEE-20 which activity leve did you use?
  • Gizziemoto
    Gizziemoto Posts: 430 Member
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    Definitely on my feet for most of the day, not usually doing both houses alone like today.
    I cycle about 30-40 mins 5x a week, to get to work and back rather than bus.
    It's just housework, but more intense than I'd do if I wasn't at work, spread out over 4-5 hours, spend the other three doing paperwork or with residents.

    Just don't know how to classify it, in my mind I'm bouncing between lightly active and active.

    When I get back from work, I'm usually too tired to do much!
    I very occasionally make up my own routines, sit-ups, mixed in with short bursts of jumps, lunges ect. That's not a regular thing though, this is day 3 of my diet. Getting the food sorted before introducing a new element so I don't think, forget it then go eat a baguette.

    Based on this I say active. Or you can manually enter your TDEE-20%. However, you have to update this on your own as you lose weight. Great job on taking out your activity.
  • ClosetBibliophile
    ClosetBibliophile Posts: 34
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    I think i'll stick with what I am, if I occasionally exercise more than my programming includes then fine. I'm still eating a fair amount so its not going to put me in starvation mode :)

    Thanks for all the help!

    And yeah, not keeping it if it doesn't count, it'll just result in me over eating!

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