Logging exercise calories? Or not.. tips please.

Woodster83
Woodster83 Posts: 71 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone,

I'm starting to add in exercise now and again but when I log it, it seems very high.

For example; I walked for 45 mins shopping the other day and it said 45 mins, slow pace was 222 calories? This seems very high, but maybe because I'm very overweight? I'm not unfit as such though, not for things like walking, so is it correct?

I've looked into ways to make it more precise, fitbit etc, but not sure how to ensure I'm not going over my calories.

Basically I'd like to exercise to have more calories if I want them but I don't trust the exercise calculator.
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Replies

  • Zomoniac
    Zomoniac Posts: 1,169 Member
    If you were shopping then you weren't walking for 45 minutes, you were likely standing for 80% of that time. I see that a lot, people logging at 4mph for 45 minutes to get to work, when their work is a mile away and they don't seem to notice that it clearly doesn't add up, when they actually spend most of the time waiting to cross roads.

    I wouldn't even bother logging a walk unless it was at least 3 miles long, just count it into standard moving around.
  • Roseysgt
    Roseysgt Posts: 1
    When I log in my exercise info, I go by the info on the machine I use. I also have felt the calories that my fitness pal shows is very high. When walking I take about 1/3 off what it tells me. It's an estimate, but a little more realistic. Good luck with your diet.
  • popmaeas
    popmaeas Posts: 11 Member
    I agree some of the exercises may be exaggerated, but sometimes people track wrong. Like for example, when I play basketball, instead of logging how long the game actually takes, I log how long the game was that I played in minutes when it was timed, like usually 36 or 40 minutes depending on how long the halves are. I find this gives me a more accurate measurement usually. Otherwise, I don't normally log exercise unless it is of high intensity, and I don't eat back the calories most of the time.
  • heidi3132
    heidi3132 Posts: 12
    I use fitbit flex and i think it is great
  • abickford82
    abickford82 Posts: 207
    IMO, I walk a lot b/c it's my method of commuting (my husband uses our only vehicle for work), we live in town but I do not count those calories. I walk an average of 5-8 miles a day for basic errands, on top of my gym workout. I just don't count it, it just goes down as part of my daily expenditure (on my bodymedia armband).
  • Faye_Anderson
    Faye_Anderson Posts: 1,495 Member
    You have quite a high deficit already, I'd use all those 200 calories if I were you. Your starting weight is around where I started. Let me guess, you're set as sedentary and lose 2lb per week? Up your activity level and don't count the walking . You'll get the same result :flowerforyou:
  • jenmcdav
    jenmcdav Posts: 67
    I log cardio that i do-- like dedicated increments of exercise where i'm focused solely on exercising. If i go for a walk, I just consider that a bonus and don't log it. I don't log every day tasks like shopping or cleaning either (or sex!).
  • sarainiowa
    sarainiowa Posts: 287 Member
    Find a calorie burn calculator. A few websites have them, such as Self. You input your weight, what you did, min, etc and it gives you the calories you burned.

    MFP was way off on mine. Once I found a calculator a week ago, things seemed more accurate and I lost a little. (yay)
  • Rose6300
    Rose6300 Posts: 232 Member
    Hi,

    I don't have a fitbit or HRM, but I like to get to reasonable numbers (I agree some exercise calories here on MFP seem high).

    I use this website to calculate calories burned: http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/MetsCaloriesCalculator/MetsCaloriesCalculator.htm

    and this website to guesstimate what MET I'm working at https://sites.google.com/site/compendiumofphysicalactivities/Activity-Categories/conditioning-exercise

    I second the advice above saying actually log the amount of time you're exercising. For example, when I'm doing a video, I don't count the warmup/cooldown time.

    HTH
  • VelveteenArabian
    VelveteenArabian Posts: 758 Member
    Some stuff I wouldn't log. Shopping isn't exercise, so I wouldn't log that.
  • teemama2
    teemama2 Posts: 72 Member
    You can find other websites that will give you calories burned based on weight. I don't believe 'machines' are correct because weight isn't a factor when the number is given. I love my fitbit flex and it is a tool that I just can't live without.
  • nohaynicknamesdisponibles
    nohaynicknamesdisponibles Posts: 94 Member
    Hey everyone,

    I'm starting to add in exercise now and again but when I log it, it seems very high.

    For example; I walked for 45 mins shopping the other day and it said 45 mins, slow pace was 222 calories? This seems very high, but maybe because I'm very overweight? I'm not unfit as such though, not for things like walking, so is it correct?

    I've looked into ways to make it more precise, fitbit etc, but not sure how to ensure I'm not going over my calories.

    Basically I'd like to exercise to have more calories if I want them but I don't trust the exercise calculator.
    Get yourself a Polar FT7 and you will know exactly how many calories you have burned http://www.polar.com/us-en/products/get_active/fitness_crosstraining/FT7
  • teemama2
    teemama2 Posts: 72 Member
    MFP is too generous with calories burned
  • ElisaGetsHealthy
    ElisaGetsHealthy Posts: 40 Member
    I think im going to stop logging daily activities such as cleaning too...it will be just a bonus. When I do workout I use my Polar FT4 and input that info rather than using what MFP states which is usually overstated. Most of the time I dont eat back all the calories burned but i do make sure I eat the minimum calories MFP has stated for me.
  • Woodster83
    Woodster83 Posts: 71 Member
    Great tips everyone! Thank you.

    I generally wouldn't count shopping either, but it was a new shopping centre and we literally just walked through it, it was massive! Saying that, I see what you are saying.

    I went snowboarding too for an hour, and it say over 700 calories, didn't feel like it though!

    I am set at sedentry yes, I work from home on my computer all day and don't hardly move! So I might add some more exercise in there and just set to lightly active maybe? I'm okay with 1400 calories, but some days I might go over and it's nice to know I have some in reserve.

    I'm just wary of doing it wrong, getting disheartened and ruining my chance of losing all the weight I want to this year. Had so many false starts that I'm constantly stressing that I'm doing things wrong.

    Just seems silly that I weigh and log every little gram of food I eat, yet the exercise is so subjective!?

    Thanks again, I'll look over your comments again and try and find a good way through it.
  • fsucrack
    fsucrack Posts: 68 Member
    There has been some serious debate on what is daily activity and what is exercise. Exercise is only what you do for physical exercition and usually working hard and your heart rate is up. Daily activities should not be counted because this give you a false burn and then when you eat those calories back then you are not creating the deficit that you want to actually lose weight. Daily activities are shopping, cleaning, knitting... etc
  • AwesomeGuy37
    AwesomeGuy37 Posts: 436 Member
    I don't log any activities. It seems pointless, in my opinion, to exercise to eat more if you are trying to lose weight.
  • Woodster83
    Woodster83 Posts: 71 Member
    Generally I sit on my PC all day (graphic designer), so I don't move much and would class it as sedentry.

    I logged some cleaning the other day, 20 mins as I really did put some effort into it, but maybe I should just not log it anymore. It was more than I'd normally do!

    I think I might keep it on sedentry and start adding exercise in, then when I'm doing a fair amount I'll up it to lightly active?

    I like using the deficit part to log my 7000 calorie per week deficit for my 2lbs, but the activity tracker seems to ruin this a bit for me lol.

    Thanks for all the input, very grateful and please keep the comments coming.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Hey everyone,

    I'm starting to add in exercise now and again but when I log it, it seems very high.

    For example; I walked for 45 mins shopping the other day and it said 45 mins, slow pace was 222 calories? This seems very high, but maybe because I'm very overweight? I'm not unfit as such though, not for things like walking, so is it correct?

    I've looked into ways to make it more precise, fitbit etc, but not sure how to ensure I'm not going over my calories.

    Basically I'd like to exercise to have more calories if I want them but I don't trust the exercise calculator.

    Many people only eat half the calories because they feel the estimate is too high.
    There has been some serious debate on what is daily activity and what is exercise. Exercise is only what you do for physical exercition and usually working hard and your heart rate is up. Daily activities should not be counted because this give you a false burn and then when you eat those calories back then you are not creating the deficit that you want to actually lose weight. Daily activities are shopping, cleaning, knitting... etc

    In general I agree with this, unless the person is very obese, and normally very sedentary. Like for example the person might normally use the motorized shopping cart but for exercise purposes now walks instead, then I would consider it exercise *for that person*.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    The general consensus is that MFP overestimated calorie burns. When I don't have a better way of getting a calorie count from exercise, I usually only record about 3/4 of what I actually do to compensate. If you have a little $, consider hitting up EBay for a heart rate monitor, that's going to give you the most accurate calorie burn.
  • alword
    alword Posts: 2
    I thought i might add my question here and not str a new topic.

    I'm also a little bit confused about NET calories and exercise calories.

    I want to lose those 10-12 ponds again that i gained over the holidays and kept them since.

    So MFP told me to net at 1200 calories, today i did 75Mins on the Crosstrainer and my HRM said i burned 526 calories.
    Now MFP said: great you earned 526 calories from exercise so please eat 1726 calories today.

    Am I getting that right? 1726 seems a lot to eat if i want to lose?

    Thanks for your answers?
    (and i'm sorry for any mistakes, english is not my first language ;) )
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    I thought i might add my question here and not str a new topic.

    I'm also a little bit confused about NET calories and exercise calories.

    I want to lose those 10-12 ponds again that i gained over the holidays and kept them since.

    So MFP told me to net at 1200 calories, today i did 75Mins on the Crosstrainer and my HRM said i burned 526 calories.
    Now MFP said: great you earned 526 calories from exercise so please eat 1726 calories today.

    Am I getting that right? 1726 seems a lot to eat if i want to lose?

    Thanks for your answers?
    (and i'm sorry for any mistakes, english is not my first language ;) )

    Set MFP to lose half a pound a week. Because you do not have a lot of weight to lose, the loss will be slower. Log your exercise and use your HRM numbers, eat what MFP says PLUS the HRM amount.

    The reason for this is that MFP gives you your needed calories not including exercise. When you exercise you need more fuel for that. You will still be maintaining the amount of calorie deficit to lose weight.

    Example:
    2000 (amount of calories for maintenance, you would not lose or gain at this number)
    1500 (amount of calories that MFP says to eat to lose weight)
    -500 (amount of calories you burned in exercise)
    +500 (amount more calories you ate)
    =1500 (you still have a deficit from that 2000)
  • carolyn0613
    carolyn0613 Posts: 162 Member
    The more you exercise , the more you need to eat. If you don't eat those calories, then your deficit is bigger. You will lose weight but too fast. This is known as a crash diet and is not good. Take your time losing weight and it is more likely to stay off, because you have not shocked your body and have given yourself time to adjust to new healthy ways of eating.
  • carolyn0613
    carolyn0613 Posts: 162 Member
    OP, I would have counted the walk to the shops and back but not the strolling around while shopping.
  • kiekie33
    kiekie33 Posts: 65
    The calorie limit MFP gives you is what you can eat daily and still lose weight. This doesn't include exercise, which is why some don't exercise at all and still lose weight. when you do exercise you get some of those calories back. Focus on meeting the goal for your net calories but like others have been saying MFP tends to overestimate so only eat a third or so back. What I usually do when I log exercise is just to log half of it. Like i'll do an hour run but only log 30mins in MFP so even if I do eat all my calories back I know i'm still not going over.
  • johhunt47
    johhunt47 Posts: 30 Member
    Great tips everyone! Thank you.

    I generally wouldn't count shopping either, but it was a new shopping centre and we literally just walked through it, it was massive! Saying that, I see what you are saying.

    I went snowboarding too for an hour, and it say over 700 calories, didn't feel like it though!

    I am set at sedentry yes, I work from home on my computer all day and don't hardly move! So I might add some more exercise in there and just set to lightly active maybe? I'm okay with 1400 calories, but some days I might go over and it's nice to know I have some in reserve.

    I'm just wary of doing it wrong, getting disheartened and ruining my chance of losing all the weight I want to this year. Had so many false starts that I'm constantly stressing that I'm doing things wrong.

    Just seems silly that I weigh and log every little gram of food I eat, yet the exercise is so subjective!?

    Thanks again, I'll look over your comments again and try and find a good way through it.

    I can see burning that many calories with an hour of snowboarding as long as that is your downhill time. Really, everything you can log on here is subjective. Food packages say x amount of calories/fat/protein, but you have to remember that is all based on averages with some variation built in.

    The way i've viewed MFP over the past year is more as a means of recognizing what I take in and how much time and effort I spend pushing myself physically. Use the numbers on this site as a guide, not a crutch.

    Best of luck to you in your endeavor. As someone who went from "I could never do that" to someone that has lost over 150 lbs in under a year, I know its tough to drop the weight. Keep it up!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Only count when you walk specifically for exercise, and cut it down by 20% or so (MFP overestimates exercise calories). Include shopping, groceries etc in your daily activity.
  • airforceman1978
    airforceman1978 Posts: 100 Member
    fitbit force ftw i love mine
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    You have quite a high deficit already, I'd use all those 200 calories if I were you. Your starting weight is around where I started. Let me guess, you're set as sedentary and lose 2lb per week? Up your activity level and don't count the walking . You'll get the same result :flowerforyou:

    This!^

    Your decision to eat back calories (or not) should be based upon how high your calorie deficit is already......and it doesn't have to be all or nothing.

    Too quick weight loss will result in fat+muscle loss as opposed to mostly fat loss. To me exercise is for health (and fitness)....not as a means to speed up weight loss.

    Does your pounds per week goal fit with this chart?

    Pounds per week
    75+ lbs to lose 2 lb range
    Between 40 - 75 lbs to lose 1.5 lb range
    Between 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lb range
    Between 15-25 lbs to lose 1 -.50 lb range
    Less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs range
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I don't log any activities. It seems pointless, in my opinion, to exercise to eat more if you are trying to lose weight.

    Not pointless..........

    If you are using MFP as designed.....you get a calorie deficit BEFORE exercise. When you exercise you increase the deficit more.

    Yes - you will lose "weight" faster............but is your goal losing "weight" or losing FAT? When you eat little & exercise a lot.....your body will use existing muscle mass for fuel.

    Not saying this happens to everyone ....because some people have moderate weight loss goals.....but agreessive goal + exercise = fat+muscle loss. Then, when that person gets to goal they look like a smaller version of their current selves. Personally, I would like a LOWER body fat %

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