How many calories to count for steps
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jelleigh
Posts: 743 Member
Sorry to ask what is probably a repetitive question but I'm on vacation and suddenly doing a lot more walking than I normally do (15000-20000). I'm planning on indulging in some great cheese and wine while here but I don't want to undo my hard work and gain. Maybe just maintain. Anyhow - with so many tempting foods, I would like to be able to count these steps as exercise but I'm not sure what would be accurate?
My stats: set to sedentary. Cal goal of 1400 a day. 5'8". SW 215, CW 190, GW 145
My stats: set to sedentary. Cal goal of 1400 a day. 5'8". SW 215, CW 190, GW 145
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Replies
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It would be hard to estimate exactly how many calories you are burning because you don't know your exact step length, elevations you're walking, your movement economy...etc, but here is a rough guess based on the following information since I like number challenges:
- Average stride length for a woman is 26 inches.
- Sedentary by MFP standards already includes about 2500-5000 steps depending on the intensity, we'll go with 5000 just to be safe.
- 15-20k minus 5k steps leaves you with 10-15k over sedentary.
- 10-15k steps based on average stride length is 4.1-6.2 miles.
- Use the MFP entry for moderate speed walking (20 minutes per mile?? Not sure, since my database is metric) you would log 82-122 minutes or whatever the calculation is if the moderate walking speed is not 20 minutes per mile (you basically multiply 4.1-6.2 by the listed pace and log these minutes)
- After adding the exercise it will automatically add the extra calories to your diary for eat back purposes (expect anywhere from 400 to 600 extra calories). If you set your calories to "maintenance" you will have plenty of calories to play with on this vacation.0 -
You're on vacation. If some cheese and wine is what you want, then go for it. Worst case is you gain a pound or two from it. So you work hard when you get home for a couple weeks. As long as you don't go crazy with every meal then you should be fine with some indulgence.3
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wehn i am on holiday I eat ALL the food, do lots of walking, enjoy myself, and get back on plan when i am back.
oh and i also give it a week before i weigh myself!2 -
You're on vacation. Enjoy yourself. I wouldn't worry about calories but that's just me.
For what it's worth, I have my settings set to sedentary and when I walk 8000 steps in a day, I burn an additional 300 or so calories. So for taking 15000-20000 steps, I would think you should have plenty of wiggle room.0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »wehn i am on holiday I eat ALL the food, do lots of walking, enjoy myself, and get back on plan when i am back.
oh and i also give it a week before i weigh myself!
THIS!0 -
MommyMeggo wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »wehn i am on holiday I eat ALL the food, do lots of walking, enjoy myself, and get back on plan when i am back.
oh and i also give it a week before i weigh myself!
THIS!
THIS x2
Also, 10k steps vs. 20k steps doesn't make that big of a difference calorie wise, perhaps 200-300 calories max. Odds are that you eat more than that with all the cheese and wine on vacation anyway.0 -
Also, 10k steps vs. 20k steps doesn't make that big of a difference calorie wise, perhaps 200-300 calories max. Odds are that you eat more than that with all the cheese and wine on vacation anyway.
I am 55, 5'8", 150 lbs, in maintenance at 1820 net Calories, have a Fitbit Charge 2 with HR, and have MFP set at Sedentary.
Fitbit Calorie Adjustment above Sedentary was 908 Cals for 10,446 daily steps.
Fitbit Calorie Adjustment above Sedentary was 2274 Cals for 22,119 daily steps.
Difference of 1366 Calories for an additional 11,700 steps - that is a lot more than just 200 or 300 Calories, and someone who weighs more than I weigh will most likely earn more than just 200 or 300 Calories for that many additional steps.
The Calorie adjustment versus steps examples above are typical for me when I exceed MFP Sedentary activity level by that many steps.
I always eat back 100% of my earned Fitbit Calorie Adjustments at maintenance so that my weekly net Calories average out to 1820 per day. I ate back 90% of them when I was losing a few pounds and had no problem netting 1700 Calories per day to lose those pounds.
I do use a food scale to weigh all solids, measuring cups and spoons to measure liquids, and verify all food items I log through outside web sources and Nutrition Facts labels. I trust that my Calorie Intake is pretty accurate, and I trust my Calorie Output is pretty accurate using the Fitbit.0 -
Also, 10k steps vs. 20k steps doesn't make that big of a difference calorie wise, perhaps 200-300 calories max. Odds are that you eat more than that with all the cheese and wine on vacation anyway.
I am 55, 5'8", 150 lbs, in maintenance at 1820 net Calories, have a Fitbit Charge 2 with HR, and have MFP set at Sedentary.
Fitbit Calorie Adjustment above Sedentary was 908 Cals for 10,446 daily steps.
Fitbit Calorie Adjustment above Sedentary was 2274 Cals for 22,119 daily steps.
Difference of 1366 Calories for an additional 11,700 steps - that is a lot more than just 200 or 300 Calories, and someone who weighs more than I weigh will most likely earn more than just 200 or 300 Calories for that many additional steps.
The Calorie adjustment versus steps examples above are typical for me when I exceed MFP Sedentary activity level by that many steps.
I always eat back 100% of my earned Fitbit Calorie Adjustments at maintenance so that my weekly net Calories average out to 1820 per day. I ate back 90% of them when I was losing a few pounds and had no problem netting 1700 Calories per day to lose those pounds.
I do use a food scale to weigh all solids, measuring cups and spoons to measure liquids, and verify all food items I log through outside web sources and Nutrition Facts labels. I trust that my Calorie Intake is pretty accurate, and I trust my Calorie Output is pretty accurate using the Fitbit.1 -
Why not set your stats to lightly active or active for the time you are on vacation and see how many extra calories it gives you? It seems like you are being active and not sedentary on the vacation.1
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Do people really avoid cheese and dairy while dieting? Nope, nope, nope. Dairy is my favorite. I don't know why I see so many avoid it. If you plan speedy walks and can keep your HR in the Cardio Zone ...you'll burn 200 in about 45 minutes of hard walking.
So maybe try to "plan out" an hour each day where you walk hard (like a park with basic track) and throw in a few short sprints for extra calories and to get it done faster. Then you can enjoy more leisurely walks the rest of the time and know that you already gave yourself that baseline of extra calories to use each day.0 -
WendyLeigh1119 wrote: »Do people really avoid cheese and dairy while dieting? Nope, nope, nope. Dairy is my favorite. I don't know why I see so many avoid it.
Because the full fat stuff is pretty calorie dense, so cutting it out is a good way to create a calorie deficit?
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MommyMeggo wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »wehn i am on holiday I eat ALL the food, do lots of walking, enjoy myself, and get back on plan when i am back.
oh and i also give it a week before i weigh myself!
THIS!
THIS x2
Also, 10k steps vs. 20k steps doesn't make that big of a difference calorie wise, perhaps 200-300 calories max. Odds are that you eat more than that with all the cheese and wine on vacation anyway.
Wait, what? That's an additional 5 miles. Depends how much you weigh, too.3 -
TavistockToad wrote: »WendyLeigh1119 wrote: »Do people really avoid cheese and dairy while dieting? Nope, nope, nope. Dairy is my favorite. I don't know why I see so many avoid it.
Because the full fat stuff is pretty calorie dense, so cutting it out is a good way to create a calorie deficit?
Sure, but you need fat to lose weight and it has protein as well. There are full fat cheesed like Swiss that have less to begin with. I like to eat cheese as a main meal, so I save my calories to make sure I have it. And milk is easy....0% Organic. I eat a big bowl of shredded wheat loaded with Fresh berries and milk in the morning every day. Keeps me full through hours of exercise until dinner.
It just seems like people cut "dairy" as if it's somehow worse than eating meat. I just don't get it. Life without meat or sweets? Meh. Life without dairy? I'd be off my diet in 24 hours.0 -
WendyLeigh1119 wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »WendyLeigh1119 wrote: »Do people really avoid cheese and dairy while dieting? Nope, nope, nope. Dairy is my favorite. I don't know why I see so many avoid it.
Because the full fat stuff is pretty calorie dense, so cutting it out is a good way to create a calorie deficit?
Sure, but you need fat to lose weight and it has protein as well. There are full fat cheesed like Swiss that have less to begin with. I like to eat cheese as a main meal, so I save my calories to make sure I have it. And milk is easy....0% Organic. I eat a big bowl of shredded wheat loaded with Fresh berries and milk in the morning every day. Keeps me full through hours of exercise until dinner.
It just seems like people cut "dairy" as if it's somehow worse than eating meat. I just don't get it. Life without meat or sweets? Meh. Life without dairy? I'd be off my diet in 24 hours.
You don't need fat to lose weight... you need fat for good health, particularly for nutrient absorption.
I eat mostly reduced fat dairy as it fits my calories/macros best.2 -
MommyMeggo wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »wehn i am on holiday I eat ALL the food, do lots of walking, enjoy myself, and get back on plan when i am back.
oh and i also give it a week before i weigh myself!
THIS!
THIS x2
Also, 10k steps vs. 20k steps doesn't make that big of a difference calorie wise, perhaps 200-300 calories max. Odds are that you eat more than that with all the cheese and wine on vacation anyway.
It is considerably more than 200-300 actually2 -
You can always just download a step app to your phone. Some sync to MFP0
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MommyMeggo wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »wehn i am on holiday I eat ALL the food, do lots of walking, enjoy myself, and get back on plan when i am back.
oh and i also give it a week before i weigh myself!
THIS!
THIS x2
Also, 10k steps vs. 20k steps doesn't make that big of a difference calorie wise, perhaps 200-300 calories max. Odds are that you eat more than that with all the cheese and wine on vacation anyway.
No way, at least double that for most people.1 -
MommyMeggo wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »wehn i am on holiday I eat ALL the food, do lots of walking, enjoy myself, and get back on plan when i am back.
oh and i also give it a week before i weigh myself!
THIS!
THIS x2
Also, 10k steps vs. 20k steps doesn't make that big of a difference calorie wise, perhaps 200-300 calories max. Odds are that you eat more than that with all the cheese and wine on vacation anyway.
Nonsense. General rule-of-thumb is 100 cal/mile. **Note that is general.1 -
ANything is going to be a guess. I'd say the simplest thing to do, if you are set to sedentary but you are temporarily getting 15,000-20,000 steps: set to active and maintain. That should be a fairly safe ceiling to stay under.0
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StaciMarie1974 wrote: »ANything is going to be a guess. I'd say the simplest thing to do, if you are set to sedentary but you are temporarily getting 15,000-20,000 steps: set to active and maintain. That should be a fairly safe ceiling to stay under.
For what it's worth, "active" for me is about 12k steps as per fitbit, so maybe "very active" is more appropriate?
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