MFP steps counter - eat back the calories or not?

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backflip2
backflip2 Posts: 17
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, i use the MFP steps counter on my iphone, but should I eat back the calories that i "lose" walking during the day? For me it's ok to eat back the one i lose when I run, exercise etc. but walking is something I do every day and I don't know if this activity it's already in the calculation of my calories limit or not.
My activity settings are on Sedentary.
Thank you

Replies

  • Mistapholeezkat
    Mistapholeezkat Posts: 80 Member
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    Nope, I don't like eating back calories......I have done it but with quilt
  • GretchenReine
    GretchenReine Posts: 1,427 Member
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    I would think that the calories you burn from just walking throughout the day should be left alone. I don't even count those. I wear a pedometer to count steps...but those calories are just part of life. I try to avoid my exercise calories in general but have eaten some of them back at times.
  • miniwheatxoxo
    miniwheatxoxo Posts: 51
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    No. Walking throughout the day is not considered "exercise". IF it is something you have to do everyday anyway.

    MFP says you CAN eat back your "exercise" calories. (Anything you do as additional exercise.) Ie: running 45 mins or cardio for an hour.

    Thats like me saying well, for every calorie I burn getting up from my work desk to go to the bathroom, I am going to eat those back. No. Just no.
  • mulecanter
    mulecanter Posts: 1,792 Member
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    No. Walking throughout the day is not considered "exercise". IF it is something you have to do everyday anyway.

    MFP says you CAN eat back your "exercise" calories. (Anything you do as additional exercise.) Ie: running 45 mins or cardio for an hour.

    Thats like me saying well, for every calorie I burn getting up from my work desk to go to the bathroom, I am going to eat those back. No. Just no.

    Agreed.
  • gracie_boylan
    gracie_boylan Posts: 1
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    I definitely wouldn't.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Hi, i use the MFP steps counter on my iphone, but should I eat back the calories that i "lose" walking during the day? For me it's ok to eat back the one i lose when I run, exercise etc. but walking is something I do every day and I don't know if this activity it's already in the calculation of my calories limit or not.
    My activity settings are on Sedentary.
    Thank you

    You already get some "step credit" at the sedentary level. But some people go above & beyond that. If your counter is many more steps than sedentary, then changing your activity level gives you an extra bump in calories. Logging miles (thru steps) can be problematic because steps tend to be fairly slow whereas purposeful walking can be much faster.

    <5000 steps/day may be used as a sedentary lifestyle
    5000-7499 steps/day is typical of daily activity might be considered low active
    7500-9999 likely includes some volitional activities considered somewhat active
    10,000 steps/day indicates the point that should be used to classify individuals as active
    >12500 steps/day are likely to be classified as highly active
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Your just walking around and what not should be included in your activity level. Even an activity level of sedentary is going to allow for some amount of walking around and doing things.

    I would also add that walking is not particularly rigorous or hard on your body...MFP is designed for you to account for exercise after you do it and log it and you get those calories to eat back...but really, if all you're doing is walking I wouldn't bother. It is far more important to follow that protocol when you're doing more vigorous workouts that are really breaking down the body as the body needs that nutrition and that energy (calories) to rebuild itself and to recover.
  • MegE_N
    MegE_N Posts: 245 Member
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    I lost about 30lbs by starting with eating back those calories, and then slowly eating less and less back. Now I eat none back. Don't jump into it, whatever you do. It's a process.
  • lmann72
    lmann72 Posts: 82 Member
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    For me, its all about balance. Listening to your body and if you *need* to eat them back ( your stomach is growling or you're feeling weak), then do it. Some days I do, some days I don't...
  • rhtexasgal
    rhtexasgal Posts: 572 Member
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    If it is regular, everyday walking, then I wouldn't eat them back. However, for those true exercise days when you purposely add cardio and strength training, I would eat back at least half.

    I synch my Fitbit up with MFP so I log in my cardio (elliptical), strength training and then get my Fitbit allowance from the steps I did over the course of the day. I make it a point to reach at least 10,000 steps a day. However, when it comes to eating, I typically will "ignore" my Fitbit calorie allowance but not what I logged into MFP exercise. I have found that if I consistently do NOT eat those MFP exercise calories back, my weight loss stalls - my body is not getting enough fuel it needs to drop those pounds! My weigh-in this morning showed no weight loss for me and I looked back and realized that I didn't eat enough calories ...

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