Do you subtract cals from your HRM results for "living" cals

SolidGoaled
SolidGoaled Posts: 504 Member
edited September 24 in Fitness and Exercise
If your body is burning, lets say, 100 cals per hour simply for living and existing - then you exercise for one hour and your HRM says 500 - did you ACTUALLY only increase your caloric burn by 400? (hope this makes sense) I am just wondering if I should be eating back only 400 out of 500 exercise calories since 100 of those cals may have been burned if I was just sitting. Like a double dip?

Replies

  • Corinne_Bruce
    Corinne_Bruce Posts: 206
    I only eat back half of my exercise calories because even though the hrm is more accurate than a machine or MFP, it's not an exact science. So I like to play it safe.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    Yup - I subtract my "normal daily calories" (per MFP's estimate) from my exercise calories that my BodyMedia (or HRM if I use that) gives me. Otherwise you're "double dipping" as you put it.

    If your exercises are pretty short, it's not a big deal, but when you're working out for an hour six days a week like I am, that could cause me to overestimate my exercise calories by about 600!
  • PhoenixFire975
    PhoenixFire975 Posts: 70
    For exercise cals added, you should eat them to make sure your net cals line up with your daily goal. As for your "just sitting" cals, you shouldn't eat those because that is already factored into your BMR.
  • cerysrhi
    cerysrhi Posts: 262
    Interesting question the answer is I don't know but will love to find out.
  • CaraRadz
    CaraRadz Posts: 169 Member
    Your HRM calculates your total calories burned over a period of time. So yes, you should be subtracting your "just living" calories from the reading on your HRM to figure out how much you burned from the exercise alone.

    If you take your BMR and divide it by 1,440, you'll figure out how many calories you burn per minute naturally.

    So to figure out your net calorie burn from exercise, you do the following:

    HRM reading - ((BMR/1440)*Minutes of Exercise) = Net Calories Burned
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    Your HRM calculates your total calories burned over a period of time. So yes, you should be subtracting your "just living" calories from the reading on your HRM to figure out how much you burned from the exercise alone.

    If you take your BMR and divide it by 1,440, you'll figure out how many calories you burn per minute naturally.

    So to figure out your net calorie burn from exercise, you do the following:

    HRM reading - ((BMR/1440)*Minutes of Exercise) = Net Calories Burned

    YOu don't want to use your BMR - you want to use your normal daily calories, since that's what MFP assumes you are already going to burn. You want to count everything above and beyond that. (It's BMR plus normal daily (non exercise) activities). Go to your goals page and your Normal Daily Calorie Burn estimate will be there (can't remember exactly what they call it).
  • live2smyle
    live2smyle Posts: 592 Member
    I am so glad this was asked...I never even thought about that!!
  • elvb
    elvb Posts: 423 Member
    Wow that is too much math for me. I seem to be doing just fine eating what calories I can after exercise without having to figure out all the math. I've never been good at math :), and I want this to be a lifestyle change. It won't happen if I have to concentrate on adding/subtracting/dividing/etc.
    I'll just stick to using what my HRM says and eat whatever I can back. :D
  • CaraRadz
    CaraRadz Posts: 169 Member
    Your HRM calculates your total calories burned over a period of time. So yes, you should be subtracting your "just living" calories from the reading on your HRM to figure out how much you burned from the exercise alone.

    If you take your BMR and divide it by 1,440, you'll figure out how many calories you burn per minute naturally.

    So to figure out your net calorie burn from exercise, you do the following:

    HRM reading - ((BMR/1440)*Minutes of Exercise) = Net Calories Burned

    YOu don't want to use your BMR - you want to use your normal daily calories, since that's what MFP assumes you are already going to burn. You want to count everything above and beyond that. (It's BMR plus normal daily (non exercise) activities). Go to your goals page and your Normal Daily Calorie Burn estimate will be there (can't remember exactly what they call it).

    Great point! My bad... thanks for clarifying!
  • WrenLynn
    WrenLynn Posts: 213
    We burn approximately 1.5 calories just living so i always subtract that from what my HRM says I burned. So for an hour (60 minutes) that would be 90 calories to subtract. It is not really that hard to figure up.
  • ejsmith7
    ejsmith7 Posts: 81 Member
    Yes, I deduct my normal daily calories for the amount of time that I am exercising..
  • SolidGoaled
    SolidGoaled Posts: 504 Member
    Boy, I'm glad I asked this - I have been overeating my exercise calories, as I suspected. :/
  • mjshuster
    mjshuster Posts: 8
    I have considered purchasing an HRM, but don't want to spend the money if the benefits don't add up. What thoughts do you all have about the benefits of a GOOD HRM vs. the cost?
  • UpToAnyCool
    UpToAnyCool Posts: 1,673
    bump
  • Nigel99
    Nigel99 Posts: 498 Member
    I always subtract the "living" cals from my HRM cals burned totals after a workout.
    Based on what I'm reading on calories burned for various dailiy activities, I don't think most of my MFP friends do it at all.
  • rlynnst
    rlynnst Posts: 14
    How do you get those extra cals in . I feel like a pig trying to eat all what it says i should?
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    How do you get those extra cals in . I feel like a pig trying to eat all what it says i should?

    There are plenty of high quality, healthy, higher-calorie foods. Avocados, nuts, meats, oatmeal, dark chocolate (I prefer 85% cacao due to the super low sugar content), home-made smoothies (I include things like uncooked oats, fruit, milk, flax seed, etc. and can easily make a large smoothie that's 500-600 calories), etc. You just have to be creative, and to plan ahead. When I know i'll be exercising, I try to eat larger meals all day so I spread the exercise calories out - easier to add 100 calories to meals or add in a few 100-200 calorie snacks to take care of it than it is to try and eat 400-800 exercise calories at the end of the day.
  • RussianLynx
    RussianLynx Posts: 83
    I only eat back half of my exercise calories because even though the hrm is more accurate than a machine or MFP, it's not an exact science. So I like to play it safe.

    Ditto!
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