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Eating back the extra calories..?

Holly_Gets_Hot
Holly_Gets_Hot Posts: 21 Member
edited November 2024 in Social Groups
Hi Team,

I have a fitbit Charge HR and I love it.

'Diet' wise, I aim to eat around 1500 - 1600 cal per day, but with the Fitbit adjustment it always tells me I should be eating more. I try and listen to my body and only eat extra if I know I have had a big day/trained hard or something... but I find myself using the adjustment as an excuse to eat more like "no I can have this because its still says I have enough calories"...
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Do people eat there calories adjustment calories back?

Thanks

Replies

  • Smntharose7
    Smntharose7 Posts: 5 Member
    I feel the same way.
  • Angierae75
    Angierae75 Posts: 417 Member
    I do. You're probably more active than you thought. I always thought I should be "sedentary" but my FItbit has shown me that I should actually be "lightly active" most days.
  • NancyN795
    NancyN795 Posts: 1,134 Member
    You have to be very accurate about logging what you eat. Weigh everything, with a good, digital food scale. For a long time, I got by with not being terribly accurate about what I was eating, but leaving some calories to compensate. But, that doesn't work long term. The little extras add up and get bigger.

    Now, I'm weighing everything and being honest and the weight is coming off again, despite the fact that my diary indicates that I'm a lot closer to my daily calorie limit. I do eat back the calorie adjustment.

    I think the same thing goes for exercise that you log separately from what your FitBit detects. Be very conservative about calories burned from yoga, weight lifting, swimming, etc.

    So, the answer is - yes, you can eat those calorie adjustments back as long as you're honest and accurate about everything else. That is easier said than done, of course.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Holly_Gets_Hot wrote: »
    Hi Team,

    I have a fitbit Charge HR and I love it.

    'Diet' wise, I aim to eat around 1500 - 1600 cal per day, but with the Fitbit adjustment it always tells me I should be eating more. I try and listen to my body and only eat extra if I know I have had a big day/trained hard or something... but I find myself using the adjustment as an excuse to eat more like "no I can have this because its still says I have enough calories"...
    -
    Do people eat there calories adjustment calories back?

    Thanks

    The 1500-1600 daily goal was based on what, why that level?

    Because MFP suggested it?

    MFP was estimating your daily burn solely on some stats and your guess of non-exercise activity level.
    Take a deficit off, there's your eating goal.

    You accepted that perhaps and are willing to follow it, whether you understood that's what happened or not.

    Now MFP is trying to adjust it's estimate of your daily burn to a better estimate from Fitbit.
    Take the same deficit off, there's your eating goal.

    Why not accept that amount?
  • fatjon73
    fatjon73 Posts: 379 Member
    edited February 2015
    I too got a new HR last week, wanted to track my daily usage more at work, and general day to day stuff.....everyone I know says it is giving me back a lot of cals to eat in a day for my activity.......I have not eaten any where near what the FB has said this last week......I am well over 500 cals under my FB / MFP goal each day, I am eating the same as I have for the last 7 weeks and my weight has not dropped much yet....so If I ate all my FB cals back then I would probably be twice the size I am in 6 months...lol

    All I can think is that my heart beat (which is strong and healthy for a fat lad) is putting the FB off when it takes my weight in to consideration with it all....(I am 17stone 7lbs)

    I will continue to eat as I am, minimum 1600 cals a day, trying not to go over 1800 unless I had a really hectic day...

    I am sure you will get the hang of it eventually....

    my current goal is to eat within 200 cals of the same each day for as long as Possible, so I can find my loss rate out then I will hopefully start to understand my BMR so I can then plan better for how much to lose going forward.....
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 3,520 Member
    I've been wearing a CHR fitbit for a few weeks now. I took the summary report they send out, used the average daily burn and subtracted 25%, and I am trying to eat as near to that number as possible. I feel more satisfied, no cravings etc so far, I am starting to drop the weight, so I think this is the way it should be used. I had been stuck before. Mainly, I think now, because I was not eating enough to fuel my body. Since I am eating in relation to my calorie burn, I am beginning to see a good result.

    We always seem to make it more complicated than it is :smile:
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    fatjon73 wrote: »
    I too got a new HR last week, wanted to track my daily usage more at work, and general day to day stuff.....everyone I know says it is giving me back a lot of cals to eat in a day for my activity.......I have not eaten any where near what the FB has said this last week......I am well over 500 cals under my FB / MFP goal each day, I am eating the same as I have for the last 7 weeks and my weight has not dropped much yet....so If I ate all my FB cals back then I would probably be twice the size I am in 6 months...lol

    All I can think is that my heart beat (which is strong and healthy for a fat lad) is putting the FB off when it takes my weight in to consideration with it all....(I am 17stone 7lbs)

    I will continue to eat as I am, minimum 1600 cals a day, trying not to go over 1800 unless I had a really hectic day...

    I am sure you will get the hang of it eventually....

    my current goal is to eat within 200 cals of the same each day for as long as Possible, so I can find my loss rate out then I will hopefully start to understand my BMR so I can then plan better for how much to lose going forward.....

    Sadly, you can actually effect your burn rate by the amount you eat.
    Your body is always trying to adapt, too much deficit and you won't get the loss you could have gotten.

    Also, eating too little constantly is a stress, and from hormones that causes water retention, upwards of 20 lbs.

    Many have dropped weight merely by breaking their diet and eating at maintenance for a week or two.

    Might gain some fast water weight, same fast water weight you dropped starting your diet, but that will go away again.
  • scrittrice
    scrittrice Posts: 345 Member
    edited February 2015
    Holly_Gets_Hot wrote: »

    Do people eat their calories adjustment calories back?
    Every single one. Works like a charm for me. I agree with @HeyBales--why use a rough estimate based on averages when you have all this more specific data about your actual self?

    Oh, and doesn't work like a charm in the sense that I remain the exact same weight every day, but that over the course of a month when I'm eating at a deficit, I lose at the predicted rate, and now that I'm in maintenance, I maintain. Everyday fluctuations, yadda yadda yadda.
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