Recording Exercise or Not?

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Lieslll
Lieslll Posts: 26 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello,
I am new to fitness and this site, I just joined this website and a gym on Tuesday. Anyway, I have been going to the gym, taking part in an hour long fitness class, working out on an elliptical for 30 min each day, a bit of weight lifting too.

My question is, I know my calorie intake should be around 1200 calories per day, however when I add my exercises to the tracking area, the system adjusts the calories I can have for that day.

At the gym, the fitness instructor told me to stick with eating only 1200 calories (don't go over) and do not record my work out in this system, because it will not help me achieve weight loss.

I was wondering how other people are using this website. If the system says you can have more calories, do you eat more? or do you ignore it. Do you track exercise or just meals.

Thank you!

Replies

  • BluesGuitar
    BluesGuitar Posts: 34
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    I personally do not log my exercises.

    If you are consistent with your training all you really need to do is track your calories.

    If I don't see progress after a few weeks, I know to either increase my activity level or decrease my calories.

    If I feel sluggish, I increase calories but try to also increase activity level a bit.

    I think if you are paying a trainer to oversee your training and nutrition, you should listen to his/her guidance. If you choose not follow it, you can't really complain if it doesn't work, right?
  • jengempark
    jengempark Posts: 3 Member
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    I'm glad you asked this because I was wondering the same thing. My workouts tend to burn 500-600 calories and it just doesn't seem productive to eat ALL of that back.... then when you complete an entry it fusses at you for not eating enough and possibly putting your body into starvation mode!!! So I dunno... I live in a very small town and there isn't a personal trainer at our very small gym... I do a lot at home. I'd love to hear from some more folks.... :)
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
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    My prediction is that you won't be able to last at 1200 calories without eating back your exercise calories for very long. Nor should you. I have done this before, but after a week or two I end up with zero energy by the time evening comes around. I think I am brilliant for having the discipline to stick with that low calorie count but my body fights back by leaving me too tired to do ordinary activities. Now my base calories are a bit higher and I usually eat back at least some of my exercise calories (sometimes all!).
  • tr66
    tr66 Posts: 23 Member
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    In the past year of my diet and exercise routine, I count on exercise to give me some extra calories back each day. I find it motivational to exercise (or at least be active!) Now I do not eat back ALL the calories I gained, nor do I use that as an excuse to eat junk food or sweets, that would defeat the whole purpose of eating healthy.
  • vanguardfitness
    vanguardfitness Posts: 720 Member
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    I always log my exercises. But I'm a numbers guy and like keeping track of my personal statistics. I also write what I do in a workout journal.
  • just4nessa
    just4nessa Posts: 459 Member
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    I don't agree with your trainer. Your body needs fuel. You should be adding your exercise (accurately) and eating back those calories. MFP gave you a calorie goal with a deficit already built in, based on the activity level you indicated. If you are exercising above and beyond that activity level, you should log that and eat back some or all of the calories.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    MFP builds a deficit into your intake based on your TDEE and weight loss goals. For example, if your goal is one pound per week the system builds a daily deficit around 500 calories into your plan for a weekly 3500 calorie deficit ... or one pound of fat. MFP then expects you to eat your exercise calories back to maintain that built in average deficit. Where issues arise is when intake and output are not calculated accurately ... underestimating calories eaten and overestimating exercise burns.
  • Lieslll
    Lieslll Posts: 26 Member
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    It was great to read everyone`s comments. Thank you :)

    In retrospect, I have to admit that yesterday afternoon I was very tired`; felt like I needed a nap and I am not a napper!. Today, after working out, I felt light-headed as well.Maybe its related to the frozen calorie count.

    The information on MFP`s deficit count was helpful, I selected 2 lb per week so I guess that means MFP would be holding 7000 calories back for me (2 pounds) per week.

    Based on the comments you guys made, and my personal preference, I think I will log my exercises.I am interested in seeing what MFP says I should be doing and I would like to see the correlation between activity and weight. I am new to this whole thing and I think seeing the numbers in front of me on MFP will be inspirational, I need that to spur me on.

    Thank you everyone for your replies,I appreciate your help. :)
    I hope I can return the favor someday.
  • sjp_511
    sjp_511 Posts: 476 Member
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    It was great to read everyone`s comments. Thank you :)

    In retrospect, I have to admit that yesterday afternoon I was very tired`; felt like I needed a nap and I am not a napper!. Today, after working out, I felt light-headed as well.Maybe its related to the frozen calorie count.

    The information on MFP`s deficit count was helpful, I selected 2 lb per week so I guess that means MFP would be holding 7000 calories back for me (2 pounds) per week.

    Based on the comments you guys made, and my personal preference, I think I will log my exercises.I am interested in seeing what MFP says I should be doing and I would like to see the correlation between activity and weight. I am new to this whole thing and I think seeing the numbers in front of me on MFP will be inspirational, I need that to spur me on.

    Thank you everyone for your replies,I appreciate your help. :)
    I hope I can return the favor someday.

    According to your ticker, you want to lose 46 pounds. Aiming for 2 pounds per week might still be too big of a deficit to keep your energy up. Don't be afraid to switch to 1.5 or 1 lbs/week. Just listen to your body - as you have experienced, energy will be very low if you aren't eating enough.

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