Should I eat all the extra calories burnt during exercise?
Options
Replies
-
You all seem very hung up on how many calories I am burning and I kind of feel like people think I am lying! - I am very overweight for my height, if I was a slim young thing I assume I would burn less calories, if this ap doesn't make a reasonable estimate on calories burned there's not much point in using it really. All I wanted was peoples ideas on if you should eat what you burn.
I don't think people are saying you're lying. That's just a very high number and they're questioning the accuracy. It's just very common around here for people to overestimate their calorie burns and then get frustrated when they eat all the calories back and then don't lose any weight. People are just suggesting maybe not to be so trusting of the numbers is all.
0 -
You all seem very hung up on how many calories I am burning and I kind of feel like people think I am lying!
Not at all. People just know that there IS a problem with the app overestimating calories burned, so don't want to tell you to eat back calories without addressing that issue.
As I said, I think the estimates for running are pretty good (I use the one in Runkeeper, but it's pretty similar, as are the ones online at Running World or similar sites). I'd still cut them a little to be safe, especially for longer runs.
It's not uncommon to get people who think they are burning over 1000 calories/day in just an hour of exercise, given the insane estimates that people can get for things like the elliptical or some classes or due to using the heart rate monitor in ways it's not suited or if they mistakenly use regular biking entries for stationary biking, etc., so that can mess up their logging. Since you said upfront you were talking about a long run day I didn't think it was so unlikely, although it may be a little high (which is why I gave what the miles would be for me, but yeah weight makes a difference).
Anyway, it sounds to me like you have a good plan going forward. If you don't like the results after a few weeks, just adjust.0 -
Thanks folks - i intend to move forward eating 75% of what I burn. Planning a 2 hour 30 min run tomorrow so that still gives me room for a treat!0
-
I've been using the "Workout" app on my Apple Watch to calculate calories burned--you tell it what kind of workout you're doing and what your goal is (time, mileage, no goal) and then once you start it, it takes your heart rate continuously during the entire workout. I think the fancier Fitbits have the same functionality as well as some of the other fitness bands.
When my elliptical machine says I burned 500 calories, the watch usually only says about 300 to 350. Same for biking--the calorie calculators that I have tried say that my rides should be burning about 500 calories based on my weight, pace, and time biking, but the watch only says about 320.
This is why I'm a big fan of using any device that takes heart rate. I know it's probably not 100% accurate either, but at least it doesn't blow smoke up your *kitten* like some of these gym machines do.0 -
I would agree, eating back about 75% (normally I'd say eat it all back, but that's only if you're wearing a heart rate monitor to track calories burned and weighing everything you eat so you know the exact calorie count). That extra 25% that you don't eat back can make up for anything you didn't count during the day. But yes, the app/profile is designed to factor in eating calories back, and if you don't, your calories consumed can get too low and you'll hinder any weight loss efforts. So stick with it and you'll do great!0
-
-
Domicinator wrote: »I've been using the "Workout" app on my Apple Watch to calculate calories burned--you tell it what kind of workout you're doing and what your goal is (time, mileage, no goal) and then once you start it, it takes your heart rate continuously during the entire workout. I think the fancier Fitbits have the same functionality as well as some of the other fitness bands.
When my elliptical machine says I burned 500 calories, the watch usually only says about 300 to 350. Same for biking--the calorie calculators that I have tried say that my rides should be burning about 500 calories based on my weight, pace, and time biking, but the watch only says about 320.
This is why I'm a big fan of using any device that takes heart rate. I know it's probably not 100% accurate either, but at least it doesn't blow smoke up your *kitten* like some of these gym machines do.
I am considering in investing in a fitbit or something similar - do you know if they map your route?0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »1400 seems really high but not impossible--for me that would be about 15-16 miles.
I think calorie calculators for running can be quite accurate, so long as you include your weight and the time and distance covered. However, you have to be careful, because they usually don't subtract out the calories you would have been burning in that time period anyway, so the longer the run, the more overstated it may be.
Back when I used to eat back calories I'd eat back most of the calories from a run of an run or less, and then less (maybe 50-75%, although the lower was more because I'd never want all the extra calories) for longer runs or the amounts over 1 hour.
Gym stuff is much less accurate and is quite hard to figure out. I'd eat back 50% or just figure out a sensible amount to eat back (I would do maybe 150 for an hour of mostly strength stuff, more for an hour of mixed cardio and strength or a class--maybe 300 or so for the class). On the whole everything would average out okay over the course of the week, but the best thing to do is just pick a method and then evaluate based on your losses over a few weeks. If less than expected, eat back less; if more than expected, eat back more.
My long runs are between 10 and 12 miles...
To get 1400 calories from 11 miles would require a body weight of....right around 210 pounds. Is that where you're at?You all seem very hung up on how many calories I am burning and I kind of feel like people think I am lying!
First, you're the one who brought up the calorie burn issue. Second, nobody called you a liar or anything even remotely like that. Some of us are just real experienced at getting more accurate burn numbers, and we're trying to help you out.
Since, you know, you specifically asked a question about calorie burns....
0 -
I eat most of mine back and I've been steadily losing weight since using this app, about 6 weeks now.0
-
stefankruithof wrote: »
I am a short, very overweight 50 year old, my height, age and weight have been entered onto to my profile and I assume they are used to estimate calories burned. I don't run very fast, I run at 5 miles an hour. Yesterday I ran for 63 minutes and it said I had burned 655 calories, a 12 mile run takes me just over 2 hours 20 minutes and it estimates 1456 calories. You all seem very hung up on how many calories I am burning and I kind of feel like people think I am lying! - I am very overweight for my height, if I was a slim young thing I assume I would burn less calories, if this ap doesn't make a reasonable estimate on calories burned there's not much point in using it really. All I wanted was peoples ideas on if you should eat what you burn.
actually, this app is much better for using the database for food entries...the exercise burn stuff tends not to be that accurate...there are a lot of variables for calories out...it's impossible for any database or calculator to really be accurate.
you're making the mistake many people do...blindly trusting some calculator or database with something that is pretty complex.
this app is great for the food part...but with calorie burns, you're going to want to look at several different sources and then you still need to realize that it's a big time estimate...it's one of the downsides of this particular method...I much prefer the TDEE method.0 -
Tell me about the TDEE method...
0 -
I've never used the exercise database , but have heard (read) that it estimates high. I'm getting ready to mow the lawn, so I decided to check it out. It said that I would burn 210 calories in 15 minutes. There's no way that is any where near accurate. I have a HRM & I burn about that on the elliptical & I know I'm working harder on the elliptical than I am walking around the yard. Wow! Eye opener.0
-
The TDEE method estimates your maintenance including your exercise. It works well if you do a generally consistent amount of exercise per week and prefer eating about the same every day (or otherwise not eating more on days you work out vs. those you don't -- you could still flex calories to the weekend, of course).
I do it, since I got tired of trying to estimate workout calories and (mostly) because at a certain point I found trying to do 1200 on non workout days unpleasant and had more calories than I could deal with on long run or bike days, so an average seemed more appealing.
There are lots of calculators that can help you estimate TDEE, but the main thing is you pick a number, try it for a few weeks, evaluate results, and keep it or move it up or down.
Here's one: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
There are different options in it, as you will see in the model option (I like Mifflin, but it's good to see how they differ and also to try a few different activity settings to see what the variation is). The Katch with bodyfat is probably the most accurate for the most people, but it need a good estimate of bodyfat. Anyway, like I said, the beauty is you tailor it to individual results.
If you have been logging for a while you can just figure yours out based on your actual numbers too. That's what I did when I switched.
-20% for most women tends to be about 1 lb/week, or you can just -500 for the same result (or -750 for a 1.5 lb loss, etc.).
0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »1400 seems really high but not impossible--for me that would be about 15-16 miles.
I think calorie calculators for running can be quite accurate, so long as you include your weight and the time and distance covered. However, you have to be careful, because they usually don't subtract out the calories you would have been burning in that time period anyway, so the longer the run, the more overstated it may be.
Back when I used to eat back calories I'd eat back most of the calories from a run of an run or less, and then less (maybe 50-75%, although the lower was more because I'd never want all the extra calories) for longer runs or the amounts over 1 hour.
Gym stuff is much less accurate and is quite hard to figure out. I'd eat back 50% or just figure out a sensible amount to eat back (I would do maybe 150 for an hour of mostly strength stuff, more for an hour of mixed cardio and strength or a class--maybe 300 or so for the class). On the whole everything would average out okay over the course of the week, but the best thing to do is just pick a method and then evaluate based on your losses over a few weeks. If less than expected, eat back less; if more than expected, eat back more.
My long runs are between 10 and 12 miles and as I am a slow runner they take over 2 hours to complete, prior to using the ap I always based my calories on 100 cals per 10 minutes. I'll try cutting back and leaving a few extra's and see how it goes.
How tall are you OP? I highly doubt you (or me, or most people) are burning 1400 extra exercise calories a day on top of their BMR.
I am short and fat lol! 35lbs overweight according to the BMI charts. I have entered my height and weight on a number of aps and they all give me approx the same calorie burn for a 130 minute 5MPH run, but that wasn't my question. I have decided to just eat back 75% of the calories expended. Up to now I have had a steady 1lb a week weight loss eating everything I use. I run approx 20-25 miles a week and do 3 hours gym cardio a week so I don't want to loose my energy.
If you are losing 1 pound per week, then you're doing fine. Weight loss is the best measure. If you stall, then re-assessing calories in vs calories out is a good idea.
0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »1400 seems really high but not impossible--for me that would be about 15-16 miles.
I think calorie calculators for running can be quite accurate, so long as you include your weight and the time and distance covered. However, you have to be careful, because they usually don't subtract out the calories you would have been burning in that time period anyway, so the longer the run, the more overstated it may be.
Back when I used to eat back calories I'd eat back most of the calories from a run of an run or less, and then less (maybe 50-75%, although the lower was more because I'd never want all the extra calories) for longer runs or the amounts over 1 hour.
Gym stuff is much less accurate and is quite hard to figure out. I'd eat back 50% or just figure out a sensible amount to eat back (I would do maybe 150 for an hour of mostly strength stuff, more for an hour of mixed cardio and strength or a class--maybe 300 or so for the class). On the whole everything would average out okay over the course of the week, but the best thing to do is just pick a method and then evaluate based on your losses over a few weeks. If less than expected, eat back less; if more than expected, eat back more.
My long runs are between 10 and 12 miles and as I am a slow runner they take over 2 hours to complete, prior to using the ap I always based my calories on 100 cals per 10 minutes. I'll try cutting back and leaving a few extra's and see how it goes.
How tall are you OP? I highly doubt you (or me, or most people) are burning 1400 extra exercise calories a day on top of their BMR.
I am short and fat lol! 35lbs overweight according to the BMI charts. I have entered my height and weight on a number of aps and they all give me approx the same calorie burn for a 130 minute 5MPH run, but that wasn't my question. I have decided to just eat back 75% of the calories expended. Up to now I have had a steady 1lb a week weight loss eating everything I use. I run approx 20-25 miles a week and do 3 hours gym cardio a week so I don't want to loose my energy.
If you are losing 1 pound per week, then you're doing fine. Weight loss is the best measure. If you stall, then re-assessing calories in vs calories out is a good idea.
100% agree. If you are set to lose 1 lb/week and are eating 100% back and losing 1 lb/week, then the MFP numbers are working for you. Keep doing what you're doing.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 392K Introduce Yourself
- 43.6K Getting Started
- 259.8K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.7K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 402 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.8K Motivation and Support
- 7.9K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.4K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 998 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.4K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions