Do you log your exercise?

I log my exercise... and I eat my exercise calories, well at least some of them.

This girl loves those exercise calories.

This content has been removed.

I log it so I can put it in my spreadsheet later. I use it to determine my TDEE and make adjustments. I never eat them back. I target the same calories each day whether I exercise or not.

I wear a Fitbit and my account is connected to MFP - so while I don't "log" my exercise, I get credit for all my activity (even just the regular walking throughout the day, not necessarily exercise). I do eat back some of these, but not all of them (usually, this last weekend wasn't great).

Me too and I sync at the end of the day.

remember that you have to fuel your body. If you burn to many calories and don't eat them your body will go into starvation mode. This is from a personal trainer that has been doing for many years

I used to log exercise, but do not anymore. I developed the mindset that "oh, I burned 500 calories, I can eat an additional 500 calories if I want." So I log my food, but keep the exercise out.

Exactly. For one thing, you may not actually have burned 500 calories, that's just what the machine said. On top of the that, you may have eaten more calories than you thought, because you forgot to log something, or didn't know what the content was,, or the label may have underestimated the calories. So if you add the thought that you are entitled to eat 500 more calories you can easily destroy your calorie deficit and gain weight.

Do you log your exercise when you are trying to lose weight?
Do you use your exercise calories?

Not anymore to both questions because I don't use MFP's calculator. I calculated my macros and TDEE with the formula in this thread: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

I use the TDEE method so while I do log my intentional exercise, I only log it as a 1 calorie burn. Makes life a bit easier that way.

I use the TDEE method, so I don't log my exercise.

I used to log exercise, but do not anymore. I developed the mindset that "oh, I burned 500 calories, I can eat an additional 500 calories if I want." So I log my food, but keep the exercise out.

Exactly. For one thing, you may not actually have burned 500 calories, that's just what the machine said. On top of the that, you may have eaten more calories than you thought, because you forgot to log something, or didn't know what the content was,, or the label may have underestimated the calories. So if you add the thought that you are entitled to eat 500 more calories you can easily destroy your calorie deficit and gain weight.

It's how MFP is designed to work though. By deliberately not eating back exercise calories, you are disregarding the goal recommended to you.* Why immediately assume that machines and the database will overestimate your burn? Why assume that you're making mistakes in logging food? Why not just try MFP the way it was designed to work for a while and see if it works? While I was losing, I logged my exercise calories and ate all of them back, and I lost at the rate predicted by MFP. I've been maintaining for 7 months by eating all of my exercise calories back. Yes, the database can be inaccurate, and some people have found that for them, it's wildly inaccurate. It's not a given though. I really don't get the mentality that "it may not be 100% accurate, so therefore I'm not going to eat any of them back". The mindset of "oh, I burned 500 calories, I can eat an additional 500 calories if I want." is the one you're supposed to have, if you're using the MFP method. That's how it works.

*Obviously there are other ways, such as calculating your TDEE and subtracting a certain amount, in which case, don't eat back exercise calories. I'm referring to MFP's NEAT method.

I log it on Fitbit and let it do the math for me. Then I just eat enough to keep a 250 calorie deficit.

I log my cardio but not my strength training. I know this is a little weird - I just don't like how MFP lays out strength training. I also have two very active jobs.

I typically eat an extra 200-500 calories over my base allotment but have not been seeing a good weight loss on the scales i have lost inches and am much more toned) yet so I think I'm going to cut it back.

I primarily depend on strength training for my fitness needs. I log all of it in its own app, and then I do copy them over to MFP's "exercise diary." I find it interesting and amusing to do so. I don't like how MFP doesn't count any of that effort toward my TDEE. (I don't suppose there is an easy way to do that.)

Do any of you know of an app or software that can track calories burned while working out with weights, please share that information.

My runs, when and if I can run (my weak knee constantly threatens to sabotage such efforts), are logged by the Runkeeper app (on Android), and transferred automatically to MFP.

I log my cardio but not my strength training. I know this is a little weird - I just don't like how MFP lays out strength training. I also have two very active jobs.

I typically eat an extra 200-500 calories over my base allotment but have not been seeing a good weight loss on the scales i have lost inches and am much more toned) yet so I think I'm going to cut it back.

Jett, I don't know if you are aware, but if, when you log your exercise, you put "strength training" under cardio, it gives you an estimation. This is if you really wanted it in your diary.

Thank you so much for this tip!

One quick question, in case you know . . . Should I log the *total* time spent exercising, including rest period between sets and routines? Or, do I have to measure only the amount of time during which effort is expended?

Yes, I log everything. I usually eat it back, too, though I'm not necessarily trying to lose weight.

ETA: Calories burned are based on HRM.