Logging Exercise Using MFP Calculations or Not?

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HPLW0705
HPLW0705 Posts: 102
in Fitness and Exercise
I haven't been logging my twice daily 20 minute walks because I don't trust the calories MFP says I burn. They just seem pretty inflated. Does anyone else not track their exercise if they're not sure about the calories? I figure I'm pretty spot on with tracking my food, shouldn't exercise be the same way? I have been doing T25 and before that I was doing Insanity...I always wear my HRM for these so my calorie counts are accurate. I'm trying to see how everyone else does it...If you know your calculations aren't right, do you still eat back those calories? I typically do, but I know mine are right. I don't know if I would trust eating them back if I wasn't sure. Thanks!!
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Replies

  • Wefita
    Wefita Posts: 91 Member
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    Before I got my HRM I still tracked the exercise, so I could personally keep track of what I was doing. I never ate the calories back tho. I have also noticed that my HRM is about half of what MFP estimates. So you could always change the entries yourself and enter half of what MFP is stating :)
  • HPLW0705
    HPLW0705 Posts: 102
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    That's a good idea...I may consider that! Thanks!
  • BeeHappy52
    BeeHappy52 Posts: 6
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    Looks as if the calories burned are doubled.
  • marciebrian
    marciebrian Posts: 853 Member
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    Looks as if the calories burned are doubled.

    I track the exercise calories that the treadmill or other equipment says but just because I told one of my friends when I work so hard I want to see high #'s... just ego but I don't eat back my calories so it doesn't matter to me if they're inflated. Whatever works for you is the right answer:flowerforyou:
  • txguard61
    txguard61 Posts: 51 Member
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    I dont trust it. I have a garmin with an HRM and i use it instead.
  • kt2007
    kt2007 Posts: 315 Member
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    So I use MFP for 1 source, than I use my RUNKEEPER phone app to track all workouts, and finally i use my POLAR F7 HRM. I will look at all 3 and kinda use a avg between the 3.
  • kt2007
    kt2007 Posts: 315 Member
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    Just a heads up RUNKEEPER is a free app. Also you can link the account with MFP and they will update your info on both sites as you use it.
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,757 Member
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    Before my HRM arrived, I was recording MFP info but felt it was too high so I didn't eat back more than about 30% of the cals. Now that I have the HRM, a FT4, I am using that no. of cals as my cals burned as I think it is much more accurate. Now I will eat by cals on the day I feel I need them. Many days, I don't go into my exercise cals at all. YMMV.
  • nettersjourney
    nettersjourney Posts: 5 Member
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    I'm really confused. I have seen several people talk about eating the calories they burn back. Are you suppose to do that?
  • clearlyinvisibleme
    clearlyinvisibleme Posts: 6
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    I use UP by Jawbone (a lot of other people use Fitbit) to track my calories burn and have it adjust my calories. I was shocked to see the difference in calories. Sometimes MFP estimates TRIPLE the calories burnt than my UP band. I definitely wouldn't trust MFP if your'e planning on eating back the calories.
  • kirkor
    kirkor Posts: 2,530 Member
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    Ya, where on earth does MFP get these estimates from??

    My buddy logged an hour of "Gardening" and it said he burned like 1000 calories! Ummmm ok right!
  • TheEffort
    TheEffort Posts: 1,028 Member
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    I didn't eat back the MFP exercise calories burned; I've been using a HRM for sometime and I agree with many of the posts about the significant difference between MFP and the HRM.
  • RedHotRunner
    RedHotRunner Posts: 850 Member
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    Ya, where on earth does MFP get these estimates from??

    My buddy logged an hour of "Gardening" and it said he burned like 1000 calories! Ummmm ok right!
    Is your buddy really heavy? I get 258 if I were to log an hour of gardening.
  • scottkjar
    scottkjar Posts: 346 Member
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    I'm really confused. I have seen several people talk about eating the calories they burn back. Are you suppose to do that?

    When you set your goals, you indicate whether you are sedentary, active, etc. You also give your weight loss goal (1 pound per week, etc.), as well as your expected level of workouts (15 minutes daily, etc.). From that information, MFP calculates your normal daily caloric consumption, and then sets your target caloric intake to meet that weight loss pace.

    If you do more workouts than that, you are burning more calories than they calculated. E.g., if you say you are sedentary, but then you start working out every day, that workout is not calculated into your MFP projections. So you can eat back some of the calories you consumed in your workout, and still be on target for your weight loss pace. But if you say you are active, and you remain equally active, then MFP has already calculated that into your projections.

    So go back and check what your answers are on your goals. Then you can decide whether your activity is already incorporated into the MFP goals (in which case you do not eat back), or whether your activity is in addition to the MFP goals (in which case you can eat back if you choose).
  • jcmrax5
    jcmrax5 Posts: 133
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    if you have a hrm just use it with your walks and then you dont have to worry if mfp is correct or not


    ?
  • TravelDog14
    TravelDog14 Posts: 317 Member
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    98% of the time I manually adjust MFP calories burned downward by about a third from what MFP gives me.
    Just manually lower the number.
  • walleyclan1
    walleyclan1 Posts: 2,784 Member
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    My HRM estimates for calories burned for walking, kickboxing, softball games are all higher than what MFP lists FWIW
  • ecw3780
    ecw3780 Posts: 608 Member
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    I use a fitbit and let it sync. Fitbit burn is about half of the MFP calories.
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
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    I agree it seems inflated. I list haying as "gardening" and stall cleaning with a pitchfork as "heavy cleaning", and cleaning the duckhouse and rebedding as "light cleaning" or not logging it at all. There is nothing in the exercise database for either mucking stalls or haying. I don't have a HRM and can't afford to get one; I need a second hay baler a lot more.
  • spoiledpuppies
    spoiledpuppies Posts: 675 Member
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    I don't use MFP numbers other than for swimming since I don't have a waterproof HRM. Otherwise, I use my HRM's number (which is typically lower), AND I calculate net calories burned (only the amount I burned over and above what I would have burned anyway even if I had been sitting on the couch). High numbers are fun, but I feel like what I'm doing is most realistic. But then, I don't typically eat them back anyway.

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