Including exercise in diary and then eating up the extra calories?

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Spitspot81
Spitspot81 Posts: 208 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I exercise 4-5 times per week....with a
Mix or heavy weights and cardio. Am looking to reduce body fat and lose inches. My weight is in a healthy range.

I have been including exercise in my diary, working it out at about 350 calories burnt.....this is obviously a very rough guess.

Is it important to eat up those extra calories that the mfp diary then allows you??? Obviously I know that if I am eating up those extra calories they have to be nutritional....I am not talking about have a couple of Mars Bars

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Yes, if you think you have a fairly good estimate of you exercise cals then eat them back.

    The odd Mars bar won't hurt either
  • RainaProske
    RainaProske Posts: 636 Member
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    When I started adding my exercise here, and saw that the site adds calories to my foods, I quit recording my exercise and erased my past exercise. I don't like that. I wish I could record my exercise without the site connecting it to my calorie intake.
  • mdrolle
    mdrolle Posts: 20 Member
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    Yes, if maintaining fat %, no if reducing. Get a heart rate monitor to truly track this, or at least get a better estimate.
  • JonnyJonny5555
    JonnyJonny5555 Posts: 21 Member
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    RainaProske wrote: »
    When I started adding my exercise here, and saw that the site adds calories to my foods, I quit recording my exercise and erased my past exercise. I don't like that. I wish I could record my exercise without the site connecting it to my calorie intake.

    I feel the same, and I think the site overstates the number of calories burned in some cases. I don't want to eat to a limit and then exercise so that I think I can eat more than I should.

    I want to stick to my limit, and if I get the benefit of exercise as well that is a bonus.

  • Spitspot81
    Spitspot81 Posts: 208 Member
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    JonnyJonny5555 wrote: »
    RainaProske wrote: »
    When I started adding my exercise here, and saw that the site adds calories to my foods, I quit recording my exercise and erased my past exercise. I don't like that. I wish I could record my exercise without the site connecting it to my calorie intake.

    I feel the same, and I think the site overstates the number of calories burned in some cases. I don't want to eat to a limit and then exercise so that I think I can eat more than I should.

    I want to stick to my limit, and if I get the benefit of exercise as well that is a bonus.

    That is a great way to think about it, thanks
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    JonnyJonny5555 wrote: »
    RainaProske wrote: »
    When I started adding my exercise here, and saw that the site adds calories to my foods, I quit recording my exercise and erased my past exercise. I don't like that. I wish I could record my exercise without the site connecting it to my calorie intake.

    I feel the same, and I think the site overstates the number of calories burned in some cases. I don't want to eat to a limit and then exercise so that I think I can eat more than I should.

    I want to stick to my limit, and if I get the benefit of exercise as well that is a bonus.

    The only issue with that is creating too large a deficit which can be unhealthy.
  • marm1962
    marm1962 Posts: 950 Member
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    RainaProske wrote: »
    When I started adding my exercise here, and saw that the site adds calories to my foods, I quit recording my exercise and erased my past exercise. I don't like that. I wish I could record my exercise without the site connecting it to my calorie intake.

    it4rdykvb8zz.png

    It's that simple
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    Yes.

    Also as long as you hit your macros you can eat Mars bars if you want. It doesn't matter.
  • RainaProske
    RainaProske Posts: 636 Member
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    Thank you @marm1962 ! :D
  • mrp56839
    mrp56839 Posts: 159 Member
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    marm1962 wrote: »
    RainaProske wrote: »
    When I started adding my exercise here, and saw that the site adds calories to my foods, I quit recording my exercise and erased my past exercise. I don't like that. I wish I could record my exercise without the site connecting it to my calorie intake.

    it4rdykvb8zz.png

    It's that simple

    Or you change the calories to 1... or however many you want to eat.

  • RainaProske
    RainaProske Posts: 636 Member
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    Thank you, @mrp56839 !
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    spitapot81 wrote: »
    So I exercise 4-5 times per week....with a
    Mix or heavy weights and cardio. Am looking to reduce body fat and lose inches. My weight is in a healthy range.

    I have been including exercise in my diary, working it out at about 350 calories burnt.....this is obviously a very rough guess.

    Is it important to eat up those extra calories that the mfp diary then allows you??? Obviously I know that if I am eating up those extra calories they have to be nutritional....I am not talking about have a couple of Mars Bars

    Yes you should be accounting for your exercise expenditure whether losing, maintaining or gaining - your calorie goal was set up assuming that you would.
    And no they don't all have to be "nutritional", if you are meeting your overall nutritional goals you can have a treat eaten just for enjoyment. Adherence is incredibly important and if having a treat helps that it's a positive thing.

    The importance of accuracy of exercise calorie estimates is vastly over-stated on here, there seems to be a weird culture of regarding exercise calories as different to other energy needs of your body. A reasonable and consistent estimate is fine.

    Worth a read....
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818082/exercise-calories-again-wtf/p1
  • Spitspot81
    Spitspot81 Posts: 208 Member
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    sijomial wrote: »
    spitapot81 wrote: »
    So I exercise 4-5 times per week....with a
    Mix or heavy weights and cardio. Am looking to reduce body fat and lose inches. My weight is in a healthy range.

    I have been including exercise in my diary, working it out at about 350 calories burnt.....this is obviously a very rough guess.

    Is it important to eat up those extra calories that the mfp diary then allows you??? Obviously I know that if I am eating up those extra calories they have to be nutritional....I am not talking about have a couple of Mars Bars

    Yes you should be accounting for your exercise expenditure whether losing, maintaining or gaining - your calorie goal was set up assuming that you would.
    And no they don't all have to be "nutritional", if you are meeting your overall nutritional goals you can have a treat eaten just for enjoyment. Adherence is incredibly important and if having a treat helps that it's a positive thing.

    The importance of accuracy of exercise calorie estimates is vastly over-stated on here, there seems to be a weird culture of regarding exercise calories as different to other energy needs of your body. A reasonable and consistent estimate is fine.

    Worth a read....
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818082/exercise-calories-again-wtf/p1

    Thank you so much for sharing this. I found it very informative.

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