What's on your mind today?

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Replies

  • BexDun
    BexDun Posts: 133 Member
    Hey, so I've had some issues with my phone which I use this app on. The latest update killed it so I've had to go through insurance to get a replacement... meaning I've been awful at logging in here. I'm a week behind, but have everything logged in my diary. Am I out, or does the not logging here matter as much?
  • craigo3154
    craigo3154 Posts: 2,572 Member
    BexDun wrote: »
    Hey, so I've had some issues with my phone which I use this app on. The latest update killed it so I've had to go through insurance to get a replacement... meaning I've been awful at logging in here. I'm a week behind, but have everything logged in my diary. Am I out, or does the not logging here matter as much?
    @BexDun. If you have been doing the other 3 (logging food, staying in budget and 20 mins exercise per day) and had less than 4 pass days this month, you can still be in this months circle.

    Checking in here is not as important as the other 3. Checking in helps other see how you are doing and allows you to get support from others.

    We work largely on the honor system here. There are no monetary prizes given out. You know within yourself if you have been keeping to plan.

    Happy to hear from you again.

  • BexDun
    BexDun Posts: 133 Member
    Thanks for getting back to me. That's great. Although means I have no excuse to not complete the month now!
  • craigo3154
    craigo3154 Posts: 2,572 Member
    BexDun wrote: »
    Thanks for getting back to me. That's great. Although means I have no excuse to not complete the month now!
    @BexDun. No excuses :)

  • craigo3154
    craigo3154 Posts: 2,572 Member
    @RangerRickL. has created August UAC (http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/121904-ultimate-accountability-challenge-august-2017).

    I'm in for next month. Who else is with me?
  • MyersCrystal
    MyersCrystal Posts: 52 Member
    I'm in!
  • Anya_000
    Anya_000 Posts: 725 Member
    Me too!
  • conchita962
    conchita962 Posts: 327 Member
    I'm in!!!
  • craigo3154
    craigo3154 Posts: 2,572 Member
    ....
    If I believed the exercise cals I am given by 'mapmyfitness' then I would be netting at 1050 (but I believe the calorie burns they give you on the site are way too high and due to the fact I only lost 4lbs I think I must be getting the balance correct at the moment. SO I will stick with this plan for another month :)
    ...
    @Slimpossible007. Sounds like you have the balance just right though. If it's working, stick with it.

    A calorie is not a calorie. Reported calories is at BEST an approximation with a 10% margin of error.

    The macro mix is far more important than most realise (as each macro metabolises differently, both in isolation and in combination with other macros).

    mapmyfitness does not know efficiency. It also does not know weight (except what you have in your profile - I find I need to adjust my profile weight almost weekly). I take it as about a 10-20% over estimation (better than gym exercise equipment or step loggers, I put them in the 30-50% over-estimation range).

    As said at the start.
    "Sounds like you have the balance just right though. If it's working, stick with it."

    Great job.
  • Slimpossible007
    Slimpossible007 Posts: 16,405 Member
    TY @craigo3154 I did not know about the calorie having an error margin (not in food we eat anyway) .. I knew the calories out were all over the place, how can any site really tell us how much effort we put into an exercise !!

    I found it strange, when looking at the burns on a stationary bike on mapmyfitness, (i use the bike a lot) It counts a calorie burn in minutes you are on the bike .. and ignores the miles you do ...

    If I do 5 miles in 10 mins I get X calorie burn .. if I do 1 mile in 10 mins it gives me the exact same burn .. which is clearly nonsense as I have not put any effort into that 1 mile I've simply moved and certainly would not have got my heart rate up ... this is the reason I avoid eating back exercise calories.

    Anyway .. its working at the moment .. so I will continue.

  • craigo3154
    craigo3154 Posts: 2,572 Member
    TY @craigo3154 I did not know about the calorie having an error margin (not in food we eat anyway) .. I knew the calories out were all over the place, how can any site really tell us how much effort we put into an exercise !!

    I found it strange, when looking at the burns on a stationary bike on mapmyfitness, (i use the bike a lot) It counts a calorie burn in minutes you are on the bike .. and ignores the miles you do ...

    If I do 5 miles in 10 mins I get X calorie burn .. if I do 1 mile in 10 mins it gives me the exact same burn .. which is clearly nonsense as I have not put any effort into that 1 mile I've simply moved and certainly would not have got my heart rate up ... this is the reason I avoid eating back exercise calories.

    Anyway .. its working at the moment .. so I will continue.

    @Slimpossible007. Calories on the labels for the food we eat are calculated by a complex formula:
    http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/Y5022E/y5022e04.htm. The margin of error is based on the measurement of the macros that go into the formulas. If you get through the legal mumbo jumbo, the FDA permits up to a 10% margin of error (beyond which, litigation can occur).

    The only real way to accurately measure exercise burn is VO2 max testing. Breathing through a system that captures difference between O2/CO2 in and out. This is impractical except in scientific experiments.

    Stationary bike is even worse for energy burn estimate. You need to know the resistance level. Unlike real cycling you also have no wind resistance. Best to do stationary bike for cardio health and ignore the calorie burn estimate (as you have been doing). Also can be used for warm-up and cool down.

    For best results in the shortest amount of time (on a stationary bike), monitor your heart rate and a follow a HIIT (high intensity interval training) style cardio regime. Your heart muscle responds to HIIT like any other muscle in the body.

    Hope this helps.
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