Calories from exercise question!

jenc555
jenc555 Posts: 39 Member
edited September 26 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey!

Do you always write your exercise in for additional calories? Do you find that it makes a difference in your loss? I workout a lot, and I eat those exercise calories, but I'm curious to see what others do.

Do you workout and not log it so that your cal-count stays the same? Or do you find that when you eat more (exercise calories) you lose faster or more consistently?

Thanks!
Jen

Replies

  • cafeteriagirl
    cafeteriagirl Posts: 267 Member
    If this is in response to my comment yes i always add what i exercise. I work in a school cafeteria i dont even try to add that i have no idea how much i walk then. Some days its a slow run. lol. but seriously, i do add when i use my gazelle. i have a hard time staying at the 1200 calorie diet suggested for my size. Hope this answers your question.
  • ftoddw
    ftoddw Posts: 37 Member
    I log every possible calorie consuming activity, including yard work. When I have a big workout day I don't worry if
    I haven't eaten back all my calories, as long as I have eaten more than my base calories for that day.
  • cafeteriagirl
    cafeteriagirl Posts: 267 Member
    Was just wondering how did you figure out how many calories you burned with the yard work? I am curious, it is soon gardening time and I do the mowing and would love to add that to my exercise.
  • cat3nv
    cat3nv Posts: 389 Member
    I eat if I am hungry. I do not make an active effort to eat my exercise calories. I know If I get hungry I have them available and I can eat a snack.
  • tassles
    tassles Posts: 172
    Was just wondering how did you figure out how many calories you burned with the yard work? I am curious, it is soon gardening time and I do the mowing and would love to add that to my exercise.

    mowing is listed under cardio
  • cat3nv
    cat3nv Posts: 389 Member
    Was just wondering how did you figure out how many calories you burned with the yard work? I am curious, it is soon gardening time and I do the mowing and would love to add that to my exercise.


    It is in the database. Mowing the yard. raking, gardening. I think they give too many calories for gardening though so I cut my time in half when I add it.
  • cafeteriagirl
    cafeteriagirl Posts: 267 Member
    really? i didnt realize that. thanks:)
  • doodles80
    doodles80 Posts: 59
    I know I am flogging a dead horse again but I am still so confused about the eating the exercise calories back. I hear so many different things and I feel im really over eating for the sake of it if i do.

    Usually I dont eat them back - but I know if I am hungry i can have a snack (rare though)
  • mandysjourney
    mandysjourney Posts: 260 Member
    i dont add things like running around with my kids. i only add my planned workouts. I just class my running around chasing them, jumping on the trampoline with them etc as my everyday activity
  • ejohndrow
    ejohndrow Posts: 1,399 Member
    Personally I only add the exercise I do at the gym that is my workout. I have a hard time (this is just me personally) putting things like cleaning and yardwork on my list because I doubt my heartrate gets high enough to really make a difference. Also remember that everyone burns calories at a different rate depending on age size muscle mass etc. I`m not saying those calories dont count but just be careful when counting everything.
  • donicagalek
    donicagalek Posts: 526
    My resting HR is low, my blood pressure is low, my metabolism is in the toilet.

    I exercise throughout the day to keep my heart going at a good rate like the guy from Crank. X-D I log it, but I still aim for an extremely low net. I don't trust that I burn that many calories. I don't trust that the food database is accurate with their calorie counts. I stay way under, and if I feel hungry I'll eat something reasonable.
  • donicagalek
    donicagalek Posts: 526
    I have a hard time (this is just me personally) putting things like cleaning and yardwork on my list because I doubt my heartrate gets high enough to really make a difference.

    Really?! :-D I sweat like a beast when I get out the push mower/rototiller/shovel - more than when I do a traditional work out. I actually have to go inside and change clothes when I'm halfway done mowing (push mower on about 2/3 of an acre) because they're soaked. X-D
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,253 Member
    Hey!

    Do you always write your exercise in for additional calories? Do you find that it makes a difference in your loss? I workout a lot, and I eat those exercise calories, but I'm curious to see what others do.

    Do you workout and not log it so that your cal-count stays the same? Or do you find that when you eat more (exercise calories) you lose faster or more consistently?

    Thanks!
    Jen

    Yes! If I put my HRM on then I count it. Since MFP recommends you eat back most if not all of your exercise calories it just makes life more simple since it is calculated in your NET calories.

    I myself can't imagine working out and not recording it....If I don't see it then I didn't do it...LOL.
  • Tangerine302
    Tangerine302 Posts: 1,509 Member
    The daily type of routine is already figured into mfp when you choose light active, active, etc. I only add excercise tapes or other working out to my added exercise. Something like cleaning I don't add as I think of it as something that would be included in my regular daily activity. I get a lot of walking in at work. If I add it to the added exercise it says a lot of calories burned but I don't as I chose to include that when I signed up as to how active I was. If you choose sedentary in the beginning for you daily activity, then something like cleaning or extra things you do could be added to the extra exercise for more calories.
    That's the way I've done it anyway, maybe some others do it differently! :)
  • jenc555
    jenc555 Posts: 39 Member
    Thanks all!

    I wonder sometimes if I should be adding my exercise in b/c sometimes that gets me 'off the rails' with some food choices. I will try and use better choices to eat back my exercise calories.

    Jen
  • papastu
    papastu Posts: 737 Member
    dont eat mine :D

    also this is a good read

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/218981-personal-trainer-s-advice-eat-all-exercise-calories
  • Sonicendeavor
    Sonicendeavor Posts: 2
    The complicating factor involves what you eat, not just how many calories. If you eat well - lots of vegetables, lean meats and fish, and things like blueberries, almonds, etc for snacks,. then you can net your calories. If those additional calories are in the form of of high carb, high sugar, or empty calories with little nutritional value, then I would double their calorie count with respect to applying them towards your net calories.
    Also, if you're using cardio equipment, reduce the number of calories the machine says you burned by 25% to get a more accurate number. Those machines are highly inaccurate when it comes to calories burned.
  • Azuleelan
    Azuleelan Posts: 218
    I don't eat my exercise calories. It works for some, not for others... In my case, I'm on a 280 calorie deficit, so I need to count on my daily exercie to be able to get the 580 cal deficit that many people here have, or I would be losing weight extremely slowly if at all.
    It is false that EVERYONE has to eat them, even the reference posts in this site say so.
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    I eat a portion of them back, and always in the form of carbs/protein. What I found effective is to eat 1/2 of a protein bar about 30 minutes before my workout (closer to it and I tend to want to puke it up during intense workouts) and the other 1/2 within minutes of finishing my workout (or I become ravenous and overeat). I don't actually eat more at my meals or give myself permission to have junk food. The extra calories are simply to give me fuel and to repair muscles.
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,253 Member
    I don't eat my exercise calories. It works for some, not for others... In my case, I'm on a 280 calorie deficit, so I need to count on my daily exercie to be able to get the 580 cal deficit that many people here have, or I would be losing weight extremely slowly if at all.
    It is false that EVERYONE has to eat them, even the reference posts in this site say so.

    Just because I am curious...You don't eat any of your calories back right? So when you workout do you still enter it in your exercise? It adds that to your totals if you do so do you just look at the GOAL and not NET?
  • ejohndrow
    ejohndrow Posts: 1,399 Member
    I have a hard time (this is just me personally) putting things like cleaning and yardwork on my list because I doubt my heartrate gets high enough to really make a difference.

    Really?! :-D I sweat like a beast when I get out the push mower/rototiller/shovel - more than when I do a traditional work out. I actually have to go inside and change clothes when I'm halfway done mowing (push mower on about 2/3 of an acre) because they're soaked. X-D

    I would agree with mowing actually but...

    Remember we are two different people. We burn calories at different rates.

    Oh but also, I don't even have a yard-so I can't even talk about that I guess. My point was mainly that what works for some doesn't work for all.

    Also, good job on the weightloss :)
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